If you’re wondering what to serve with your mashed potatoes, you’ve come to the right place.
In this article, I list 39 of the most popular side dishes for mashed potatoes.
In a rush? Here’s the short answer.
The best dishes to serve with mashed potatoes are lamb chops, brats with sauerkraut, coq au vin, steak pie, Italian-stuffed cabbage rolls, poached lobster tails, and porcupine meatballs. Try lentil loaf, mushroom bourguignon, or cauliflower “steak” for vegetarian or vegan options.
Ready? Let’s get started!
Related: how to reheat mashed potatoes
Mushrooms bourguignon
This meatless version of the famous French stew involves two types of mushrooms braised in red wine and the reserved mushroom soaking liquid.
Spoon a generous serving over some fluffy mashed potatoes for a comforting, vegan meal everyone will enjoy.
Why we love this recipe: it’s packed with umami goodness.
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Vegan mushroom bourguignon
Fire up the oven
Baked garlic parsley mushrooms
Make it indulgent
Scalloped portobello mushrooms
Porcupine meatballs
These meatballs will have all your dinner guests laughing their socks off.
Raw rice is added to the meatball mix, and as the meatballs cook, the rice starts poking out and by the end, the meatballs resembles a porcupine.
Pro-tip: for the spikiest results, use regular long-grain white rice.
Why we love this recipe: it’s fun and flavorful!
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Porcupine meatballs
Make it Swedish-style
Swedish meatballs
Change the flavor
Teriyaki meatballs
Lamb chops with salsa verde
Impress your significant other with a meal of seared lamb chops and salsa verde over a bed of luscious mashed spuds.
The lamb’s grassy, savory notes, combined with the zesty green sauce are an excellent contrast to a rich mashed potato side.
Why we love this recipe: it looks like it came from a professional kitchen.
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Lamb chops with mint pistachio salsa verde
Make it a show-stopper
Grilled rack of lamb
Make it fancy
New York strip roast
Steak pie
There’s nothing like a hearty steak pie to lift your spirits on a cold, gloomy day.
I like the flaky, buttery texture you get from puff pastry. But if you’re more interested in crunch – use a shortcrust pastry.
Complete the ultimate comfort meal by serving this indulgent meat pie with fluffy mashed potatoes.
Why we love this recipe: it’s great for serving a crowd.
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Steak pie
Skip the pastry
Roast beef
Make it fancy
Beef wellington
Southern baked beans
This recipe gives your plain old can of baked beans a major upgrade.
Simple additions like ground beef, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, diced veggies, and mustard amp up your beans’ flavors.
They’re fabulous with barbecued meats, but to really make the most of the sauce you need some mash to soak it all up.
Why we love this recipe: there’s not much hands-on cooking involved in this dish.
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Southern baked beans
Make it vegetarian-friendly
Vegetarian baked beans
Make it different
Cheesy white bean tomato bake
Balsamic spinach and mushrooms
If you’ve already got your main dish planned, and you’re just looking for another side dish… it has to be vegetables.
Vegetables are easy-to-make, and they’re full of good-for-you vitamins and nutrients.
Pro-tip: add the garlic at the end to prevent it burning.
Why we love this recipe: it’s perfect for those busy weeknight dinners.
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Balsamic spinach and mushroom
Make it fun
Spinach balls
Ditch the spinach
Garlic parmesan broccolini
Lentil loaf
Another meat-free main that pairs superbly with mashed potatoes is this vegetable lentil loaf.
You need to be careful with moisture when you’re making it, because too much moisture could result in a soggy meatloaf.
But when it’s done right the loaf has a delightfully chewy bite.
Psst… brown lentils will give you the best results.
Why we love this recipe: any leftovers will make great sandwiches.
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Vegetable lentil loaf
Ditch the lentils
Black bean and quinoa loaf
Go meaty
Classic beef meatloaf
Brats with sauerkraut
Sausage and mash is classic British.
But this dish has a German spin on it.
The sauerkraut is sauteed with caramelized onions, apples, and aromatics, then braised with beer (you can pick your favorite beer!)
A side of mash, and maybe some gravy will complete the meal.
Why we love this recipe: it highlights a little used (but super healthy) ingredient.
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Brats with sauerkraut
Make it English-style
Sausage with onion gravy
Make it fun
Toad in the hole
Poached lobster tails
Mash can be fancy too!
Especially when you pair it with lobster tails.
This intimidating dish is actually quick and straightforward, it just needs some concentration to make sure you don’t overcook the fish.
Prop a tail or two over a bed of mashed potatoes…
Or chop them up and mix them into your spuds for an extra indulgent side dish.
Why we love this recipe: it’s simple but elegant.
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Butter-poached lobster tails
Ditch the stovetop
Baked lobster tails
Try another seafood
Southern-fried catfish
Italian-stuffed cabbage rolls
This recipe features cabbage leaves filled with spicy Italian sausage, ground beef, rice, and cheese mixture, then rolled and smothered with spicy tomato sauce before being baked.
They can be eaten alone, but they’re also fantastic with mashed potatoes – just make sure you don’t have anywhere to go after this meal!
Why we love this recipe: it’s a highly detailed step-by-step recipe.
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Spicy Italian-stuffed cabbage rolls
Go back to basics
Stuffed polish cabbage
Skip the cabbage
Swiss chard rolls
Coq au vin blanc
For a main dish that’s comforting and elegant at the same time, go for coq au vin.
This French classic involves chicken, mushrooms, and bacon braised in dry white wine – a splash of cream is added, making a creamy, flavorful sauce.
Just think about your mashed potatoes soaking up all the goodness from this dish’s decadent sauce – yum!
Why we love this recipe: it’s a one-pot dish (which means less washing up).
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Coq au vin blanc
Skip the wine
Creamy chicken breast in spinach parmesan sauce
Make it Italian-style
Chicken parmigiana
Cajun roasted cauliflower “steaks”
Keep your mashed potato meal meat-free but interesting by making these faux steaks.
Roasting thick slices of cauliflower makes them crisp-tender, and you get some slightly charred edges that are simply irresistible.
The cajun seasoning also adds a smoky, slightly spicy flavor which will be mellowed out by the mash. And if you don’t have any, you can use one of these cajun seasoning substitutes.
Psst… don’t forget the chimichurri sauce to lighten up the meal.
Why we love this recipe: it’s filling but low-carb.
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Cajun roasted cauliflower “steaks”
Fire up the grill
Grilled cauliflower steak
Ditch the cauliflower
Caprese eggplant steaks
Korean short ribs (kalbi)
Want to go on a culinary fusion adventure?
Serve your mashed potatoes with a generous helping of these Korean short ribs, also known as kalbi.
The juicy, fall-off-the-bone kalbi ribs are covered in a sticky sweet-spicy glaze that will leave you licking your fingers.
Y-U-M.
Why we love this recipe: its super unique.
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Instant pot Korean Short ribs
Make it simple
BBQ baked ribs
Make it different
Korean fried chicken
What herbs go with mashed potatoes?
Fresh herbs are the easiest way to bring more flavor to your mashed potatoes. Rosemary, thyme, and sage are the go-to options. For a slightly brighter flavor, try chives, scallions, parsley, or basil.
What meat goes with mashed potatoes?
Mashed potatoes are the quintessential side to savory, meaty dishes. They’re fantastic with fancy dishes like lamb chops and prime rib roast. But they’re also great with everyday dishes like baked pork tenderloin and chicken tenders.
The best meat dishes to serve with mashed potatoes
- Lamb chops with mint pistachio salsa verde
- Prime rib roast
- Chicken tenders
- Garlic-baked pork tenderloin
- Roasted turkey breast
What To Serve With Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
- 1 person mashed potatoes
Instructions
- Prepare your mashed potatoes according to your favorite recipe.
- In the meantime, choose one of the following sides to serve alongside it.
- Side dishes include: mushrooms bourguignon, porcupine meatballs, lamb chops with salsa verde, steak pie, southern baked beans, balsamic spinach and mushrooms, lentil loaf, brats with sauerkraut, poached lobster tails, Italian-stuffed cabbage rolls, coq au vin blanc, cajun roasted cauliflower “steaks”, and Korean short ribs (kalbi).
- Serve immediately and enjoy!