The Best Sides for Roast Beef

The best sides for roast beef are a subject of contention, depending on what ‘side of the pond’ you come from. This traditional family favorite has its own traditional sides, after all, but that doesn’t mean that you always have to stick to the same ‘boring, old menu’.

With that in mind, today we’re going to take a culinary journey of sorts as we share with you the best side dishes for roast beef, according to our own humble opinions and those of some other roast beef aficionados across the web.

Whether you’re having a pot roast or a bbq party, let’s get started finding the best sides for your roast beef!

Finding the best sides for roast beef – The Recipes!

In this section, we’ve compiled a list of classics – both local and from abroad – as well as a few ‘deviations from the norm’ so that you can have an easier time picking the perfect side that’s both worthy and fitting to be served with your stellar roast beef.

Take a look and see what you think – we’ve definitely got some keepers in here that we think you’re going to LOVE!

Garlic Parmesan Baked Carrot Fries

Starting off, we’ve got a snacking option that gets even the pickiest palate to eat their vegetables – Garlic Parmesan baked carrot fries! This recipe comes courtesy of Merle O’Neal from Tasty and you can double, triple, or more as you like – this recipe gives you the foundation and if you love them, you can make as many as you like!

Sweet potato fries are great, but these are a keto-friendly option that works just as well.

Ingredients for 2 servings:

• 2 carrots
• ¼ cup parmesan cheese
• ¼ cup fresh chopped parsley
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tbsp oil
• 1 tbsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp pepper

Sauce

• ½ tsp garlic salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp Greek yogurt

Directions:

1. Go ahead and preheat your oven to 400 degrees and while it’s heating up, lop the tops and bottoms off of your carrots.
2. Slice them in half and then you’ll want to slice each half into thirds lengthwise.
3. In a large mixing bowl, you’ll want to add your carrots and the rest of your ingredients excluding the ‘sauce’ section. Mix them up well so that your carrots are thoroughly coated and spread them out on a lined baking sheet.
4. Bake your carrots for 15 to 20 minutes – with 20 being the best duration for crunchier carrots – and while they are cooking, mix your sauce ingredients in a small bowl to make your dipping sauce.
5. Take your carrots out of the oven and give them a nice sprinkling of parmesan and parsley, and serve them up warm with your dipping sauce!

Honey Sriracha Brussel Sprouts

Sweet, spicy, and definitely not boring, this Honey Sriracha Brussel’s Sprouts recipe comes to us from Laura at A Food Lover’s Kitchen. With a spicy, honey glaze, this recipe takes your sprouts to the next level and you’ll be surprised at how quickly these delicious veggies will disappear.

These make a great addition to any roast sides. Let’s take a look at what you’ll need to make this magic happen!

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 1/2 tsp lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
• 3/4 lb Brussels sprouts (trimmed and halved)
• 1 tsp low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 1/2 tbsp honey
• 2 tbsp butter divided
• 2 tbsp sriracha

Directions:

1. Place your frying pan on medium-high heat, adding in half your butter and moving your pan so that it is melted and well-distributed. Add your sprouts and cook them for approximately 8 minutes, then flip them, and cook for an additional 5 minutes.
2. Scoop up your sprouts and put them in a bowl on the side for now, and add your remaining ingredients into your frying pan and reduce the heat to medium. Simmer and stir your honey sriracha sauce for approximately 5 minutes until it’s bubbly and lightly thickened.
3. Pour the sprouts from your bowl into the frying pan and you can swish and mix the sprouts to get them a nice, solid coat of sauce. Serve them up while they’re nice and hot – you’re gonna love these sprouts!

Good Old-Fashioned Campbell’s Green Bean Casserole

Green bean casserole is an old family favorite and as it turns out, this comfort food pairs quite well with your delicious roast beef! Since this one’s a classic, we thought we’d share the recipe that most of us grew up with – Campbell’s Green Bean Casserole! So, get ready for some nostalgia and a flavor you can get the next generation hooked on just like you were– here’s how you do it!

Ingredients for 6 servings:

• 4 cups cut green beans (already cooked)
• ½ cup milk
• 1 can Campbell’s Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup (or 98% Fat-Free / Unsalted varieties)
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• 1 1/3 cups French’s French Fried Onions

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and while it’s heating up, get out your 1 ½ quart casserole dish and add your soup, soy sauce, milk, and 2/3 cup of French’s onions. Stir it well and add a little salt and pepper.
2. Put your casserole dish in the oven and bake for approximately 25 minutes. Stir it a little and sprinkle 1/3 of a cup of French’s onions across the top of your casserole. Bake for another 5 minutes or until those onions are a nice, golden brown. Congratulations – your Green Bean Casserole is ready to serve!

Easy Yorkshire Pudding

If you’ve never had Yorkshire Pudding with roast beef then you are in for a TREAT. While the name sounds like a dessert, these English favorites are baked popovers that are puffed-up and tend to have a depression in the middle that’s perfect for adding gravy, beef, and mashed potatoes – they’re absolutely fantastic!

This recipe is an easy way to taste them for yourself and it comes from Noemie at All Recipes – let’s take a peek!

Ingredients for 12 Yorkshire Puddings:

• 3 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tbsp butter

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 375 and while it’s heating up, go ahead and grab a medium mixing bowl and beat your eggs and milk together in it.
2. Slowly add your flour in, stirring so that you get it distributed and mixed in well, and once that’s done cut your butter up into 12 similarly-sized pieces or just get ½ teaspoon each for every spot in a 12-cup muffin tray.
3. Put that tray into your oven and let it heat up to sizzling, then take it quickly out and divide up your batter evenly to fill the 12 slots.
4. Bake your Yorkshire puddings for 5 minutes at 375, then reduce the heat to 350 and bake for approximately 25 minutes more – the goal is to get them golden-colored and puffy, but expect indentions. Those uneven spots are PERFECT for spooning in gravy, beef, and whatever you like. Enjoy your easy Yorkshire puddings, they are now ready to serve!

Homemade Garlic Mashed Potatoes

You can’t have a proper roast beef dinner without mashed potatoes – it just wouldn’t be right! Anna Kate from Southern Cravings knows this and we’re sharing her recipe today for these easy homemade garlic mashed potatoes. With butter, mayo, and sour cream mixed in, these decadent mashed potatoes make a perfect side for your roast beef, so read on and we’ll tell you how to whip them up with ease!

Ingredients for 10 servings:

• 5 lbs Baking Potatoes
• ½ cup Mayonnaise
• ½ cup Sour Cream
• 3 cloves Garlic (minced)
• 3 tbsp Butter
• Salt and Pepper (to taste)

Directions:

1. Go ahead and wash, peel, and cut your potatoes into quarters, adding them to a large pot that you will need to fill with water until the tops of the potatoes are covered.
2. Turn your heat to high until the water comes to a boil, reducing the heat to medium and covering the pot. Let the potatoes cook for about 30 minutes or until you are able to pierce them with a fork easily.
3. With gloves on, take your potatoes off of the heat and carefully strain them through a colander. Once strained, move them to a large bowl and you’ll want to use your potato masher on them or you can use a stand mixer if you like.
4. Once you’ve got your potatoes mashed up, add in your remaining ingredients and mix it all up well. Voila – your homemade garlic mashed potatoes are ready to go!

Smokey and Savory Roasted Delicata Squash

Erin from Platings and Pairings has a recipe for savory Roasted Delicata squash and it’s a doozy for serving up with a nice roast. It’s a little sweet and a little smokey, and if squash is a favorite of yours anyway then this is definitely a version you are going to LOVE. Let’s take a look at what you’ll need to do to make this squash at home!

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 2 pounds delicata squash
• ¼ cup olive oil
• ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 Pinch red pepper flakes
• 2 Tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 lemon (zested)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
• Flaky sea salt (to taste)

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees and while it’s heating up, start cutting your squash in half and removing the seeds. Once the seeds are removed, slice the square into ¾” half-moon shapes.
2. On a baking tray with a rim, place your squash pieces along with your olive oil, paprika and pepper flakes, and maple syrup, moving the pieces with a spoon a little to ensure good coverage. Add a sprinkle of kosher salt and pepper and we’re ready to roast them.
3. We’ll be roasting these for approximately 45 minutes, with a pause to flip them over so that the squash will be browned on both sides and soft in the center.
4. Once done, remove your squash and sprinkle your lemon zest across it to add the final touch of flavor (unless you want more salt and pepper). Your roasted squash is ready to eat!

Garlic Butter Roasted Potatoes

If you prefer whole potatoes to mashed potato, then these garlic butter roasted potatoes from Isabel Laessig at Sunday Supper Movement might be just what the doctor ordered. Crispy on the outside, but loaded with garlic and butter flavor, these skillet-baked potatoes make a perfect pairing with roast beef that you can whip up with just a few easy steps!

These also make great leftovers as twice baked potatoes.

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 1 Tbsp garlic powder
• 2 pinches Maldon sea salt
• 2 pinches black pepper
• 4 Tbsp melted butter
• 24 oz. pkg creamer potatoes
• fresh parsley (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to a respectable 425 degrees and while it’s heating up, clean and halve your potatoes and put them in a bowl to the side.
2. Add your melted butter to the bowl, sprinkling your garlic powder, sea salt, and black pepper on top, and mix your potatoes well so that they are as evenly coated as possible.
3. Add your potatoes to a cast iron skillet, separating them out as evenly as you can inside, and give them a sprinkling of fresh parsley if you like (it’s a nice touch!).
4. Put the skillet in your oven and roast for 1 hour (or until your potatoes are crispy on the outside, and soft and yummy on the inside. Your garlic butter roast potato are now ready to join your roast beef in a well-nigh-perfect pairing.

Simple Sautéed Mushrooms and Onions

Sides don’t have to be complicated to be heavenly and this simple sauteed mushrooms and onions recipe from Beth Pierce at Small Town Woman is a fine example of this. Eaten all on their own or added right on top of your roast, you can’t go wrong with these mushrooms, and they only take 30 minutes total to make.

The steps you’ll need to take for your mushrooms are waiting below!

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 1 lb white button mushrooms (halved)
• 1 large sweet Vidalia onion (sliced thin)
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
• 3 cloves garlic (minced)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 3 tbsp of butter

Directions:

1. In a large skillet, start melting your butter with your olive oil, and stir in your Worcestershire sauce so that we’re ready to sauté your mushrooms.
2. Add your mushrooms to the pan, stirring them every minute and a half, and within 5 minutes they should be a nice, golden brown.
3. Add in your onions for another 5-minute cook, stirring them every minute and a half until they brown along the edges and you can see through them. During the last minute of cooking your onions, add in your mixed garlic and reduce the heat and mix them up well. All that’s needed now is to salt and pepper them to taste and your sauteed mushrooms and onions are ready to go!

Quick and Easy Air Fryer Biscuits

If you’ve been neglecting your Air Fryer, then it’s time to dust it off and get yourself ready for delicious, perfect southern biscuits in less time than it takes to cook them in your oven. Laura Lynch from Air Fry Anytime has provided this recipe and with only 20 minutes total time from prep to finish for homemade biscuits, you’ll be using this recipe for much more than just accompanying your roast beef – just wait and see!

Ingredients for 10 biscuits:

• ½ tsp salt
• 1 cup cold milk
• 2 tbsp melted butter (for brushing)
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 tsp baking powder
• 7 tbsp cold butter (cut into little squares)

Directions:

1. In a large mixing bowl, mix up your flour, baking soda, and salt, and go ahead and cut up your cold butter into small, pebble-sized cubes and add them into the bowl.
2. Add your milk and start stirring well so that we can make our biscuit dough. Don’t overdo it – just get it to a point where it’s mixed for best results.
3. With a big spoon, scoop out 10 dough portions and place them in your air fryer basket with a little space in between them for when your dough rises. If you have a small fryer, then you’ll need to do 2 batches but that’s okay – this part doesn’t take long at all.
4. Cook your biscuits for 8 minutes at 400 degrees before opening your fryer and brushing on your melted butter. Cook them for another 1 – 2 minutes and they should be golden brown and perfect!

Sweet and Spicy Spinach and Pear Salad

If you’re looking for a salad that’s a little bit different but really packs a punch, then this Sweet and Spicy Spinach and Pear salad can do the trick nicely. This little gem comes from David at Cooking Chat food and with only 5 minutes of prep time for such a yummy salad, it’s definitely a keeper!

Ingredients for 3 servings:

• 4 cups baby spinach
• 1 ripe pear (sliced thin/bite-sized chunks)
• 2 to 3 tbsp shredded Gruyere cheese
• 2 tbsp pumpkin seeds (lightly toasted)

Dressing:

• ½ tsp garam masala spice blend
• 1 tsp honey
• 2 tsp champagne vinegar
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

1. In a bowl, mix up your vinegar, olive oil, honey, and garam masala well, putting it off to the side for now.
2. In a big salad bowl, lay out your spinach, and spoon in your vinaigrette dressing, and mix it well with your spinach.
3. Add your pear slices on top, sprinkling them with your cheese and pumpkin seeds, and voila – you’ve got a sweet and spicy salad that you’re going to love!

Romaine Salad With Simple Homemade Vinaigrette

If you prefer a more traditional salad to go with your roast beef, then look no further than this romaine salad with a simple homemade vinaigrette from Carrie Forrest at the Clean Eating Kitchen. With cherry tomatoes, fresh romaine lettuce, and a sweet tang from the dressing, this salad keeps it simple without sacrificing flavor.

Ingredients for 4 salads:

• 1 head of romaine lettuce (6 cups, washed and chopped)
• 1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes (halved)
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

Directions:

1. In a large salad bowl, combine your chopped romaine with your cherry tomato halves and toss them up well.
2. Add your vinaigrette ingredients – the oil, mustard, vinegar, salt, and pepper – into a small, lidded jar or cup and shake them up vigorously to mix.
3. Pour this dressing into your salad and give it another good toss to mix up the flavor. Your salad is ready to serve!

Nostalgic Nilla Wafer Banana Pudding

Roast beef is a favorite family meal, so why not serve a nostalgic dessert that everybody knows and loves?

This recipe for Nostalgic Nilla Wafer Banana pudding from Snackworks isn’t complex or exotic, but it has a special place in the hearts of a lot of folks who grew up with this classic. While you’re remembering that flavor, let’s take a look at how it’s done!

Ingredients for 12 servings:

• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 3/4 cup sugar, divided
• 1/3 cup flour
• 1 dash salt
• 2 cups milk
• 3 eggs, separated
• 5 bananas, sliced
• 45 NILLA Wafers (put 12 aside for garnish)

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and while it’s warming up, add ½ cup of sugar, your flour, and salt to the top of your double boiler.
2. Next, we’ll want to whisk in your egg yolks and your milk and cook this, uncovered, over boiling water for approximately 10 to 12 minutes time. You’ll want to stir occasionally and once it’s thickened, remove it from the heat and stir in your vanilla.
3. In a 1 ½ quart baking dish, create a layer of your custard and 1/3 of your bananas and wafers. Repeat this twice so that we have layers total.
4. In your mixer, beat those egg whites at high speed until peaks start forming, at which point you’ll want to start adding your sugar. Do this until you’ve got visible peaks and all of the sugar is thoroughly mixed in. Spread this over the top layer of your custard and pop it in the oven.
5. Bake for approximately 15 to 20 minutes until you see that it’s lightly browned on top. Just before serving, place the 12 Nilla wafers that we put aside for garnish on top of your pudding so that they’re nice and crispy when dessert is served!

FAQs

We hope that you’ve enjoyed this little exploration of the ‘best sides for roast beef’ and before we go, we’ve compiled some helpful answers to the most common questions we get on the subject. We hope that you’ll find this info useful and with that said, here are those questions!

Wrapping up with our roast beef sides

Today we’ve taken a look at 12 delicious side dishes for your roast beef and we hope that we’ve tempted you a little or even better, a whole lot! Pairing the right sides with your roast beef can make the difference between a good meal and a GREAT one, so be sure to give it a little thought and go with your gut – you’re the cook, after all, so you know best!

Go with the classics but don’t be afraid to sneak in a new side every now and again. After all, sometimes you’ll hit paydirt, and as the years go by, that ‘new’ side will turn into the one that they’re always asking for!

Thanks so much for reading and until next time, we wish you and yours the very best!