What meal is complete without a side? A great side dish complements the flavours of the main entrée while boosting the nutritional value of your meal.
Whether you are throwing it on the grill or baking it in the oven, you are going to need a side to round off your fish dinner.
Part of what sets seafood apart from other meats is that it is lighter. It pairs best with sides that are filling without being heavy. It always goes well with citrus flavours.
Below are some of the side dishes that go well with fish.
Green beans
Bright and fresh green beans can be a simple yet flavourful side for fish fillets. Their slight crunch and sweet flavour make them a refreshing contrast to the soft, delicate fish.
Whether you sauté them with a bit of garlic or simply steam them, they are a light, healthy side that pairs wonderfully with fish.
Caesar salad
The Caesar salad has proven itself as one of the best side dishes you can create for fish.
The beautiful mix of fresh greens, parmesan cheese, anchovy flavour, and creamy sauce is good enough to be its own meal. Combine it with a great fish fillet and you will be feeling full and healthy at the end of the meal.
The best part? It takes practically no time at all to put together.
Quinoa salad
Quinoa salad is a nutritious, flavourful option that complements the delicate nature of fish fillets wonderfully. Quinoa, a grain known for its health benefits and slightly nutty flavour, serves as a hearty base.
Mixed with a variety of colourful, crunchy vegetables such as bell peppers, cucumbers, or tomatoes, and dressed with a tangy vinaigrette, this salad is a texture-rich dish.
It adds a vibrant, wholesome element to the meal, offering a contrast to the tenderness of the fish.
Perfect baked sweet potato
Adding sweet potatoes to your diet is an easy and delicious habit to pick up when you are trying to eat healthily - the vegetable is a total superfood, packed with vitamin C and fibre.
They are also totally versatile, but baking them whole in the oven is arguably the simplest way to prepare them and they will be the perfect base for all types of toppings.
Orange lime margarita
Drinks can be sides too, can’t they? Take your margarita up a level by adding some orange liqueur to the drink and your guests will be asking for another.
This drink is best paired with Mexican-inspired fish dishes.
Grilled or steamed vegetables
Pairing fish with grilled or steamed vegetables is a great idea. You can toss vegetables like bell peppers, carrots and zucchini with a little oil and a light seasoning mix.
Then skewer them and place them on the grill or, skip the skewers, wrap them in their own foil packet, and place them on the grill or oven rack for a healthy and delicious side.
Pilau rice
Pilau rice, fragrant with spices and studded with colourful vegetables, makes a flavourful and satisfying side. The aromatic rice, with its subtle blend of spices, offers a comforting, hearty side dish that complements the mild fish nicely.