20 Of The Best Side Dishes To Serve With Fish

Crafting a meal at home isn't easy. Not only do you have to shop for your main proteins, but you also have to build out side dishes to complement the flavors and — both metaphorically and literally — fill in the gaps on your plate.

Finding side dishes that pair well with fish can be especially tricky, seeing as how much the flavor and textures of fish can vary. In other words, the side dish that you use for canned sardines may not be the one you'd use for a tuna steak and vice versa. But, as long as you find ways to create flavor harmony and keep the texture, flavor, and mouthfeel of your fish in mind, you shouldn't have any trouble picking a side dish that works for your protein of choice.

Luckily for you, we did some of the heavy lifting and compiled a list of the best side dishes to pair with fish. Not only did we consider the flavors of each of the sides, but also what types of fish (and preparations) might be best suited for each of them.

Caesar salad is an approachable and well-loved side dish, and our version adds a leafy green twist to the classic recipe. Kale offers a slightly bitter and peppery flavor that would pair well with an array of different fish dishes, including roasted or grilled salmon or trout, or a white fish like halibut or cod. The delicate, yet satisfying flavor and mouthfeel of these proteins would work well with the umami bite from the fresh-shaved Parmesan and cheesy homemade crouton topping. It's light, summery, and super quick to whip up for an easy weeknight meal.

Recipe: Easy Kale Caesar Salad

Everyone should know how to properly make rice. And luckily, you won't need to buy a fancy rice cooker for this simple brown rice recipe. Instead, it walks you through the steps of preparing fluffy, properly-cooked rice on the stovetop. 

Brown rice has a pretty neutral, if not nutty, flavor, which can pair well with an array of saucy seafood mains, including stir-fries and grain bowls. The rice will soak up that sauce like a sponge and act as the perfect vessel for your flavorful fish.

Recipe: Basic Steamed Brown Rice

One of the best ways to pair mains and sides is to look for cohesion among ingredients. If you're whipping up a basic grilled or pan-seared salmon dish for dinner, you may want to try adding some of that protein right into your side, like into this dill pasta salad.

Fresh salmon is tossed with cooked pasta and a flavorful dressing, made with Greek yogurt, fennel bulbs, capers, dill, and lemon juice. It's bright, tangy, and the summer side dish that you didn't know that you needed.

Recipe: Salmon Dill Pasta Salad

White rice is a great food to make when you're feeling under the weather, or need a simple yet hearty base for your favorite dish. This recipe is made on a stovetop and requires very little kitchen know-how, making it very beginner-friendly.

Your steamy, fluffy rice will pair well with an array of high-end fish, like seared or grilled mahi-mahi or swordfish, as well as more affordable proteins, like tilapia, salmon, or halibut. You can also easily add herbs and seasoning to the rice to help the flavor better mesh with the fish.

Recipe: Basic Stovetop Steamed White Rice

Gazpacho is the unofficial soup of the summer. But if you want to switch up the mouthfeel and make something more satisfying, then this deconstructed watermelon gazpacho may be right up your alley. Cubed watermelon is paired with cucumber, avocado, vinaigrette, herbs, and jalapeño. It's fresh, light, and pairs remarkably well with fish.

Opt for a clean, bright-tasting fish with flavors that won't dull the bright fruity and herby notes of your salad. You can go the fresh route with a ceviche or crudo main, or pair it with a seared tuna steak, roasted branzino, or buttery cobia.

Recipe: Deconstructed Watermelon Gazpacho Salad

If you can't pick between bread and salad, we have good news: panzanella lets you have both — in every single bite. This rendition is made with cherry tomatoes, frisée, and green beans. It's fresh and light, and the chunks of dried sourdough only add to each bite.

This light salad would pair well with a Mediterranean fish, like grilled sardines, snapper, or sea bass. The duo would be great for a simple summer dinner, or when you're just craving a light meal and are patiently waiting for the warmer months ahead.

Recipe: Green Bean and Tomato Panzanella Salad

Kimchi is a great recipe to keep on hand, seeing as how it can add flavor and a crunchy texture to an array of foods. The flavor of the kimchi, which stems from ingredients like gochugaru red chili flakes, is strong, so you'll want to select a heartier fish to pair with it.

Rich, oily fish, like mackerel, would be a great complement to the spicy and umami undercurrents of the kimchi. Plus, the subtle crunch of the cabbage and veggies would elevate the mouthfeel of each and every bite. However, it would also make a very flavorful accompaniment to seared tuna steaks as well.

Recipe: Classic Napa Cabbage Kimchi

You might be thinking about meat and potatoes, but it's about time that you gave seafood and potatoes a try too. These spuds are well-seasoned, thanks to additions like fresh chopped rosemary and garlic, so you'll want to make sure to select a fish that can really work with these herbs. A lemony salmon fillet, for example, would offer enough acid to complement the starchy potatoes and not upset rest of the fragrant, woodsy flavors at play. You might also want to pair the potatoes with a whole roasted fish, like trout.

Recipe: Rosemary and Garlic Roasted Potatoes

There's nothing worse than watery, sad zucchini. But if you try this grilled zucchini recipe, you won't have to worry about that at all! The grilled squash has a slightly charred bite, which is perfectly balanced with the salty accompanying caper sauce.

This would be a great side to pair with a grilled fish — seeing as how you'll already have your grill prepped and ready to go. It would be a great, veg-forward side for salmon burgers, snapper, or halibut because the caper sauce would offer the perfect salty contrast to the fish and bring the whole bite together in perfect harmony.

Recipe: Grilled Zucchini with Caper Sauce

These deviled eggs may not be like the ones you're used to, but their unique flavor will make them a must-have for future gatherings and upscale events. The sharp, acidic flavor of the pickled carrots is the perfect complement to the creamy, curry-spiced yolk filling.

The warming flavors of the curry spices would work well with anything blackened or charred — think snapper, mahi-mahi, or swordfish. You can also build harmony between these dishes by including some of the flavors used in the deviled egg recipe in your fish marinade or rub, like on a salmon fillet.

Recipe: Curried Deviled Eggs with Pickled Carrots

It doesn't get any easier than these air fryer green beans. Simply trim the edges off, dress them in a quick-and-easy dressing made with oil, garlic, and granulated garlic, and toss them in your air fryer. They'll be flavorful and soft in no time at all.

The herbaceous and bright flavor of the garlicky beans would be the perfect complement to a grilled fish, like branzino or halibut. It's a low-carb, flavorful alternative to some of the starchier sides on this list, and it's hard to argue with anything garlicky.

Recipe: Air Fryer Garlic Green Beans

This grilled romaine and corn salad practically screams "summer." The slight char on the corn is the perfect complement to the relatively bland lettuce and the zesty, herby dressing.

Since your corn is already going to be cooking on the grill, it would be easy to pair this salad with a grilled fish — think swordfish, salmon, mahi-mahi, or branzino. All of these fish could benefit from a little drizzle of that vinaigrette too, so you may want to double your recipe so you have some on hand to dress your protein with.

Recipe: Grilled Romaine and Corn Salad with Herby Mustard Dressing

Nothing hits quite like a caprese salad after a long, sunny day at the beach. This version has as slightly more flavorful and charred twist, thanks to the addition of colorful, oven-roasted tomatoes.

Since this side dish recipe is brimming with Mediterranean ingredients, it only makes sense to pair it with similar and familiar flavors in your fish entrée. Think grilled tuna steaks, snapper, or sea bass. These proteins would offer a great and flavorful contrast to the smoky, umami-rich tomatoes, milky cheese, and fresh basil in the salad.

Recipe: Roasted Tomato Caprese Salad

Side dishes don't always have to be heavy and starchy, and this asparagus and lemon ricotta tart is proof of that. Store-bought puff pastry serves as the base, which is topped with whole milk ricotta, thin asparagus spears, radishes, and shaved manchego cheese.

This recipe would work best with a lightly-flavored fish, like haddock, cod, Dover sole, or halibut. Try dressing your fish with something lemony to offer brightness and contrast with the lemon flavors in the ricotta.

Recipe: Springy Asparagus and Lemon Ricotta Tart

If fish tacos are on the menu this week, you're going to have to make this five-ingredient pico de gallo to go with them. It has all of the classics — tomatoes, jalapeños, sweet onions, Tajín, and cilantro — combined into a flavorful concoction that will brighten up even the dullest of fish dishes.

Besides tacos, you can also use the pico as a topping for grilled fish, like snapper, grouper, or mahi-mahi. The citrusy pop of the tomatoes would contrast the charred protein well and help lighten up the mouthfeel even more.

Recipe: Classic 5-Ingredient Pico De Gallo

Pilaf is like regular rice's more fun and punchier cousin. This lemon pilaf recipe gets its flavor from, you guessed it, juiced, sliced, and zested lemons. Though, the onions and garlic also offer support on the aromatic and flavor front.

A lemony pilaf would pair well with any fish that could use an acidic bite. Tilapia would be a great (and affordable) fish that could use a bright and zesty side dish. You can also opt for cod, a hearty fish with a great fleshy texture, or a grilled ocean fish like mahi-mahi.

Recipe: Lemon Rice Pilaf

Although orzo looks a lot like rice, it is indeed pasta. This hearty side dish combined the noodles with fresh ingredients, like mushrooms, tomatoes, olives, and peas, for a wholesome, veg-forward bite that is appealing to all types of eaters.

This fish would be excellent with a grilled salmon, seeing as how the fish could benefit from both the fresh pop of the vegetables and the sharp Dijon flavor of the dressing. You can also serve it with a lemon-seasoned fish, like a cod or tilapia, for an even zestier bite.

Recipe: Easy Vegan Orzo Salad Recipe with a Dijon Twist

If you love the taste of roasted potatoes, especially the skin, then you're going to have a new favorite recipe to add to your weeknight meal arsenal: crispy smashed potatoes. Boil the potatoes in water on the stove before smashing them with a potato masher or a fork and sliding them into the oven to crisp up. The skins hold a ton of flavor, and you can easily add a similar seasoning to create synergy with your fish.

These spuds are hearty, so you'll want to pair them with a fish that can hold up to that flavor and texture. Snapper, sea bass, cod, and salmon are all fair game.

Recipe: Crispy Smashed Potatoes

We can all use a basic green salad recipe from time to time. It's flavorful enough to be served as a starter for a meal, or it can be the backup dancer for a satisfying and flavorful protein, like fish. The crispy cucumbers and sharp red onion bring extra bulk to this salad, while the herby Dijon vinaigrette layers on the flavor.

Try grilling branzino with herbs, like rosemary and thyme, to create synergy with the flavors in the dressing. Or, use it as a simple side for a pan-seared or grilled salmon fillet.

Recipe: Everyday Salad with Herby Lemon Vinaigrette

Sometimes the best sides are the simplest. Enter: a crispy, crunchy sourdough bread. This flavorful bread recipe is made with homemade starter, though you can always ask around and see if you can "borrow" some discard from a friend for a one-and-done batch.

This bread would be an excellent base for canned fish and seafood, like canned tuna, salmon, mackerel, or sardines. You can make a little open-faced sandwich with this canned fish and pair it with a light salad to help freshen up the flavor and bite a little bit more.

Recipe: Fresh-Baked Sourdough Bread