What goes with pot roast? Most of us cook a pot roast with potatoes and carrots, but what if you want some different pot roast sides? What side dishes go with roast beef?
It’s easy to get stuck in a rut of sorts when we’re cooking and use the same recipes over and over in our meal rotations. After all, we want to cook the foods our family enjoys, so why not keep it simple, right? However, it’s nice to add some variety to our meals.
Well, the possibilities for what goes good with pot roast are endless. Pot roast sides can be anything from a mashed potato dish, baked potato, Yorkshire pudding, creamed spinach, or crispy sweet potato fries.
A hearty pot roast is a classic comfort food that has graced dinner tables for generations. Tender, slow-cooked meat and flavorful veggies provide a satisfying meal that can warm the soul. However, finding the perfect side dishes to accompany this traditional favorite can elevate its enjoyment to the next level.
When it comes to pot roast accompaniments, there are many options to suit various tastes and preferences. From steaming, buttery mashed potatoes to fresh, crisp salads, the possibilities are endless. In this article, we’ll explore some of the best side dish options, ensuring a delectable meal that is both comforting and gratifying.
As we explore these tasty side dish options, remember that the key is to complement the rich, robust flavors of the pot roast. By pairing it with well-chosen sides, you can create a well-rounded, satisfying meal that will have everyone coming back for seconds. So, let’s delve into some of the scrumptious options that will soon become family favorites.
Whether you cook a traditional beef chuck roast, easy crockpot pot roast with beef rump roast (or round roast), slow cooker beef pot roast, a classic sliced roast beef dinner, an Italian beef pot roast with pepperoncini peppers, or a Mississippi pot roast, a beef pot roast recipe is one of the easiest main dishes you can prepare for your family.
Are you ready to create your list of the best pot roast sides? Let’s explore this amazing list of the best side dishes for pot roast and roast beef.
What Sides Go with Pot Roast?
What are the best pot roast sides? Basically, the best side dishes for a beef (or any meat) recipe are whatever your family enjoys with roast beef. This means that nearly any recipe can be a great roast beef side dish recipe.
For some greens that are full of flavor and nutrition, consider a dish like creamed spinach to serve with your roast beef. If you want an easy vegetable side dish for your roast beef dinner, you can go with mashed potatoes, a baked potato, or a sweet potato.
Do You Put Pot Roast Vegetables on the Bottom or the Top of the Roast?
If you’re wondering what to serve with pot roast or roast beef, the most obvious answer is to cook a pot roast recipe or roast beef with the traditional potatoes, carrots, and onion. These root veggies are full of flavor and they make the perfect side dish for your roast beef dinner. If you cook a slow cooker pot roast recipe, it’s super easy to cut up some potatoes (you don’t even have to peel them!) and toss in some baby carrots with the meat. It just doesn’t get much simpler than that.
But where should you put your veggies in this type of roast beef recipe? The best place to put your potatoes and carrots when you’re slow cooking a pot roast or roast beef is underneath the meat. However, if you’re adding some faster cooking veggies that need a shorter cook time to the pot roast you’re cooking, place these veggies along the sides of your meat.
Keep in mind that the beef broth, gravy, au jus, and meat juices from your roast beef will cook your vegetable pieces much more quickly, so if you don’t like mushy vegetables, keep an eye on your cooking time.
One of the easiest side dishes for pot roast is the humble baked potato. You can cook your baked potatoes in the crock pot, microwave, oven, air fryer, and you can even pressure cook a baked potato in your Instant Pot.
To make baked potatoes that are super fluffy and full of flavor, you want to follow the instructions in this recipe. Don’t forget the salt!
Who remembers cooking French fries before the air fryer? Remember the grease and oil, or perhaps the hot baking sheets (if you baked your French fries)?
Well, thanks to the air fryer, we can now enjoy the perfect frozen French fries as one of the best side dishes for roast beef. Serve up a variety of different shapes and seasonings of French fries to please your guests or your family.
You can cook carrots in the slow cooker with your pot roast for one of the best side dishes, but another great way to serve carrots as a pot roast side dish is by roasting them.
This recipe for carrots roasted with fresh thyme is exceptional, and once you have them, you may not ever want to eat carrots any other way.
If you’re following a special diet such as keto, paleo, low carb, or something else, you may want to forego the root veggies like white potatoes and carrots.
These air fryer sweet potato fries will satisfy your craving for crunchy, salty, and sweet, all at once, making them one of the best side dishes.
Serve these sweet potato fries with sugar free ketchup.
We love Yorkshire pudding as one of the best side dishes for elegant roast beef entrees. But did you know that it’s not that difficult to make Yorkshire pudding?
Authentic Yorkshire pudding is made with beef fat (beef tallow), and you can use the fat from your roast beef.
Sure, you can cook mashed potatoes on the stovetop or in the Instant Pot, but why not use the microwave when it’s so simple?
The ingredients you need to make this microwave mashed potatoes recipe are large russet potatoes (or Yukon gold potatoes), salt, butter, and milk (you can also use heavy cream or half and half).
We love this recipe for baked mac ‘n cheese because it’s made with sharp cheddar cheese and Gruyere cheese. Other ingredients are whole milk, half and half (you can use heavy cream), paprika, and flour.
You can also cook macaroni and cheese in the Instant Pot.
Are you looking for a cold roast beef side that you can cook ahead, even the day before? Try this creamy potato salad recipe.
To make this potato salad, you can use any type of potato you like.
The other ingredients in this potato salad are apple cider vinegar, sour cream, mayonnaise, yellow mustard (or Dijon mustard), red onion, celery, dill pickle, chopped eggs, and fresh herbs that include dill, parsley, tarragon, chives, or cilantro.
We love that Brussels sprouts are enjoying a moment. It’s about time that these tiny cabbages called Brussels sprouts got the respect they deserve.
To make roasted Brussels sprouts with parmesan cheese and garlic (in the oven or air fryer), you need olive oil, kosher salt (or sea salt), black pepper, and any of these delicious add-ins: balsamic vinegar, fresh lemon juice, red pepper flakes, and fresh herbs.
How about a rich dish to go with your roast beef dinner?
The ingredients in this fried rice recipe are carrots, eggs, Worcestershire sauce, onion, garlic, frozen peas, soy sauce, sesame oil, oyster sauce, and sliced scallions (green onions) for garnish and flavor.
Scalloped potatoes with cheese (or without cheese) are always a great choice for a side dish with any meat entree.
This classic recipe is made with butter, onion, garlic cloves, flour, chicken broth, milk, sea salt, black pepper, and Yukon gold potatoes.
You can also add cheddar cheese if you like your scalloped potatoes super cheesy.
Do you want more ideas for what to eat with pot roast? Maybe you’re wondering “what should I serve with my pot roast”? Check out the video below for some great pot roast side dishes, including a rutabaga and carrot mash, crispy roast potatoes, and more.
17+ Perfect Pot Roast Sides (+Easy Baked Potatoes)
These recipes are sure to please. So, gather your family and friends and enjoy. Let us know your thoughts!
Cassie brings decades of experience to the Kitchen Community. She is a noted chef and avid gardener. Her new book "Healthy Eating Through the Garden" will be released shortly. When not writing or speaking about food and gardens Cassie can be found puttering around farmer's markets and greenhouses looking for the next great idea.
