What’s a Sunday family gathering without feasting over a sumptuous pot roast? This has been a staple in most festivities, a tradition that’s passed on from generation to generation. Pot roast always catches the attention in a dinner table. But nonetheless, it is a given fact that it makes a more remarkable impression on the appearance and taste department when we serve sides for pot roast. We have rounded up some of the mouth-watering accompaniments that will turn a typical Sunday extraordinary.
Soups for a good starter
A perfect way to commence a banquet is to fill each of your guests’ stomach with something warm. No better way to do this than a hearty soup. Serve only the ones which are light and unfilled with too much ingredients. You would want to reserve your hunger for the pot roast.
1. Smooth Cauliflower Soup
What’s there not to love about this soup? If you’ve got juvenile guests coming in, this is the perfect way to feed them vegetables. All you need here is to saute cauliflower with onion and garlic. Once soft, toss it in the blender or food processor until a pureed consistency is achieved. Pour it back to the skillet and heat again with milk or cream.
2. Creamy Potato Soup
This creamy soup follows almost the exact same recipe of the cauliflower soup in terms of achieving a dense consistency. This is best served with bacon tidbits and lots of herbs. If you’re planning for this to go with your pot roast, avoid using another potato-based dish as a second side.
3. Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
If you’ve served this for Thanksgiving before, you’re familiar how a pain it is to prepare. The hard phases here is the peeling, seeding, and slicing of the squash but afterwards, it’s all a breeze. But nevertheless, it will all be worth it once you get a taste of that nutty caramelized autumn fruit. Its sweetness makes it a perfect match to your pot roast. It follows the same procedure as any creamy soup except that butternut squash is roasted to get that wonderfully distinct flavour.
4. French Onion Soup
This is your go-to soup if you’re after a light yet nourishing soup to go with your pot roast. To make an onion soup is easy. Just cook large white onions in butter until golden. Add stock. Piece of advice? Add wine for an extra kick. Thicken it depending on your preference with flour.
Vegetable sides for a vibrant finish
Munching on a roasted meat is nice but it will make you crave for something crunchy and crispy. That’s when vegetables do their job as sides for pot roast. Another reason why you need to put this in your checklist is because they make your entire set-up colourful, a feast for the eyes. Check out these popular picks:
1. Roasted Brussels Sprouts
In every pot roast dining experience, roasted vegetables are popularly served because of its charred and nutty flavour. Brushed with olive oil, herbs and salty seasonings, roasted Brussels sprouts will absolutely make a statement with its crunchiness.
2. Creamy Spinach with Mushrooms
The bitter flavour spinach creates when mixed with milk or cream is just heavenly and irresistible.
3. Cheesy Broccoli
Who says being healthy and sinful can’t be in one place? This gooey yet crunchy baked dish is also a show-stopper but will still definitely blend with pot roast.
4. Green Salad with Feta and Nuts
A classic side comprised of fresh ingredients that will provide an additional crunch to your meal is green salad. Drizzle it with a silky honey mustard dressing for a perfect finish.
Starch-based for a more filling experience
Of course, a meal would not be complete without offering something that’s starch-based. If what you have on the table other than pot roast is just salad or soup, it’s a norm to bring pasta, grains, a root crop or bread on the table.
1. Pasta
Pot roast is very forgiving when it comes to choosing pasta. There’s no right or wrong selection. If your intention is to highlight the beef, choose a pasta that has a milder play on flavours like Aglio Olio. Anything soaked in olive oil will do the job. Top if with fresh or roasted vegetables to make it extra special. On the other hand, it wouldn’t hurt also to try something more flavorful. The average Mac n’ Cheese, whether made from scratch or instant, will be a good match too.
2. Grains
A regular steamed rice will generously put your pot roast on spot light whilst gratifying hunger. But if you’re fine to go the extra mile, mix it up with some peas, corn, and carrots for a terrific fusion of western and Asian cuisine.
3. Root crop
Probably the first thing that will come to mind when sides for pot roast rose into discussion is mashed potato. Nothing’s more comforting than having a taste of that familiar original recipe of the family. You may also opt to pair up your pot roast with either cheesy potatoes or croquette. They are surely filling to the stomach without overwhelming the star of the dining table.
Other root crops that are good options as well are roasted sweet potatoes. Turnip salad with diced carrots and torn greens works tremendously well with in lending a satisfying meal.
4. Breads
If you don’t have much time to prepare, buying commercially available breads make a smart option. Dinner rolls and baguette with butter on the side for spreading will save you the hassle. But of course, when sides for pot roast is being talked about, one notable item that’s considered a classic on this category is Yorkshire pudding. Something you can consider as well.
Alcohol to stir up conversations
Wine – either red or white – is not exactly a side dish but it’s an excellent accompaniment of a pot roast especially if you’re having an adults-only party. It will set the mood and make you enjoy pot roast like you’ve never before.
These are just a few of several choices you can go for with pot roast. In fact, it can stand alone by itself but it’s also very versatile when it comes to complimenting other items in the dinner table. By now, you should know that one thing you need not worry about is finding the best sides for pot roast.
