What to Serve with French Onion Soup? 10 BEST Side Dishes

French Onion Soup is a classic. It's warm, comforting, and makes our souls do a little happy dance.

Yet, what do we pair with it? It's a question as old as time.

We've got the answers. No more side dish stress.

Our kitchen escapades have taught us a thing or two.

Short, sweet, and to the point, we're here to share the top 10 sidekicks for your soup. These aren't just any sides; they're the perfect companions.

10 Classic Sides for French Onion Soup

Let's look at the ten best dishes you can serve with a French onion soup - or compare with chili party side ideas for gatherings.

1 - Baked Salmon

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It's only fair to start the list with seafood because French onion soup tastes good with it.

Salmon is a fatty fish with plenty of nutrients and cooks fast.

Hence, you can serve baked salmon if you invite many people to the event.

Salmon is delicious, so you don't need too many ingredients except salt, pepper, and a suitable salsa.

In this case, you can add toasted almond parsley salsa.

You can also include baked squash while serving, but it's optional - or add baked-potato side ideas for hearty pairings.

Fresh salmon is always the best choice as it's healthier and more flavorful.

However, if you don't live in a place that has access to fresh fish, frozen is a smarter option.

Look for labels that have "once frozen" or "flash frozen," as these fish are frozen right after being caught.

2 - Sautéed Mushrooms

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Mushrooms are earthy, but they're light; hence they make a perfect combo with a French onion soup.

Together, your meal will be perfectly balanced, and it will make you full.

Mushrooms are delicious, and though they're neither meat nor veggie, they have features of both.

Hence, you can consider them as veggies with a meaty taste and texture.

You can find different types of edible mushrooms, and you can make the dish with your preferred variety - or try stuffed mushroom side ideas for richer bites.

However, go with button mushrooms if you can't find your favorite.

They're entry-level but taste amazing.

As always, pick the best mushrooms to make an excellent dish.

Pick those that are firm, plump, and flawless.

3 - Baked Parmesan Tomatoes

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Baked parmesan tomatoes will be a good choice if you want to enjoy a light dish with a French onion soup.

The tomatoes are slightly tangy, and the cheese makes them creamy, but they're still light and go with the onion soup.

Also, baked tomatoes are so simple to cook, and you need only a handful of ingredients to make the dish - like other easy options such as baked-bean side pairings for fuss-free cooking.

If you have ripe tomatoes, parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, and some olive oil, you can whip up the dish quite fast.

Add some fresh oregano for the aroma.

You need the best tomatoes to create a tasty dish.

So, when buying, look for tomatoes that have a deep, consistent coloring, but they shouldn't be soft.

You can also feel the weight and see that it feels heavier than light.

4 - Fruit Salad with Honey Lime Dressing

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You can also include a yummy fresh fruit salad on the menu - or mix in orzo salad side ideas for light complements.

It will tone down the soup's flavor and keep your palate fresh.

Fruit salad with honey lime dressing is sweet and tangy, so you can experience different flavors when consuming the soup.

There is no one rule regarding the ingredients in a fruit salad.

You can add multiple colorful fruits depending on what is available.

Some fruits are available all year round, while others are seasonal.

So, you can pick and choose.

Grapes, pineapple, strawberries, kiwi fruit, blueberries, oranges, bananas, and watermelon are all wonderful fruits you can use in a salad.

Make a dressing with lemon and orange juice, lemon and orange zest, vanilla extract, and some honey.

5 - Lemon Butter Scallops

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You will undoubtedly love the combo of lemon butter scallops and French onion soup.

They're vastly different but compatible.

Scallops, like most seafood, are light so that you can enjoy the dishes without one or the other overpowering the other.

Lemon butter scallops may also be a suitable side dish if your event is going to be big because the dish takes only fifteen minutes to prep and cook.

All you need is scallops, salt, pepper, garlic, butter, and lemon juice.

If you plan to cook the scallops the same day you buy them, choosing fresh might be the best idea.

But you can opt for frozen ones if fresh ones aren't accessible.

Finish a meal of lemon butter scallops with a bright dessert - lemon curd dessert pairings for citrus finishes work nicely.

6 - Baked Potatoes with Sour Cream

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Trust the humble potato to taste good no matter how you cook it.

Baked potatoes with sour cream are yummy and complement French onion soup very well - and for another comforting option see baked-ziti side suggestions for cheesy mains.

It's sure that once you start eating the two dishes together, you won't want to stop eating.

If you're looking for something to make you complete without feeling overwhelmed, you should add baked potatoes with sour cream to the menu.

What makes the dish even better is the fact that it's easy and requires few ingredients.

You can make yummy baked potatoes with spuds, sour cream, milk, unsalted butter, salt, pepper, and fresh chives.

Use russet or Idaho potatoes for best results.

However, you can also go with Yukon Gold if the other two aren't available.

7 - Buttered Noodles

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Perfectly cooked noodles are what make a pasta dish perfect.

Hence, no matter what recipe you use, pasta should be well-cooked, usually al dente.

Otherwise, the dish will not taste good even if you add hundreds of ingredients.

Buttered noodles are simple but delicious, and they can make a suitable side dish with a French onion soup - explore buttered noodle side ideas for easy pasta.

The noodles dish will improve the soup even more because it doesn't include complex flavors.

It may be surprising, but you need only four items besides the noodles to make the dish.

They are Parmesan cheese, butter, salt, and pepper.

You can use fettuccine noodles or any variety because they all taste amazing when cooked correctly.

8 - Pan Seared Steak

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Serving steak and French onion soup can also be an excellent way to fill your belly.

Meat fills you up quite fast, and when you combine it with soup, you will stay full for a long time.

Steak seems like a complex dish to cook, but such is not the case.

If you follow a few rules, then you can cook steak like a chef.

You need the proper cut of meat, like sirloin or ribeye, and a few steps to ensure that your steak cooks perfectly.

Different people have a different level of doneness when it comes to steak.

But most prefer medium rare so that you can cook it that way.

However, if you have a large crowd to feed, you can cook several steaks and do a rare, medium rare, and medium.

Add a tasty sauce, and your meal will be perfect.

9 - Garlic Butter Shrimp

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French onion soup tastes good with seafood so let's include one more dish.

It's garlic butter shrimp and combines nicely with a French onion soup.

The yummy garlic butter shrimp is easy to cook and only needs a few ingredients.

Shrimp cooks fast, too, so the dish can be ideal for many people.

You can make the dish with shrimp, butter, olive oil, garlic, red pepper flake, salt, parsley, and lemon juice.

10 - Roasted Root Vegetables

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You can also serve a variety of veggies with a French onion soup.

You have multiple choices, but let's wind up the list with roasted root veggies.

You can make the dish with beet, parsnips, carrots, turnips, potatoes, and radishes.

They're pretty colorful, so your dish will provide flavors and look attractive.

Add herbs like rosemary, thyme, or cilantro for aroma.

You can use your favorite herb or spice if these aren't available.

Keep it simple by adding olive oil, salt, and pepper.

For breakfast-for-dinner pairings, see French toast side suggestions for brunch menus. For bread-focused accompaniments, consult French bread side ideas for simple pairings.