These days almost anything makes a great snack, from a vegetable to a crispy fried treat, but something that’s really become popular is to stuff bell peppers with a delicious filling and serve for any meal and any time of the day.
Stuffed peppers is delicious and in some cases, a great alternative for meat because of its wholesome fibrous build, making it a great treat for vegetarians or vegans. This dish is also great with meat. It could, however, use some company!
In this article, we’ll be scouring far and wide for a range of side dishes for stuffed peppers, and we’ll also be including their recipes for you to prepare and enjoy yourself.
Here are a few suggestions for what to serve with stuffed peppers.
1. Spinach Basil Pesto
There’s a simplicity in this dish that makes it a great side dish for stuffed peppers. This pesto works well as a sauce or even a bisque that can accompany stuffed peppers. The basil pesto really helps to balance out the taste of the peppers, so it works very well as a side dish.
2. Tomato Salad
Tomato salad is deceptively easy and underrated, but it makes the best side dish for stuffed peppers. Don’t be fooled by cold tomatoes. Tomatoes are very acidic and sweet, and they can work very well with stuffed peppers. They are also a bit crunchy, so it works very well with the softness of the peppers.
3. Corn Fritters
A nice addition to add to stuffed peppers is a starchy balance to cut through the acidity of the peppers. Corn fritters are delicious crispy balls of dough and corn, with a soft interior and crunchy exterior.
These crispy treats are also a perfect way to undercut the soft fibrous texture of stuffed peppers and therefore act as a perfect addition.
4. Creamy Garlic Mushrooms and Bacon
Mushrooms and garlic are an incredibly delicious addition to any bell peppers. Adding cream brings a nice rich taste to cut through the bell peppers.
Finally, add some finely cut bacon and allow the smokiness to combine with the creamy mushrooms. Soon you have the makings of a delicious side dish to add to your stuffed peppers!
5. Crispy Skillet-Fried Potatoes
Potatoes are a versatile starch that can work with basically anything. They can be eaten in almost any way or shape. Fried is certainly the best way to get a crispy outside and a creamy filling.
Accompanied by the right spices, these crispy fried potatoes can add a perfect mouthfeel to your stuffed peppers and will work great as a side dish.
6. Speedy Parmesan Baked Zucchini
The zucchini or courgette is a delicious variant from the squash family, and it looks like a cucumber. But don’t be fooled by its appearance. This herbaceous plant is incredibly versatile and absorbent, which makes it perfect for sauces.
In this case, it can be baked and with added Parmesan cheese, it becomes a delicious side dish with a rich undertone.
7. Lemon Garlic Sautéed Cabbage
Cabbage is an underrated type of vegetable. it’s not particularly flavorful on its own, which is why some people tend to avoid it. When it is, however, combined with the right ingredients, it creates a whole new different taste.
Adding the right acidity can cut through the stronger taste, so lemon and garlic give it a very nice smoky taste.
8. Red Cabbage Coleslaw
Let’s get back to basics with cabbage. Cabbage is not only served well hot, but it can also be cold and when added to mayonnaise it becomes a delicious salad that can be enjoyed on numerous occasions.
Red cabbage is not only a great tasting food with mayonnaise, but can also add some color to your stuffed peppers as a side dish.
9. Oven Roasted Eggplant
Another side dish that also works well with stuffed peppers is a rich fibrous plant that also has a very interesting texture. The difference is, however, that an eggplant is a lot less acidic and also very absorbent. So it can either become sweet or salty.
Once inserted in the oven, it can also add a smoky taste and slightly enhance the texture.
10. Crispy Deep Fried Cauliflower
Something that might seem common but will really improve your stuffed peppers is cauliflower. It might seem rather plain, but there is a twist! If these cauliflower florets are covered in a batter and add breadcrumbs. Pop it in the deep-fryer and watch this incredible side dish come to light.
11. Miso Mashed Potatoes
Potatoes as mentioned earlier, are a versatile starch and the wonderful thing about this is that they can be prepared in many different ways, and they will always taste different.
Mashed potatoes are a great addition to stuffed peppers, because not only are they rich and creamy, but they’re also soft. The soft texture of mashed potatoes can balance out the more fibrous texture of the peppers.
12. Sautéed Green Beans With Bacon
Green beans are a great side dish to enjoy with stuffed peppers because they are crunchy and juicy, but with the amount of juice in the stuffed peppers, it could seem like a watery dish. Here’s where that changes.
These beans are fried in a skillet with bacon, and they become rich and greasy, making them a great side dish for stuffed peppers.
13. Honey Butter Roasted Carrots
Carrots are sweet and crunchy. The thing about carrots that works well is that one can enhance their sweetness. Adding honey makes it even sweeter, but this dish has a twist. This dish adds butter.
The result is an incredible side dish that is both rich and greasy, a perfect balance to counter the acidity of stuffed peppers.
14. Italian Homemade Sun Dried Tomatoes
Sun-dried tomatoes come with a very raw, smoky taste and work incredibly well with stuffed peppers.
Sun-dried tomatoes can be dried out in the sun, but they don’t have to be sun dried. You can use a dehydrator or even an oven to achieve this result.
15. Brussels Sprouts
This peppery small green that looks like a miniature cabbage is deceptively delicious and incredibly crunchy. Pan-fried Brussels sprouts make an amazing side dish to serve with stuffed peppers.
This crunchy delight is a perfect counterbalance to the softly cooked peppers. The taste can also balance out the acidic taste that the peppers have.
16. Parmesan Truffle Fries
This one could get a little difficult and the reason for that is that truffle oil is not particularly cheap, but it has a great taste, and it works really well for something that is as rich in taste as fries.
Adding Parmesan cheese also elevates the dish from truffle fries to a much richer and salty dish, making it a perfect balance to stuffed peppers.
17. Blistered Shishitos with Furikake Ranch and Crispy Quinoa
Shishito peppers are mild but with a slight kick. This side dish is also great because the Shishito peppers can cut through the stuffed peppers.
The great part, however, is that even if it seems to be a little too hot, there’s a delicious Furikake ranch dressing that can add some creaminess to the stuffed peppers. Some quinoa added to the dish can enhance the texture of the dish.
18. Jalapeño Cheddar Corn Bread
Jalapeño is a wild card for this dish because it is also a pepper, but it’s a lot spicier and the acidity can become a little overwhelming because of the stuffed peppers.
But the great part about this version of the Jalapeño is that it’s used as a component in a cheesy corn bread that’s a lot drier than the stuffed peppers. So the dish has a perfect balance between moistness and dryness.
19. Grilled Prosciutto-Wrapped Peaches with Burrata & Basil
There’s a misconception that fruits and vegetables can’t be served together, but to be fair, tomatoes are technically a fruit. In this case, we’re going much more out there with peaches. Now add grilled prosciutto to the mix, and the earthy flavor will work very well with stuffed peppers.
Now serve these ingredients with a delicious burrata cheese and basil and there’s a lot to gain in a side dish.
20. Spanakopita (Greek Spinach Pie)
This is a very complex side dish and the reason for that is that phyllo pastry is a required ingredient that will be required for this dish, but spanakopita is a delicious side dish that will definitely work well with stuffed peppers.
The phyllo pastry’s crispy exterior cuts through the soft stuffed peppers, making a well-balanced dish.
The takeaway
There are plenty more versions of these dishes, and they can be served in a variety of different combinations, from the difficult to the easy recipes. The recipes for these dishes are also provided, so give them a try!
