If you’re wondering what to serve with your scalloped potatoes, you’ve come to the right place.
In this article, I list 48 of the most popular side dishes for scalloped potatoes.
In a rush? Here’s the short answer
The best side dishes to serve with scalloped potatoes are pan-seared salmon, beef wellington, and brown sugar ham steaks. You can also serve sautéed spinach, buttermilk fried chicken, or sloppy joes. For fresh salad options, try a radicchio salad or a simple tomato onion salad.
Psst… you might also be interested in reading about my experiment in the best way to reheat scalloped potatoes.
What flavors pair well with scalloped potatoes
Scalloped potatoes are rich and decadent, with a creamy cheese sauce.
- Earthy flavors – creamy sauces will always go well with earthy herbs and spices like oregano, thyme, and rosemary. These herbs tend to have lemony notes that lend some freshness too.
- Fresh, light flavors – because scalloped potatoes are so rich, bright flavors like citrus help balance that out. Bitter flavors like endive or rocket can work too.
- Deep meaty flavors – cheesy potatoes pair perfectly with anything meaty. Go for something boldly savory like beef or mushrooms so it will stand out against the indulgent potatoes.
Mains
Scalloped potatoes are made to be a side for a scrumptious feast, so of course you need a main centerpiece for this feast!
I think scalloped potatoes go best with bold, rich, and savory mains. Lighter proteins like chicken of white fish will get lost.
Beef wellington
Beef wellington might sound intimidating, but it’s well worth the time and effort.
Imagine cutting into your wellington’s golden crust and seeing your juicy blushing meat – what a sight.
This elegant meal is sure to impress all your guests and it makes a decadent partner for scalloped potatoes.
Why we love this recipe: it’s great when you’re looking for an impressive centrepiece.
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Beef wellington
Go veggie
Mushroom and squash wellington
Make it simple
Pan-seared steak
Brown sugar ham steaks
Ham and scalloped potatoes are a classic combination.
But don’t serve any old ham, these ham steaks have a brown sugar rub that gives them a delightful sweetness.
And you only need four ingredients to make them!
Psst… a maple syrup or a pineapple syrup glaze would be amazing too.
Why we love this recipe: it will make everyday feel like the holidays.
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Brown sugar ham steaks
Add a fruity sauce
Ham steak with pineapple sauce
Make it fancy
Five-spice plum glazed ham
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 dairy-free scalloped 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
Korean short ribs (kalbi)
Want to go on a culinary fusion adventure?
Serve your scalloped 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: it’s super unique.
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Instant pot Korean Short ribs
Make it simple
BBQ baked ribs
Make it different
Korean fried chicken
Enchilada turkey meatloaf
Your creamy scalloped potatoes will also pair superbly with meatloaf.
But why not switch things up and try some Mexican fusion.
This meatloaf is made with turkey, and packed with black beans, corn, green chili, and then smothered with Mexican cheese and enchilada sauce.
Why we love this recipe: it’s easy enough for a weeknight dinner, and nice enough for a weekend treat.
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Turkey enchilada meatloaf
Go classic
Classic meatloaf
Make it vegan
Vegan lentil loaf
Pan-seared salmon
Pan-seared salmon is a main dish that needs no grand introduction.
The soft salmon meat absorbs the lemon butter sauce so well, making every bite refreshing.
And the whole thing can be on the table in 20 minutes.
Why we love this recipe: it’s a restaurant-quality dish you can make at home.
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Pan-seared salmon with lemon butter sauce
Mix them
Salmon potato gratin
Make it different
Blackened salmon
Buttermilk fried chicken
Get the best of both worlds with a fried chicken and scalloped potatoes combo.
This chicken recipe uses a Southern spice blend for maximum flavor.
And if you’re worried about too much spice, don’t be. The creamy sauce from the scalloped potatoes will help mellow it out.
Why we love this recipe: it’s a fool-proof crowd-pleasing dish.
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Buttermilk fried chicken
Go veggie
Sesame cauliflower wings
Make it different
Buffalo wings
Sloppy joe
Sloppy joes are saucy, satisfying, and indulgent (especially when paired with some scalloped potatoes).
If you haven’t treated yourself this week, this is your sign!
Just don’t forget the pickles.
Why we love this recipe: it’s budget-friendly.
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Sloppy joe
Change the flavor
Philly cheesesteak
Make it a classic
Meatball sub
Vegetables
So you’ve got your scalloped potatoes and now you’ve chosen a main to go with them. But there’s no veggies on the plate… unacceptable!
For vegetable pairings, I like to keep the flavors fresh and simple so there’s not too much going on.
Sauteed spinach
Let’s make it quick and easy with a side of healthy greens.
Fresh spinach is sauteed in butter, garlic, and onions – you can’t get much simpler.
Pro tip: let the onions caramelize to give the dish a richer, deeper flavor.
Why we love this recipe: you don’t have to feel bad about reaching for seconds.
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Sauteed spinach
Make it creamy
Creamed spinach
Make it a salad
Apple spinach salad
Steamed asparagus
Steamed asparagus is another simple veggie side that’s quick to make and packed with flavor.
All it takes is some lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper to keep the asparagus bright.
The acidity from the lemon will help cut the cheese sauce on the potatoes too.
Psst… for more crunch, add toasted almonds. For a Mediterranean flair, add feta crumbles.
Why we love this recipe: it’s simple but elegant.
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Steamed asparagus
Make it simple
Roasted broccoli
Make it fancy
Bacon-wrapped asparagus
Southern baked beans
Okay this is the opposite of light and fresh. But I just LOVE how the creamy sauce tastes once it mixes with the beans sauce.
Simple additions like ground beef, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, diced veggies, and mustard really amps up your beans’ flavors.
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
Salads
You don’t have to go down the traditional ‘Sunday dinner’ style feast with scalloped potatoes.
You can also keep the potatoes as the main focus, and cut through the richness with a tart, refreshing salad.
Radicchio salad
With a hearty dish like scalloped potatoes sometimes all you need is a light accompaniment.
And this radicchio salad is the perfect refreshing choice.
It will bring a bright pop of color to the plate, and the bitterness from the leaves will help balance out the rich creamy sauce.
Why we love this recipe: it ideal for winter or fall.
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Radicchio salad with olives
Make it easy
Kale salad
Make it a classic
Caesar salad
Tomato onion salad
The juiciness of these marinated tomatoes makes it one cooling palate cleanser.
And there are loads of ways to customize it. Make it spicy with some crushed red pepper or add some extra veggies like carrot or cucumber for some crunch,
Pro tip: make this a few hours ahead of time to give the flavors enough time to develop.
Why we love this recipe: it’s ideal for a summer party.
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Tomato onion salad
Make it simple
Roasted tomatoes
Make it fancy
Green bean and tomato casserole
Starters
Why not go all out and serve a starter with your scalloped potatoes too?
Keeping it light is best because you don’t want people to be too full up to enjoy the heavy second course!
Gazpacho
This isn’t technically a side, but if you’re throwing a dinner party a cooling bowl of gazpacho makes a great starter for scalloped potatoes (it also makes a great starter for salmon).
It’s nice and light, so will leave plenty of room for the heavy main.
You can customize the soup by adding homemade croutons, Spanish ham, or other veggies like zucchini and corn.
Why we love this recipe: it only takes 15 minutes to make.
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Authentic gazpacho
Make it different
Stuffed baked tomatoes
Make it unique
Watermelon Gazpacho
Grilled portobello mushrooms
Ease your way into meatless Mondays with a massive mushroom.
Portobello mushrooms are filled with umami flavor and they have a chewy texture pretty similar to meat.
They have to be one of my all-time favorite starters (and that’s saying something because I used to hate them!!).
Why we love this recipe: it only takes 15 minutes to make.
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Grilled portobello mushrooms
Skip the grill
Baked lemon pepper chicken
Make it fun
Buffalo wings
Zucchini fritters
Showcase your scalloped potatoes by spooning them onto a bed of zucchini fritters.
This is a bit of a different one, but I read the tip on a forum and decided to try it. And it was really good!
The fritters bring some texture and have a mild grassy taste that won’t overwhelm the potatoes.
Why we love this recipe: there’s a gluten-free version.
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Zucchini fritters
Make it crispy
Crispy eggplants
Make it different
Corn fritters
The best side dishes to serve with scalloped potatoes
- Beef wellington
- Sauteed spinach
- Brown sugar ham steaks
- Radicchio salad
- Enchilada turkey meatloaf
- Gazpacho
- Steamed asparagus
- Pan-seared salmon
- Buttermilk fried chicken
- Sloppy joe
- Zucchini fritters
- Korean short ribs (kalbi)
- Tomato onion salad
What To Serve With Scalloped Potatoes
Ingredients
- 1 portion scalloped potatoes
Instructions
- Prepare your scalloped potatoes according to your favorite recipe.
- In the meantime, choose one of the following sides to serve alongside it.
- Side dishes include: beef wellington, sauteed spinach, brown sugar ham steaks, radicchio salad, enchilada turkey meatloaf, gazpacho, steamed asparagus, pan-seared salmon, buttermilk fried chicken, sloppy joe, zucchini fritters, Korean short ribs (kalbi), and tomato onion salad.
- Serve immediately and enjoy!
