This beautiful holiday sorghum side dish will impress guests and/or hosts. Whole grain sorghum is gluten-free, so it’s a thoughtful gesture when serving a crowd.  

Hosting Thanksgiving festivities would be right up my alley, but with the Rustbelt Farmer’s family so close, we’re quite spoiled when it comes to holidays. We generally just have to show up and enjoy ourselves, which means we can skip the stress, start the day slow and even kick back some champagne because it’s the holidays! If I were going to host Thanksgiving, this holiday sorghum side dish would be on our table (probably while I fussed over something more complicated). 

Sorghum hasn’t quite hit the limelight in American cuisine, but it merits its 15 minutes of food fame. It’s an ancient whole grain that packs a little more crunch and texture than the more popular quinoa. Think of it as gluten-free couscous or pearl barley. I’ve shown you how to serve sorghum for late summer/fall in the Peach Sorghum Salad, but this time around, we’re headed straight for tables full of family and friends. Mixed with pumpkin puree for a bit of creaminess, this grain is ready for its Thanksgiving and Christmas debut. 

The rest of this holiday sorghum side dish has all the staple flavors of the season: roasted acorn squash, red onion and grapes for some sweetness, chopped kale or shaved Brussels sprouts for some crunch and raw plant power, and my favorite of late, crispy sage. 

There’s nothing too complicate about this stunner, but with a little plating fun, this holiday sorghum side dish can steal the show, and with a massive turkey on the table, that’s really saying something!

Whether you’re the one stressing to fill the table, or the one to just show up and enjoy the fruits of the labor, here’s wishing you and yours a very happy Thanksgiving! 

Cheers,

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Holiday Sorghum Side Dish with Roasted Squash (Vegan & Gluten Free)

About this Recipe: Hearty and healthy, this beautiful roasted squash and sorghum salad will impress holiday guests. Whole grain sorghum is gluten-free, so it’s a thoughtful gesture when serving a crowd.  

Grain

1 cup sorghum
3 cups water or low-sodium vegetable stock
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar

Roast

2-3 Tablespoons avocado oil
1 Acorn Squash, sliced
2-3 bunches red grapes
1 small red onion, peeled and quartered
2-3 sprigs fresh rosemary
1 small bundle of sage

Serve

10 oz shaved Brussels sprouts
1 cup pickled vegetables
chopped kale (optional)
fried sage
Fresh rosemary
Salt and pepper

For the Grain: Rinse, and drain the sorghum. Combine 3 cups of water or stock and 1 cup sorghum in a pot with a tight-fitting lid. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low and let simmer until tender, about 50 – 60 minutes. Drain any excess water. Return to the pot, and add the pumpkin puree and apple cider vinegar. Note: While the sorghum cooks, prepare the roasted squash.

For the Roasting: Preheat oven to 400°F. Arrange squash slices, grapes, onion quarters and herbs evenly on an oiled sheet pan. Drizzle with oil, then roast until the squash is golden brown and tender, 25 to 30 minutes.

To Serve: Combine the grain mixture, shaved Brussels, pickled vegetables and chopped kale, if using. Arrange the squash slices over the grain mixture. Arrange the roasted grapes and onions on the side, and garnish with fresh herbs. Season with salt and pepper.  

Enjoy!