If you’re wondering what to serve with your fried fish, you’ve come to the right place. In this article, I list 48 of the most popular side dishes for fried fish.
In a rush? Here’s the short answer.
The best side dishes to serve with fried fish are hush puppies, salt and vinegar fries, baked mac and cheese, and creamy potato salad. For vegetable side options, try creamed corn, minty peas, or braised greens. For salads, there’s kimchi slaw, a watermelon avocado salad, or a simple cucumber salad.
Creamy potato salad
This isn’t your ordinary potato salad – aside from spuds, it also features crunchy radishes and cucumbers.
They add a nice freshness to offset the heaviness of the potatoes and dressing, plus some crunch.
The dressing is a mix of mayo, mustard, and sour cream for a creamy but tangy flavor.
Why we love this recipe: it’s great when you’re serving a crowd.
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Creamy potato salad
Skip the dairy
No-mayo pasta salad
Make it Southern-style
Southern potato salad
Minty mushy peas
The key to getting this classic British side right is to not cook your peas too much – just thaw them in boiling water until al dente.
This ensures your mushy peas wont turn a gross looking muddy brown.
Once the peas are mashed, a spritz of lemon and mint is all you need to complete the dish.
Why we love this recipe: it’s a no-cook dish ready in under 10 minutes.
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Minty mushy peas
Fire up the oven
Brown butter and garlic peas
Make it indulgent
Au gratin creamed peas
Southern baked mac and cheese
Turn your fried fish into the ultimate comfort food and serve it with this baked mac and cheese.
This version is extra indulgent, with its creamy gruyere and white cheddar sauce plus a buttery, breadcrumb topping.
Don’t be afraid to add some extras like bacon or jalapeños – you can’t really go wrong with mac and cheese.
Why we love this recipe: it’s rated 5 stars from over 429 votes!
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Southern baked mac and cheese
Make it dairy-free
Vegan mac and cheese
Ditch the pasta
Cauliflower “mac” and cheese
Jalapeno cheddar hush puppies
Hush puppies are a quintessential Southern side for fried fish.
They’re delightfully golden and crispy, with extra soft interiors, courtesy of the buttermilk and cream cheese in the batter.
And adding jalapeno and cheddar gives these fried treats an addictive smoky note.
Why we love this recipe: they’re a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.
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Jalapeno cheddar hush puppies
Add some veggies
Squash puppies
Make it different
Corn nuggets
Air fryer salt and vinegar fries
From classic Southern to classic British.
In England, you’d never see fried fish without a side of fries (or chips as you Brits would say).
Sticking with tradition, the fries are flavored with a simple combination of salt and vinegar, then zapped in the air fryer until they’re sufficiently crispy.
Why we love this recipe: they’re way better than what you get at the pub.
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Air fryer salt and vinegar fries
Make it sweet
Cajun oven-baked sweet potato fries
Make it low-carb
Zucchini fries
Sweet chili green beans
Elevate your standard green beans with a sweet-but-spicy Thai glaze.
First, you cook the beans in a mix of broth and soy sauce to infuse them with umami goodness. Then when they’re just crisp-tender, you toss them in sweet chili.
The best part? You only need 20 minutes and six ingredients.
Why we love this recipe: it’s ideal for those busy weeknight dinners.
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Thai sweet chili green beans
Change the flavor
Lemony asparagus
Make a salad
Green bean salad
Spicy Korean vegetable slaw
Now we’re headed to the other side of the world with this Korean-inspired slaw.
The usual cabbage and carrots are joined by napa cabbage, red bell peppers, and green onions for extra flavor and crunch.
But what makes this version really stand out is the gochujang ginger dressing that infuses the crisp veggies with a spicy kick.
Why we love this recipe: it’s a lighter and diet-friendly slaw.
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Spicy Korean vegetable slaw
Make another classic
Fresh kimchi
Make it familiar
Creamy coleslaw
Braised collard greens
A Southern fish fry wouldn’t be complete without some collard greens.
Braising means the greens are cooked low and slow, allowing the fibrous texture to soften.
And fair warning… this side may look healthy, but there’s a lot of bacon grease involved!
Why we love this recipe: you can easily sub out the collard greens for kale, or even cabbage.
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Braised collard greens
Make it creamy
Creamed spinach with mushrooms and bacon
Make it quick
Garlic sauteed cabbage
Watermelon avocado spinach salad
Looking for something quick and easy? What about this salad?
The watermelon cubes add a burst of sweetness, while the avocado slices give a creamy contrast to the spinach and onions.
Then everything is tied together with a bright and tart homemade poppy seed dressing.
Why we love this recipe: it’s ideal for the summer.
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Watermelon avocado spinach salad
Skip the leafy greens
Tomato cucumber avocado salad
Make it simple
Arugula salad
Pineapple salsa
Give your dinner a tropical feel with this pineapple salsa.
It has a bright pop of sweetness with a zesty, slightly spicy note that will instantly perk up your fish.
Use it as a topper for the fried fish, or stick the fish in a corn tortilla and make fried fish tacos!
Why we love this recipe: it adds a splash of color to make your dish Insta-worthy.
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Pineapple salsa
Skip the pineapples
Mango habanero salsa
Go back to basics
Pico de gallo
Sauteed shredded brussels sprouts
This recipe is on a mission to reinvent the brussel sprout from something you only see during the holidays to an everyday dinner staple.
The recipe calls for lemon juice, parmesan cheese, garlic powder, and dried thyme, which helps mellow out your sprout’s naturally bitter flavor.
Pro-tip: a food processor or mandoline will help you shred the sprouts faster, but a sharp knife also does the trick.
Why we love this recipe: it’s budget friendly and packed with vitamins and minerals.
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Sauteed shredded brussels sprouts
Make a salad
Easy cabbage salad
Make it fun
Brussel sprout and bacon skewers
Grilled vegetables with chimichurri sauce
Pro tip: to get the most out of your grilled veggies, grill them and then marinade them after.
Why?
Grilled vegetables are better at absorbing the flavors from a sauce than raw ones!
And with a delicious sauce like chimichurri, you want to taste as much of it as possible.
Why we love this recipe: you can grill any vegetables you have on hand.
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Grilled vegetables with chimichurri sauce
Make a salad
Grilled asparagus and zucchini salad
Make it fun
Halloumi veggie skewers
Cucumber salad
Fried fish can get pretty heavy, so it’s nice to have a side that can counteract this.
You only need a few ingredients for this cucumber salad, most of which you will probably already have in your store cupboard.
Pro-tip: make this an hour ahead of time so all the flavors can meld and develop.
Why we love this recipe: it’s great for busy days.
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Cucumber salad
An Asian twist
Asian cucumber salad
Make a classic
Caesar salad
Creamed corn
This recipe transforms corn into a decadent side dish you won’t be able to get enough of!
It’s so rich and tasty that you’ll want to eat it straight out of the pot, but hold on just a few minutes so you can taste it with a bite of fried fish too.
Why we love this recipe: it’s soul food that’s ready in 15 minutes.
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Creamed corn
Make it simple
Buttered corn and green beans
Make it fun
Corn and black bean salad
Pickled veggies
Brighten your fried fish with a serving of these pickled vegetables on the side.
This dish features carrots, cucumber, radish, and onion soaked in a hot vinegar mixture.
They’re just what you need to cut through the greasiness of the fish.
Why we love this recipe: it will bring a nice pop of color to your plate.
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Quick fridge pickled veggies
Make it fried
Nashville hot fried pickles
Make it spicy
Pickled jalapenos
Coconut lime rice with black beans
You’ll never want plain rice again once you’ve tried this recipe.
The combination of coconut and lime infuses your plain rice with a refreshing flavor, while the beans add a creamy texture to every bite.
Psst… you can also add thinly sliced onions, avocados, and radishes on top for some extra color and texture.
Why we love this recipe: it’s made with store cupboard ingredients.
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Coconut lime rice with black beans
Change the flavor
Cajun rice
Make it low-carb
Cilantro lime cauliflower rice
What sauces go well with fried fish?
Fried fish is typically served with tartar sauce, but a homemade tomato or BBQ sauce are also classic options. If you want to try something different go for a sweet chili sauce, a cajun remoulade, or a chipotle aioli.
The best sauces to serve with fried fish:
Read Next: Exactly How To Reheat Fried Fish
What To Serve With Fried Fish
Ingredients
- 1 portion fried fish
Instructions
- Prepare your fried fish according to your favorite recipe.
- In the meantime, choose one of the following sides to serve alongside it.
- Side dishes include: creamy potato salad, minty mushy peas, southern baked mac and cheese, jalapeno cheddar hush puppies, air fryer salt and vinegar fries, sweet chili green beans, spicy korean vegetable slaw, braised collard greens, watermelon avocado spinach salad, pineapple salsa, sauteed shredded brussels sprouts, grilled vegetables, cucumber salad, and creamed corn.
- Serve immediately and enjoy!
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