Anyone with a skillet can cook a steak, but it's the experience that makes it a steakhouse, and a big part of that experience is getting all the sides. Pour yourself a dry martini, pretend you're sitting in a leather banquette, and give these classic steakhouse side dishes a try.
1. Steakhouse Creamed Spinach
Creamed spinach is the GOAT; nothing goes better with a steak. It's as simple as can be: béchamel with wilted spinach in it, but it seems incredibly elegant.
Ingredients
Method
- Cover spinach in a large pot; cook over medium heat 3 minutes until wilted. Cool, squeeze dry and chop.
- Melt butter in a saucepan. Cook onion over medium heat 5 minutes until soft.
- Stir in flour for 1 minute. Whisk in milk and cream; simmer 4 minutes until thick.
- Stir in spinach, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Cook 3 minutes until hot.
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2. Loaded Steakhouse Baked Potatoes
Overloading a baked potato is always a good idea. Sour cream, cheddar, bacon, and chives make up the classic formula, but feel free to play around with toppings.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat oven to 425°F. Scrub and dry potatoes; prick with a fork. Rub with oil and salt.
- Bake on the center rack, with a pan below, 55–65 minutes until easily pierced.
- Slit potatoes lengthwise and fluff the centers. Divide butter, sour cream, cheddar and bacon among them.
- Bake on a sheet pan 3 minutes until cheese softens. Sprinkle with chives.
3. Creamy Steakhouse Mashed Potatoes
Sour cream gives this mash a slight tang, of the sort that French chefs often impart by using cultured butter. I like to run my potatoes through a sieve for the best texture when I mash them.
Ingredients
Method
- Cover potatoes with cold water by 1 inch; add 1 tablespoon salt. Bring to a boil, then simmer 15–18 minutes until tender.
- Warm butter and milk until butter melts. Drain potatoes; stir in the hot pot over low heat 1 minute to dry.
- Mash potatoes. Gradually fold in warm milk mixture, then sour cream, remaining salt and pepper.
4. Soft Honey Rolls
In an era where high-quality sourdough, ciabatta, and whole-grain breads are widely available, the honey roll is beautifully unfashionable. If the weather's a bit chilly, be sure to find the warmest place in your home to let them rise.
Ingredients
Method
- Warm milk to 105°F. Stir in yeast and 1 tablespoon honey; stand 7 minutes until foamy.
- Mix in remaining honey, egg and melted butter. Add flour and salt; knead 8 minutes until smooth and tacky.
- Cover in a greased bowl; rise 60–75 minutes until doubled.
- Shape 12 rolls in a greased 9-by-13-inch pan. Cover; rise 35 minutes until puffy.
- Bake at 375°F for 16–18 minutes until golden. Brush with softened butter.
5. Southern Coleslaw
Southern coleslaw is a classic quick and easy side dish with crunchy veggies that are tossed with a flavorful, creamy dressing! It's the perfect addition to sandwiches, tacos, fried fish, and so much more.
Angela Latimer / Bake It With Love
6. Crispy Fried Onion Rings
Today we're preparing a recipe that needs no introduction - Fried Onion Rings. This is my go to recipe for onion rings.
Living the Gourmet / Living the Gourmet
7. Mushroom Gravy
Here’s a delicious recipe for Mushroom Gravy that can be made in 20 minutes.
Sylvia Fountaine / Feasting at Home
8. Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Perhaps no vegetable roasts up as well as Brussels sprouts. Make sure to get the edges nice and browned, and don't be afraid to toss in a little extra olive oil.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat oven to 425°F. Toss sprouts with oil, salt and pepper.
- Spread cut-side down on a rimmed sheet pan. Roast 20–25 minutes until browned and tender.
9. Roasted Asparagus with Parmesan
Asparagus doesn't need much to shine. A little lemon adds brightness, and give it a sprinkle of parmesan. I personally like shaved sheets rather than finely grated parmesan on my roasted vegetables.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat oven to 425°F. Toss asparagus with oil, salt and pepper on a rimmed sheet pan.
- Roast 10–12 minutes until tender. Add lemon juice, zest and Parmesan.
10. Garlic Green Beans with Bacon
Bacon fat is a blessing for green veggies. I'd definitely use a touch less stock, adding more if necessary.
Ingredients
Method
- Cook bacon in a deep skillet over medium heat 7–9 minutes until crisp. Transfer to a plate; leave 2 tablespoons fat.
- Cook onion in fat 5 minutes. Add garlic; cook 30 seconds.
- Add beans, broth, salt and pepper. Cover; simmer 12–15 minutes until tender.
- Uncover; cook 3–5 minutes to reduce broth. Stir in bacon and vinegar.
11. Creamy Potato Gratin
Get a steak at a Paris bistro, and a gratin, scooped out of the pan by a kindly waiter, is likely to follow soon. Gruyère is the best cheese here, for a real French touch.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat oven to 375°F. Butter a 2-quart baking dish. Warm cream, garlic, salt, nutmeg, pepper and rosemary until steaming.
- Layer half the potatoes, cream and cheese in the dish; repeat. Cover tightly with foil.
- Bake 40–45 minutes. Uncover; bake 15–20 minutes until golden and a knife passes easily through the center.
- Rest 10 minutes before serving.
12. Hasselback Potatoes
A Hasselback is guaranteed to get oohs and aahs, and it tastes as good as it looks. They're actually not that hard to make; just hold the potato in place with a chopstick on either end, and I'd recommend cutting a little off the long side of the potato so you have a flat surface to work with.
Ingredients
Method
- Set each potato between chopsticks. Slice crosswise 1/8 inch apart without cutting through the base.
- Preheat air fryer to 350°F. Rub potatoes with oil, salt and pepper; place cut-side up in the basket.
- Air fry 25 minutes. Brush butter over the tops and into the cuts.
- Raise heat to 400°F. Cook 15–20 minutes until golden and easily pierced; add 5 minutes if needed. Rest 3 minutes.
13. Sauteed Mushrooms and Onions
The better the mushroom, the less you want to do with it. This simple recipe helps mushrooms shine, and while this recipe suggests cremini, to me this is a technique for when you want to shell out for porcini or chanterelles.
Ingredients
Method
- Cook mushrooms in a dry 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat 6–8 minutes until liquid evaporates.
- Add butter, oil, onion, salt and pepper. Cook 10–12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until browned.
- Add Worcestershire sauce; toss 1 minute until glazed.
14. Cheesy Pull-Apart Garlic Bread
This is a recipe for when you just want to be extra. Garlic bread gets a generous sprinkle of cheese, melting beautifully into a loaf of good sourdough.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat oven to 375°F. Cut bread into a 1-inch crosshatch, leaving the bottom crust intact.
- Mix butter, garlic, parsley and salt. Spoon into cuts; tuck in cheese.
- Wrap loaf in foil; bake 20 minutes. Unwrap; bake 8–10 minutes until cheese melts and crust is crisp.
15. Grilled Corn with Cheese and Chili
Cheesy corn is an old-school steakhouse fave, but this recipe is much closer to Mexican elotes. This one's best at the height of summer, when the sweet corn is at its sweetest.
Ingredients
Method
- Mix butter, lime juice, zest, chili powder, paprika, salt and pepper.
- Heat grill to medium-high, about 400°F; oil grates. Brush corn lightly with oil.
- Grill 10–12 minutes, turning every 2–3 minutes, until tender and charred.
- Spread with butter mixture. Add Cotija and cilantro; serve with lime wedges. Drizzle with crema, if using.