If you’re wondering what to serve with your French dip sandwiches, you’ve come to the right place.
In this article, I list 45 of the most popular side dishes for French dip sandwiches.
In a rush? Here’s the short answer.
The best dishes to serve with French dip sandwiches are homemade French fries, buttermilk coleslaw, beer-battered onion rings, and giardiniera (Italian pickled vegetables). You can also try zucchini chips, macaroni salad, boiled corn, or sauteed mushrooms. Ditch the au jus and serve French onion soup for a fun twist.
Ready? Let’s jump right in.
Appetizers/snacks
Beef up your French dip sandwiches with these tasty appetizers (no pun intended!).
Potato chips are the obvious choice, but why not go the healthier route with homemade zucchini chips?
Or go with a piping hot bowl of French onion soup for a cozy, heartwarming meal.
Homemade French fries
The trick to achieving restaurant-quality fries in your kitchen?
The double frying method! It requires more work but ensures perfectly cooked, fluffy fries with the crispiest, golden crusts you’ll ever bite into.
Enjoy these fries with a side of ketchup, or try dipping them in your French dip sandwiches’ au jus.
Why we love this recipe: you only need three ingredients.
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Homemade French fries
Skip the deep-fryer
Air fryer French fries
Make it low-carb
Baked jicama fries
Beer-battered onion rings
Not a fan of fries? Serve your French dip sandwiches with a platter of onion rings instead.
This recipe coats the onions with beer batter made from a blend of beer, cornstarch, all-purpose, and rice flour.
Not only will this give you lightly crisp, fluffy crusts, but it also ensures they won’t immediately turn soggy.
Why we love this recipe: these are restaurant-quality minus the hefty price tag.
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Beer-battered onion rings
Make a copycat
French’s fried onions from scratch
Make it fun
Baby blooming onions
Zucchini chips
Homemade zucchini chips are an excellent alternative to your usual bag of potato chips.
They’re low-carb and boast a delectable crunchy bite that perfectly contrasts your sandwiches’ savory, tender beef.
And the best part? Since they’re made in the air fryer, you only need a little oil to cook them.
Pro-tip: Pat dry the zucchini slices before cooking to avoid soggy chips.
Why we love this recipe: these are highly addictive.
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Zucchini chips
Another low-carb alternative
Baked cheese crisps
Make it fun
Pasta chips
Garlic parmesan sweet potato wedges
I love potato fries, but these sweet potato wedges are on another level.
Baking them enhances their natural sweetness, while the garlic parmesan coating adds a delicious savory twist.
Serve these wedges with garlic aioli and your French dip sandwich for a satisfying lunch.
Why we love this recipe: the oven does all of the work for you.
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Garlic parmesan sweet potato wedges
Add heat
Spicy roasted sweet potato wedges
Make it fun
Baked sweet potato parmesan tots
French onion soup
Aside from the caramelized onions, beef stock is another essential ingredient of this French soup.
This recipe uses homemade stock, which takes time to make. But trust me – your soup will be richer and more flavorful with this homemade stock.
Skip the au jus and dunk your French dip sandwiches in this soup instead for an indulgent treat.
Why we love this recipe: it’s pure comfort in a bowl.
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French onion soup
Make it cheesy
Cheddar cheese soup
Make it healthy
Cauliflower soup
Toppings
Toppings are a fun and easy way to jazz up your French dip sandwiches.
You can add an Italian-American twist with colorful giardiniera or you can stick with classic caramelized onions.
Giardiniera
Giardiniera is pickled veggies usually served with Italian beef sandwiches, but they’re also superb with French dip sandwiches.
The veggies are soaked in a simple brine with serrano chilies and spices for two days, giving them a bold, tangy flavor that will cut right through your rich, meaty sandwich.
These quick-pickled veggies last for two weeks, but you could always take the extra step of canning to make them last longer.
Why we love this recipe: there’s little hands-on cooking involved.
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Giardiniera pickled vegetables
Keep it simple
Quick pickled red onions
Add heat
Hot pepper relish
Sauteed mushrooms
These sauteed mushrooms are an excellent addition to your French dip sandwiches.
They’re naturally loaded with umami goodness, but sauteing them in garlic butter makes them even tastier.
Pro tip: let the mushrooms moisture cook off to ensure you get that delicious caramelized effect.
You can stuff these mushrooms inside your sandwich or enjoy them on the side.
Why we love this recipe: it’s impossible to mess up.
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Sauteed mushrooms in garlic butter
Make it fancy
Marsala-glazed mushrooms
Skip the stovetop
Oven-roasted mushrooms
Vegetables
French dip sandwiches are hearty, but I love pairing them with veggie sides for a healthier meal.
Boiled corn on the cob is an easy option, but you can also try grilled asparagus spears for a smoky addition.
Green bean almondine
If you need a quick and nourishing side dish, you can’t go wrong with green bean almondine.
The key to this classic French dish lies in blanching the green beans.
This method will make them perfectly crisp-tender without dulling their vibrant green color.
Pair this green bean almondine with your French dip sandwiches for a healthy, well-balanced meal.
Why we love this recipe: it’s great for regular and special dinners.
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Green bean almondine
Make it crunchy
Fried green beans
Preheat the oven
Garlic parmesan roasted green beans
Boiled corn on the cob
Since you’ll be eating French dip sandwiches with your hands, why not enjoy them with boiled corn?
Nothing beats grilling, but boiling corn in a butter bath is the next best thing.
It’s a simpler cooking method, but it infuses the corn with lots of buttery goodness that you may not even need to slather them with extra butter while eating.
Why we love this recipe: making this is effortless.
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Boiled corn on the cob
Fire up the oven
Roasted corn ribs
Make it decadent
Baked parmesan creamed corn
Smashed parmesan brussels sprouts
Roasting is my go-to method for cooking brussels sprouts, but this recipe is a game-changer.
Boiling and smashing the sprouts creates more surface area that gets crispy under the oven’s high heat.
The process is a bit more work than just roasting them whole, but these are worth the extra effort.
Why we love this recipe: it’s a fun and tasty way to enjoy brussels sprouts.
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Smashed parmesan brussels sprouts
Back to basics
Roasted brussels sprouts
Go indulge
Cheesy brussels sprouts
Salads
A simple cucumber or leafy green salad is an excellent addition to your French dip sandwich meal, but you can also opt for starchier salads if you’re looking to indulge.
I usually go with a creamy potato salad – it’s twice the carbs, but everyone deserves a treat occasionally, right?
Buttermilk coleslaw
There are a lot of slaw recipes nowadays, but I always return to this buttermilk coleslaw.
The combination of buttermilk, mayo and a dash of sour cream creates a creamy, tangy dressing that perfectly coats the crisp veggies and complements your savory sandwich.
Adding a small amount of prepared horseradish also adds an extra oomph that makes this simple side dish stand out.
Why we love this recipe: a serving only has 154 calories.
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Buttermilk coleslaw
Ditch the dairy
Classic coleslaw
Make it different
Broccoli slaw
Kale caesar salad
Jazz up your usual Caesar salad with this recipe.
The addition of kale instantly gives this salad a nourishing boost.
But it also has a greek yogurt dressing that’ll still give you that delicious creaminess minus the extra calories.
Enjoy this light and tasty kale Caesar salad with your French dip sandwich for a healthy meal.
Why we love this recipe: you won’t feel guilty about getting second servings of this salad.
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Kale caesar salad
Keep it simple
Lemon parmesan kale salad
Add a fruity note
Apple spinach salad
Mediterranean-style cucumber salad
Not fond of leafy greens with your French dip sandwiches? Pair them with this cucumber salad instead.
It features thin slices of cooling cucumbers, shallots, and peppery radishes tossed with fresh dill and a bright, citrusy dressing.
This salad is simple, but it’ll add a refreshing bite to offset the richness of your meaty sandwich.
Why we love this recipe: it’s great for busy weeknight dinners.
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Mediterranean-style cucumber salad
Make it creamy
Dill cucumber salad
Add more veg
Shirazi salad
Macaroni salad
This traditional recipe is loaded with tender pasta, red bell peppers, onions, celery, and hard-boiled eggs.
Most importantly, everything is tossed in a full-fat mayo dressing that boasts a sweet-tangy flavor for the ultimate creamy bite.
This macaroni salad is a classic side dish to your French dip sandwiches, but you might need a nap after this meal.
Why we love this recipe: it gets better the longer it sits.
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Macaroni salad
Add veg
Greek pasta salad
Make it Italian-inspired
Caprese pasta salad
Red potato salad
If macaroni salads are not your thing, why not whip up this potato salad instead?
Aside from the spuds, it involves pickles, fresh dill, and a mayo-sour cream dressing spuds that’ll give you a similar creamy, tangy bite.
A nifty trick this recipe shares to ensure flavorful potatoes is to season them with a splash of vinegar or even pickle juice.
Why we love this recipe: you can make this at least three days in advance.
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Red potato salad
Make it dairy-free
Garlic-herb potato salad
Fire up the oven
Rosemary garlic potatoes
The best side dishes for French dip sandwiches
- Homemade French fries
- Beer-battered onion rings
- Zucchini chips
- Garlic parmesan sweet potato wedges
- French onion soup
- Giardiniera
- Sauteed mushrooms
- Green bean almondine
- Boiled corn on the cob
- Smashed parmesan brussels sprouts
- Buttermilk coleslaw
- Kale caesar salad
- Mediterranean-style cucumber salad
- Macaroni salad
- Red potato salad

What To Serve With French Dip Sandwiches (45 Ideas)
Ingredients
- 1 portion homemade french fries
- 1 portion sauteed mushrooms
- 1 portion red potato salad
- 1 portion boiled corn on the cob
- 1 portion zucchini chips
- 1 portion buttermilk coleslaw … and more
Instructions
- Prepare your French dip sandwiches according to your favorite recipe.
- In the meantime, choose one of the following sides to serve alongside it.
- Side dishes include: homemade french fries, beer-battered onion rings, zucchini chips, garlic parmesan sweet potato wedges, french onion soup, giardiniera, sauteed mushrooms, green bean almondine, boiled corn on the cob, smashed parmesan brussels sprouts, buttermilk coleslaw, kale caesar salad, mediterranean-style cucumber salad, macaroni salad, and red potato salad.
- Serve immediately and enjoy!