Every fish fry I’ve hosted, someone walks in expecting coleslaw and tartar sauce. The ones who stayed longest were the ones who found the Blove’s Sauce first. That bowl disappeared before the fish did.

The best sides for fried fish do more than fill the plate. They bring contrast: something bright against the richness, something crispy that doesn’t compete, a sauce worth dipping into twice. That’s what I built this around: the sides my family actually comes back for, every single time.

Here are 14 sides organized by category. Sauces, crispy picks, vegetables, and fresh cold sides. Pick one from each and you’ve got a complete spread.

Sauces for Fried Fish

Tartar sauce works. But once you’ve tried these, it’s hard to go back.

Blove’s Sauce

Cajun seafood sauce that went viral on YouTube, and I’ve tested it enough times to know exactly where it goes wrong: the butter ratio. Too little and it turns thin and greasy. The heat builds slowly — you don’t feel it on the first dip, you feel it three bites later.

Wingstop Ranch (Copycat)

Nothing like bottled ranch. It’s thicker, tangier, and clings the way a good dip should. I keep a jar in the fridge all week because it works on everything, not just the fish. (And yes, I’ve put it on leftover fries the next morning. No regrets.)

Arby’s Horsey Sauce (Copycat)

Reach for this one when you want something sharp instead of creamy. Fresh horseradish makes a completely different sauce than jarred: the heat is brighter, not muddy. I tested both. Fresh wins every time.

KFC Sauce (Copycat)

KFC’s tangy, smoky signature sauce belongs next to fried fish. At my last fish fry I put it out alongside the tartar sauce and it was gone first. My husband didn’t believe me when I said it was homemade.

Crispy Sides for Fried Fish

You’re already frying fish. These crispy sides skip the extra oil.

Crispy Air Fryer Frozen French Fries

The reason I use the air fryer for fries on fish fry night is simple: I don’t want another hot pan. Genuinely crispy in 15 minutes, crispier than the oven, no babysitting required.

Easy Corn Nuggets

Crispy outside, creamy inside, and gone before the fish hits the table. My kids treat these like popcorn. I’ve learned to make a double batch or they don’t make it to dinner.

Popeyes Buttermilk Biscuits (Copycat)

These biscuits were built for dipping. Tear one apart and drag it through Blove’s Sauce. The biscuit holds up where bread falls apart immediately, and I’ve started making these at every fish fry specifically for this.

Vegetable Sides for Fried Fish

Most recipe sites suggest steamed vegetables. These don’t. The asparagus goes in the air fryer (10 minutes, done before the last batch of fish). The rest are sous vide, which means the seasoning cooks into the vegetables instead of sitting on top, and the texture stays firm instead of going soft. And it makes a difference you can actually taste.

Perfect Air Fryer Asparagus

Done in under 10 minutes, which means I start it while the last batch of fish is still in the pan. Lemon and garlic, minimal prep. My kids don’t usually ask for seconds on vegetables. At fish fry night, they ask for more asparagus.

Sous Vide Zucchini with Parmesan

Sous vide makes zucchini silky in a way roasting can’t replicate. I finished a batch with Parmesan last week and my husband ate it straight off the sheet pan before I could plate it. That’s the review.

Sous Vide Green Beans with Garlic & Oil

Green beans cooked this way have a snappy, firm texture that steaming never achieves. The garlic and oil soak in during cooking, not after. I’ve made these alongside both grilled and fried fish. Fried is the better match.

Creamy Sous Vide Mashed Potatoes

These stay silkier than stovetop mashed potatoes long after they come off the heat, and that matters on fish fry night when I’m finishing the last batch and everyone’s already at the table. I’ve made these a full hour ahead. They were still perfect.

Fresh Sides for Fried Fish

Skip the coleslaw. These are the sides that cut through the richness and make the next bite of fish taste just as good as the first.

Fruit Salsa with Cinnamon Chips

I served this expecting eye rolls. It was gone before the fish was. Fresh fruit cuts through fried food in a way coleslaw never quite manages: bright and cold against something hot and heavy.

⭐ My Top Pick — If you only try one new thing from this spread, make it this one.

Shrimp Macaroni Salad

Make this a few hours ahead and let it chill. The flavor comes together completely differently cold than freshly made, and the shrimp makes it feel like a real side, not a filler (and it photographs beautifully on the table, which doesn’t hurt). My husband goes back for this one at every fish fry we host.

Old Fashioned Cucumbers and Onions in Vinegar

Tart, cold cucumber slices in a sharp vinegar brine. This is the palate-cleanser every serious fish fry needs. I make a big batch the night before: the vinegar soaks in overnight and the crunch holds up better than a last-minute toss.

Tips for the Best Fish Fry Spread

Make the cucumber and onion salad the night before. The vinegar has time to work through the cucumbers instead of sitting on the surface. A morning prep gives you a completely different result.

The easiest way to build a balanced plate: one sauce, one crispy side, one fresh cold side. Do NOT skip the fresh one. Fried fish is rich on its own, and without something acidic or cool on the plate, every bite starts to taste the same.

If you’re running several sides at once, start the air fryer fries or asparagus last. Both are done in under 15 minutes. The cucumber salad, macaroni salad, and all four sauces can be prepped hours ahead, so the hot sides hit the table exactly when the fish is done.

Tell me which sauce your crowd goes back for seconds on — tag me @izzycookingofficial. — Izzy x