21 Best Sides for Fried Fish (What to Serve with Fried Fish)

5 from 2 votes

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If you are preparing for a fried fish dinner, you definitely won’t run out of options when following the list of Best Sides Fried Fish below. From healthy side dishes to vegetable side dishes, to sides for southern style fish or fried catfish, we’ll give you some finger-licking and fun suggestions on what goes best and what tastes best with your fish dish.

If you are preparing for a fried fish dinner, you definitely won’t run out of options when following the list of Best Sides Fried Fish below. From healthy side dishes to vegetable side dishes, to sides for southern style fish or fried catfish, we’ll give you some finger-licking and fun suggestions on what goes best and what tastes best with your fish dish.
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What Sides Go with Fried Fish?

When you’re thinking of fried fish, you’re probably thinking finger food or quick and easy. What falls into both of those categories? French fries! However, if you’re not a french fry fan then opt for some mashed potatoes, coleslaw, roasted cauliflower or have fun with your side and implement some hush puppies and onion rings. Be sure to try one of the recipes below to make your fried fish dish a winning meal!

If you are preparing for a fried fish dinner, you definitely won’t run out of options when following the list of Best Sides Fried Fish below. From healthy side dishes to vegetable side dishes, to sides for southern style fish or fried catfish, we’ll give you some finger-licking and fun suggestions on what goes best and what tastes best with your fish dish.

What Vegetables are Good with Fish?

If you’re having fish, you may want to keep things on the healthy side! The best way to do this is to grab those veggies. Some of the most complimenting vegetables for fish are asparagus, zucchini, carrots, a fresh mixed salad and of course some tartar sauce.

Healthy Sides for Fish

1. Steamed Broccoli

Steamed broccoli

A quartet of goodness – quick, easy, healthy, and delicious!

And, be honest, did you know Broccoli was high in protein. It’s also a great source of Vitamin C.

Steaming is what makes broccoli the vibrant green you see on your plate. If you overcook using normal methods, broccoli becomes a dull green in colour.

2. Corn and Tomato Salad

Corn and Tomato Salad

Corn, tomatoes and herbs come together to create this summer fresh salad. It’s flavorful, colorful and everything you could ever hope for in a side dish! Don’t forget to add in some garlic and onion here to help boost the flavors of all those vegetables.

3. Fruit Salsa

Fruit Salsa

Mangos, strawberries, kiwi, and pineapple are the perfect mix of tart and sweet. In this salsa you can opt for fruits of your choice but be sure to add in the pineapple to give it a tropical taste. You can also pair this salsa with cinnamon tortilla chips – when paired together they will have all of your guests licking their fingers.

4. Roasted Cauliflower

Looking for sides for sloppy joes? We’ve got your covered: 23 easy and delicious side dish ideas that you can serve with sloppy joes. With simple veggie sides, starchy sides, salad, healthy side dishes, and more, we’ve included something for everyone.

Are you looking for the best roasted cauliflower? Then look no further than this recipe!  You’ll create a dish that is perfectly caramelized, sweet, tender and oh so flavorful! It is the combination of cumin and lemon that give this cauliflower its delectable taste, but it’s the rotating of the pan that helps them cook evenly.

Easy Side Dishes for Pan-Fried Fish

5. Easy Green Peas with Mint

Green Peas with Mint

Would it be wrong of us to say this was an easy-PEAsy recipe? You can use fresh or frozen peas. Add some mint, onions and olive or sunflower oil – that’s all you need! Add some lemon juice if you’d like to add a little zing to this recipe.

6. Coleslaw

Creamy Cole Slaw

A traditional fried fish side favorite. Some say it’s an American classic! The name coleslaw actually comes from the Dutch word “koolsla” which means “cabbage salad.” Ready to serve in 10 minutes, for up to six people!  Here we go!!

7. Hush Puppies

Hush Puppies

Crispy on the outside, soft and tender on the inside, hush puppies are an easy side dish that you can’t mess up! The cajun seasoning here helps give them a little bit of a kick. If you want to spice it up a bit more, try adding in some jalapenos, gouda, and chives.

8. Microwave Mashed Potatoes

Mashed Potatoes

Would you believe me if I said you could make microwaved mashed potatoes? It’s true! In just 15 minutes, you can have smooth, creamy mashed potatoes. All you have to do is choose starchy potatoes, cut into cubes and microwave on high for 10 minutes. Don’t forget the milk and butter!! You’ll never want to mash potatoes the hard way again.

9. Baked Beans

Baked Beans

Vegetarians stop here!! If you’re looking for a side dish that can please your vegetarian friends or even your diet, then this is your dish! Filled with baked beans and topped with sour cream (if you want) and drizzled with tabasco sauce – this side dish will certainly add a little zing to your dish! You can even top with some shredded cheese for some extra tastiness!

10. Mac n Cheese

Mac n Cheese

Nothing beats a classic like creamy mac and cheese! Especially when it is rich, creamy and easy to make! It proves to be the perfect pairing for salmon cakes because you can dip, scoop or wipe up any of the leftover creamy cheese with your salmon cake.  Piece of advice, in order to get that strong, robust flavor choose a sharp cheddar!

Sides for Fried Catfish

11. Crispy Potato Wedges

Potato Wedges

No  fail, crispy potato wedges will be your new go to side dish for catfish! Using russet potatoes, your crispy potato wedge will come out with a nice crisp and fluffy on the inside. Season to perfection with onion powder, paprika, garlic powder, pepper and cayenne pepper.

12. Salt and Vinegar Potato Chips

Salt and Vinegar Potato Chips

Homemade salt and vinegar potato chips? I’m intrigued. The key here is thin slices of potatoes. Too thick and the recipe will fail. Fried or baked – we’ll take you both options here.

Did we say vinegar powder is the key here?!

13. Air Fryer Frozen French Fries

This is the BEST way to cook frozen French fries in the Air Fryer! It’s so perfectly golden and crisp on the outside and fluffy and tender inside. Dip into your favorite sauce and the result is always amazing! #AirFryerFrozenFrenchFries #AirFryerFries
Air Fryer Frozen French Fries

An all-time favorite, but this time in an air fryer! The air fryer will make your french fries golden and crips on the outside, and fluffy and tender on the inside! You know if you own an air fryer  that this is the way to go, but if you don’t own one you will definitely never go back to cooking fries the old fashioned way again!

14. Onion Rings

These copycat Burger King Onion Rings are crispy and bursting with savory onion flavors! Made with a few simple ingredients, these homemade onion rings are a perfect side dish, appetizer, or snack for any occasion. Pair them with the onion ring sauce – mouth-watering delicious!
Burger King Onion Rings

Burger King fan? Then you will definitely want to try your hands at these Burger King copycat onion rings. The tips here are to use larger onions, fry them in a neutral oil, and soak them in cold water before frying. To truly experience the flavor, pair these rings with an onion ring sauce.

Vegetable Side Dishes for Breaded Fish

15. Air Fryer Asparagus

Air Fryer Asparagus

Another vegetable that is likely a miss with the kids, add it as a side or with your Mac and Cheese and you can and will turn those frowns upside down!And who doesn’t like the sound of crispy tips and tender stalks? Dig in! Your kids will certainly forget they are eating something healthy!

16. Sous Vide Zucchini

Find the perfect addition to your next dinner party with this list of easy sous vide vegetables! From sous vide broccoli to sous vide potatoes to sous vide mixed vegetables and more, we’ve got something for everyone. #SousVideVegetables #SousVideVegetableRecipe

Two words come to mind when we discuss Sous Vide Zucchini – tender and flavorful!

Did we mention healthy and nutritious as well?! This low-carb, keto-friendly,  side is simply delicious and completely addictive!! Just dice, place in the bag and move onto focusing on your main dish!

17. Simple Skillet Green Beans

green beans

If you’re looking for the perfect healthy side dish, then look no further than skillet green beans. All you need is garlic, olive oil, fresh string beans, some spice and one pot. Yes one pot! All you have to do is caramelize the garlic in the oil and then toss in the green beans – you can’t fail!

Sauces for Fried Fish

18. Tartar Sauce

Tartar Sauce

Why go store bought when you can do homemade? This tartar sauce is creamy goodness that you can pair perfectly with your fried fish. The mayo adds the creaminess, the pickles add the crunch and the lemon juice adds a fresh zesty flavor.

19. Wingstop Ranch Sauce

The Best Wingstop Ranch salad dressing is super flavorful and tastes better than anything store-bought! It’s our go-to dip for buffalo chicken wings, veggies, chips and pizza alike. This easy copycat ranch recipe takes less than 5 minutes to make at home and is just like the one you would get at a Wingstop restaurant.
Wingstop Ranch

Flavorful and better than anything you can buy in the stores. It’s this copycat recipe that will have you running to the fridge and cupboards to look for things to dip into it. It’s creamy, zesty, smooth, fresh and completely addictive! The secret to the creaminess? Mayo, sour cream and buttermilk!

20. Bloves Seafood Sauce

Blove’s Sauce is a seafood sauce seasoning mix that’s loaded with spices. It’s invented by a Youtuber Blove, known for doing Mukbang – videos where creators eat large amounts of food with a live audience. The sauce soon became so popular that it’s selling on Amazon as Bloves Smackalicious Sauce (mild or spicy). We’ll share with you how to make this delicious sauce recipe at home from scratch.

The must-have sauce for your seafood. Used more as a dip rather than a spread, bloves seafood sauce is essentially a butter sauce combined with about 10 different spices.  Be careful though, it can be quite spicy, so be sure to taste it first before ad libbing your spices.

21. Arby’s Horsey Sauce

Made with horseradish and mayonnaise, Arby’s Horsey Sauce is spicy and creamy, perfect for sandwiches and burgers, or as a dip for fries. It’s so easy to recreate the immensely popular sauce at home with this simple copycat recipe, and it’s much better than the store-bought packets.
Arby’s Horsey Sauce

Perfect for fish sandwiches and burgers, Arby’s Horsey Sauce is made from horseradish and mayo. This sauce is the perfect mix of hot, spicy, zesty with a sweet aftertaste. Easily make this recipe in just 3 minutes and store this sauce in your fridge for up to 3 days.

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Wingstop Ranch is one of the best side dishes for fried fish. It’s creamy, delicious, and takes less than 5 minutes to make at home.
5 from 2 votes

Easy Side Dish for Fried Fish: Ranch Dip Recipe

By: Izzy
Easy Ranch Dip is one of the best side dishes for fried fish. It’s creamy, delicious, and takes less than 5 minutes to make at home.
Prep: 5 minutes
Total: 5 minutes
Servings: 24 tablespoons

Ingredients 

  • 1/2 cup Mayonnaise
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1/3 cup buttermilk
  • 3/4 teaspoon dried dill
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice

Instructions 

  • Whisk together mayo, sour cream, and buttermilk in a small bowl until smooth.
  • Add dill, parsley, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in a separate small bowl. Whisk until combined.
  • Combine the mayo mixture with the seasoning.
  • Add in the lemon juice. Mix well. Serve with your fried fish and enjoy!

Nutrition information provided is an estimate only and will vary based on ingredient brands and cooking methods used.

Like this recipe? Rate and comment below!

About Izzy

I'm Izzy, a food lover and photographer. Here you’ll find a collection of simple recipes that are perfect for busy people. My blog aims to help you make and enjoy delicious and healthy food at home.

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3 Comments

  1. Hi Izzy how do you cook egg frittata do you seasoning also cheese l am longing to eat some tasty frittata those l have been eating is tasteless