This is the kind of dish that is as perfect served up as a pretty side at Christmas as it is as part of a main meal mid-week. Harissa Roasted Squash, Sweet Potato & Onions is easy to make, pretty to look at and utterly delicious to eat!
I make a variation of this recipe throughout most of Winter. However as part of a Christmas Feast this easy side dish recipe has the advantage of spices to liven up the palate & provide a bit of heat and difference that works well with more traditional flavours.
Even better, you can use whatever root vegetables you have on hand. Try swede, carrots, beetroot or standard potatoes. You could even add some chickpeas if you were to make this for a mid-week dinner.
If you’re going to serve this up as a wonderful Christmas side, I insist you add some fresh rosemary when cooking and some pomegranate seeds to serve. Everything looks more festive and delicious with pomegranate seeds sprinkled on top.
If you have leftovers, you can whizz them up and heat with a good quality stock for a warming soup. I’d add extra Harissa to serve. Or smush in with the traditional post Christmas Bubble and Squeak, being sure to caramelise the edges thoroughly. (which is of course the best bit!)
An easy traybake spiced with warming Harissa. Perfect for a Christmas side-dish or a main dish at any other time.
- 1 medium butternut squash
- 3 medium sweet potatoes
- 1 head garlic
- 2 large red onions
- 2 tsp harissa
- 2 tsp fresh rosemary
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- salt & pepper
- 4-5 Tbsp pomegranate seeds about 1/2 pomegranate
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Peel & cut into 3cm cubes the sweet potatoes and squash
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Chop the onions into large wedges (about 6 per onion)
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Separate the garlic cloves from their head, but don't peel!
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Preheat the oven to 200C/Gas Mark 5
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Mix the vegetables with the oil & harissa & fresh rosemary in a large roasting tin.
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Put in the oven to roast for around 25 mins. Turning once or twice so all the vegetables are soft on the inside & caramelised on the outside.
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If you have loads of other dishes going in & out of the oven, this can happily sit at the bottom of it keeping warm without much trouble. Cover it over with some foil if you think it might dry out.
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Season to taste & serve with a few extra fresh sprigs of rosemary and a good sprinkle of pomegranate seeds.
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