Name: What To Serve With Cottage Pie
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: Irish soda bread; Green bean salad; Cheesy leek gratin; Watercress salad (.... and more)

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

In this article, I list 17 of the most popular side dishes for cottage pie.

In a rush? Here’s the short answer.

The best dishes to serve with cottage pie are Irish soda bread, baked beans, Yorkshire pudding, and green bean salad. For healthier options, try garlic broccolini, sugar snap peas, and glazed brussels sprouts. Try leek gratin, baked eggplant, and potato chips for fun, unconventional choices.

Ready? Let’s jump right in.

Irish soda bread

You need a good loaf of crusty bread to soak up the flavorful sauce from your cottage pie’s filling.

Why not try your hand at making your own?

This Irish soda bread is a crusty bread that’s incredibly easy to make.

You don’t even need any yeast!

The dough goes straight to the oven after kneading, so you’ll get to immediately enjoy your Irish soda bread.

Homemade Heinz baked beans

If you want an extra filling meal, serve your cottage pie with a piping hot bowl of baked beans on the side.

It’s a low-effort dish – you just need to throw everything in one pot and simmer for about 20 minutes.

Finish it off with cornflour to thicken the broth, and you’re done.

If you love Heinz baked beans, RecipeTinEats’ recipe tastes almost exactly like them!

Yorkshire pudding

Feeling like going with a classic to pair with your cottage pie?

You can’t go wrong with these traditional Yorkshire puddings.

They’re lightly crisp and fluffy, with a delicious savory flavor.

These traditional Yorkshire puddings are best enjoyed aimmediately out of the oven.

Green bean salad

Looking for a refreshing dish to serve with your cottage pie?

This green bean salad fits the bill.

It’s packed to the brim with contrasting and complementing flavors and textures.

Everything’s tied together by the tangy balsamic lemon basil vinaigrette that cuts through the richness of the cottage pie.

Brighten any meal with a serving of this green bean salad.

Burgundy mushrooms

Got any leftover burgundy (or any red wine)?

Use it to make this umami-filled side that’ll go great with your cottage pie.

This dish takes some time to make, but it’s so worth the wait.

You’ll end up with juicy, deeply-colored mushrooms with a rich complex flavor, thanks to the wine.

One taste of these burgundy mushrooms, and you’ll want to have them for every meal.

Garlic broccolini

Cottage pie is an elaborate dish. If you want to keep things simple, make this garlic broccolini to pair with it.

The crisp-tender broccolini is garlicky and has hints of citrus, making it the ideal accompaniment to an indulgent dish such as cottage pie.

This sauteed garlic broccolini is a quick and easy dish that adds a fresh bite to any meal.

Springtime buttered peas

If you find buttered peas too plain, jazz them up with some lemon zest, fresh herbs, and lima beans.

These additions elevate the peas and make them infinitely more delicious.

These springtime buttered peas and limas will transform your cottage pie into a well-balanced meal.

Potato chips

Can’t get enough potatoes?

Make your meal more decadent by whipping up some potato chips to go with your cottage pie.

It may be a controversial side, but these chips will add a pleasant crunchy texture to your meal.

Plus, you can even dip them in your pie’s filling.

These oven-baked potato chips are easy to make, and the flavor possibilities are endless.

Butter lettuce and watercress salad

Cottage pie is a heavy dish, so if you want to go light on the sides, make this fresh, gorgeous salad.

But it’s not just about appearances.

This delectable salad is as tasty as it looks.

A simple vinaigrette ties all the natural flavors of the crisp veggies into one refreshing salad.

Here’s the recipe: Butter Lettuce And Watercress Salad.

Roast parsnips

Are you planning to serve cottage pie at Christmas?

These roast parsnips are an ideal festive dish to pair with your cottage pie.

When it comes to flavoring these parsnips, you can keep it simple with a sprinkle of salt and pepper, but I like to use a blend of fresh herbs.

You can follow Easy Peasy Foodie’s lead and season them with honey and thyme for a sweet and earthy flavor.

Braised red cabbage

Braised red cabbage (also known as rotkohl) is a German classic with a distinct sweet and tart flavor combination.

It’s super easy to make – everything comes together in one pot, which means less mess for you to deal with after.

Prepare this braised German red cabbage in advance to give the flavors more time to mingle.

Cheesy leek gratin

Leeks baked into a creamy cheese sauce, topped with crispy fried leeks – who can say no?

Just the thought of smothering my cottage pie with the decadent sauce from this cheesy leek gratin is enough to make my mouth water.

French carrot salad

Take some inspiration from French cuisine and whip up this carrot salad to go with your cottage pie.

This salad is famous in French cafes and restaurants for a reason.

It achieves that perfect balance between sweet, peppery, and tangy flavors.

You won’t find anything fancy in this French carrot salad, but that doesn’t mean it’s not delicious.

Garlic sugar snap peas

Add more nutrition to your cottage pie with a serving of these sauteed sugar snap peas.

These veggies have a pleasantly mild flavor that you only need to enhance by adding minced garlic and a sprinkle of salt and pepper.

Give these garlic sugar snap peas a try for dinner tonight!

Glazed brussels sprouts

Add a touch of spice to your cottage pie with these glazed brussels sprouts.

They’re roasted in the air fryer, reducing cooking time and making them ultra-crispy.

They also get a flavor boost with the help of a lightly spiced balsamic glaze.

Here’s the recipe: Honey Balsamic Glazed Brussels Sprouts.

Roasted corn couscous

On the lookout for something light and healthy?

Meet this roasted corn couscous recipe.

Couscous has lower calories and more protein than its counterparts like rice and pasta.

Spoon a heaping helping of your cottage pie over this roasted corn couscous, and you have a complete and nourishing meal.

Garlic parmesan baked eggplant

Serve these crispy baked eggplant slices as a fun side dish to your cottage pie.

At first it may seem unusual, but hear me out…

Your cottage pie’s beef filling is reminiscent of classic bolognese, which goes superbly with crispy eggplant.

Plus, they also go well with mashed potatoes.

These garlic parmesan-baked eggplant slices are an unexpected but delicious addition to your cottage pie.

The best side dishes for cottage pie

Irish soda bread
Homemade Heinz baked beans
Yorkshire pudding
Green bean salad
Burgundy mushrooms
Garlic broccolini
Springtime buttered peas
Potato chips
Butter lettuce and watercress salad
Roast parsnips
Braised red cabbage
Cheesy leek gratin
French carrot salad
Garlic sugar snap peas
Glazed brussels sprouts
Roasted corn couscous
Garlic parmesan baked eggplant