What to Serve with Pickled Beets? 10 BEST Side Dishes

Pickled beets are enjoyable on their own but they combine well with various foods.

They can also be a suitable substitute for fresh beets as they have a more intense flavor.

You can have pickled beets with Beef Stew, borscht, tuna salad and sandwiches.

So when considering what to serve with pickled beets, the list is long.

But we can't mention all of them here and list only the ten best, so don't go anywhere.

Ideal Pairings for Pickled Beets

Here are some items you can have with pickled beets - and pickled herring side dish ideas fit similar menus.

1 - Borscht

-

Borscht is a sour soup common in Eastern Europe and Northern Asia and probably originated in Ukraine.

It's typically made of red beetroot, as you can see from its color, but there are also other variants made of cabbage, sorrel leaves and rye.

Borscht can also have meat and stock (chicken, beef, bone).

You can enjoy cold or hot borscht with pickled beets as separate dishes or have them together from the same plate or bowl.

You can make borscht with different types of meat including beef, pork or even chicken.

Or you can keep it vegan and add only vegetables and seasonings because both variants are delicious and pair with pickled beets.

2 - Tuna Salad

-

A seafood salad also makes a lovely combo with pickled beets.

Any ingredient will work, but here we've added a tuna salad because it's pleasant and easy to make - see tuna casserole side options for more tuna-friendly pairings.

The two main ingredients in the salad are tuna meat and mayonnaise.

Canned and precooked tuna is the usual choice for the salad along with the mayo, celery, onion, whole grain mustard, lemon juice, black pepper and parsley.

Since the fish is precooked, no cooking is involved in making the salad.

You just need to mix everything and serve.

3 - Sandwiches

-

Sandwiches are suitable as quick snacks and you can use various ingredients because no rule says you can use only a specific recipe.

You can have sandwiches with pickled beets when hosting a light afternoon lunch party or breakfast.

Pickled beets go well with hard-boiled eggs.

So, instead of serving separately, you can make sandwiches with these two items, feta cheese and dill.

You can include a light veggie salad with roasted carrots and baby greens.

You can use the pickling liquid to dress the salad.

You can use prepared pickled beets or make a fresh batch for the sandwiches.

For an indulgent sandwich option that still pairs well with beets, Monte Cristo sandwich side ideas suggest sweeter and savory accompaniments.

4 - Beef Stew

-

A warm and hearty dish will pair well with the light and tangy pickled beets.

So what can be better than beef stew? It pleases the senses and you'll have a full belly when you finish the meal.

Typical beef stew is made with tough cuts of meat with high-fat content for a rich flavor.

They include round, chuck, sirloin, brisket, bone-in short rib and oxtail.

The prices of these cuts of meat are from lowest to highest depending on flavor, fat content, size and availability.

Beef stew is popular worldwide and every region seems to have a type so you can make a dish depending on the availability of meat portions, ingredients and knowledge.

If the menu leans toward rich, meaty mains, corned beef hash side pairings offer hearty options that complement pickled beets.

5 - Green Salad with Walnuts and Goat Cheese

-

Any salad tastes excellent with pickled beets, so we have several on the list.

Green salad with walnuts and goat cheese is one of these and we promise you won't be disappointed with the pairing.

While you can eat the salad and pickled beets separately, adding the beets to the mixed greens will be more enjoyable.

You'll have multiple flavors and textures that will make your palate dance.

Baby arugula and baby kale are mild in flavor compared to slightly peppery adult leaves.

So it's best to use these for the salad.

The walnuts will add a crunchy texture while the cheese will bring the tangy aspect.

For a Southern-leaning plate, fried green tomatoes side suggestions pair well with the tang and texture of pickled beets.

6 - Burgers

-

If you want to add something heavier than sandwiches, burgers will be an excellent choice to pair with pickled beets.

There are two ways you can enjoy burgers and pickles.

First, eat them separately or add the beets to the burgers.

You won't regret serving either way because they're delicious and keep your palate fresh.

Burgers contain ground meat, cream and cheese so they're heavy but the pickled beets bring a balance and the combo tastes perfect.

While beef is the usual meat in burgers, you can also use pork, eggs and chicken.

Or you can simply go vegan and leave out any animal-based product like cheese and cream.

For a burger with unique flavor, lamb burger side ideas show accompaniments that complement pickled beet brightness.

7 - Potato Salad

-

You can also have a potato salad with pickled beets because the two veggies make a lovely pairing, even if it may not look or sound so.

Potato salad is amazingly delicious and the pickles provide the fresh and sour aspect.

But you'll enjoy the pairing even more when you add pickled beets to the salad.

It'll give the spuds salad a light pink-red hue and add more flavor.

You may even like this version of potato salad more than the classic one.

You'll find several recipes for potato salad and pickled beets so you can try all the versions and see which one you like best because everybody has a preference.

For potato-forward plates, potato skins side pairings offer crispy, savory complements to the sweet-tart beets.

8 - Cucumber Salad

-

It's yet another dish you can have with pickled beets or incorporate to make a new dish.

Cucumber salad is crunchy and juicy and goes with the sharp and sweet beets.

Adding the beets to the salad will make the dish even better in taste because you also have a lovely yogurt and horseradish sauce.

The combination of salad, pickles and sauce will provide acidity, sweetness with a creamy and crunchy texture.

Overripe cucumbers will have excess water content while wrinkly ones will taste bad.

So, you have to use the freshest cucumbers.

When purchasing the vegetables, choose firm cucumbers without blemishes or soft spots and use them as soon as possible for best flavors.

For cool, refreshing courses, chilled cucumber soup side ideas highlight light flavors that work with pickled beets.

9 - Chickpea Mash and Greek Yogurt

-

This is another dish that incorporates pickled beets but who's complaining? The chickpea mash and Greek yogurt with the beets taste so good that you won't wish to stop eating the salad.

Chickpea is most famous for hummus, but it's a versatile legume, and you can use it in so many ways.

It's delicious both cooked and raw, but for this dish, you'll have to use precooked chickpeas that are ground to a semi-coarse texture along with yogurt, salt, pepper, lemon juice and garlic.

Assembling the salad is even easier and it looks beautiful.

First goes the mash in the bottom, followed by yogurt and baby arugula leaves and finally, you add the pickled beets.

10 - Feta Cheese

Save for Later!

If you want to enjoy pickled beets for a quick bite but don't have any time to make something to accompany it, crumbled or sliced feta cheese will work too.

The combination is lovely and you're sure to love it.

Feta is one of the oldest cheeses in the world and it comes from sheep or goat milk.

It's white and easier to digest.

It contains a high amount of sodium but is a healthy option when consumed in moderate amounts.

You can add the crumbled feta cheese on top of the beets and enjoy the dish or try eating them on separate plates and see whichever version you prefer.

If you don't have feta, goat cheese can also work.

What to serve with beets? 10 best side dishes lists more classic beet pairings. tangy and earthy pickled beets flavor guide explains taste notes that help match sides.