What to Serve with Beef Rendang? 7 BEST Side Dishes

Beef Rendang sends your senses on a trip with its rich, spicy flavor.

This Indonesian gem is all about slow-cooked, tender meat wrapped in a tapestry of herbs and spices.

While it’s a knockout dish on its own, choosing the right side dishes can turn a meal into an event.

You want sides that can stand up to its bold flavors without overshadowing the star of the plate.

Whether you’re aiming for a full-on feast or a simple, satisfying dinner, the sides you choose play a crucial role.

Here are seven side dishes that harmonize beautifully with Beef Rendang, enhancing every bite.

Why Consider Serving Side Dishes with Beef Rendang?

Beef rendang is a delicious curry that goes well with rice and roti.

However, other side dishes can also be integrated with this dish.

The recipe for this dish includes beef and other ingredients like fresh turmeric, brown sugar, coconut milk, kaffir lime leaves, star anise, cloves, cardamom, cloves, lemongrass, and other traditional Indonesian spices.

All these give out an aromatic caramelized beef curry.

It is important to keep in mind all those flavors while planning to choose a side dish.

It will either elevate or lower the taste of the beef rendang based on what you choose.

Without further ado, let’s have a peek at what to serve with beef rendang.

What to Serve with Beef Rendang? 7 BEST Side Dishes

Beef rendang is very rich and fragrant with an incredible depth of flavor.

It is common practice to serve this delicious curry with some side dishes.

So, let’s have a look at what kinds of dishes will pair well with the beef rendang.

1 – Nasi Biryani

Nasi Biryani is a fragrant and tasty rice dish that is flavored with spices and rose water.

It is a simple dish to prepare and blends wonderfully well with curry.

This is truly an aromatic pairing of dishes and is filling and delicious.

Mix some of that thick spicy sauce and beef chunks into the nasi biryani and let your mouth do the rest.

The fragrant biryani will enhance the flavors of the beef curry to another level.

2 – Roti Canai

Roti canai is a type of flatbread that has its origins in India.

The migration of Indians into other countries also brought along with them their cuisine.

Just like all Indian bread, roti canai also goes really well with the beef rendang.

The crispy and fluffy bread will give the beef curry a wonderful texture and flavor.

Tear a piece of the canai and wrap some of that curry with the bread itself.

The combination of the two is second to none.

3 – Lemang

Lemang is a traditional food in Indonesia consisting of sticky rice, coconut milk, and salt that’s cooked inside a bamboo tube.

Sticky rice is made from glutinous rice which carries vitamin B and D.

These nutrients are responsible for growing and maintaining good bone density.

The sticky rice also pairs excellently with the beef rendang.

The flavors of the beef curry stick to the rice and integrate all the flavors from the curry.

The sticky rice also has a buttery aroma to it.

This side dish and the beef curry combine really well together and are a wonderful meal to have.

4 – Roasted Cauliflowers

Since beef rendang can be quite filling, it is a smart choice to serve something relatively light on the side.

It also provides nutrients that are missing in the main dish.

This roasted cauliflower recipe is simple to prepare.

It has a beautiful golden color because of the turmeric and is packed with earthy flavors.

The cauliflowers give a crunchy texture to the meal and goes really great with the beef rendang.

The cauliflower contributes toward a well-balanced diet amongst all the midst of those spices and proteins in the beef rendang.

5 – Sauteed Potatoes

Fried potatoes make for a warming and comforting meal.

You can serve it up with the beef curry during cold, rainy days and it’ll give your body a sense of warmth.

Pour some oil or butter in a pan with some garlic and let it heat up.

Add the chopped potatoes into the pan and fry them till they are crispy on the outside and soft on the interior.

The garlicky texture and creaminess from the potatoes will sure elevate the flavors of the beef rendang.

6 – Steamed Broccoli

Another healthy and light side dish to pair with beef rendang is steamed broccoli.

It is always wise to pair up a dish rich in flavor with a blander dish.

The steamed broccoli brings an element of freshness to the meal and balances out any extra richness in the main dish.

It will allow your beef rendang to be the main attraction of the show.

The crunch of the broccoli will also add to the texture of the meal.

7 – Stir-Fried Glass Noodles

Noodles are often eaten with curry in most parts of Southeast Asia.

They are a big hit in this region of the world and nothing can pair better with the beef rendang than stir-fried glass noodles.

Glass noodles are lighter than other common noodles and they make a great meal with the beef rendang.

The chewy texture and the flavors of the different sauces in the noodles elevate the flavors of the spicy beef curry.

The cabbage and carrots also provide texture and nutrients to the meal.