If you’re wondering what to serve with your fish and chips, you’ve come to the right place.
In this article, I list 45 of the most popular side dishes for fish and chips.
In a rush? Here’s the short answer.
The best side dishes to serve with fish and chips are quick pickled red onions, minted mushy peas, fennel slaw, and beer-battered onion rings. You can also try macaroni salad, British baked beans, honey butter skillet corn, or broccoli salad. For a seafood feast, serve fried calamari.
Ready? Let’s jump right in.
Quick pickled red onions
I always have a jar of these quick pickled onions in my fridge.
They have a tangy-sweet flavor and just a hint of heat that will cut right through your greasy fried fish and chips.
They’re also super easy to make because they don’t involve any cooking!
Why we love this recipe: they’ll last up to a month if you store them properly.
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Quick pickled red onions
Make a classic
Refrigerator dill pickles
Make it Vietnamese-inspired
Pickled carrots and daikon radishes
Minted mushy peas
Stick with the classics and serve your fish and chips with these minted mushy peas.
Traditional recipes call for dried marrowfat peas which require an overnight soak, but this version takes a shortcut by using frozen peas and creme fraiche.
This swap will still give you a deliciously creamy dish, and it only takes 10 minutes.
Psst… the mint gives this side a delightfully refreshing bite, so don’t skimp on it.
Why we love this recipe: it’s simple, tasty, and adds a nice vibrant color to your plate.
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Minted mushy peas
Fire up the oven
Brown butter and garlic roasted peas
Make it indulgent
Cheesy peas
Lemon parmesan kale salad
Give your fish and chips a nourishing boost with this kale salad.
Like most leafy greens, kale is packed full of all the vitamins and nutrients needed for a healthy, balanced meal.
Kale has a reputation for being tough and bitter, but this recipe remedies that by massaging the leaves with lemon dressing until they’re soft and tender.
Why we love this recipe: a serving only adds 137 calories to your meal.
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Lemon parmesan kale salad
Ditch the kale
Microgreens salad with lime vinaigrette
Keep it simple
Rocket pear salad
Fennel slaw
Many people avoid fennel due to its licorice taste, but you needn’t worry about that with this recipe.
The simple lime vinaigrette helps tone down the strong aniseed flavor, leaving you with just a hint of sweetness to round out this refreshing slaw.
Pair this fennel slaw with your crispy fish and chips to elevate it.
Why we love this recipe: it showcases a little-used ingredient.
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Fennel slaw
Add a fruity note
Fennel apple slaw
Stick with the basics
Classic coleslaw
Fried calamari
Whip up a batch of fried calamari to turn your fish and chips meal into a seafood bonanza.
The trick with these is to soak the squid rings in buttermilk, tenderizing them and ensuring they don’t turn rubbery.
Plus, it adds a pleasantly tangy flavor and helps the flour coating stick better.
Psst… no buttermilk? You can make it yourself with milk and lemon juice.
Why we love this recipe: they won’t last long!
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Fried calamari
Make it different
Fried oysters
Make it familiar
Popcorn shrimp
Beer-battered onion rings
Take advantage of any extra beer batter to whip up these onion rings.
Using beer batter instead of panko breadcrumbs gives your rings smooth, puffy crusts with a light and crunchy bite.
Enjoy your fish and chips with a side of onion rings and a pint of ice-cold beer!
Why we love this recipe: they’re guaranteed crowd pleasers.
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Beer-battered onion rings
Make it fun
Blooming onion
Make it Indian-inspired
Onion pakora
Cajun tartar sauce
Tartar sauce is the go-to dip for fish and chips, but why not mix it up by adding a Cajun twist?
This earthy, spicy seasoning mixed with the creamy tartar sauce creates an irresistible dip that’ll make your taste buds tingle.
Pro-tip: make this ahead of time for even better flavor.
And check out this article if you want a vegan alternative for tartar sauce.
Why we love this recipe: you can use it as a dip for loads of different things.
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Cajun tartar sauce
Make it Tex-Mex-inspired
Chipotle mayo
Make it fancy
Herb and garlic aioli sauce
Chip shop curry sauce
Not a fan of mayo-based dips? Whip up this chip shop-style curry sauce instead.
Despite the name, this tastes nothing like Indian curry – it’s sweeter and has a milder flavor profile.
Psst… this will come out chunky, but you can use an immersion blender to make it smoother and thicker.
Why we love this recipe: it’s easy to make and gives you that proper British fish and chip experience!
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Homemade chip shop curry sauce
Make a favorite
Homemade ketchup (naturally sweetened)
Make it Thai-inspired
Thai sweet chili sauce
Honey butter skillet corn
Need a quick and easy side for your fish and chips? Try this honey butter corn.
It’s reminiscent of creamed corn but less soupy. The buttery sauce clings to each kernel, adding a sweet creaminess to every mouthful.
I like to add peas in as well for a splash of color.
Why we love this recipe: most of the ingredients are pantry staples.
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Honey butter skillet corn
Make it Cajun-inspired
Corn maque choux
Make a Mexican favorite
Esquites (Mexican corn cups)
British baked beans
Unlike baked BBQ beans, this British version has a more savory flavor and a tomato-based sauce.
They’re widely available in cans if you’re in a rush, but this homemade version is well worth the extra effort.
The recipe calls for dried beans, which require an overnight soak. But they’re less likely to turn into mush.
Why we love this recipe: it’s a highly detailed recipe with various tips and tricks to perfect this dish.
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British baked beans
Make it American-style
Bourbon baked beans
Make it Mexican-inspired
Mexican pinto beans
Macaroni salad
Bring a Southern twist to your fish and chips with a serving of this macaroni salad.
As well as the pasta, this version is loaded with boiled eggs, veggies, and cheese, giving you a satisfying mixture of flavors and textures.
But what makes this super special is its tangy mayo dressing.
Psst… this salad is best served chilled.
Why we love this recipe: it can easily feed a small group.
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Macaroni salad
Make it Italian-inspired
Pesto pasta salad
Keep it simple
Herb-lovers lemony orzo salad
Pineapple fritter rings
It may seem odd to pair pineapple fritters with fish and chips, but it’s a common side you’ll find in many British chip shops.
The pineapple rings are covered with a sweet batter that puffs up nicely and, once fried, is finished with a dusting of cinnamon sugar. Yum!
Why we love this recipe: you can have it as a side or a dessert.
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Pineapple fritters
Make it tropical
Pineapple coconut fritters
Keep it fresh
Pineapple salsa
White bread
A simple loaf of white bread is a great place to start if you’re a beginner baker.
You only need basic pantry staples, and mixing the dough is a straightforward process that will yield tall, fluffy loaves.
Slather slices of your bread with butter and make a hefty chip butty to accompany your fish.
Why we love this recipe: it’ll make your kitchen smell like a bakery.
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White bread
Make it fancy
Sourdough bread
Make it quick
One-hour dinner rolls
Deep-fried Mars bar
End your fish and chips on a sweet note with a deep-fried Mars bar! It’s not healthy, but everyone deserves to indugle sometimes.
This decadent treat involves coating the Mars bar with a thick batter that reminiscent of donuts.
Just thinking about that melted chocolate oozing out makes my mouth water!
Why we love this recipe: who can say no to chocolate?
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Deep-fried Mars bar
Make it different
Deep-fried peanut butter cups
Make a favorite
Old-fashioned cinnamon sugar donuts
Classic broccoli salad
Not a fan of leafy greens? Pair your fish and chips with this broccoli salad instead.
The broccoli is raw, which puts some people off. But it just means you get more crunch and you get the reap the full nutritional benefits.
Not a fan of uncooked veg? Simply blanch the florets to take the raw edge off.
Why we love this recipe: the array of toppings means this dish packs a flavorful punch!
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Classic broccoli salad
Preheat the oven
Lemon parmesan roasted broccoli
Fire up the stovetop
Butter-sauteed broccoli and carrots
The best dishes to serve with fish and chips
- Quick pickled red onions
- Minted mushy peas
- Lemon parmesan kale salad
- Fennel slaw
- Fried calamari
- Beer-battered onion rings
- Cajun tartar sauce
- Chip shop curry sauce
- Honey butter skillet corn
- British baked beans
- Macaroni salad
- Pineapple fritter rings
- White bread
- Deep-fried Mars bar
- Classic broccoli salad
Read next: the best things to pair with haddock
What To Serve With Fish and Chips
Ingredients
- 1 portion fish and chips
Instructions
- Prepare your fish and chips according to your favorite recipe.
- In the meantime, choose one of the following sides to serve alongside it.
- Side dishes include: quick pickled red onions, minted mushy peas, lemon parmesan kale salad, fennel slaw, fried calamari, beer-battered onion rings, cajun tartar sauce, chip shop curry sauce, honey butter skillet corn, british baked beans, macaroni salad, pineapple fritter rings, white bread, deep-fried mars bar, and classic broccoli salad.
- Serve immediately and enjoy!
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