What to Serve with Beef Stew? 7 Tasty Side Dishes

Finding the perfect side dish for your beef stew is usually a matter of personal preference.

However, if you are open to anything, a bit of research will take you quite far.

Start by thinking about all the textures in your beef stew.

For example, crunchy sides go well with stew.

On the other hand, you can also consider light dishes.

Bread in different forms is excellent, too, not to mention different salads or other types of veggies.

All in all, you get the point – figuring out what to serve with beef stew is not as difficult as it may seem, but pretty straightforward.

Why Consider Serving Side Dishes with Beef Stew?

If you think about it, beef stew is quite comprehensive.

It is a relatively full meal that will not always need a side dish.

However, the side dish can go in two different directions.

First, you may want something to add a bit of variety to the main dish.

Beef stew is usually a heavy meal, so you might need something to keep it low and reduce the nauseous profile.

Second, a side dish could provide an explosion of different flavors – confusing at first, but quite exciting once you get used to them.

What to Serve with Beef Stew? 7 Tasty Side Dishes

Here are some of the best options when not sure what to serve with beef stew.

1 – Cheesy Cornbread Muffins

Cornbread muffins are excellent when it comes to beef-related dishes.

Throw in a bit of cheese, and you have the perfect mix.

Cornbread is relatively sweet and has a mild flavor.

It pairs perfectly with the sweet aromas in the stew.

Preparing such a side dish will take less than 15 minutes.

You can also enhance them with chopped jalapeno if you like spicy foods or perhaps some garlic.

Tiny amounts of grated cheese will give your muffins a creamy feel.

To enjoy this mix, simply dip the muffin in the beef stew before each bite.

2 – Parsley Garlic Bread

You can never go wrong with garlic bread – it works with pretty much anything, and it adds a strong flavor to your main dish.

It may not always be considered a side dish – just an addition to a heavy meal.

However, you can make garlic bread a side dish by enhancing it.

A bit of parsley will work wonders.

The garlic mixes with the stew, and flavors blend in your mouth.

Throw in a bit of olive oil too.

Season with salt and pepper, and make sure the bread is warmed up before serving.

3 – Cheddar Cheese Biscuits

Cheddar cheese biscuits represent another great option when not sure what to serve with beef stew.

They are easy to prepare, full of flavor, and part of a great combo.

After all, can you ever go wrong with something cheesy?

You can make these biscuits yourself – the best choice – within 20 minutes only.

Sure, you can find cheesy biscuits in commerce as well, but they tend to be dry – the aroma is quite mild too.

Doing them yourself will give you more control over the taste.

When it comes to cheddar, sprinkle a bit of it on top.

Once ready, you can cut and toast the biscuits too if you want your own croutons.

4 – Green Bean Potato Salad

You cannot really go wrong with beans when it comes to side dishes for beef stews – regardless of the stew you choose.

You can keep things simple and cook some beans or come up with a tasty salad instead.

You have some bright green beans, as well as the earthy aroma of potatoes.

Both of them do well with some balsamic vinegar on top or perhaps some tangy Dijon.

5 – Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Brussels sprouts are definitely not for everyone, so make sure your guests or family members actually like them.

If you have the green light, roasting them will make an excellent side dish for your beef stew.

Roasting sprouts will ensure they are still tender, but not dry on the inside.

Use smaller sprouts for this recipe because they cook more evenly.

Trim and halve them, add some salt, pepper, and olive oil and give them a good roast.

The whole recipe is simple, and it should not take more than 25 minutes.

Do it until their leaves are brown and crispy.

6 – Boiled Potatoes with Parsley and Butter

You just cannot go wrong with boiled potatoes.

They bring back some good old memories from your childhood, and their aroma is simply unmistakable.

These days, you can improve your grandmother’s recipe a little, but you can also keep things classic.

A bit of butter will make this side dish appear more rustic.

There is not much to do to come up with the perfect dish – simply boil the potatoes and chop them into bite sizes.

Add a few herbs on top – ideally, parsley.

Use some butter, salt, and pepper, and your side dish is ready to impress.

7 – Arugula Salad with Cranberries and Blue Cheese

A good beef stew will definitely impress.

However, you can take things even further by introducing the right dish – something simple and tasty, but fancy enough to add style.

Blue cheese is tangy and salty. It balances the richness in your meat.

The sauce will challenge taste buds a little, but in a dynamical way.

A plain salad will also work well with a beef stew, but this one ups the game by introducing cranberries and walnuts.

Count the arugula and its peppery flavor, too, and you have just found the perfect side dish for your stew.

Conclusion

Bottom line, you do not have to work too hard to figure out what to serve with beef stew.

You can keep things simple, but you can also make everything more sophisticated.

You do not need to be a chef, though.

A little attention to small details can make all the difference in the world.

The good news is that beef stew is forgiving and will work well with a plethora of different sides.