Thanksgiving will be here before you know it. I have been contemplating what to bring to our family dinner for weeks and am currently leaning toward mushroom brioche stuffing and some type of pie. Or perhaps I’ll recreate this vegetable tarte tatin and shaved Brussels sprouts salad, which I put together specially for Pottery Barn.
Want to incorporate these tasty side dishes into your Turkey Day spread? Here are a few helpful pointers.
Prep prior to the big day. Start tackling the most time-consuming steps (assembling the tarte tatin dough and roasting the veggies) a day ahead. You can even make the shaved Brussels sprouts salad 24 hours in advance; store it in the fridge to keep it fresh.
Tailor the flavors to your liking. Any winter squash or root vegetable will work in the tarte tatin filling. Don’t like carrots? Swap them out for parsnips, sweet potatoes or beets. You can also experiment with different herbs or cheeses. The same goes for the salad: Sub in another nut for the pecans and sprinkle on bacon crumbles if you fancy it.
Add a little sizzle to your salad. Prefer cooked to raw leafy greens? Briefly pan-fry the Brussels sprouts in a splash of olive oil before combining them with the other ingredients.
Serve these sides as entrées. Entertaining non-meat eaters? They’ll be perfectly satisfied with a big slice of vegetable tarte tatin and a heap of shaved Brussels sprouts salad. So consider doubling the quantity.
Special thanks to Pottery Barn for providing the serveware featured in this post and sharing these recipes on their blog.
Recipes adapted from Food Network and Cooking Light.
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold, cut into small pieces
- ½ egg yolk
- 1 tablespoon ice water
- neck of 1 medium butternut squash, peeled and cut into ½"-thick rounds
- 6 large rainbow carrots, peeled and cut into ½"-thick rounds
- 1 small onion, cut into ½"-thick rounds
- 4 garlic cloves, halved lengthwise
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1¼ teaspoons sea salt, divided
- ½ teaspoon chili flakes, divided (see notes)
- ½ cup sugar
- 4 teaspoons water
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon fresh sage leaves
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- 1 cup shredded smoked mozzarella cheese (see notes)
- In a medium bowl, combine the flour and salt. Add the butter and rub it into the flour mixture with your fingertips until it resembles coarse meal. Add the egg yolk and water and mix with a fork. When the ingredients start to come together, use your hands to lightly knead the dough in the bowl until it forms a ball. Flatten the ball into a disc, wrap in plastic and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Cut out circles of butternut squash with a small round cutter; I used a 3" and 1¼" round cutter.
- Place the butternut squash, carrots, onion and garlic on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, season with 1 teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon chili flakes, and toss to coat.
- Bake for 20 minutes, remove from the oven and stir gently. Bake for an additional 15 minutes or until vegetables are lightly caramelized and fork tender. Remove from the oven and set aside.
- In a small sauce pan, combine the sugar and water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is amber colored, 6-7 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the heat and slowly and carefully add the apple cider vinegar, stirring with a silicone spatula; the mixture will bubble. Then stir in remaining ¼ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon chili flakes.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Pour the sugar mixture into a 9” springform pan and spread in an even layer. Sprinkle on sage and thyme.
- Arrange the butternut squash and carrots in a single layer on top of the herbs. Scatter the onion and garlic over the butternut squash and carrots. Sprinkle on mozzarella cheese.
- Remove the dough from the refrigerator and let it sit for 5-10 minutes. On a lightly floured work surface, roll it out to a 11" circle. Place it on top of the filling and tuck the dough around the butternut squash and carrots; prick all over with a fork.
- Place the springform pan on a baking sheet. Transfer to the oven and bake for 20 minutes.
- Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees and bake until the crust is golden brown, 20-25 minutes.
- Remove tarte tatin from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes. Then remove ring and place a platter on top of the tarte tatin; quickly and carefully invert. Serve immediately or at room temperature.
- 1 lemon, zest and juice
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 pound Brussels sprouts, vertically sliced into ⅛”-thick pieces
- ½ cup pomegranate seeds
- ¼ cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
- ½ cup candied pecans, roughly chopped (see notes)
- In a large bowl, combine the lemon zest and lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper; whisk until emulsified.
- Add Brussels sprouts, pomegranate seeds and Pecorino Romano cheese and toss gently to combine. Transfer to a shallow dish or serving platter and top with candied pecans. Serve at room temperature or slightly chilled.
