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Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer
When it comes to serving a special
steak dinner
, we like to set a beautiful table, light the candles, and make a gorgeous dessert for after—but wait, what about the sides? Whether you’re firing up the grill and hosting a
backyard barbecue
or celebrating an elegant occasion, no steak dinner is complete without some equally decadent side dishes.
We’re sharing our favorite side dishes for rounding out a homemade steak dinner, whether you’re in the mood for a fresh salad, buttery roll, or classic corn on the cob.
01
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Homemade Baked Beans
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Antonis Achilleos
These doctored-up baked beans are molasses-sweet and full of flavor. The base of the recipe is canned pork and beans, which bubble in the oven along with brown sugar, bacon, and onion. We also provided instructions for using dried beans.
02
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Best Ever Succotash
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Jen Causey; Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn; Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle
Direct-from-the-farmer’s-market ingredients (think: lima beans, tomatoes, corn) pair wonderfully with steak. This healthy recipe has a few indulgences, like crumbled bacon and a pat of butter. Garden herbs make it even fresher.
03
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Pan-Fried Okra With Cornmeal
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Alison Miksch; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox
Eating your vegetables has never been so enjoyable—or easy. Simply sprinkle the okra with cornmeal while it is frying for a no-nonsense, light breading. Add a pinch of cayenne pepper for a little kick.
04
of 42
Roasted Tomato Macaroni And Cheese
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Photo: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Mary Clayton Carl; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall
Just when you thought
mac and cheese
couldn’t get any better, we brought out the tomatoes. The roasted veggies help cut the richness of the macaroni, which incorporates four different cheeses. The tomatoes’ acidity also pairs nicely with a meaty steak.
05
of 42
Grilled Okra-And-Pepper Skewers With Dijon Dipping Sauce
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Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Ruth Blackburn; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis
Keep life simple and cook everything on the grill. Use baby okra and peppers for sweet and tender results. Serve with a creamy mustard sauce, which also makes a tangy dip for your meat.
06
of 42
Party Potatoes
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Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
Steak and potatoes make a classic combination. This luxurious casserole uses a mixture of Gruyère and Parmesan cheese to take it to the next level. Get started on Potatoes Patio about 90 minutes before you plan to serve dinner—some things are just worth it.
07
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Crispy Potatoes
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Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Prop Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller; Food Styling: Katelyn Hardwick
When the family requests meat and potatoes for supper, choose these crispy roasted spuds. To guarantee
crispy roasted potatoes
, choose a white potato that isn’t too waxy or too starchy like Yukon gold, red, or fingerling. Another pro tip: Don’t let your potatoes touch in the pan.
08
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Shout Hallelujah Potato Salad
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Photo: Hector Sanchez
Don’t blame us for including three potato recipes in a row; they are just that good. No doubt this one will make you shout hallelujah. This potato salad includes standards like sweet pickle and mayonnaise, as well as additions like diced pimiento, rice wine vinegar, and jalapeño peppers.
09
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Baked Zucchini Fries
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Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall
Branch out from steak fries with
the healthy alternative. The zucchini fries are coated with a crust of Panko breadcrumbs and cheese that doesn’t turn gooey in the oven but instead gets crisp and nutty. Place the sticks on a wire rack so they can brown all the way around.
10
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Spicy Pineapple Slaw
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Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Kellie Kelley; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke
Crunchy and colorful, this spicy slaw will add a welcomed kick to your decadent steak dinner. This slaw only needs to stand for 10 minutes before it’s ready to eat. It makes a light and refreshing topping for steak tacos or fajitas, too.
11
of 42
Broccoli, Grape, And Pasta Salad
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Jennifer Davick
This
pasta salad
is a fan favorite, thanks to its combo of crunchy, tangy, sweet, and salty ingredients. You can adjust the mayo and sugar, depending on how sweet and creamy you like it. Broccoli, onions, and red wine vinegar keep it refreshing and lively.
12
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Southern-Style Collard Greens
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Photo: Jim Franco
We have no trouble eating our greens when they come prepared like
this
. Plus steak and Southern collards make an iconic duo. Cook them low and slow for up to two hours until the desired tenderness.
13
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Make-Ahead Yeast Rolls
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Greg DuPree, Food Stylist: Micah Morton, Prop Stylist: Kathleen Varner
These Buttery Yeast Rolls will take your steak dinner from good to great. Your dinner guests will appreciate the extra effort you took to prepare braided and knotted rolls, which can be enhanced with bagel seasoning, fresh herbs, or a sprinkle of flaky sea salt. You’ll appreciate the warm aroma of yeast in your kitchen.
14
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Classic Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes
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Amy Neunsinger/Magnolia Table by Joanna Gaines
Our list wouldn’t be complete without this classic side. This
mashed potatoes recipe
features a swirl of buttermilk and creme fraiche for an extra indulgent punch. For the fluffiest potatoes, dry them over heat before mashing.
15
of 42
Angel Biscuits
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Emily Laurae
Angel biscuits are a heavenly cross between a Parker house roll and a buttermilk biscuit. We added in some cornmeal for a wonderful Southern twist. The dough can be prepared up to a week in advance, saving you time when you’re ready to prepare dinner.
16
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Honey-Glazed Spiced Carrots
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Iain Bagwell
If you can find multicolored carrots, this side will look that much more elegant. Either way, you’ll relish the naturally sweet and earthy flavor of roasted carrots with a honey and spice dressing. The oven does most of the work, leaving you free to keep a close eye on your steak.
17
of 42
Slow-Cooker Green Beans
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Stacy K. Allen; Food Stylist: Melissa Gray; Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle
Call in the slow cooker to prepare your
green beans
while you focus on cooking a perfectly seasoned steak. Fresh green beans, crispy pan-fried bacon, and yellow onions come together for a side that reminds us of the traditional green beans our grandmothers used to make.
18
of 42
Crispy Smashed Brussels Sprouts
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Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
The mild cabbage flavor in this Smashed Brussels Sprouts recipe pairs nicely with a steak dinner. This cooking method is designed to result in a crispy exterior and soft and sweet interior. Blanch the Brussels sprouts in boiling salted water until soft, smash them flat, season them with garlic and salt, and roast them in the oven.
19
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Tangy Potato-Green Bean Salad
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Photo: Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox
You won’t even miss the mayonnaise when you taste this potato salad. The lively lemon-dill vinaigrette brings out the flavors in the main course. In addition to the classic potato-green bean combo, we added sliced radishes and dill sprigs for extra freshness.
20
of 42
Oven-Roasted Corn On The Cob
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PHOTOGRAPHER: FRED HARDY II, FOOD STYLIST: EMILY NABORS HALL, PROPS STYLIST: CHRISTINA BROCKMAN
This recipe is just the solution you need when you want to deepen the flavor of your corn without firing up the grill. Slather the ears in butter and herbs, then wrap them in foil to roast in the oven. After 20 minutes, the corn will have soaked up all that flavor.
21
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Jalapeño Cheddar Cornbread
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Caitlin Bensel, Food Stylist: Torie Cox
A cast-iron skillet gives cornbread a brown, crispy crust that will complement your chargrilled steak. Buttermilk and shredded Cheddar make this
cornbread recipe
nice and moist. Remove the seeds from the peppers before adding them to the batter for a milder cornbread. For a spicier cornbread, keep the seeds in.
22
of 42
Creamed Spinach
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Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless
This traditional and beloved steakhouse side is the ultimate indulgence. This recipe has a classic take but enhances the flavor with nutty brown butter. Use frozen spinach for lightning-fast preparation, or cook down fresh greens before preparing.
23
of 42
Herbed Potato Stacks
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HECTOR MANUEL SANCHEZ; PROP STYLING: BUFFY HARGETT MILLER; FOOD STYLING: WILLIAM SMITH
Our Test Kitchen has outdone itself with this utterly elegant roasted potato side. Not to worry: a mandoline and muffin tin make it quite easy to prepare. Impress your guests by serving Herbed Potato Stacks for a fancy steak dinner.
24
of 42
Grilled Wedge Salad With Buttermilk-Blue Cheese Dressing
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Greg Dupree; Prop Styling: Ginny Branch; Food Styling: Anna Hampton
You’ll feel like you’re in a five-star steakhouse when you sit down to this salad. Believe it or not, iceberg lettuce is made for the grill because its high water content keeps it from drying out and shriveling over the flames. Drizzle with our homemade Buttermilk-Blue Cheese Dressing to make it truly special.
25
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Tomato, Peach, And Corn Salad
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GREG DUPREE; PROP STYLING: KAY E. CLARKE; FOOD STYLING: CAT STEELE
Bring out the subtle sweetness of beefsteak tomatoes with this unlikely combination of summer produce. Colorful and simple, all you need is four ingredients and our
Honey Vinaigrette
dressing. Use firm, uncooked tomatoes and corn, but ripe and juicy peaches.
26
of 42
Roasted Pepper-Tomato Salad With Crispy Black-Eyed Peas
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Greg Dupree; Prop Stylist: Christine Keely; Food Stylist: Melissa Gray
Crunchy, roasted black-eyed peas make a delicious topping for juicy heirloom tomatoes and roasted red peppers. Toss in some flat-leaf parsley for color and creamy goat cheese to temper the balsamic-mustard vinaigrette. You can make the black-eyed peas ahead and store them in an airtight container to keep them crispy.
27
of 42
Sautéed Squash And Zucchini
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Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey, Prop Stylist: Claire Spollen
This
essential summer dish
only takes 15 minutes to prepare—just what you need when you’ve left the side until the last minute. If you have summer squash, onion, and garlic on hand, you’ve got the makings of an easy vegetable to accompany your New York strip or ribeye.
28
of 42
Chopped Kale Salad With Toasted Breadcrumbs
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Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis
This lightened-up Caesar salad swaps in nutritious kale and Greek yogurt. Unlike with most salads, the leftovers get better by the day as they soak up the dressing. Also, spend a little extra time tossing this salad to massage the dressing into the greens.
29
of 42
Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes
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Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist: Christine Keely
Made with half potatoes and half cauliflower, this light and fluffy mash is a great way to sneak in an extra vegetable serving. Once you taste the marriage of the two, you may find they add up to something much better. The creamy mixture is loaded with flavor from buttermilk, plenty of butter, smashed garlic, and fresh chives.
30
of 42
Stuffed Mushrooms
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Alison Miksch; Food Stylist: Karen Rankin; Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle
These succulent Stuffed Mushrooms can be served as an appetizer or right on the plate with your steak dinner. There’s something about their earthy, umami flavor that goes so well with a seared slab of meat. In this recipe, the mushrooms are filled with garlic-herb cheese spread and topped with panko bread crumbs and Parmesan.
31
of 42
Roasted Broccoli
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Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Torie Cox
This simple preparation requires no bells or whistles. When roasted properly, broccoli florets turn crunchy, caramelized, and a little nutty. We provide plenty of tips on how to achieve that.
32
of 42
Smashed-Cucumber Salad
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Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn; Prop Stylist: Christine Keely
Why smashed, you ask? Because smashing the cucumbers allows them to soak up the dressing, lending this salad the juiciness of a marinade in record time. This recipe uses small Persian cucumbers and a splash of sherry vinegar and olive oil.
33
of 42
Summer Orzo Salad
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Photographer and Prop stylist: Jennifer Causey Food Stylist: Melissa Gray
This orzo salad features plump tomatoes, crunchy pistachio and cucumbers, and the zest of basil pesto and feta. If that doesn’t already make you hungry, add in all your own favorites. Charred corn, greens, or beans are among the many ingredients you can try.
34
of 42
Creamed-Corn Grits
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Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer; Prop Stylist: Christine Keely
Much like polenta, grits can serve as a creamy base to soak up all the juices from your steak. This recipe uses cream cheese and fresh corn kernels for an unforgettable variation. Top with scallions and melted butter when you plate this dish.
35
of 42
Classic Grilled Corn On The Cob
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Hector Manuel Sanchez; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer
This recipe is a no-brainer when you’ve already planned to fire up the grill. Let the natural corn flavors shine with this fresh and flavorful choice. Pull back the husks and use them as a handle while grilling.
36
of 42
Sweet Potato And Cabbage Slaw
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Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn; Prop Stylist: Christine Keely
Sweet potato replaces matchstick carrots in this super-Southern slaw.
37
of 42
Simple Roasted Okra
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Caitlin Bensel, Food Stylist: Torie Cox
Sliced in halves and coated with smoky spices, okra is the perfect partner for your favorite steak.
38
of 42
Grilled Asparagus
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Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
Quick-cooking asparagus eagerly absorbs smoke from the grill, making it a stellar side for steak.
39
of 42
Tomato And Watermelon Salad
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Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
With a heavy protein like steak, you need a light and refreshing salad like this one to balance our your meal.
40
of 42
Twice-Baked Potato Casserole
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Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
Cheese, bacon, and plenty of creamy potatoes…what’s not to love?
41
of 42
Spiced Up Shoestring Fries
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Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn; Prop Stylist: Christine Keely
Turn your dining room into a French bistro and serve your steak with french fries!
42
of 42
Creamy Potatoes Au Gratin
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Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Karen Ranking; Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless
Every steak loves a good potato side dish, and this creamy, cheesy gratin delivers big time.