What to Serve with Beef Wellington? 12 Side Ideas

The beef wellington is a delicious dish with origins as complex and elaborate and complex as the process of making one. This is because whether the dish is British, French or even African in origin is a topic of some debate. No matter what it comes from this pastry covered beef meal is the fantastically decadent main course that is layered with a multitude of diverse tastes and textures. However, if planning to prepare such a dish you may be wondering what to serve with beef wellington?

Table of Contents

• What Is A Beef Wellington?
• What Goes With Beef Wellington?
• What To Serve With Beef Wellington?
  • Mashed Potatoes
  • Dauphinoise Potatoes
  • Baked Sweet Potatoes
  • Roasted Potatoes
  • Roasted Baby Carrots
  • Green Beans
  • Brussels Sprouts
  • Asparagus
  • Broccoli
  • Frisee Salad
  • White Rice Pilaf
  • Mushroom Risotto
• Answered: What To Serve With Beef Wellington?
• FAQ – What To Serve With Beef Wellington?

What Is A Beef Wellington?

The delicious beef wellington, despite some controversy, is often considered to be a dish of British or French origin. Traditionally this dish will consist of a large cut of beef such as the tenderloin (fillet) that is coated in pate and mushroom duxelles (finely chopped mushrooms, similar in consistency to stuffing). Following which it will be wrapped in puff pastry before being baked.

Often modifications will be made to the recipe though. Some common recipe alterations may also call for you to wrap parma ham or crepe before the pasty. Both of which are done to retain moisture within the meat, pate and duxelles and therefore avoid making the pastry soggy. Additionally, though, these extra ingredients add extra layers of flavour to the meal, as do other less common choices such as mustard.

The combination of all of these aspects of the beef wellington creates a dish that is full of diverse tastes and textures. The outside pastry is wonderfully crispy and slightly buttery, meanwhile, the mushroom duxelles provides a delicious umami flavour whilst the beef tenderloin at the dish’s heart is tender, juicy and oozes that delicious beef flavour.

What Goes With Beef Wellington?

Due to beef wellington being an incredibly flavourful and extravagant dish, you’ll want it to very much be the main star of your meal. Especially, so if made completely from scratch as doing so properly is sometimes considered the culinary equivalent of climbing Everest. With that in mind then, the side dish recipes you serve with it should very much complement the tasty beef wellington whilst still ultimately playing second fiddle.

With that in mind, many of the best options for accompanying your beef wellington will often be side dishes. However, they don’t necessarily have to be understated or simple. No, instead whilst some of the best beef wellington side options will keep things simple and light, some more elaborate and layered options can also be great choices. This is especially true for those dishes that provide a contrast in textures and tastes. After all, if having such a decadent main, why not go all out? 

What To Serve With Beef Wellington?

When deciding what to serve with beef wellington, there truly are a wide assortment of choices. As such, just like when choosing sides for beef stroganoff, you may find yourself overwhelmed with choices. If so though, don’t worry though, below we have some of the best possible options for accompaniments to beef wellington:

1. Mashed Potatoes
2. Dauphinoise Potatoes
3. Baked Sweet Potatoes
4. Roasted Potatoes
5. Roasted Baby Carrots
6. Green Beans
7. Brussels Sprouts
8. Asparagus
9. Broccoli
10. Frisee Salad
11. White Rice Pilaf
12. Mushroom Risotto

Mashed Potatoes

Mashed potatoes are truly a side dish that will go with anything, whether it’s alongside chicken piccata or with a portion of meatballs. In particular, creamy mashed potatoes will make for a wonderful side dish for any meal that is particularly meaty, flavourful and at least slightly juicy. As such they will make for a great pairing when served alongside a beef wellington.

The milder creamy and slightly earthy tastes associated with mashed potatoes make for a wonderful companion to the rich flavours of your beef wellington. This is especially true since the juices from your meat will merge with the fluffy mashed potatoes to create a truly delectable combination. If though, you choose to make garlic mashed potatoes and/or add some grated cheese then this will add even more subtle layers to the flavour.

Meanwhile, the soft and fluffy texture of mashed potatoes will also contrast beautifully with the crispy/flaky pastry and tender beef. The result being a wonderful combination of different texture sensations.

Dauphinoise Potatoes

If you want another potato option but want to really go all out with your meal then why not serve homemade dauphinoise potatoes alongside your homemade beef wellington?

Dauphinoise potatoes are also known as potatoes au gratin. This rich, cheesy and creamy potato dish is absolutely delicious. It’s so moreish that many people (myself included) would have little issue eating a large portion of it by itself. 

However, where potato au gratin really shines is when it is served as a side dish alongside meat and rich mains, such as beef wellington. Here the creamy melted gruyere cheese and creamy sauce, along with the soft yet slightly crispy sliced potatoes complement and contrast wonderfully with the tastes and textures of the beef wellington. After all, we all know that potatoes and cheese go wonderfully together with both the beef and pastry.

Baked Sweet Potatoes

Another wonderful potato side option comes from the sweeter cousin of your standard spud. These are quite simple to make and can be done as either standard baked potatoes or sliced up like french fries.

Either way, the results are fantastic since baked sweet potatoes will bring a satisfying crispy and crunchy texture to your meal along with some slight fluffiness. All of which will contrast beautifully with the textures and general mouthfeel provided by a beef wellington. 

Meanwhile, the sweet and umami flavours will also pair excellently with the wellington. This is because the umami will reflect the mushrooms in a unique way whilst the sweetness will contrast with the flavours of the entire dish. 

Roasted Potatoes

Last but certainly not least on the spud theme is the wonderful roasted potato. Roasted potatoes are a staple of Christmas, Thanksgiving and indeed Sunday roast dinners and with very good reason.

Truly the perfect roast potato can be a contentious subject with it truly being many things to many people. However, roast potatoes that are crispy on the outside and delicately fluffy in the middle are truly my idea of a heavenly spud. These textures pair perfectly with the beef wellington as well thanks to them providing a delicious contrast which diversifies the overall mouthfeel.

To truly get the best out of your roasted potatoes though, a great trick I use is to lightly caramelise them by applying a small drizzle of honey before baking. This along with some fresh herbs, garlic, salt and pepper will add an assortment of extra subtle but distinct flavours that will elevate the overall dish.

Roasted Baby Carrots

If you are after some extra crunch to pair with your beef wellington, then some roasted baby carrots are a wonderful option. Especially so if you’re looking for an option, that is quick, simple and also delicious.

In addition, like with baked sweet potatoes, roasting baby carrots helps to bring out their natural sweetness, thereby adding an extra layer of taste to the meal. Especially so if your choose to accentuate this trait with honey glaze similarly to the aforementioned roasted potatoes.

Making these truly delicious is an incredibly simple process. To do so, simply coat in melted butter or olive oil along with seasoning in salt, pepper and fresh herbs before roasting.

Green Beans

Another option for adding some delicious crunch to your beef wellington meal is some delicious green beans. However, whilst the roasted baby carrots will add some sweetness, the green beans are a more earthy option.

These are a common favourite with beef, however, if you want to spice things up a little then doing so is quite simple. To do so before baking, season them and then toss them with almonds beforehand. Additionally, they can also be coated in sherry first to help create more of a sweet crust.

Another alternative is to incorporate them into a caesar salad where they are the star. This is a wonderful way to add extra flavour in a number of ways via the extra crunch or croutons and lettuce, the sharp parmesan and the rich and sweet dressing.

Brussels Sprouts

Let’s face it brussels sprouts (or brussel sprouts) don’t exactly have the best of reputations. After all even people who have never eaten them often tend to be averse to giving them a try. However, this reputation is honestly pretty undeserved. After all, especially when roasted, brussels sprouts can be absolutely delicious.

These things are truly packed with awesome flavour. When roasted they will be a wonderful combination of earthy, creamy, sweet and nutty that works especially well with beef wellington.

When roasting brussels sprouts they will be at their best when paired with other ingredients. Of course, they will often be sprinkled with diced bacon but there are other options. Tossing them in a simple balsamic dressing beforehand will enhance the sweetness whilst also adding a lovely tang. Meanwhile, a combination of olive oil, salt, pepper and asiago or parmesan cheese will create something more rustic.

Asparagus

When serving beef wellington or really any sort of beef, a classic option for a side dish is of course asparagus. The beauty of asparagus though is that it can be served in an assortment of different ways.

Sauteeing or steaming are just two of the options at your disposal. The results are a deliciously satisfying crunch that perfectly contrasts with the textures found in your wellington. 

To take things a slight step further though, serving the asparagus in a creamy hollandaise sauce will truly help you to enhance this side dish option. This is because the lemony, creamy and buttery hollandaise sauce/beef wellington combination is truly a match made in heaven.

Another option though is to grill your asparagus. This will give it a lovely char that adds an extra smokey flavour to the meal. When combined with garlic and cheese, or sherry vinegar glaze then the assortment of flavours will be truly delectable.

Broccoli

Similar to with brussels sprouts, broccoli sometimes gets a bad rap. However, this green veggie has a mostly mildly flavour with some slightly bitter notes. Additionally, like with asparagus and other green veggies, broccoli can be prepared in a number of unique ways to add extra flavours whilst emphasising those that are already present.

Like with asparagus, grilling broccoli provides a wonderfully delicious char that adds some smokey flavours along with helping provide extra crunch. 

Another way to do so though is to sautee them. When doing so, combine broccoli with olive oil, salt and some seasonings. Some examples include chilli pepper flakes, garlic or lemon juice. 

Frisee Salad

With an incredibly decadent dish like beef wellington, a side dish that is light and fresh often makes for an excellent contrast. As such, a salad can be an excellent choice.

In particular, a frisee salad makes for an excellent pairing with beef wellingtons. Using robust green as your foundation you have a lot of freedom to pair them with near enough any combination of greens, nuts, dressings, proteins, veggies or cheese.

Truly there are a wide variety of options available, one such example though is blue cheese, hazelnuts, pears and cranberry vinaigrette. Each of these combines to add an assortment of salty, sweet, hearty and tarty tastes. 

White Rice Pilaf

On the other end of the spectrum though, if you’re after a hearty and slightly starchy side dish then a white rice pilaf is a wonderful choice for pairing with beef wellington.

Whilst a bowl of simple steamed white rice is a good option as well, turning it into a delicious pilaf will truly elevate your dish by adding an assortment of layered flavours to the dish. The wonderful thing about this dish though is that making a pilaf is incredibly simple to do. 

To truly make a wonderfully flavourful pilaf all you need to do is cook your rice with some stock, veggies and seasonings. A good example of such is making a bowl of wild rice and mushroom pilaf.

Mushroom Risotto

Another wonderful option for beef wellington sides is to serve it alongside risotto. In particular, mushroom risotto makes for the perfect choice to really emphasise the umami flavours of the duxelles.

Additionally, though, risotto is wonderfully light and creamy. This means that it will beautifully contrast with the flavours found in the beef wellington whilst adding hints of other flavours such as cheese, white wine and of course in this case mushrooms.

Answered: What To Serve With Beef Wellington?

Beef wellington is a wonderfully decadent and delicious dish. As such, the side choices you make should ultimately reflect that in some way. 

If you choose to lean into this and prepare a heavier meal then potato dishes such as dauphinoise or roasted potatoes make for an excellent choice. Meanwhile, for a more balanced and light option, some vegetable sides such as green beans or sprouts are your best bet.

Ultimately, the choice you make will primarily depend on your own personal preferences. That said though, whichever choice you make, rest assured that it will make for the perfect partnership with this wonderful main.

FAQ – What To Serve With Beef Wellington?