Are you wondering what to serve with beef stew? Beef stew is one of those recipes that is a hearty meal but having a side item to complete the dish and make it a full dinner is often needed.
❤️ Why we love it
Beef stew is a warm comforting meal that is easy to make in your slow cooker.
- Perfect for cool nights or cold days.
- A versatile recipe to swap out your favorite beans or veggies.
- Can easily be adapted for your stove top.
- Leftovers are even better the second day.
Beef stew is the perfect weeknight dinner that you can throw together in the morning in your slow cooker and by the evening have a delicious mouthwatering meal.
No longer do you need to wonder what to serve with beef stew. Here are 101 ideas of sides to complement and make your beef stew a full meal.
🥖 Bread
When I think of what to serve with beef stew, bread is welcome addition. Ripping off a piece of bread and dipping it into the rich brown gravy is oh so tasty.
- Fluffy Dinner rolls
- Corn bread
- Southern buttermilk biscuits
- Pita bread
- Sweet Bread
- Crusty french bread
- Focaccia bread
- Amish bread
- Hawaiin rolls
- Corn fritters
- Packaged dinner rolls
- You can never go wrong with garlic bread.
- Biscuits
- Crescent rolls
- Homemade potato rolls
- Pecan rolls
- Bread stuffing
- Dutch oven bread
- Rolls from Frozen
- Sourdough bread
- Popovers
🍚 Rice
Rice and pasta are an easy side dishes for beef stew. And one of my favorites, because it helps to sop up the juices and gravy with each bite.
- Lebanese rice
- Yellow rice
- Instant pot Basmati rice
- Rice pilaf
- Tagliolini pasta
- Roasted rice
- Egg noodles
- Mediterranean rice
- Pasta with garlic and olive oil
- Risotto
- Vegetarian orzo
- Quinoa
- Freekah rice pilaf
- Summer Pasta
🥔 Potato
Ahh nothing says comfort like beef stew and potatoes. Creamy mashed potatoes are a favorite as well as mashed cauliflower, if you're counting carbs. But I have a few other choices that make beef stew just as satisfying.
- Creamy mashed potatoes
- Hash browns
- Tater tots
- Garlic mashed cauliflower
- Roasted red potatoes
- Colcannon with bacon
- Mashed sweet potatoes
- Instant pot baked potatoes
- Hassleback potatoes
- Baked sweet potatoes with cinnamon butter
- Vegetarian lasagna
- Ricotta stuffed shells
- Smashed potatoes
- Baked sweet potato slices
- Vegetarian Bolognese
🥦 Vegetables
Most beef stews may already have veggies in the stew, but no one ever said you could have too many vegetables and I happen to agree. Here are some that go well with beef stew.
- Mediterranean Green beans
- Sugar snap peas
- Steamed Brussels sprouts
- Roasted broccoli
- Braised red cabbage
- Air Fryer broccoli
- Sauté mushrooms
- Oven roasted butternut squash
- Oven roasted Brussels sprouts
- Green beans almondine
- Okra
- Roasted acorn squash
- Sweet butternut squash casserole
- Sautéed beets
- Eggplant in garlic sauce
- Green bean casserole
- Mediterranean roasted veggies
- Roasted butternut squash with asparagus
- Moroccan Taktouta
- Smoked Asparagus
🥗 Salads
Salads are a great side choice as they are usually on the lighter side and thus make the best option when pairing with a hearty and savory beef stew.
- Caesar salad
- Pasta salad
- Simple green salad
- Greek salad
- Pearl couscous salad
- Cucumber and tomato salad
- Arugula and red onion salad
- Quinoa salad
- Beet and carrot salad
- Fruit salad
- Edamame salad
- Mediterranean chickpea salad
- Eggplant salad
- Pea salad
- Potato salad
- Greek coleslaw (no mayo)
🍫 Desserts
When wondering what to serve with beef stew, desserts are always on my mind. Desserts are the perfect happy ending after enjoying beef stew dinner. These family favorites are light but incredibly tasty.
- Baked apple slices
- Healthier carrot cake
- Apple crisp
- Bread pudding
- Apple cream cheese bundt cake
- Mini pecan pies in phyllo dough
- No bake lemon icebox pie
- Butterscotch pudding
- No bake double layer pumpkin pie
- Sugar cookies
- Chocolate chess pie
- Milk Pudding
- Southern coconut pie
- Penguin OREO Cookies
- Chocolate covered graham cracker
💭 Things to know
These tips will help you make the best beef stew recipe.
- Use homemade bone broth if possible for the most amazing flavor.
- Always check that there is enough liquid in the slow cooker or pot so the meat doesn't dry out.
- Browning the meat before adding to the crock pot adds tremendous flavor to the overall dish.
- The cut of meat makes a difference. Chuck roast is a favorite here.
- Trim any excess fat and then cut into chunks for your best beef stew recipe.
Taking time to make these easy sides is well worth the effort, especially because they bring out the power and wonderful array of flavors of beef stew. Make it as simple or complicated as you want, chose one, two or three sides to complement your dish.
Save these ideas so you can pick different sides each time to make each beef stew a special meal.
Jerry Jilet Kokorian
Dear Amira I am from Cairo /Egypt and I love your variety of food that reminds me of homeland and the food my mother used to cook for us .
Thank you for the memories.