The 8 Best Side Dishes for Steak

Steak is the pinnacle of all entrees. Sure, we’ll all try something exotic every now and then. We’ll let famous chefs convince us to experience some new dish. Those are fine, but at the end of the day, we all come back to steak. We do that because it’s so delicious. If you’re hankering for a great steak, you have an important decision to make. What side are you going to pair with it? Here are some ideas to get your appetite going

1. Baked Potato

 

This is the classic choice as a side for steak. Every steakhouse in the world serves baked potatoes with their entrees, and if they don’t, they should. Baked potatoes are the classic for good reason. You can get them with just butter and sour cream, or you can get them loaded with cheese and bacon and whatever else you might want. Baked potatoes compliment the savory flavors of the steak perfectly, so you can never go wrong with this choice.

2. Mashed Potatoes

 

When you want a delicious variation on the all-time classic, mashed potatoes are the perfect substitute. Like baked potatoes, you can load your mashed side up with anything you like. You get comparable flavors but with an entirely different texture. If you go for garlic mashed potatoes, you add another dimension of flavor that pairs great with any steak. Never be shy about eating mashed potatoes with a great steak.

3. Sauteed Mushrooms

 

Mushrooms can go on the side or directly on the steak. Both are acceptable, and both are a perfect addition to the meal. Sauteed mushrooms collect so much flavor from the butter, garlic, and marinade. Your steak can then be drenched in those flavors, creating an entirely new dining experience.

The best thing about the mushrooms is variety. You can sautee them with good wine. You can stick to butter. You can season them as richly as you like. Just keep the heat low, and let them take their time.

4. Broccoli

The best meals have vegetables, and everyone needs to eat their greens. The beauty of broccoli is that it has a reasonably dark flavor for a vegetable, and it matches steak quite well. Steamed broccoli has its place and can work quite well with a steak, but roasted broccoli is particularly nice because you can add so many seasonings to the mix. The flavor of broccoli alone enhances a steak, but roasting broccoli with rosemary or comparably aromatic seasonings brings out the best in this humble vegetable.

5. Mixed Veggies

When broccoli alone feels insufficient, mixed veggies make a perfect side. They are great roasted or steamed, and so choose the texture and flavors you prefer.

The most common veggies to mix with steak are broccoli, green beans, carrots, cauliflower, and potatoes (usually in wedges or otherwise small pieces). When you have a good veggie mix, you can steam them with virtually no seasoning and still get a delicious profile. Of course, any seasonings you want to add are always welcome.

6. French Fries

We’re back to potatoes, but we’re getting away from tradition. French fries have been available with steak at restaurants for a long time, but even at home, they’re starting to catch on. You can go with traditional fries, and they will be a tasty side. You can also shake it up and opt for sweet potato fries. It’s a completely different palate choice, and it will reinvigorate the steak dinner experience.

7. Bread

So many breads go great with a steak. Dinner rolls are probably the most common, and for good reason. Fresh loaves are also good, from a dark bread like pumpernickel to a fluffy sourdough. You can go for biscuits as well.

Some prefer bread before the entree. Others like them together. There are no wrong answers here. It’s about having a great meal.

8. Shrimp

Is it cheating to call shrimp a side dish? Does it count as a second entree? Who cares? Steak and shrimp is one of the greatest combinations in the history of food. So don’t worry about whether or not it technically counts as a side — have as much shrimp with your steak as you want. There are no apologies here. It’s all about eating delicious food.

9. White Water Bay

While any of these sides make for worthy eating, they need the main dish to truly shine. You need the steak to go with your sides. If all of this talk of food is getting you hungry, that’s OK. You can have a perfect steak. Just order from Cattlemen’s Steakhouse. You can get a big, juicy, delicious steak cooked to order. Picking your side might be the hardest part, but every choice is a good one.