Have you ever wondered what to serve with cottage pie? We have definitely pondered this question too! Luckily, there are lots of amazing side dishes that pair perfectly with cottage pie.
We found 17 different side dishes to serve with cottage pie. There is something on this list for everyone!
Homemade Cottage Pie with side of Pickles
Contents
Easy Cottage Pie Sides
Cottage pie is hearty and very filling. A lighter side dish is always a good idea.
Vegetable sides are a good option to pair with cottage pie, and soft, buttery rolls are delicious too. Take a look at all of these side dish ideas and see which one sounds good to you!
1. Sauteed Brussels Sprouts
Our sauteed brussels sprouts are a perfect side to serve with shepherd’s pie. The bold taste of the brussels sprouts holds up well next to the rich cottage pie.
Our brussels sprouts recipe is very easy to make. Try replacing the coconut oil with olive oil for a less tropical taste.
Let the brussel sprouts sit in the pan without stirring. This will make them crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. Brussels sprouts and creamy shepherd’s pie make for a delicious meal.
2. Baked Beans
Slow cooker baked beans are a wonderful side to serve with Shepherd’s pie. The juicy beans go well with the tender meat and mashed potatoes of the main dish.
Image Source: Lil Luna
We love this easy recipe from Lil Luna. The baked beans cook slowly in the crockpot, growing more flavorful and tender as they cook.
Scoop the smoky baked beans on the side of your shepherd’s pie, or put some directly on top! Baked beans add lots of great flavor to a cottage pie meal and taste amazing.
3. Irish Soda Bread
Pair shepherd’s pie with traditional Irish soda bread. The sweet flavor of Irish soda bread goes well with the meaty, savory taste of the shepherd’s pie.
Image Source: Dinner at the Zoo
Irish soda bread is actually quite easy to make. Use this recipe from Dinner at the Zoo to make perfect, classic soda bread.
Irish soda bread uses baking soda rather than yeast to help it rise. It is quick to make the dough and bakes in less than an hour. Try using golden raisins for an easy twist on this classic recipe.
4. Roasted Eggplant
Vegetables always go well with shepherd’s pie. Roasted eggplant is an easy and flavorful side to pair with shepherd’s pie. Try this recipe from A Couple Cooks that takes just minutes to make.
Image Source: A Couple Cooks
Fresh eggplant is tossed in olive oil, salt, garlic, pepper, and fresh basil. The eggplant is roasted in the oven until golden brown.
Roasted eggplant is tender and soft, just like the creamy mashed potatoes on top of the cottage pie. The texture of roasted eggplant and the salty flavor makes it just the right flavor to pair with shepherd’s pie.
5. Pear, Date, and Walnut Salad
We love serving cottage pie with a green salad. However, you don’t want any typical boring salad! This pear, date, and walnut salad from Cookie and Kate is very flavorful and exciting.
Image Source: Cookie and Kate
Tender mixed salad greens are paired with sliced pears, chopped dates, toasted walnuts, and pungent blue cheese. Gorgonzola cheese also works well in this delicious salad recipe.
We love the homemade honey mustard vinaigrette that tops the salad. This sweet green salad will taste incredible next to your shepherd’s pie.
6. Parmesan Roasted Green Beans
Shepherd’s pie is full of meaty, powerful flavors. We love to serve the hearty main dish with pungent garlic green beans.
Image Source: Skinny Taste
These parmesan roasted green beans from Skinny Taste are easy to make and strong enough flavor to stand up next to any cottage pie recipe.
Fresh green beans are tossed in olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper. The green beans are cooked until crisp on the outside and soft on the inside.
Cooking green beans only takes a few minutes. Pop the tray in the oven alongside your cottage pie in the last few minutes of cooking.
7. Condensed Milk Bread
Shepherd’s pie is juicy and thick. Good bread is always a good side dish choice since you can use the bread to sop up all the delicious juices.
Try this recipe for condensed milk bread from The Woks of Life. Milk bread is very rich.
Image Source: The Woks of Life
It is perfect for serving with any comfort food. Condensed milk bread may be one of our favorite side dish recipes on this list!
Add butter to the top of the milk bread or serve it just as it is. The rolls taste best when straight out of the oven.
Dip a roll into the shepherd’s pie juices, and then take a big bite. The buttery milk bread and the savory taste of the pie is a match made in heaven!
8. Coleslaw
A crunchy, creamy coleslaw recipe pairs wonderfully with a hearty shepherd’s pie. This tangy coleslaw recipe from Archana’s Kitchen will please your taste buds for sure!
Image Source: Archana’s Kitchen
Finely shredded cabbage, grated carrots, mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, and a few spices are mixed together to make a perfect coleslaw.
Use lemon juice in place of the vinegar for a new taste. A scoop of raisins will add a great sweetness.
Coleslaw is a great dish to make in advance. You can prep this coleslaw days ahead of time. The flavor only grows stronger as the slaw sits and marinates.
9. Roasted Cauliflower
The strong flavor of roasted cauliflower is amazing when served with shepherd’s pie. This recipe for roasted cauliflower from Tori Avery is savory and a little sweet.
The steamed cauliflower is tossed in olive oil, salt, and pepper. The cauliflower roasts until browned. The brown edges add a lovely caramelized taste that is yummy next to your meaty pie.
Image Source: Tori Avery
We love how straightforward this cauliflower side is. However, feel free to tweak the recipe a little bit.
We love adding chopped garlic to the mix for a stronger taste. A few chopped herbs will make the cauliflower taste great, too.
Try frying the veggie in your air fryer for a crispier dish. There are so many possibilities with this one tasty veggie. It is hard to know where to begin!
10. Corn Salad
Fresh corn salad is a lovely, light side for when you want to serve shepherd’s pie in the summer. Cottage pie is often considered a winter meal since it is such a hearty dish.
Image Source: The Recipe Critic
Sometimes, summer cottage pies sound appetizing. When this happens, a corn salad is the side dish you need!
This corn salad recipe from The Recipe Critic is made with sweet corn kernels, sweet onions, bell pepper, and avocado. The mix is bright and vibrant.
It has a wonderful crunch that is delicious next to soft shepherd’s pie.
11. Roasted Butternut Squash
Sweet and savory butternut squash is quite yummy next to Shepherd’s pie. This butternut squash from Healthy Seasonal Recipes may be one of our favorite recipe ideas on the list!
Image Source: Healthy Seasonal Recipes
Fresh butternut squash is tossed in oil, turmeric, and smoked paprika. The cooked squash has a spicy, sweet, and smokey taste. Butternut squash and shepherd’s pie is a very filling meal.
12. Marinated Beet Salad
This marinated beet salad from Natasha’s Kitchen is a very unique side to serve with shepherd’s pie. It is vibrant, powerful, and very beautiful.
Image Source: Natasha’s Kitchen
The dish starts with cooking the beets. Crunchy carrots, beets, onions, and juicy tomatoes are mixed together.
Oil, white wine vinegar, and sugar coat the veggies. The longer the beet salad marinates, the more flavor it will have!
This is a great side dish to make in advance. The tangy flavor of the salad will make your mouth water.
13. Yorkshire Pudding
Yorkshire pudding is a classic side to serve with cottage pie. It is a wonderful side to make for special occasions or just as comfort food for a random Tuesday.
Image Source: The Kitchn
The Kitchn will show you how to make this tasty side dish. Yorkshire pudding is essentially eggy bread.
The eggs make the dough rise as it bakes and then collapses when the pudding is removed from the oven.
Serve Yorkshire pudding next to shepherd’s pie or scoop some of the savory pie on top of the pudding. One bite of this combination, and you will be in heaven!
14. Dinner Rolls
Soft, buttery dinner rolls are a wonderful side to serve with shepherd’s pie. We love these butter rolls from Gimme Some Oven.
Image Source: Gimme Some Oven
They are surprisingly quick to make and have an incredible flavor. It must be all that butter!
Knead and roll the dinner rolls by hand for an authentic cooking experience. Add an extra thick layer of butter to the warm rolls for an even more decadent side.
15. Fava Beans
Sometimes a simple dish is exactly what you want when deciding what to serve with cottage pie. These simple broad beans from Jessica Gavin are easy to make.
Image Source: Jessica Gavin
You don’t need many ingredients to make broad beans. The simplicity of the side dish will complement any type of shepherd’s pie, from ground lamb pie to minced beef shepherd’s pie.
The shepherd’s pie makes the meal complete, while the beans add just a little interest.
16. Mushy Peas
Shepherd’s pie is a classic British meal. Make it even more traditional by serving it with mushy peas. Try these mushy peas from the Daring Gourmet.
Image Source: Daring Gourmet
Not only do mushy peas have a great flavor, but they also add a nice pop of color to your plate.
The foul-smelling peas may turn some people off, but one bite will make you a believer. The strong pea taste is amazing next to Shepherd’s pie.
17. Candied Carrots
Still wondering what to serve with shepherd’s pie? Candied carrots make a fantastic side dish!
We love the bright orange color of these candied carrots from Recipe Tin Eats. The sweet taste of the carrots is delicious with the strong meat in shepherd’s pie.
Image Source: Recipe Tin Eats
Candied carrots are easy to make. You don’t have to spend all day cooking to make an amazing dish.
Use baby carrots to make the recipe even easier. Add butter for a creamier, more decadent taste.
Pouring spoonfuls of the sweet carroty butter over the mashed potato cottage pie sounds like a great idea too!
Best Side Dishes to go With Shepherd’s Pie
There are lots of incredible side dishes that you can serve with cottage pie. Each one will help you make a complete and tasty meal. Which side will you choose to make first?
Leave a Reply