Finding the best side dishes to go with your sausages can make all the difference, whether you’re planning a backyard barbecue, a cozy family dinner, or a casual get-together with friends. Many types of sausages come in a lot of different flavors, and they taste juicy and savory. Many types of sides go well with sausages. This list has something for everyone, from colorful salads full of fresh flavors to hearty grains and vegetable medleys that will make your mouth water. These delicious side dishes will not only go well with the strong flavors of the sausage, but they will also help keep your meals balanced.
As a food blogger always on the hunt for exciting new flavor combinations I often get asked what sides pair best with everyone’s favorite comfort food – hot sausage! With its rich savory juice and slightly spicy kick, hot sausage deserves side dishes that complement and balance its robust taste.
In this article, we’ll explore 15 sensational sides that do just that! From creamy potato dishes to fresh, vibrant salads, read on for irresistible recipe ideas to elevate your next hot sausage meal.
Creamy Mashed Potatoes
Buttery, garlicky mashed potatoes should be your go-to for balancing the spice of hot sausage. The cool and creamy texture helps soothe the heat while the butter and garlic add richness to complement the meatiness of the sausage. For extra flair, top your mash with crispy fried shallots, green onion, or shaved parmesan. Can’t go wrong with this classic pairing!
Tangy Coleslaw
A scoop of crunchy coleslaw is a bright, refreshing counterpart to juicy sausage. The crispy cabbage and carrots combined with a zingy dressing like cider vinegar or mayo cut right through the fat for a palate-cleansing bite. I like to amp up the flavor by adding diced apple, raisins, or caraway seeds to my slaw.
Earthy Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Nutty, roasted Brussels sprouts caramelized to a deep brown are an unexpected but welcome sausage side. Their slight bitterness balances the richness beautifully. Toss the sprouts with olive oil, salt, and pepper and roast at high heat until browned and crispy on the edges. For extra zip, add lemon zest after roasting.
Colorful Corn and Bean Salad
A fresh corn and bean salad with lime, cilantro, and spice is just the thing to lighten up a plate of sausage. The sweet corn, protein-packed beans, and zesty flavors are a vibrant foil for the meatiness of the sausage. I love to add red onion and jalapeño for some bite.
Smoky Grilled Veggies
From juicy peppers and onions to meaty eggplant and zucchini, grilled veggies are a fantastic pairing with sausage. Char them over the same grill for maximum smoky flavor. Brush or toss them first with olive oil, garlic, herbs, and spices of your choice. Grilling coaxes out their natural sweetness which balances the sausage beautifully.
Cheesy Garlic Bread
Warm crusty garlic bread fresh from the oven or grill completes a sausage meal. The combination of melted cheese toasted bread, garlic, and herbs is irresistible. For next-level garlic bread, brush the loaf with browned butter before toasting or stuff chopped roasted garlic into crevices. Dip each bite of sausage into that garlicky goodness!
Potato Salad with Eggs and Pickles
Creamy potato salad loaded with hard-cooked eggs, crunchy pickles, celery, and onion makes a delicious sausage side. The cool, tangy flavors contrast the hot sausage wonderfully. While mayo-based is classic, try a mustard or sour cream-based potato salad for variety. Garnish with fresh dill and paprika.
Smoky Baked Beans
What better goes with sausage than smoky, sweet baked beans? Kidney, navy, pinto – take your pick and simmer them low and slow with molasses, mustard, bacon, and your favorite spices until thick and saucy. The natural sweetness and tender bite make baked beans an ideal balance for spicy sausage.
Ooey Mac and Cheese
You can’t go wrong pairing hot sausage with everyone’s ultimate comfort food – mac and cheese! A bubbly, golden casserole of tender pasta and melted cheese is utter perfection alongside a juicy sausage. Kick it up a notch by adding crispy bacon bits, sautéed mushrooms, or spicy jalapeños.
Sautéed Peppers and Onions
A rainbow of sautéed bell peppers and sliced onions caramelized in olive oil and balsamic makes a quick, tasty sausage side. As they cook down, their natural sugars are concentrated into a wonderfully sweet jammy topping for your sausage. I like to add Italian seasoning or red pepper flakes for extra dimension.
Fresh Caesar Salad
A classic Caesar salad with cool, crunchy romaine, garlicky dressing, and crispy croutons helps balance a rich sausage meal. The interplay of fresh greens, savory anchovies, nutty parmesan, and tangy lemon keeps each bite interesting. Grill your croutons for a smoky twist.
Herby Rice Pilaf
Nutty rice pilaf seasoned with fresh herbs and spices makes a hearty, aromatic accompaniment for sausage. Sauté rice in butter or oil first to get that wonderful toasty flavor before adding broth and your choice of herbs – try thyme, rosemary, parsley or sage. Stir in peas or carrots for extra nutrition and color.
Italian Pasta Salad
For a fun twist on pasta salad, match Italian flavors by using rotini or farfalle and add diced salami, bell peppers, olives, artichoke hearts, parmesan, and Italian dressing. The bright, fresh pasta salad complements the richness of the sausage. Garnish with fresh basil.
Green Beans with Toasted Almonds
Elevate simple steamed green beans by tossing them with toasted sliced almonds, minced shallots, lemon, and olive oil. The crunch of the almonds and zip of the lemon zest accent the green beans’ delicate flavor. Bluched first, they retain their beautiful green color too. Elegant and delicious!
Jalapeño Cornbread
Warm cornbread studded with spicy jalapeños and oozing with honey butter is the perfect pick for sausage. The touch of sweet against the cornbread’s wholesome corn flavor makes it irresistible. For texture, add kernels of fresh corn. Bake until golden brown and serve skillet-style.
Garlic Mashed Cauliflower
For a lighter take on mashed potatoes, try mashed cauliflower! Steam florets until very soft then mash with butter, cream cheese, garlic, and spices. The creamy texture and savory flavor holds up to sausage as well as mash without the carbs. Garnish with crispy bacon or chives.
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What to Serve with Sausage
You can find a dish here that everyone in your family will love, from potatoes to salads, vegetables to pasta, bread to baked beans.
Potatoes are a classic comfort food that go well with any protein, even sausages. They can be mashed, roasted, scalloped, boiled, or fried (well, “fried”).
You can bake these air fryer potatoes in the oven or air fryer and then mash them with the garlic you roasted with them for a great side dish that goes with any sausage dinner.
Like peanut butter and jelly, German food goes well with sausage. This savory potato salad is no different. If you’ve never had German potato salad, it’s a tasty side dish that is mostly made of mustard and vinegar instead of mayo.
Sometimes the best side dishes are the simplest. These baby potatoes are cooked in a single pot with classic seasonings. They are very simple to make.
Scalloped, cheesy potatoes might be the perfect compliment to your favorite sausage. Because the sauce is made with cream and Parmesan cheese, it is rich and creamy. The whole family will love these potatoes.
These roasted sweet potato rounds, which have brown sugar on top that caramelizes, go great with spicy Italian sausage for a sweet and spicy main dish.
You will love these sweet potato fries if your favorite way to eat sweet potatoes is as french fries. They get perfectly crisp without all the mess of frying because they are soaked and heated in a baking tray first.
Going to a cookout? These mashed sweets made in the crockpot are the perfect side dish. They cook and mash in the crock pot, so you only have to do a few dishes and can take them with you. All without heating up your kitchen during the summer!.
To upgrade sausages to a truly complete meal, I always try to add a veggie. Luckily there are lots of options to mix it up with!.
Many recipes call for mushrooms to be added to the stuffing of sausage because they go so well with it. These are vegetarian and go well with any kind of sausage.
Sometimes the simplest sides are the best ones, and this is one of those times! The Italian seasoning would go great with either spicy or sweet Italian sausage.
Sausage and peppers are a classic combination, and you can roast your own with no extra ingredients. While the instructions are written for red, you can use green bell peppers if you prefer.
With sausage, mushrooms are a great side dish, and caramelized onions on top of a bed of mushrooms might be the best thing you could serve with sausages.
Cheddar cheese goes well with almost any savory dish. Here, broccoli is served with a cheese sauce made of only two ingredients. You can easily double the sauce to make more for your sausages.
If you garden, you probably have an excess of zucchini or yellow squash on your hands. Air-frying makes the outsides crispy and the insides soft, so it’s a great way to get rid of some vegetables.
When you think of green beans you probably think of green bean casserole. It’s not just for holidays, and you can make it in the slow cooker to give your oven a break.
Roasted vegetables are always a great addition to a meal. This mix features red onions, parsnips, carrots, and sweet potato.
You can make this creamed corn any time of the year because you can use fresh, frozen, or canned corn. When you grill hot sausages outside or fry them up in a big skillet in the winter, this dish goes well with them.
If youre looking for a quick and easy side dish, stir-fried collard greens are the perfect choice. Simply slice them thinly and sauté them quickly!.
Recipe: Italian Sausage, Pepper & Onion Skillet
FAQ
What does summer sausage pair well with?
What goes well with sausage?
While the instructions are written for red, you can use green bell peppers if you prefer. Mushrooms go oh so well with sausage, and a bed of them with caramelized onions might just be one of the most delicious side dishes you could serve with your sausages. Cheddar cheese goes well with almost any savory dish.
Is sausage casing healthier option to eat?
Cellulose casings and some natural casings are perfectly fine to eat. Sausage casings are used to hold and shape filling inside so that it can be cooked. There are natural sausage casings and synthetic varieties, and most of them are edible. The healthiest way to cook them is by boiling or baking. Sausages provide high levels of vitamin B12 and iron, both of which are essential for healthy red blood cells and hemoglobin production.
What Soup Goes well with sausage?
You can use any kind of soup, but I find that vegetable soups (without any meat) are great because the flavours don’t clash. For instance, potato soup, traditional vegetable soup, cabbage soup or kale and white bean soup, pairs well with any type of sausage flavour to create a well-rounded and satisfying main meal. RECIPE IDEAS
What vegetables go well with sausage?
The veggies complement not only the flavors of the sausage, but also add vibrance to your plate. You can use whatever vegetables you have on hand, but I find that onions, bell peppers, eggplant, squash, and zucchini are the best with sausage. 9. Applesauce Believe it or not, applesaucepairs wonderfully well with sausage!