What to Serve With Your Favorite German Recipes

➤ by Lydia Fulson

Knowing what to serve with your favorite German meals can be quite the task. Not anymore! Here, you can learn what to serve with some of your all-time favorite German meals, such as the famous rouladen!

Scroll below to find some great traditional sides to make the perfect pairing to your German dish. 

Whether that be schnitzel, rouladen, or pork of any kind, there are sides here for everything and everyone! Maybe you'll recognize some of these yummy German sides from growing up with your Mutti.

If you're from Northern Germany, like Oma, you may be looking for something like German cucumber salad made with cream to serve alongside your main. 

You'll also find many different kinds of potatoes, seeing as Germany thrives on all sorts of fun and delicious potato recipes. Here's a sneak peek at some potato recipes you will see among these pages!

• Fächerkartoffeln - Hasselback Potatoes
• Kartoffelklöße - Potato dumplings (Of course!)
• Luftfritteuse Süßkartoffeln - Air Fried sweet potatoes
• Kartoffelsalat - Potato Salad

When it comes to the vegetable dishes, you'll find a wide variety too. Oma always has more than one veggie served with dinner whenever we have family get-togethers. Variety is always welcome at Oma's dinner table. But the one veggie that is an absolute must for us, is her red cabbage recipe! 

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What to Consider When Choosing a Side

This may seem like a no-brainer when you're prepping big meal plans for a special occasion or just for a simple weeknight dinner.

The main dish is always thought of ahead of time, and the sides tend to be thought of last ... But there are definitely things to be considered when choosing the right sides for you!

Sides should feel like a thought-out part of the meal as well! So to help you out, consider these steps in finding which side fits with what you'll be serving.

1. The Ease of Preparation 

Think: Do I want to spend hours making something that takes hours of steps and preparation?

Keep into account, thawing, peeling, washing, chopping, etc. It all adds up, and can be exhausting if you have already spent so long making your main dish.

You want something to take a load off!

2. Cooking Time

If you already have the main dish in the oven and have extra time before it will be ready, take that time to get a side ready that fits within the time you have left.

For example, if your pork hocks are done in 20 minutes, choose a side like jarred red cabbage that can be warmed up in a pot on the stove in 15 minutes.

Or, have something made ahead of time that can/needs to sit in the fridge for a while, such as a bean salad! (One of my favorites!)

3. Contrast of Textures/ Color

This is something that not everyone will worry about when choosing a side.

But for me, it is important. For example, if I am serving rouladen, then I won't pair it with all brown sides. I like to strive for a bold pop of color on my plate.

When Oma makes rouladen, she'll often serve it with mashed potatoes and gravy with red cabbage. They play off each other greatly, and the cabbage gives that pop of color!

When it's time for dinner, get traditional with Oma's favorite combinations. Get her collection in Oma's German Dinners, which include salads, soups, entrees, and desserts!

Take a peek at all Oma's eCookbooks. They make sharing your German heritage a delicious adventure!

These recipes have been paired with the best of the best. To me, they are all worth trying. But since it would be a bit of a stretch to try them all at once.. make one or two, then next time, try something different from the list. :)

There are so many wunderbar options for you to choose from! We hope you find something you like and maybe we'll even bring back some of your favorite memories of cooking in the kitchen with your Mutti. 

Check out these 'What to serve with' pages:

what to serve with schnitzel

what to serve with pork chops

What to serve with pork hocks

What to serve with Rouladen

What to serve with salmon fillets

What to serve with chicken

What to serve with twice baked potatoes

What to serve with hummus

What to serve with Bratwurst

What to serve with Pot Roast

What to serve with Macaroni and cheese

24 BEST GERMAN SIDE DISHES

WHAT TO SERVE WITH BURGERS

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More about me >

Hi, I'm Oma Gerhild! As a food writer and cookbook author, I'm always looking to find ways to pass on my German heritage using local ingredients. Quick and easy. That's my goal. Wunderbar food. That's the result.