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For those chilly days where all you want is a little hug in a bowl, beef stew has to be the dish of choice. Whilst it’s a hearty and filling seasonal staple on its own, if you want to take the comfort food factor to the next level, there are so many tasty side dishes to go with beef stew. From crispy and fluffy hasselback potatoes to sweet roasted squash, read on for our best side dishes for beef stew below.
1. Mashed potatoes
A scoop of mashed potatoes alongside a warming bowl of beef stew has to be a classic winter dinnertime meal for any chef’s kitchen. Creamy and indulgent, it’s our best side for beef stew if you’re looking for a soul-warming dish. To add a plant-based element to your beef meal, vegan mashed potatoes are just as easy and quick to make as the original. Simply switch cow’s milk and butter for a plant-based alternative, or you could experiment with creating cauliflower mash that can be quickly made in the blender.
2. Pita bread
Whilst a crusty roll might be your usual bread of choice for a pot of stew, pita bread is a delicious alternative, and works even better as a scoop for the stew. For a truly authentic and homemade touch, try making your pita bread from scratch at home. You’ll need to allow time for the dough to rest before cooking, but this can all be made whilst the stew simmers away. The crunch of a toasted pita is the perfect pairing for a chewy and smooth stew, and it's a guaranteed crowd-pleaser around the table with family and friends.
3. Hasselback potatoes
Hasselback potatoes are the ideal combination of crunchy and fluffy, and are one of our favorite ways to cook potatoes in the wintertime. Though they look quite complex, the secret to a hasselback is really in the slicing of the potatoes prior to cooking, which is far easier than you’d think. If you take your time to slice the potatoes to precision, then you’ll end up with the tastiest hasselback potatoes. Serve in a large bowl, sprinkled with sea salt and rosemary, and we guarantee your guests will leave none for leftovers.
4. Cucumber salad
For a lighter dish to sit alongside your beef stew, we’d recommend a fresh cucumber salad. Perhaps one of the more surprising side dishes to serve with beef stew, we like this one on the warmer days during the fall, or for when you’re missing salads during the colder months. This creamy salad is an unexpected match for an umami-rich beef stew, but an elegant and elevated side dish to serve to guests for a dinner party at home. This is the side dish for the stews in mid-fall when cucumber is still in season.
5. Roasted squash
There are few foods more quintessentially of the fall than squash. And when roasted it’s one of the best vegetables around. It’s an authentically seasonal vegetable that we can’t wait to tuck back into year on year. When paired with a beef stew, roasted squash offers a succulent sweetness to complement the meaty and savory depth of the stew. You can bake the squash whilst the stew is simmering and flavor with spices like nutmeg for added seasonality. We’ve shared a recipe using acorn squash, but butternut squash will work just as well.
6. Cauliflower bake
Cauliflower can sometimes come across a little bland, but there are so many brilliant opportunities to add flavor and flair to this humble vegetable. A cauliflower bake is a cheesy and indulgent way to serve this vegetable with a beef stew. Ready in under an hour, this irresistible creamy cauliflower bake is a natural pairing for an indulgent wintertime meal. It’s easy to make and spice as you like with seasonal flavors like nutmeg, and for any leftover cauliflower try your hand at making a plant-based mash.
7. Indian rice
Rice is a clear pairing for a beef stew. Whether you enjoy it as a side dish with the stew, or like to tip some of your rice straight into the bowl, it’s a natural accompaniment for the flavors of a beef stew. And for something different to impress your guests, we love Indian rice. Cloves, cardamom, and cumin elevate a basic rice dish to add fragrance and spice. Plain rice and brown rice will also work as a side dish, but the elegant flavor profile of Indian rice adds a special touch to the meal.
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