Roasted Butternut Squash, Brussels Sprouts and Ham

Cubes of butternut squash tossed with shredded Brussels sprouts roasted together with leftover ham. Serve this as a colorful side dish, or on top of a grain for a main dish.

A little leftover ham goes a long way to adding flavor in a variety of recipes, so when the Ohio Pork Council hired me to share a recipe using leftover ham, the cogs in my brain were spinning with inspiration to play in the kitchen.

Follow me | Pinterest | Instagram | Facebook

Finding new ways to repurpose leftovers and keep our family meals interesting is one of my jams.

[Speaking of jam, if you make or are given a jar of Tomato Jam, there's nothing better on a simple leftover ham sandwich--or make it fancy like this Grilled Cheese, Country Ham, Leek & Tomato Jam Sandwich.]

I like using leftover ham to enhance the flavor of dishes and coax my kids to try new vegetables so much that I even had a Leftover Ham Week my first year of blogging. My most popular recipe from that week, {No Salt Added} Ham & Bean Soup, remains a family favorite. Other favorites include Ham & Banana Pizza (I am NOT kidding, it's yummy),  Deep Dish Easter Leftovers Pizza, and my mom's Sweet & Sour Ham Balls. We love to make the Ham Balls using Thanksgiving ham and then serve them as an appetizer during the Christmas/New Years party period.

I've put together a selection of my favorite leftover ham recipe ideas in this video--please check it out!

Today's recipe brings together my love for repurposing leftovers with my love for local foods from my Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farm share. Fall and winter are great times to enjoy butternut squash and Brussels sprouts, so when you serve a holiday ham, make this recipe using the leftovers. I served this as a side dish with spare ribs cooked in the Instant Pot, and my kids ate the rest over cous cous for lunch.

For more recipes using Butternut Squash, please see my Butternut and Buttercup Squash Recipe Collection, or my Winter Squash Recipe Collection. For more recipes using Brussels sprouts . . . well, this is my first one! I think I'll add it to the Cooking Greens Collection. These collections are part of the Visual Recipe Index by Ingredient, a resource for folks like me eating from the farm share, the farmer's market, the garden, the neighbor's garden, and great deals on ugly produce at the grocery store.

I'm sharing more recipes on my Pinterest boards, follow me there. If you like a good peek behind the scenes like I do, follow me on Instagram. Need a good read? I'm sharing articles of interest on my Facebook page, follow me there. Want to know How to Use This Blog?

Notes: if your garden didn't provide you with a Strategic Winter Squash Reserve full of butternut squash like mine did, save time and effort by buying peeled & cubed squash. If you're using a long stalk of Brussels sprouts, this recipe is a great way to use the loose large ones at the top of the stalk. Save the tiny tight sprouts for another recipe (and save the stalk for your dog). I use parchment paper when roasting--nothing sticks when I'm ready to stir, and clean up is super easy.

Roasted Butternut Squash Brussels Sprouts, and Ham
By Kirsten Madaus

Cubes of butternut squash tossed with shredded Brussels sprouts roasted together with leftover ham. Serve this as a colorful side dish, or on top of a grain for a main dish.

Prep time: 00:10
Cook time: 00:35
Total time: 00:45

Yield: 4 to 8 servings, depending if it's a side or a main dish

Ingredients:

1 butternut squash, peeled and cubed
1-2 Tablespoons olive oil
about 1 teaspoon salt (I use kosher)
about ½ teaspoon black pepper (I'm estimating from my grinder)
2 cups shredded Brussels sprouts
2 cups bite sized cubes of leftover ham
1 teaspoon minced garlic (optional, if your eaters love garlic)
¾ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional, if your eaters want spice)
cous cous, prepared according to package directions--I get the 10 ounce box

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. For easy clean up, line a rimmed baking pan with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, toss butternut squash cubes with some olive oil until coated, then sprinkle salt and pepper over top and toss again. Spread across prepared pan in an even layer.

Roast in preheated oven for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, toss Brussels sprouts in the same bowl, adding additional oil and spices as needed.

Remove pan from oven and sprinkle Brussels sprouts and ham cubes on top of squash. If you'd like to add garlic and/or red pepper, now's the time to add them to the pan by sprinkling on top of the squash & sprouts.

Return pan to the oven and roast for 10 more minutes, until squash is soft, sprouts are lightly browned, and ham is warmed through.

Serve as a side dish, or over a grain (we like this with cous cous) for a complete meal. Make it your own by adding some shredded cheese--parm or cheddar would be lovely!

This recipe is sponsored by the Ohio Pork Council. I'm delighted to support the over 3,500 Ohio Hog Farmers and their families by creating new ways to enjoy their product. I like to buy my Ohio pork at the farmer's market, but you can find Ohio pork in grocery stores throughout the midwest. For more information on Ohio hog farmers, please meet the Runyan family (and learn how to grill the perfect pork chop) and take a visit to the Surber Family (and check out Chef Jeff's smothered grilled pork chops).