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If you’re wondering what to serve with your beef stew, you’ve come to the right place.

In this article, I list 45 of the most popular side dishes for beef stew.

In a rush? Here’s the short answer.

The best dishes to serve with beef stew are parsnip puree, wild rice pilaf, cabbage steaks, drop biscuits, and minted peas. You can also go with roasted kale salad, gnocchi, Greek yogurt coleslaw, cornmeal popovers, or lemon green beans. For a low-carb option, try zucchini noodles.

Psst…. I also have a great article on the best substitutes for red wine in stew.

Parsnip puree

Looking for a light but decadent side dish? Look no further than this parsnip puree.

I find it more flavorsome than regular mash because the parsnips have a natural nuttiness, and the roasted garlic enhances this.

But the best part? The puree gets its extra creamy, fluffy texture from cauliflower instead of butter or cream!

Why we love this recipe: you won’t feel guilty for digging into second helpings.

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Parsnip puree
Preheat the oven
Roasted cauliflower mash
Stick with the classics
Herb and garlic mashed potatoes

Braised German red cabbage

One of my favorite pairings for a rich and hearty beef stew is German red cabbage.

This recipe involves cooking shredded cabbage with vinegar, wine, grated apple, and aromatics like bay leaves and juniper berries.

You’ll need around an hour to make it, but the low and slow cook ensures the cabbage is infused with as much flavor as possible.

Why we love this recipe: it’s even tastier the next day.

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Braised German red cabbage
Make it effortless
Quick pickled cabbage
Keep it simple
Fried cabbage and mushrooms

Roasted broccolini

Roasted broccolini is a healthy side dish you can whip up in under 20 minutes – and it’s fancy too!

Roasting intensifies the vegetales sweet, earthy taste and transforms the hardy stems into tender stalks with crispy tips.

YUM.

Why we love this recipe: there’s zero hands-on cooking involved.

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Roasted broccolini
Add umami
Roasted broccolini with mushrooms in balsamic sauce
Skip the oven
Lemon garlic broccolini

Greek yogurt coleslaw

This coleslaw recipe deserves a spot in your weekly meal rotation. It’s so good!

The recipe ditches the traditional mayo and calls for Greek yogurt instead.

Which is loaded with good-for-you probiotics and has fewer calories than mayonnaise, but it will still give you that classic creamy bite.

The slaw will provide a nice cooling contrast next to your beef stew.

Why we love this recipe: it’s not a traditional pairing, but it works so well.

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Greek yogurt coleslaw
Make it dairy-free
Vinegar slaw
Skip the cabbage
Fennel and apple slaw

Butternut squash au gratin

This butternut squash gratin is a delicious fall-inspired treat.

It features roasted butternut squash and sauteed leeks smothered with a cream and parmesan cheese sauce.

There’s some work involved, but you can save time by prepping it early and then all you have to do when it’s time for dinner is pop it in the oven.

Why we love this recipe: it’ll remind you of the holidays, no matter the season.

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Butternut squash au gratin
Stick with the basics
Roasted butternut squash
Add leafy greens
Roasted butternut squash saute

Gnocchi

Skip adding the traditional potatoes to your stew and turn them into gnocchi instead.

These soft, fluffy potato dumplings will absorb all the tasty flavors from the broth, making each mouthful heavenly.

You can buy ready-to-eat gnocchi, but making it from scratch is easier than you think. Why not give it a try?

Why we love this recipe: you can make a big batch and freeze the extra for later.

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Potato gnocchi
Skip the spuds
Ricotta gnocchi
Make another Italian favorite
Homemade pappardelle

Minted peas

Take some inspiration from British cuisine and whip up these minted peas to go with your beef stew.

The mint adds a delightful refreshing flavor to the peas without overpowering their natural sweetness.

Fresh peas are highly recommended here, but you can also use frozen ones in a pinch.

Why we love this recipe: it will add a nice pop of color to your plate.

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Minted peas
Ditch the stovetop
Brown butter and garlic roasted peas
Make a salad
Classic pea salad

Pan-fried polenta slices

You’ll get the best of both worlds with this pan-fried polenta – crispy golden exteriors and a luscious, creamy interior.

This recipe takes a shortcut and uses pre-cooked tubed polenta, making the whole thing super quick and easy.

All you need to do is slice the polenta, coat it with yummy breadcrumbs (for the crunch) and then fry.

Why we love this recipe: these make great snacks as well.

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Crispy polenta slices
Stick with the basics
Parmesan polenta
Ditch the stovetop
Polenta florentine

Cornmeal popovers

Popovers are basically the same thing as Yorkshire puddings, just with an American name.

And these popovers are even more Americanized because they use a blend of all-purpose flour and cornmeal, giving them a flavor reminiscent of cornbread.

The key with these is to get the popover pan greased and sizzling before pouring the batter in.

This ensures the batter puffs up nicely and develops those golden crusts.

Why we love this recipe: these will make your kitchen smell heavenly.

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Cornmeal popovers
Make it cheesy
White cheddar popovers
Go British
Yorkshire puddings

Zucchini noodles

Skip the starchy sides and serve your beef stew with these zucchini noodles instead.

Making these is really easy if you have a spiralizer, but you can also get away with using a potato peeler or even just a knife!

Psst… the noodles will cook VERY quickly so don’t leave them unattended.

Why we love this recipe: it’s low carb and diet friendly.

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Zucchini noodles
Make it decadent
Ricotta zucchini noodles
Another alternative
Rosemary browned butter spaghetti squash

Lemon butter green beans

Want more veggies with your beef stew? These lemon butter green beans are the way to go.

They’re blanched instead of boiled, which helps retain most of their nutrients and gives them that perfect crisp-tender bite.

A sprinkling of salty parmesan cheese and citrusy lemon is all you need to keep them bright.

Why we love this recipe: you can whip this up even during busy weeknights.

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Lemon butter green beans
Preheat the oven
Green bean casserole
Go French
Green beans almondine

Drop biscuits

Drop biscuits are made with similar ingredients to the traditional butter biscuits but with different quantities, resulting in a wetter dough.

This means you can skip cutting and shaping the biscuits.

Just scoop mounds of dough onto your baking sheet, and you’re ready to bake.

About 20 minutes later, you’ll have fluffy, buttery biscuits perfect for mopping up your delicious beef stew.

Why we love this recipe: it has a 4.5 rating from 569 reviews.

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Drop biscuits
Make it cheesy
Cheddar bay biscuits
Make it different
Pull-apart dinner rolls

Wild rice pilaf

Get rid of the boring white rice and try this rice pilaf instead.

The wild rice has a nutty flavor, and it’s cooked in broth to infuse it with flavor from the very start.

The addition of carrots, celery, and onion adds some texture to the mix, while the parsley adds a pop of freshness.

Why we love this recipe: it’s really easy to customize, you can add pretty much anything.

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Wild rice pilaf
Make it low-carb
Tomato and spinach cauliflower rice
Keep it simple
Garlic butter rice

Cabbage steaks

This recipe transforms a head of plain old cabbage into a fancy, restaurant-worthy side.

And everything you need is probably already in your cupboards!

Cheap, easy, and healthy. What more could you want in a side?

We love this recipe: it looks as good as it tastes.

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Roasted cabbage steak
Swap the veggie
Cauliflower steaks
Add a sauce
Savoy cabbage casserole

Roasted kale caesar salad

Beat the winter blues with a meal of beef stew and this warm roasted kale salad.

The kale leaves and chickpeas are roasted until tender, then dressed with a luscious, flavor-packed Greek yogurt dressing.

The bitterness of the kale helps balance out the more savory flavors of your stew.

Why we love this recipe: it’s a unique spin on the classic Caesar salad.

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Roasted kale caesar salad
Make it filling
Pomegranate and wild rice salad
Make it festive
Butternut squash and cranberry quinoa salad

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