Planning what to serve with fish can be difficult when there are so many fish side dishes to choose from. You want a side dish that compliments the flavours of your seafood without overpowering it.
Thankfully there are plenty of great options that will pair perfectly with your fish recipes.
Fish is a lean protein, rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which means it pairs well with healthy sides such as salad and vegetables, just as it pairs well with hearty side dishes, such as potato and rice. It all depends on the type of fish you are serving.
These side dishes for fish are also great options for what to serve with seafood of other kinds as well, such as lemon garlic prawns or air fryer calamari, giving you plenty of side serving options for your next seafood family dinner.
What To Serve With Fish – Simple Side Dishes
If you want to keep your fish side dishes really simple, you can serve up your favourite steamed vegetables for a lean and healthy side dish.
Steamed beans, carrots, broccoli and cauliflower all work well with many fish recipes, or choose the current in-season vegetables instead and mix it up at different times of the year.
Add light seasoning with salt and pepper to taste and take care not to over steam your vegetables so that they maintain some crunch to compliment the soft flaky texture of your fish.
If a salad is more to your liking, you can throw together a simple garden salad with lettuce leaves, cherry tomatoes, olives and a balsamic vinegar dressing.
RELATED: WHAT TO SERVE WITH PULLED PORK – SIDE DISH IDEAS
Delicious Fish Side Dishes
Whether you are cooking a simple family dinner as part of your weekly meal plan or serving fish at a dinner party, there are side dish ideas to suit every type of fish dish and seafood recipe.
These side dish recipes have been sorted by type, with vegetable side dishes, salad side dishes and rice side dishes to help you narrow down your choices.
There are also a variety of sauce recipes for fish in case you are starting from scratch.
Take your fish dish to the next level by pairing it with two or three of these sides if you have the time. Yum!
Try something new with one of these many flavour-filled fish side dishes instead to pair with your fish or seafood meal:
Vegetable Side Dishes
Fish and vegetables are a perfect pair. Whether you want a simple fish and chips combination or to serve your fish dish with leafy greens or a whole rainbow of colour, there are so many options for vegetable side dishes for fish.
Mediterranean Roasted Vegetables
Mediterranean Roasted Vegetables are bursting with the sweet flavours of roasted vegetables. The rainbow of vegetables add plenty of colour to your plate and are seasoned with oregano, thyme, plus a squeeze of lemon juice.
Smashed Brussels Sprouts
These crispy smashed brussels sprouts are baked to perfection. They’re a delicious side dish that’s fun to make.
Air Fryer French Fries
These Air Fryer French Fries are easy and quick to make! They are delicious, crispy and since they are made in the air fryer, they are a healthier choice than deep-fried French fries. Plus if you serve them with tomato sauce, you’re sure to keep the younger members of the family happy.
Instant Pot Mashed Sweet Potatoes
This Instant Pot Mashed Sweet Potatoes recipe is an easy and quick side dish that is filling and full of nutrients. It’s a good variation from classic potato mash, and goes well with fish, soaking up any extra sauce on your plate.
Roasted Sweet Bell Peppers
These roasted bell peppers bring colour and flavour to your fish dish, making them perfect to serve on the side or to top your fish with the charred capsicum strips instead.
Garlic Roasted Green Beans
Fresh green beans, roasted with a little garlic, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar. Garlic Roasted Green Beans are a fast, easy and tasty dish that is perfectly paired with fish dinners as they can roast alongside one another.
Sautéed Broccolini
This sautéed broccolini comes together in no time at all. If you are looking for a simple and nutritious side dish that is quick to make, this green vegetable is for you!
Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries
Enjoy crispy seasoned sweet potato fries in the air fryer as a perfect fish side dish. This recipe includes a simple Greek yogurt dipping sauce that works perfectly with the fries, and would also taste great as a sauce over your white fish or baked salmon dishes.
Oven Roasted Asparagus
This simple recipe for oven-roasted asparagus is a great healthy fish side dish that goes with just about everything. Low calorie, low carb, keto-friendly, and delicious, ready in under 20 minutes!
Easy Scalloped Potatoes
These easy scalloped potatoes are creamy and delicious. Ready in about 20 minutes and they make the perfect side dish. Level up your fish and chips by doing something a little different with your potato side dish.
Air Fryer Broccoli
This Air Fryer broccoli recipe is easy to make in just 15 minutes! It’s a great way to add veg to every meal.
Garlic Butter Instant Pot Red Potatoes
Looking for a simple and comforting side dish you can quickly whip up as a side for any seafood meal? This dump and start garlic butter Instant Pot Red Potatoes ticks all the boxes and is ready in less than 25 minutes!
Air Fryer Onion Rings
These onion rings are easy to make in the air fryer, making them a healthier alternative to the fast-food onion rings or any that you deep fry. They are so crispy and good!
Mashed Cauliflower “Potatoes” with Roasted Garlic
An easy recipe for creamy mashed cauliflower “potatoes” with roasted garlic. Serve this cozy & healthy vegetable side dish alongside your favourite main course to satisfy a starchy potato craving with fewer carbs.
Roasted Carrots With Tahini, Olives & Mint
This Middle Eastern-inspired roasted carrot side dish, tossed with tahini, black olives and mint, is a great pairing for simply seared salmon!
Garlic Rosemary Roasted Carrots
Roasted Garlic Rosemary Glazed Carrots take just 5 minutes of prep work then the oven does the rest! A delicious, easy side dish to accompany fish and almost any other main course.
Pesto Bacon Zucchini Noodles
Fresh Zucchini Noodles with Pesto and Bacon make a light summer meal with the bold flavours of bacon and pasta. With only 4 ingredients, it cooks up in minutes! You’ll love the combination of pesto and bacon flavours!
Corn with Basil Lime Butter
Corn with Basil Lime Butter is a light, delicious side dish that goes perfectly with any fish main course.
Air Fryer Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
If you love a baked potato, loaded with cheese, sour cream and spring onion or fresh dill, these air fryer stuffed sweet potatoes are a great pairing to go with a light fish dish.
Salad Side Dishes
Just as vegetables pair great with all types of fish dishes, salad is another great option. You can serve up your fish with one of these simple salad recipes as the hero side dish, or team it up with one of the potato dishes above for a fish, chips and salad combo with a twist.
Mexican Three Bean Salad
This Mexican Three Bean Salad is a simple make-ahead salad to serve with seafood meals or at dinner parties. The protein-rich bean salads are loaded with Mexican flavors and always a favorite!
Light Cabbage Slaw
This light cabbage slaw is bright, flavorful, and refreshing. The salad comes together quickly and is the perfect accompaniment to seafood dishes, like Fish and Chips and Fish Tacos.
Mediterranean Cucumber Salad
This Mediterranean cucumber salad with red onion will add some crunch to your flaky fish dish! So colourful and flavorful, yet so quick and easy to make!
Caesar Salad
This classic Caesar Salad recipe is always a favourite salad choice and quick to make alongside your grilled fish dish.
Brussel Sprout Fish Taco Slaw
Step up your fish taco night with the perfect spicy slaw recipe. Swap out classic cabbage for some shaved brussels instead for the perfect side dish, coleslaw or salad recipe. This is a good way to add extra flavour to a mild fish dish by adding spice to your sides instead.
Avocado Egg Salad
This simple egg salad adds a little extra flavour burst with the addition of avocado and pairs well with creamy fish recipes or smoked salmon.
Orzo Pasta Salad
This simple Orzo Pasta Salad is tossed with delicious lemon honey dressing, loaded with fresh corn, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, and scallions. Feta cheese and a sprinkle of fresh garden herbs make this fish side dish complete!
French Potato Salad With Green Beans
This French potato salad with green beans is a hearty side dish that’s full of flavour. This is a twist on a classic potato salad recipe.
Southwestern Quinoa Salad
This easy southwestern quinoa salad recipe is a light and flavourful side dish tossed in a salsa lime dressing.
Cilantro Lime Slaw
This Cilantro Lime Slaw is light, fresh and creamy. An easy coleslaw recipe that comes together in under 10 minutes. Great served on burgers, tacos, or the perfect side with most meals.
Mandarin Orange & Blueberry Salad
This mandarin orange salad is a simple but flavorful recipe that provides mellow contrasts to any fresh fish entree. This is a great side dish to serve with fish during summer, with the light citrus flavours perfect for those warm days and nights.
Fiesta Mango Quinoa Salad
This Fiesta Mango Quinoa Salad with black beans, corn, and chilli-lime dressing is a versatile, goes-with-anything side that takes less than 30 minutes to make. This is a great salad featuring seasonal fruits, with mango as the key ingredient.
Israeli Couscous Salad with Lemon Dijon Vinaigrette
This gorgeous Israeli Couscous Salad is light and fresh, yet at the same time oh so satisfying. It’s a perfect side dish for your favourite chicken or fish recipe.
Rice Side Dishes
If you are looking for a rice dish to pair with your fish fillets, look no further. Rice pairs perfectly with creamy fish dishes, since it absorbs up the extra flavours on your plate. And there is so much flavour you can add to enhance a simple rice side dish.
Curry Rice With Califlower
This easy one-pot Curry Rice recipe with basmati rice, cauliflower and chickpeas is rich, layered with texture, and beautiful from the curry. Vegetarian and gluten-free. A wonderful side dish to serve with anything!
Easy Golden Rice Pilaf
This Golden Rice Pilaf is a simple accompaniment to fish or chicken dishes, with turmeric and toasted pine nuts.
Cauliflower Rice
While not technically a rice dish, cauliflower rice is a great low-carb alternative to rice and you can flavour it in much the same way you would any other rice.
Instant Pot Turmeric Lemon Rice
Turmeric Lemon Rice is a perfect side dish. Aromatic Basmati Rice flavoured with turmeric, herbs, lemon juice and roasted peanuts is easy and delicious.
Instant Pot Cilantro Lime Rice
Instant Pot Cilantro Lime Rice makes the classic Chipotle Copycat Cilantro Lime Rice Mexican side dish recipe easier to make in the Instant Pot Pressure Cooker! It will be ready quickly for your Mexican dinner!
Toasted Coconut Caribbean Rice
Are you crazy for all thing coconut? Try this delicious Caribbean inspired coconut rice dish. A quick step by step guide in how to make the fluffiest coconut rice using nutrition-dense brown rice.
Sauces to Serve With Fish
Having a great sauce to pour over your fish or as a dipping sauce on your plate can really level-up your seafood dishes. Sometimes the key to a successful fish dinner is having the right sauce to pair with your fish of choice.
Tartar Sauce
For classic fish and chips or for something a little fancier, you can’t go past a homemade tartar sauce in a small bowl for dipping. This extra creamy sauce recipe is sure to be a winner for your fish dinner.
Cheese Sauce
A simple cheese sauce goes with so many different dishes and seafood is no exception. This sauce will also add some extra flavour to your steamed veggies on the side as well.
Garlic Sauce
This Lebanese Garlic Sauce, or toum, is a great option for fish as it is a little less runny than a creamy garlic sauce and a simple way of adding extra flavour to your steamed or baked fish.
With so many delicious ideas, you will have no trouble finding what to serve with fish when you are next cooking up a seafood meal. These fish side dishes suit healthy dinners or hearty family meals that will keep you warm during the cool weather.
Now it’s just a matter of deciding all the different ways you can cook and prepare your fish to go with these side dishes! I hope these recipes help you plan what to eat with fish and seafood.
If you need more side dish ideas, these recipes will help you come up with delicious sides with pulled pork, side dishes for tacos, side dishes for ham, pizza sides, chicken wing side dishes and soup side dishes.
Find more recipe ideas to try at home:
- Leftover taco meat recipe ideas
- Recipes using Greek yogurt
- Leftover ham recipes
- Leftover turkey recipes
- Meals you can freeze for later
- Leftover Rotisserie chicken ideas
- Easy air fryer recipes for beginners
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