18 Potato Side Dishes & 3 Tasty Appetizers

Diana Barkley (Senior Editor)

The humble potato: Did you know that the average US American eats around 120 lbs of potatoes each and every year? That’s roughly the weight of a small woman. Looking for the perfect potato side dishes? Then you’ve come to the right place.

Potatoes make for many of the ultimate side dishes: from sumptuous, cheesy gratin to crispy yet fluffy French fries — potatoes are loved across the world. In this article we’ll explore the world’s very best potato-based side dishes you need to try.

From American favorites, to unique international creations, from simple to extravagant, you’ll be surprised to find just how much you can make using potatoes.

Best Potato Side Dishes You Need to Try

Best Potato Side Dishes You Need to Try

Almost every culture in the world has some form of potato-based dish they’re known for. There are Spanish patatas bravas, Italian gnocchi, Irish colcannon, Swiss Rosti, and Indian aloo gobhi just to name a few. Below we’ll share some of the best potato side dishes there are with you.

These are divided into easy-to-use categories, so make sure you save this page for your next cookout or dinner party.

Easy and Quick Potato Side Dishes

Easy and Quick Potato Side Dishes

Sometimes the best side dishes are the simplest ones. This also goes for potatoes, and we guarantee you’ve had at least some of the below before and probably loved them. If not, it’s high time you tried them, as each will only take you a few minutes of prep time.

Buttery Mashed Potato

Buttery Mashed Potato

The best mashed potatoes start with really great potatoes, so go for something like 3 lbs of Yukon Gold or another great mashing potato.

You’ll want to boil them alongside a few cloves of garlic until fork-tender, then drain them and mash everything with a masher. Don’t be tempted to use a blender, as it turns everything into a gloopy mess.

Mix in a cup of whole milk, some salted butter, and a touch of ground black pepper, and you’re done.

Crispy Hasselback Potatoes

Crispy Hasselback Potatoes

Hasselback potatoes look fancy but are actually very easy to make. You’ll want to use a skewer to poke through most of each potato before slicing through to the metal in thin, even slices.

This will avoid cutting all the way through and losing the desired ‘Hasselback’ effect. Next, add your potatoes to a baking tray (cut sides facing up) and rub each with some olive oil, salt, garlic, and rosemary. Roast for around 45 to 50 minutes or until tender and golden brown.

Air Fryer French Fries

Air Fryer French Fries

There’s nothing quite so easy as French fries made in your trusty air fryer. All you need is some potatoes (russets are good), and slice them into even ¼ inch thick sticks.

Toss them evenly in some extra virgin olive oil and a sprinkling of sea salt (some added rosemary or garlic is good too.) Add to your air fryer for around 12 to 15 minutes, flipping them over halfway. If you want your fries to be crispier, simply extend the time.

Potato Side Dishes for Steak

Potato Side Dishes for Steak

Steak can be such a treat, particularly when it’s paired with a delicious side aCanadian Poutinend some good sauce. The sides on our list are simple to make yet effective, and particularly yummy with a nice cut of steak. You may also make them as sides for other meat-based dishes, of course.

Spanish Patatas Bravas

Spanish Patatas Bravas

Patatas Bravas, or Spanish fried potatoes are a potatoey treat that’s both crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. The ‘salsa brava’ is actually incredibly easy to make, and only contains extra virgin olive oil, tomato paste, some smoked paprika, garlic, and chili pepper flakes.

You can play with the latter to make your sauce as spicy or mild as you’d like.

Swiss Potato Rösti

Swiss Potato Rösti

The trick to perfect potato rosti is to grate them into long strands before squeezing as much excess liquid from them as you possibly can.

Next, you’ll just want to season your prepared potato strands with salt and black pepper and, top tip, add some melted butter to the mix.

Cook them slowly in more melted butter, taking care not to pat them down too much. Make sure you use some sort of non-stick pan for this.

Gourmet Tater Tots

Gourmet Tater Tots

We found this gourmet update to regular cooked-from-frozen tater tots very impressive: all you need to do is follow the package instructions to cook your tots to start with.

Next, fry a chili in a bit of oil, add some finely diced onions, as well as some sea salt, sugar, white pepper, ground ginger, and Chinese five spice powder. Fry your tater tots in this mix until nicely coated and enjoy.

Potato Side Dishes for BBQ

Potato Side Dishes for BBQ

There’s nothing quite like a BBQ in the sunshine, a cold beer in hand as you turn the steaks, sausages, or whatever else you’re cooking. All that’s needed is the perfect potato side dish, don’t you think? Below are three of our all time favorites.

English Baked Potatoes with Sour Cream and Chives

English Baked Potatoes with Sour Cream and Chives

Favored in England (and of course other parts of the world), the humble baked potato makes a great, easy side you can even cook over your BBQ coals.

You’ll want to prick each of your potatoes all over using a fork, then rub it all over with butter and double-wrap it in tin foil. Bury your wrapped potatoes in the hot coals of your BBQ and cook them until they’re tender or around 30 to 60 minutes.

In the meantime prepare some sour cream by adding freshly cut chives and a bit of sea salt to it. Enjoy together alongside your BBQ meats.

Canadian Poutine

Canadian Poutine

Nothing says Oh Canada quite like a steaming bowl of poutine. And all you really need to make it is freshly cooked French fries (check our air fryer recipe hack above), some cheese curds, and gravy to top the entire thing with.

Japanese Potato Salad

Japanese potato salad is made up of mostly mashed potatoes, carrots, sweetcorn, egg, cucumber, and a little bit of ham.

It’s seasoned with salt, rice vinegar, freshly ground pepper, and Japanese mayo if you can find it. It’s a lovely change from European or American potato salads, from which it probably originated.

There are many different varieties using different veg, ham, or even canned tuna. We like the ham and corn variety as it makes a great side for BBQ dishes.

Sweet Potato Side Dishes

Sweet Potato Side Dishes

Sweet potatoes are actually not even related to standard spuds. The former are actually part of the morning glory family of plants.

Nevertheless, both make for popular side dishes, with sweet potatoes adding a nice sweetness similar to carrots. Here are some of our favorites.

Sweet Potato with Marshmallows

Sweet Potato with Marshmallows

If you’ve ever been to a Texas Roadhouse you’ll perhaps have had their delicious baked sweet potatoes topped with mini marshmallows.

This simple side dish can easily be replicated at home — even using a microwave. Simply slice your sweet potatoes down the middle and microwave for 5-10 minutes, checking for doneness.

Next, carefully add a chunk of salted butter and some mini marshmallows, and zap for another minute or so. Serve immediately and enjoy.

Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Fresh Herbs

Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Fresh Herbs

The best roasted sweet potatoes are made with extra virgin olive oil, some garlic powder, ground cumin, paprika, black pepper, and sea salt.

The key is to cut them into even chunks before roasting them in the oven on a high heat. Keep an eye on your potatoes to ensure the outsides are getting crispy but not too brown, and test them for doneness with a fork.

Sweet Potato Bake

Sweet Potato Bake

You just need to peel and slice your sweet potatoes at 3 to 4 millimeters thickness before you start this recipe hack.

Next, pour some butter, extra virgin olive oil, salt, pepper, and rosemary over your prepared slices and mix well. Layer the marinated sweet potato slices in a skillet following a pretty circular pattern (or any other pattern you like), overlapping each slice slightly with the next.

Cover with tinfoil and bake for around 30 mins at 430 F. Top tip: You can make the same dish using regular potatoes, too.

Potato Side Dishes for Chicken

Potato Side Dishes for Chicken

A juicy roast chicken can generally only be enhanced by a classic side. Enter the humble potato and some scrumptious yet easy to make side dishes. Below are some of our favorite dishes to accompany your next roast chicken or other chicken-based main.

Irish Colcannon

Irish Colcannon

Colcannon is a popular Irish potato dish that mixes creamy, sumptuous mashed potato with some cabbage or kale. It’s the perfect accompaniment to meat, including chicken.

One recipe we came across made a hearty cottage pie topping chicken with colcannon. The term colcannon refers to a kind of cabbage that’s frequently mixed with the mash for this dish.

Italian Gnocchi

Italian Gnocchi

Gnocchi, if you’ve never had them, are a kind of Italian potato ‘pasta’ made from potatoes, flour, salt, and eggs. You can make them from scratch, but we recommend just buying a pre-made pack at your nearest supermarket or specialty food store.

Gnocchi work with a variety of sauces and soak up all kinds of juicy flavors very well. They’re frequently served with tomato-based sauces or simple butter sauces — perfect for a delicate chicken breast dish.

French Potato Gratin

French Potato Gratin

French potato gratin or Dauphinoise potatoes were popularized by famous TV chef Julia Child. They’re made of thin layers of finely sliced potatoes mixed with butter, cream, cheese, and a hint of fragrant thyme.

They’re creamy, decadent, and add a touch of luxury to your best chicken dishes. Pair them with some freshly steamed (and therefore very green) sprigs of tenderstem broccoli and a beautiful, meaty sauce.

Cheese-Based Potato Side Dishes

Cheese-Based Potato Side Dishes

Cheesy potato dishes are half the fun, if you ask us. They’re excellent as sides or even on their own, when you’re craving some comfort food. Here are some of our favorite potato side dishes loaded with cheesy goodness… starting with the most obvious choice.

Loaded Potatoes

Loaded Potatoes

Who doesn’t like a loaded potato? You can make these any way you like, but we recommend pricking your potatoes all over with a fork then baking them until they’re mostly done.

Next, add cheese(s) of your choice, bacon bits, and some fresh chives before returning the potatoes to the oven until everything is gooey, melted, and delicious.

Garlic Parmesan Au Gratin

Garlic Parmesan Au Gratin

Essentially Dauphinoise potatoes, but with added garlic and parmesan. These are the perfect comfort food for when you need a more boldly flavored side.

They’re great with a rare or mid-rare seared steak fresh from the BBQ and some buttered corn. They’re also delicious on a rainy day, when you just want something tasty and super cheesy.

Loaded Mashed Potatoes

Loaded Mashed Potatoes

If you love mashed potatoes, you’ll love this recipe hack: simply prepare your mash per our Easy and Quick section above, then add them to a skillet.

Top your potatoes with cheese, bacon bits, and some chives and return to the oven until just melted and bubbling. You can play with the toppings and experiment with different cheeses or add crispy onions. Serve with a lot of gravy.

Tasty Appetizers Before Serving Potatoes

Tasty Appetizers Before Serving Potatoes

If you’re planning a special menu of some kind of main alongside a great potato side dish (or dishes), you’ll also want the perfect appetizer to start with.

Below are some of our favorite starters that perfectly cut through the richness and starchiness of your potatoes, and serve a great balance to your dishes.

Tomato and Mozzarella

Tomato and Mozzarella

Tomato and mozzarella (or Caprese salad) make for an excellent appetizer before potatoes of any kind. Simply slice both into even slivers and stack them, one piece of mozzarella per one slice of tomato.

Top with some extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and some fresh basil leaves, and you’re done.

Deviled Eggs

Deviled Eggs

Deviled eggs are super simple to make at home. All you need is some hard-boiled eggs and a few extra ingredients. Once boiled and peeled, cut each egg in half, length-wise, and scoop out the solid yolks.

Mix the yolks with mayonnaise, mustard (or ketchup), a touch of vinegar, pepper, and salt. Re-fill the eggs and top with a sprinkling of smoked paprika.

Southern Wilted Salad with Hot Bacon Dressing

Southern Wilted Salad with Hot Bacon Dressing

Wilted salad is called so because the hot dressing makes the lettuce leaves wilt. It appears to be quite a popular side dish and there are many different recipes for it out there.

Our favorite used bacon, sugar, a sprinkling of flour, salt, black pepper, apple cider vinegar, and water for the dressing. They also topped the salad with some hard boiled egg slices and chopped onion, which we thought was a nice touch.

It’s the perfect salad for your next summer BBQ, ahead of the best potato dishes.

Perfect Drinks for Potato Dishes

Perfect Drinks for Potato Dishes

Potatoes are rich and starchy, so you’ll want a drink to go with them that’s refreshing without being overpowering. Here are some delicious beverage options to go with your potato side dishes.

Beer

Beer

Beer is the perfect accompaniment to BBQs, steak, and more. It’s a no-brainer to have an iced cold beer (alcoholic or non-alcoholic) with your potatoes, as it’s refreshing and tastes great.

Vodka

Vodka

Did you know that many vodka varieties are made of potatoes? This makes vodka an interesting choice for a drink to go with your potato-based dishes. With that being said, skip the straight vodka and have a vodka and soda or other vodka-based cocktail instead.

Sparkling Water

Sparkling Water

Carbonated water is always a good choice to go along with any kind of food. It takes some of the richness out of potato-based dishes, while also allowing all of the delicious flavors of your cooking to really shine through.

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