There is nothing like savouring a juicy steak. A well-made steak is a delight to the senses. In this case, you don’t want to dampen it by having anything that you take away from that. It’s why finding the right side for your steak is important. You want to ensure it complements it nicely. Uncertain about what classic sides would pair with your steak best? See here a few potential traditional sides you can go with the next time you either go to a steak house or make a steak from home.
All Potato Forms
Steak and potatoes go together like peanut butter and jelly – they complement one another naturally. It’s a classic side dish to choose from to have with your steak. At first, it might seem like a boring choice. On the contrary, the beauty behind potatoes is you can enjoy them in various forms.
Here are just a few potato-based sides you can choose from that work well with a steak:
- Mashed Potatoes
- Baked Potatoes
- Fries
- Scalloped Potatoes
- Sweet Potatoes
As you can see, you have options for a potato-based side. Plus, you can elevate its flavour by adding herbs or spices with these sides.
It can be as simple as including some garlic in your mashed potatoes or chives, bacon, and sour cream in a baked potato. Alternatively, you can get creative by following a roasted honey sweet potatoes recipe that will make for an earthy sweet side dish.
The sky’s the limit regarding potatoes as a side dish!
Going for Greens
A good way to balance a meaty steak is by having vegetables as a side. Like potatoes, various vegetables taste well with steak. These include vegetables such as:
- Asparagus
- Carrots
- Peas
- Brussel Sprouts
- Spinach
You can also play around with herbs and spices to enhance the taste of these vegetables – in which case, get creative! You would be surprised how well seasoned and cooked vegetables taste with your steak.
Another veggie option you can consider would be going for a salad. It’s nice and light, which complements a steak’s dense, heavy taste. Typically, the best salads with a steak are tossed or caesar salad but don’t be afraid to create a salad that suits your taste more!
And lastly, classic sides like mushrooms and green beans are great. Ironically, these two aren’t technically veggies. Mushrooms are fungi, while green beans are actually a fruit. Yet, despite that, they do pair nicely with steak.
A Creamy Mac & Cheese
You may have noticed steak house restaurants offer macaroni and cheese as a side. It’s an interesting choice as some might assume the cheesy flavour might overpower the steak. However, the one thing that steak paired with macaroni cheese is how they both are great comfort food. When combined, it’s like no other. You can make this side dish even better by adding additional ingredients. Many people have been known to give their macaroni and cheese some more kick by making it spicier. That little bit of spiciness not only makes you taste better, but it will complement well with the savoury, seasoned taste of your steak. If you want ultimate comfort, consider ordering this side the next time you’re at your local steak house!
Delightful Dinner Rolls
Do you ever wonder why dinner rolls are offered at a steak house? It’s because they naturally complement the taste of a steak, of course! There is a reason why dinner rolls, in particular, pair well with steak. Good dinner rolls will be nice and soft, contrasting the chewy but tender steak consistency. Plus, since dinner rolls aren’t too big on flavour, you won’t have to worry about clashing flavours. However, on that note, you can make dinner rolls more delightful by having them soaked in a decadent combination of butter and garlic. These ingredients complement steaks nicely too, which won’t overwhelm the taste. You honestly can’t go wrong with having dinner rolls as a side dish!
A Savoury Soup
When you have a steak, you might not always gravitate towards having soup. Yet, you would be surprised by how well it works with steak. After all, you can also have it as a side dish at some steakhouse restaurants. You can find various soups that would taste well with steak, but soups with a creamy consistency are usually the best compared to others. A popular soup some go for with steak is potato bacon soup. It makes sense since it’s akin to a liquified version of a baked potato with some fixings – minus the sour cream. Another popular choice is split pea soup if you want more of a veggie-filled soup. Again, as a veggie side-inspired soup, you won’t feel as guilty eating your steak with something more healthy with it. Whatever soup you choose will help warm you up as you fill your belly with delicious steak!
That’s a wrap! Hopefully, this comprehensive list has inspired you to try a more simple or creative spin on classic steak sides! Bon appetit!