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70 Indulgent Side Dishes For Steak That Go Beyond Baked Potatoes

(But don't worry, we've got LOTS of potatoes here too!)

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succotash gnocchi
PHOTO: ANDREW BUI; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE

It's hard to deny it—crispy, crunchy, creamy potatoes are often our go-side side dish for any cut of steak, from ribeye to filet mignon, and are perfect for making weeknights feel a bit fancy. But what about when you’re looking to make your meal extra special? Take your steak dinner to new flavor heights by trying one of our best steak side dishes that span way beyond just potatoes (but don’t worry, if you’re a die-hard fan of the combo, we’ve got lots of recipes for those too).

    In our eyes, what you serve alongside steak is mostly about what’s involved in the rest of the meal. Having steak on a Tuesday to elevate your average weeknight dinner? Keep it simple and pair your meat with veggies, like our green beans almondine, our garlic-Parmesan roasted carrots, our sautéed mushrooms, or our stir-fried snap peas. Salad is also a lovely option, especially if you want to keep your sides light—check out our classic wedge salad, our spinach salad, our grilled peach salad, or our grilled romaine Caesar wedge for ideas. If you’re really not a veggie fan, try combining your greens with a hefty amount of cheese or cream, like in our creamed spinach or our Caprese asparagus.

    Want to make it even heartier (or have a LOT of mouths to feed)? Add super-comforting carbs, like our mac & cheese, our mashed potatoes, or our goat cheese-stuffed rolls. Serving a steak for date night instead? You’re going to want dishes that impress but aren’t too difficult. Try pairing your steak with our homemade potato gnocchi (these would be SO fun to make with your date), our baked risotto with lemon, peas & Parmesan, or our cheesy kale orzo with herbed breadcrumbs.

    Want even more side dish inspiration? Steak is a great option year-round, so check out our favorite summer, fall, and winter side dishes too.

    1

    Caesar Salad

    crisp romaine, salty shaved parm, and crunchy homemade sourdough croutons tossed in a creamy, cheesy umami packed dressing
    PHOTO: JULIA GARTLAND; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON

    This classic recipe centers around crisp romaine, salty shaved Parm, and crunchy homemade sourdough croutons tossed in a creamy, cheesy, umami-packed Caesar dressing (psst—it's the key to the best-ever Caesar). Add protein like we did in our shrimp or chicken Caesar salad,

    Get the Caesar Salad recipe.

    2

    Fully Loaded Tornado Potatoes

    fully loaded tornado potato with sour cream scallions cheddar cheese and gochugaru
    PHOTO: RYAN LIEBE; FOOD STYLING: TAYLOR ANN SPENCER

    This twist is everything you love about loaded baked potatoes—but twisted and on a stick. Just like their street food inspiration—Korean corndogs— these are fun to make AND to eat.

    Get the Fully Loaded Tornado Potatoes recipe.

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    3

    Creamy Lemon Garlic Shrimp

    large, juicy shrimp are tossed in old bay seasoning and lemon zest, sauteed in butter until tender, then tossed in a creamy white wine and garlic infused sauce
    PHOTO: LINDA PUGLIESE; FOOD STYLING: SAM SENEVIRATNE

    This creamy lemon garlic shrimp is the ideal balance of richness and brightness, making it an irresistible and fast side. And if you love our OG lemon garlic shrimp, then this version is guaranteed to earn a place in your weeknight surf & turf rotation.

    Get the Creamy Lemon Garlic Shrimp recipe.

    4

    Succotash-Inspired Gnocchi

    succotash gnocchi
    PHOTO: ANDREW BUI; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE

    Inspired by delicious and oh-so-summery succotash, this colorful side is extra hearty and full of fresh flavors. Though this rendition doesn't include beans, we think the chewy boiled gnocchi are the perfect stand-ins.

    Get the Succotash-Inspired Gnocchi recipe.

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    5

    Grilled Potatoes

    grilled potatoes on a platter with a ramekin of herby green sauce
    PHOTO: ANDREW BUI; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE

    The char and smoke from the grill get picked up perfectly by the potatoes to make an amazing side for steak. Take it from us, though, and don't skip step 1. It's pretty much impossible to get potatoes tender and cooked through on the grill alone; parboiling the potatoes guarantees creamy centers and crisp, charred outsides.

    Get the Grilled Potatoes recipe.

    6

    Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad

    pasta salad tossed in a creamy sauce, corn, and cilantro
    PHOTO: ANTONIS ACHILLEOS; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON

    Elote (Mexican street corn) gives that grilled, charred flavor that every grill out needs, while pasta salad is the easy, reliable side dish that everyone thanks you for. We love both of these summer sides so much, we decided to combine them for the ultimate side for grilled steak.

    Get Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad recipe.

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    7

    Grilled Romaine Caesar Wedge

    grilled romaine lettuce wedge topped with caesar dressing and croutons on a white platter
    PHOTO: JOSEPH DE LEO; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON

    Grilling romaine for this wedge salad gives them just a slight char that goes perfectly with Caesar dressing. Serve whole as is, or chop your romaine hearts and toss them for easier eating.

    Get the Grilled Romaine Caesar Wedge recipe.

    8

    Air Fryer French Fries

    air fryer french fries
    PHOTO: ANDREA MONZO; FOOD STYLIST: MAKINZE GORE

    Is there anything for classic then steak and fries? Forget about oil temperature, soaking, and all the other steps associated with the perfect deep-fried French fry. This air-fried version is not only lighter, but tastes better than anything you’d get in a restaurant.

    Get the Air Fryer French Fries recipe.

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    9

    Potato Gratin Bundles

    thinly sliced potatoes layered with herbed garlicky cream cheese, gruyere, and parmesan, then roasted in a parchment pouch
    PHOTO: RACHEL VANNI; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON

    Potatoes au gratin is a classic, but it's long overdue for an upgrade. Enter: bundles! Thin-skinned red potatoes get sliced, layered in parchment, smothered in a creamy, cheesy, garlicky sauce, then baked until steaming and tender. Best part? Less mess!

    Get the Potato Gratin Bundles recipe.

    10

    Corn Salad

    corn, chopped tomatoes, feta and basil in a bowl
    PHOTO: BRYAN GARDNER; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE

    While we love celebrating versatile sweet corn in all its forms, a fresh corn salad has to be one of our favorite ways to enjoy it. Not only is it completely adaptable to what you have on hand, it’s so easy to prepare—simply toss to combine, season to taste, and serve!

    Get the Corn Salad recipe.

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    11

    Sautéed Mushrooms

    garlic rosemary sauteed mushrooms in a black cast iron skillet, buttered, salted, and peppered
    JUNE XIE

    When it comes to cooking mushrooms, there are really no rules. Take a fat of your choice, a couple of aromatics of your choice, and your mushroom of choice, season with salt and maybe pepper, and let it cook until slightly golden—that's pretty much it!

    Get the Sautéed Mushrooms recipe.

    12

    Broccoli Caesar Pasta Salad

    broccoli caesar pasta salad topped with crunchy croutons
    PHOTO: ANTONIS ACHILLEOS; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON

    If Caesar salad took a vacation to the Midwest, she would become this broccoli Caesar pasta salad. Bright green crisp-tender broccoli is tossed with cavatappi, shredded parm, and shards of crispy croutons in a silky homemade Caesar dressing for an unforgettable spin on the classic cookout staple.

    Get the Broccoli Caesar Pasta Salad recipe.

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    13

    Zucchini Salad

    zucchini salad
    PHOTO: BRYAN GARDNER; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE

    If you’re looking for a surprisingly low-lift vegetable salad to go with your steak, then raw zucchini is the squash to turn to. Salted zucchini ribbons transform into tender noodles that get dressed with a minty creamy feta vinaigrette and tossed with toasted pignoli nuts.

    Get the Zucchini Salad recipe.

    14

    Ratatouille

    chopped up vegetables in a tomato based sauce
    PHOTO: ANDREW BUI; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON

    While you may have seen a meticulously assembled variation of this dish (known as confit bayaldi) made famous in the 2007 animated film Ratatouille, our version of this summer-y stew is way less fussy and much more forgiving in terms of presentation.

    Get the Ratatouille recipe.

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    15

    Smoked Corn On The Cob

    smoked corn on the cob topped with herb butter and cilantro
    PHOTO: ERIK BERNSTEIN; FOOD STYLING: LENA ABRAHAM

    This flavorful and healthy way to grill corn on the cob doesn't require a smoker. Instead, you'll infuse the corn with wood smoke using a clever foil packet of wood chips and a grill.

    Get the Smoked Corn On The Cob recipe.

    16

    Caprese Asparagus

    caprese asparagus with mozzarella, cherry tomatoes, and balsamic

    When searching for a go-to fresh side, we decided to give classic asparagus the Caprese treatment. This easy, extra-cheesy side comes together in 30 minutes, making it the perfect last-minute addition to your steak dinner. Grab your mozz, and go Caprese-y!

    Get the Caprese Asparagus recipe.

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    17

    Grilled Peach Salad

    lettuce topped with grilled peach slices, tomatoes, toasted hazelnuts and creamy buttermilk dressing
    PHOTO: BRYAN GARDNER; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE

    With so much juiciness and just a hint of acidity, peaches—like their summery friend the tomato—are amazing in all sorts of salads. Next up on our peach salad agenda? This summery spin on the iconic wedge salad.

    Get the Grilled Peach Salad recipe.

    18

    Fiesta Corn Salad

    fiesta corn salad topped with crema
    PHOTO: RACHEL VANNI; FOOD STYLING BARRETT WASHBURNE

    This grilled corn salad is simple: grill your corn, then toss it and chopped bell pepper with creamy avocado, then add red onion and jalapeño. Finish it all off with a drizzle of crema and a showering of fresh herbs, and you've got an easy side with a kick.

    Get the Fiesta Corn Salad recipe.

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    19

    Tomato Salad

    sliced tomatoes with red onions and feta and herbs
    PHOTO: BRYAN GARDNER; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE

    You might say to-may-to and you might say to-mah-to, but no matter how you say it, a tomato salad is a summertime classic. With juicy tomatoes, a simple red wine vinaigrette, thinly sliced red onion, herbs, and crumbled feta, this salad is like the little black dress of the season.

    Get the Tomato Salad recipe.

    20

    Cauliflower Fried Rice

    cauliflower fried rice with carrots, green onion, and eggs topped with sesame seeds
    PHOTO: RACHEL VANNI; FOOD STYLING: ADRIENNE ANDERSON

    Fried rice will always be one of the best takeout items in the game, by far. It’s a classic and comforting recipe that everyone loves…except maybe those who are trying to eat less rice. If that’s you, we created this spin on the fave that subs cauliflower for rice, while still crushing the flavor game.

    Get the Cauliflower Fried Rice recipe.

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