Meal Pairings Made Easy

Do you ever find yourself standing in the kitchen thinking,

“What side do I serve with this?”

Or maybe you’ve mastered an entrée you love, but have no idea what side dish complements it?

You’re not alone!

Many Eat REAL America members have asked for help pairing recipes – to create meals where the flavors and ingredients work in harmony. (Thank you, Brenda, Aimee and Kathy, for the inspiration!)

So, we have put together some tips to help you build balanced, delicious meals that feel effortless and taste amazing.

Tips for Pairing Entrees and Sides

Remember the Golden Rule

Aim for 8-10 servings of veggies and fruits every day.  So, if each meal should include at least 2 to 3 servings of vegetables or fruits, it’s important to be mindful of that goal.

If your entree is loaded with veggies (like a stir-fry or veggie soup), then you can pair it with a simpler salad, or even fruit.  If your entree is light on produce (like baked chicken or pasta), then go big with a scrumptious salad or a veggie-loaded side (or both)!

• Example for a veggie loaded entree:  Thai Vegetable Noodle Stir Fry → Green Fruit Salad
• Example for a veggie light entree:  Cacao Spiced Pork Tenderloin → Garlicky Cauliflower and Kale with Dates and Pecans

Stick with Similar Flavor Families

When in doubt, keep it cohesive:

• Mexican + Southwest:  Loaded Cauliflower Nachos → Mexican Pineapple Salad
• Korean, Thai, Vietnamese, Asian-inspired:  Slow Cooker Asian Chicken → Bok Choy Salad with Sesame Soy Dressing
• Italian + Mediterranean: Zoodles Gone Mediterranean → Pan Con Tomate

These flavor families naturally complement each other and create a consistent taste experience.

Create Good Balance

If your main dish is rich, creamy or heavy, lighten things up with a fresh or acidic side.  And if your entree is heavy on cheese or grains (think lasagna or gnocchi), choose a lighter side.  You want the flavors to complement each other – not compete.  Here are some examples:

• Creamy pasta → crisp salad with citrus toppings:  Crockpot Lasagna → Tangy Citrus Arugula Salad
• Hearty meat dish → tangy slaw or garlicky green beans:  Slow Cooker Thai Pork Sandwiches → Crunchy Coleslaw
• Taco night → fresh fruit or tomato salsa, pickled veggies:  Spicy Grilled Veggie Tacos → Tropical Spiced Fruit Salad

Contrast Textures

A combination of textures will add some interesting personality to your meal.  Just like a “salad with personality” has a variety of different textures, you can achieve the same thing with your meal pairings.  Think about creamy + crunchy.  Or chewy + crispy.  A few examples:

• Pair warm, comforting dishes with something crisp and bright:  Comforting Chicken and Dumplings → Arugula Salad with Orange Sesame Vinaigrette
• Pair tender rice or farro with a variety of raw and roasted veggies:  Thai Roasted Veggie Bowl → Asian Cucumber Salad
• Pair flaky and tender fish with a crisp, crunchy side:  Panko Crusted Mustard Salmon → Orange Balsamic Roasted Okra
• Pair softer meals with chewy, crunchy sides: Slow Cooker Curried Lentils → Kale Waldorf Salad

Eat with the Seasons

Let the season inspire your choices!  Seasonal produce makes sides fresher, tastier, and often more affordable.  It’s also a great way to add variety to entrees you eat on rotation.  No watermelon in February.  Or asparagus in August!

• Spring: asparagus, peas, radishes, green onions, carrots, strawberries, greens, and more: Strawberry Basil Chicken → Caesar Style Grilled (or Roasted) Asparagus
• Summer: tomatoes, zucchini, berries, corn, cucumbers, melons, peaches, eggplant, peppers, beans, okra, and more (this is prime produce season!): Grilled Summer Peach Sandwich → Summer Explosion Salad
• Fall: squash, apples, pears, Brussels sprouts, beets, cabbage, and more: Autumn Pizza → Fall Fattoush Salad
• Winter: sweet potatoes, kale, parsnips, winter squash, and more: Spicy Peanut Sweet Potato Soup → Pear and Butternut Squash Salad

Create a Rainbow

Remember, we eat with our eyes first.  A colorful side dish can add vibrancy to your plate – and can provide a nutrient boost too!  Aim for at least 3-4 different colors on your plate.

• Don’t do this:  Grilled chicken with white rice and cauliflower.  No rainbow here!
• Do this instead:   Grilled chicken with roasted carrots and a big “salad with personality”: Citrus Grilled Chicken → Roasted Curried Carrots → Moroccan Salad with Cilantro Orange Dressing

Keep It Simple

You don’t need five side dishes to make a meal feel complete.  One or two well-chosen sides will do the job perfectly!  And we encourage you to always make one of those sides a big salad!   If you are serving two sides, try to make sure they have different flavors and textures.  Here are a couple of examples:

• Serve a burger with roasted (or grilled) sweet potatoes and a big salad:  Mediterranean Burger → Sweet Potato Fries → Kicked-Up Kale Salad
• Serve baked chicken parmesan with spaghetti squash noodles and roasted cabbage:  Baked Chicken Parmesan over Spaghetti Squash Noodles → Roasted Cabbage with Parmesan Walnut Crumble

Flavorful Meal Pairings to Try

Here are some more entree + side combos to get your creative juices flowing:

Entrée	Perfect Pairing
Korean BBQ Chicken Tacos	Asian Kale and Cabbage Salad
	Crunchy Coleslaw
Southwest Quinoa with Simple Guacamole	Dreamy Fruit ‘n Nutty Salad
	Berry Bliss Salad with Raspberry Vinaigrette
Southwest Stuffed Sweet Potatoes	Easy Pineapple Salsa
Balsamic Vegetable and Sausage Sheet Pan Gnocchi	Grape, Fig and Walnut Salad
Take Me To Italy Tomato and Garlic Pasta	Kale Chopped Salad with Maple Almond Vinaigrette
Cuban Picadillo	Creamy Cucumber Soup
Korean Beef and Veggie Bowl	Roasted Beets and Orange Salad
Asian Turkey Burger Salad	Simple Sautéed Peppers and Onions
Mediterranean Tuna and Roasted Pepper Pasta	Farmers’ Market Salad with Honey Seed Crunch
Mini Italian Meatloaves	Honey Mustard Roasted Green Beans
Oven Roasted Salmon over Creamy Green Beans	Kale Salad with Spiced Almonds
One Pot Sausage and Sweet Potato Enchiladas	Cabbage Apple and Pear Salad
End of Summer Chicken Foil Packet	Green Pear Salad with Candied Walnuts

Versatile sides that go with just about any entree:

Spring Inspired Cobb Salad

Roasted Carrot Spinach Salad

Massaged Kale Salad

Mood Boosting Fruit Salad

Super Immune-Boosting Citrus Salad

Pecan Spinach Salad

Mixed Fruit Salad

Cabbage Apple and Pear Salad

Seasoned Roasted Potatoes and Brussels Sprouts

Dreamy Fruit ‘n Nutty Salad

Seasoned Sauteed Mushrooms

Roasted Baby Carrots or Herb Parmesan Carrot Fries

Parmesan Garlic Roasted Cauliflower

Crispy Green Bean Fries

Broccoli Poppers (Roasted Broccoli)

Roasted Balsamic Green Beans & Mushrooms

Honey Lime Chickpea Salad

We want to help you to inspire others to enjoy REAL food as much as we all do!  And let’s be honest, we all love to hear others say, “WOW!  What a great flavorful meal!” 

So, whether you are planning a meal for family or friends, or for an everyday meal or a special occasion, we hope this list helps gets you started and then you can use this as a guide and choose from the many, many more recipes on the website!

We would love to hear what you put together to inspire your family and friends!