Beef Bourguignon, a hearty and flavorful French beef stew, is a culinary masterpiece that deserves to be paired with equally delectable side dishes. This guide will explore the traditional French side dishes that perfectly complement the rich flavors of Beef Bourguignon, providing you with a comprehensive overview of the best accompaniments to elevate your dining experience.
Beef Bourguignon Sides: Making Delish Even More Delish
So put on your black beret, crack open a fine red wine, and begin browning that beef chuck. We need to get our braise on and choose some fantastic sides for this traditional stew.
Chive Mashed Potatoes
Chives make the ideal addition to creamy mashed potatoes. They’re like delicate onions and mild garlic. So, of course, russet potatoes welcome them with open arms.
And considering that the holidays will arrive soon, we’ve been considering changing things up.
And beef bourguignon would be an amazing Thanksgiving swap-in. Which got us thinking about stove space.
Meaning that on Thanksgiving, no one ever gets enough of it.
What if we combined cream and potatoes in a slow cooker?
We discovered a recipe that combines our desire for stovetop and oven space with our love of chivey potatoes.
This should be at the top of your list if you’ve ever wondered, “What do the French serve with beef bourguignon?” A French classic meets a French classic.
And we couldn’t agree more. We love a good crusty baguette with our beef bourguignon.
Do you remember how satisfying it is to simply tear into a good, crunchy baguette, drag it through a rich sauce, and pop it into your mouth?
Sautéed Green Beans
Green beans are the ideal side dish for beef bourguignon because they are colorful and lovely.
They snap, crackle, and crunch in the most satisfying way. And when they’re lightly tossed in a generous amount of butter and garlic, everything is just fine – both on the plate and in the world.
We can quickly prepare these crisp little stunners for the table by using green beans in the right way.
All hail the sautéed green bean!
Homemade Egg Noodles
We love toothsome noodles with our beef bourguignon.
And yes, we can reach into the pantry for a package. In fact, we store pasta in the pantry to be used, isn’t that right?
Well, sometimes grabbing the flour container from behind those packages is more enjoyable.
A weeknight version of homemade pasta can be made by rolling up your sleeves and lightly sprinkling flour on a work surface. This is the ideal way to enhance an already fantastic meal.
And we love Lauren’s recipe from Tastes Better From Scratch because it means that we can get this homemade pasta from the cutting board to the table in less than 20 minutes.
Winter Kale Salad
Savory, nutty, and salty.
On the plate next to the beef bourguignon, these are all items that we adore.
We enjoy salads that have been well-tossed with lemon, cranberries, and honey.
Vinaigrettes with citrusy honey flavors go incredibly well with hearty greens and fruit.
Of course, your beef is covered in a complex sauce.
We found this recipe from Sandra over at Dash of Sanity that checks all the boxes for what we want in a big salad.
Parmesan Herb Popovers
We enjoy serving our beef bourguignon with a variety of bread products. As you can see from the image above, we enjoy a tasty baguette.
But our love isn’t limited to one type of bread.
Popovers came to mind because we enjoy a variety of shapes and textures in our bread. They have a unique, stunning, towering profile that is alluring despite its simplicity.
While regular popovers are fantastic, we pondered how extra savory and cheesey popovers with our main course would taste.
Oh, yes. Popovers with parmesan and herbs would make a beautiful side dish.
We love this recipe from Todd and Diane at White on Rice Couple.
Green Bean Potato Salad
Earthy potatoes adore vibrant green beans, and the potatoes reciprocate.
Additionally, they both adore sweet balsamic vinegar and tangy Dijon mustard.
As a result, when they’re all placed on a large platter alongside a bowl of beef bourguignon, you can tell that the entire table is giddy with delight.
We found a recipe from April over at Girl Gone Gourmet for an elevated potato salad that is as delicious at room temperature as it is chilled.
Cauliflower and Thyme Puree
Cruciferous veggies for the win!
We enjoy a good head of cauliflower with plenty of butter and salty broth.
When they are blended into a single puree and combined with earthy thyme, it creates a pretty amazing base for a generous ladle of saucy beef bourguignon.
We really groove out to Jenn’s recipe for this delicious side dish over at Once Upon a Chef and we think you’ll find it lip smacking too.
Garlic Parmesan Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes
A side dish that is both elegant and rustic is appropriate for the elegant and rustic beef bourguignon.
A gratin of creamy scalloped potatoes is the only dish that could possibly be more spoon-worthy.
One had two different kinds of potatoes, count ’em two, and three different kinds of cheese.
Did we mention that there’s garlic? Yes, there’s garlic too.
Grab the recipe from Amanda at The Chunky Chef for all the potato-ey, cheesy, goodness.
Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Roasted Brussels sprouts done just right cause beef bourguignon to take notice.
“Well, don’t you look perfectly browned and delectable?”
Why, yes. Yes, they do.
To really complete the plate, add savory Brussels sprouts and wine-drenched beef bourguignon.
And we love this recipe for its simplicity. It just really lets the veggies shine.
Grab the recipe from Joanne over at Fifteen Spatulas for all the roasted goodness.
To complete this list and show our love for yeast, we have one more bread recipe.
It’s tangy, hearty, and perfectly baked no-knead dinner rolls in this instance.
You get to bring delicious, perfectly browned rolls to the table while keeping your hands clean.
Soak up all the sauce and consider yourself the chef royal, princess, or king.
Hear ye! Hear ye! These rolls rule the oven!
This recipe from Jenny Can Cook is delicious, and we believe you will agree. No Knead Crusty Rolls – Easier Than You Think!.
1 Boiled Potatoes with Butter and Parsley
You remember as a child entering your grandmother’s kitchen and being enveloped by the aroma of potatoes and the steamy condensation on all the windows?
We love that memory too.
And those buttery, homey, and outrageously delicious potatoes seem like the perfect complement to beef bourguignon.
Julia Child would approve.
You ask how to serve beef bourguignon, and our steadfast response is to serve it alongside these cozy, buttery potatoes.
We love Sandra’s recipe at Sandra’s Easy Cooking for all the window steaming goodness.
1 Arugula Salad with Blue Cheese and Cranberries
What cheese could be a more traditional match for beef in a wine sauce?
The richness of the meat and sauce is really balanced out by the salty and tangy cheese, creating a flavorful pairing on the plate.
We prefer cranberries and walnuts, however, to really step up our side salad game and enhance the flavor of the main course.
Of course, the salad is enhanced if those flavors are combined with arugula’s peppery flavor.
Grab Caroline’s recipe at Pickled Plum and get that salad bowl out of the cabinet. You have a new favorite salad to make.
What to Serve with Beef Bourguignon: How Fine the Wine?
We just discussed a wide variety of beef bourguignon sides that can enhance your carefully braised beef stew.
However, there are many other factors to take into account when putting your meal together, not the least of which is wine. It is essential to the preparation and serving of beef bourguignon.
A Pair of Pairing Approaches
The adage “never cook with a wine you wouldn’t drink” is accurate. But that doesn’t necessarily mean you have to spend a fortune.
Keep in mind that this dish has peasant roots, and there are more and more excellent mid-priced wines available. So, choose a hearty red that you enjoy drinking.
Burgundy and pinot noir top the list. The traditional wine pairing for beef bourguignon is a red Burgundy. Additionally, the region’s red wine grape is pinot noir.
So go with it if you have a favorite pinot noir from another region.
However, a Cotes du Rhone, a grenache, a merlot, or a cabernet Sauvignon can give your stew the depth of flavor it needs.
An affordable malbec or Australian shiraz can also provide the ideal amount of depth and heartiness to withstand the lengthy cooking process.
Additionally, think about getting a second or third bottle to drink from.
Although there are other ways to pair wine with beef bourguignon, the simplest way is to simply drink the wine that you are cooking with.
But what about other pairings for this wine-centric meal? Again, a red Burgundy is the obvious option, and Julia Child herself would probably recommend a nice Burgundy.
But a lot of other red wines, including Beaujolais, Cabernet, and Merlot, can also make wonderful matches. High tannin levels can complement the stew’s complex flavors and tender beef to perfection.
Salads and Light Fare
We advise keeping things fairly light for the appetizers or other courses you serve with your hearty French stew.
A great way to start the meal is with a platter of cheese gougeres or caramelized onion tartlets that everyone can share.
Because beef bourguignon is such a hearty dish, crisp, colorful salads that occasionally have a slight earthy bite can also be the ideal first course.
A straightforward green salad can be an option, but using other lettuces, like endive and radicchio, which have bitter flavors and distinctly crisp textures, can be more alluring to begin with.
Regardless of the wine you select for cooking or drinking, hopefully you now have a tempting menu ready to be transformed into a delicious and filling meal.
Making the choice of what to eat with beef bourguignon can be just as alluring and traditionally soothing as making the hearty, rich stew.
Other French classic dishes:
- Despite being a completely different type of meal, chicken cordon bleu is nonetheless a classic French dish.
- If you enjoy beef bourguignon, you will enjoy the enlivening, complex flavors of French onion soup.
What to Serve with Beef Bourguignon
- Mashed Potatoes
- Baguette
- Green Beans
- Egg Noodles
- Kale Salad
- Herb Popovers
- Potato Salad
- Cauliflower & Thyme Puree
- Scalloped Potatoes
- Roasted Sprouts
- No-Knead Rolls
- Boiled Potatoes
- Arugula Salad
- Choose your desired Beef Bourguignon side dish recipe.
- Gather and organize needed ingredients.
- Create a tasty Beef Bourguignon side to complete your meal!
Classic French Side Dishes for Beef Bourguignon
1. Mashed Potatoes (Purée de Pommes de Terre)
- Creamy and velvety mashed potatoes are the quintessential side dish for Beef Bourguignon.
- The smooth texture of the potatoes provides a delightful contrast to the hearty stew, while their mild flavor allows the rich flavors of the beef and wine to shine through.
2. Egg Noodles (Nouilles)
- Delicate egg noodles offer a light and springy accompaniment to the robust stew.
- The noodles soak up the delicious sauce, creating a harmonious bite that combines the flavors of the beef, vegetables, and wine.
3. Rice (Riz)
- Fluffy white rice provides a neutral base that allows the flavors of Beef Bourguignon to take center stage.
- The rice absorbs the excess sauce, creating a satisfying and well-balanced meal.
4. Short Pasta (Pâtes Courtes)
- Short pasta shapes, such as penne or orecchiette, offer a hearty and filling side dish.
- The pasta’s crevices trap the flavorful sauce, resulting in a delightful combination of textures and flavors.
5. Dumplings (Quenelles)
- Light and airy dumplings, made from a mixture of flour, eggs, and butter, provide a unique and elegant touch to Beef Bourguignon.
- The dumplings float atop the stew, absorbing the rich sauce and adding a delicate texture to the dish.
Beef Bourguignon
FAQ
What is traditionally served with boeuf bourguignon?
Traditionally, mashed potatoes or baby potatoes are placed over a beef bourguignon. A traditional Potato Gratin Dauphinois, buttered egg noodles, white rice, or even polenta are all delicious accompaniments, in my opinion. A side of green beans almondine or sweet peas is also delicious.
What is the best pairing for Beef Bourguignon?
Red Burgundy, a Merlot-heavy blend from both Australia and Bordeaux, is the traditional pairing for Beef Bourguignon. Red Bordeaux in particular, can be enjoyed more fully. A weighty Pinot Noir or a robust Ribera del Duero. Tempranillo wine is also fine.
What to serve with Beef Bourguignon dinner party?
What to Serve with Beef Bourguignon (13 Savory Side Dishes)Noodles. Given how flavorful beef bourguignon is, it’s nice to serve it with a light dish. Rice. In addition to noodles, you could also serve rice with your stew. Mashed Potatoes. Popovers. Dinner Rolls. Green Salad. Green Beans. Mashed Cauliflower.
What dessert goes with Beef Bourguignon?
Lemon Tart with Lavender and Honey In this lovely lemon tart, a hint of the prized Provence ingredient lavender adds a touch of French flair. Serve this dish after a traditional French stew like Beef Bourguignon or Coq au Vin for a tart and tingly end to a hearty meal.