50 Tasty Sides for Steak to Round Out Tonight's Dinner
From tried-and-true classics to innovative additions, these steak sides satisfy!
STEAK. As the old ad puts it, it's what's for dinner!
Something special happens when you cook a steak, whether you're cooking it on the grill, on the stove top, or in an air fryer. Regardless of what cut you're cooking with, when you make steak, you're turning dinner into an event.
Which is why you want to make sure your side dishes are as well-thought-out as the main course. They can be simple, or gussied-up, but they need to be good. And they need to be delicious enough to stand up next to that perfectly seasoned cut of beef you just cooked, or else you're going to be scraping it all into the disposal after dinner.
So here, find fifty of our favorite steak sides. Some of these are great for intimate romantic dinners of filet mignon or fancy steak au poivre. Others are ideal for hearty fare like beef tenderloin or bone-in ribeyes. Sometimes you need just one to go with a nice dinner. And other times you may want to pile it on like you're serving up your very own meat-and-three at home. But however you do it, we're pretty sure these side dishes will taste great with your steak dinner, whatever you're having!
Need more dinner inspiration? Check these stories:
Creamed Spinach
This steakhouse classic is, possibly, the single best side dish to serve with your favorite steak.
What makes it so good? The rich, mild creaminess just balances very well with a tender cut of steak. When we make this dish, we tend to go back and forth between a bite of steak and a scoop of spinach. Add a glass of red wine and you've got a meal fit for a celebration.
Horseradish–Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes
Meat and potatoes is such a popular pairing it's practically a slogan. But don't let that classic quality fool you into thinking it's boring. These horseradish and sour cream spuds are everything you want: kicky, creamy, and delicious!
Smashed Potatoes with Paprika and Cumin
If mashing potatoes feels like too much work, try just smashing them, instead! Here, a little salt, a little spice, and something heavy are all you need to turn baby potatoes into a dream side.
Lima Bean and Corn Succotash
This distinctly American beans-and-corn side, basted in butter, adds both color and flavor to any steak dinner! And if you're serving the steak with a pan-sauce on top, it'll taste very good mixed with this side.
Little Gem Lettuce with Mixed Seed Sprinkle
A simple side salad is never out of place next to a hearty main dish like steak. The creamy, crunchy, mostly unfussy version here makes a particularly good pairing.
Get the recipe for Little Gem Lettuce with Mixed Seed Sprinkle.
Leek, Mushroom, and Escarole Salad
Pan-seared mushrooms and leeks are tossed with greens and dressed in a vinaigrette. This side is great with rich proteins, like steak!
Hasselback Potato Gratin
If you're making steaks for a crowd, consider a casserole-style baked side, like this hasselback gratin! You can bake it off and then make the steaks on the stovetop while it's in the oven.
Squash Casserole
For a steak side dish that's a true Southern classic, look no further than squash casserole. This summertime staple is perfect when you're pulling strips off the grill.
Green Beans and Crushed Salt-and-Vinegar Chips
Be honest: steak and potato chips sound dreamy, right? The green beans are just a way to make it seem okay.
Get the recipe for Green Beans and Crushed Salt-and-Vinegar Chips.
Charred Corn Salad
Grilling steak? Throw some corn on while the grill is hot, and then cut it up for this flavorful, fun side.
Elotes (Mexican Street Corn)
Of course, just having straight-up corn on the cob is perfectly acceptable, too! It makes a great side dish for a simple, well-seasoned steak. When you cover it with fresh Mexican cheese, mayo, lime juice, and chili powder, however, then it's ethereal.
Ritzy Ranch Mac ’n’ Cheese
Another classic midcentury steakhouse side dish? Mac and cheese. It's so creamy and delicious that it makes a fun side for practically any occasion. This ranch-flavored version is particularly good with steak!
Butter-Braised Cabbage with Cream and Garlic
This five-ingredient wonder is one of our favorite things to do with a head of cabbage. It's easy, delicious, and pairs well with a whole variety of mains. Make it when you're pan-searing your steak.
Grilled Summer Squash with Lemon-Scallion Dressing
Here's another side dish that's perfect for when you're grilling your steak! Grilling gives squash a whole ton of flavor, but don't sleep on the dressing. It's spicy and delicious.
Get the recipe for Grilled Summer Squash with Lemon-Scallion Dressing.
Spicy Lemon Cauliflower
Cauliflower is a seriously underrated side, especially when it's roasted.
Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Oh, roasted Brussels are a classic steak side dish! This simple recipe is what you want: nothing unnecessary, just straightforward and tasty.
Cast-Iron Hasselback Potatoes
Some debate whether hasselbacking (thinly slicing a potato not all the way through, then dousing the slices in oil or butter) is worth the effort. But we're pretty sure those folks haven't actually tried a hasselbacked potato.
Crispy Brussels Sprouts Salad with Citrus-Maple Vinaigrette
Steak and salad make an excellent couple. A crunchy, fresh green salad is the antithesis of a tender, medium-rare steak. And that's why they taste so great together.
Stewed Okra and Tomatoes
This classic Southern meat-and-three side dish is absolute heaven with a good, well-cooked steak! For true style, add two more sides to the dish (like collards and mac 'n' cheese).
Blistered Snap Peas with Brown Butter and Chives
Brown butter has a deeply rich flavor that is almost reminiscent of a steak anyway. It makes these bright blistered peas irresistible.
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