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Home - Recipes - Side Dishes

Latest Updated: Feb 28, 2026 by Andrew Gray

What to Serve with Sweet Potatoes? 7 BEST Side Dishes

The top sides for Sweet Potatoes include Air-fryer Chicken Tenders, Pollo Asado, Collard Greens with Black Eyed Peas, Sloppy Joes, and Sweet Corn Fritters.

Air-fryer Chicken Tenders

Need to make an irresistible side dish in an hour?

For a lighter option, try Sweet Corn Fritters. Sweet Corn Fritters

Enjoy your sweet corn while you can.

Sweet potatoes? Oh, they're more than just a Thanksgiving staple.

They've got flair, they've got taste, and they've got health benefits that could make an apple blush.

In our kitchen, we treat them like royalty. Pairing them with the right side dish?

Now, that's where the magic happens.

We've tried, tested, and tasted (the best part, obviously). Now, we're here to share the 7 best side dishes that make sweet potatoes scream "More, please!"

From our many dinner experiments, some combinations have made us go 'Wow!' while others were a learning curve (to put it nicely). Each suggestion comes from a place of love, a pinch of salt, and the truth that not all greens love being next to a sweet potato.

Ready to amp up your meal game? These combos won't disappoint.

Table of Contents

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  • What to Serve with Sweet Potatoes? 7 BEST Side Dishes
    • 1 - Air-fryer Chicken Tenders
    • 2 - Pollo Asado
    • 3 - Collard Greens with Black Eyed Peas
    • 4 - Sloppy Joes
    • 5 - Sweet Corn Fritters
    • 6 - Corned Beef
    • 7 - Vegan Falafel
  • Frequently Asked Questions

What to Serve with Sweet Potatoes? 7 BEST Side Dishes

1 - Air-fryer Chicken Tenders

airfryer chicken tenders Save for Later!

Need to make an irresistible side dish in an hour? Air-fried chicken tenders might be something to consider.

They are super healthy too. It is the perfect side dish for serving kids and adults.

Whether you want to place the chicken as an appetizer or alongside your main course, no one will complain.

We say air-fryer chicken because it's the best way to eat healthy while indulging as much as you want.

Air-frying takes the littlest oil and creates a beautiful, crispy, and tender chicken.

Since sweet potatoes are loaded with carbs, you can balance them out with some proteins from the chicken and enjoy a filling meal.

If serving chicken alongside sweet potatoes, beer-can chicken brings a smoky profile - beer-can chicken side dishes for smoky meals.

2 - Pollo Asado

pollo asado Save for Later!

Another chicken dish that is guilty of stealing the show is Pollo Asado.

It is a Mexican and Cuban version of roasted or barbecued chicken.

What makes Pollo Asado stand out from other chicken dishes is its interesting and unique combination of flavors.

The marinade for this dish features a Mexican spice blend and fresh citrus juices that give it a refreshing taste.

It gets its bright red hue from the spice mixture, including achiote powder.

You can roast, grill, bake, or even slow-cook Pollo Asado.

Chicken breasts or thighs are the best portions for this side dish.

With Latin-flavored chicken like Pollo Asado, classic rice sides work well - arroz con pollo side suggestions for balanced plates.

3 - Collard Greens with Black Eyed Peas

collard greens with black eyed peas Save for Later!

This "soul food" is a great vegetable-based side dish for serving with sweet potatoes.

The dish is commonly associated with New Year's Day, and many believe it to bring good luck for the subsequent year.

Unless you or your guests are vegetarians, you can improve the flavors by adding chopped bacon.

It does wonders for the dish.

Collard greens and black-eyed peas make a good combo for sweet potatoes.

They have a mild and flavorful taste that doesn't overpower the potatoes.

Tip: Use canned black-eyed peas if you don't have enough time to soak dry peas.

Greens and legume combos can vary - turnip greens offer a similar hearty profile - turnip greens side recipes for hearty meals.

4 - Sloppy Joes

sloppy joes Save for Later!

Serving sloppy joes with your sweet potatoes will not only make your guests happy but also add a beautiful contrast to your main dish.

It is an incredibly effortless dish to make, featuring a sweet & savory sauce.

You'll only need about twenty minutes to cook it.

A sloppy joe is a type of sandwich containing ground beef, ketchup, onions, Worcestershire sauce, and various seasonings.

It originated in Cuba and became popular in the US around the 20th century.

Since there are many recipe variations for this side dish, you can pick a suitable one for your meal.

Better yet, create your own and impress everyone at the dinner table.

For a handheld, savory option with sweet potatoes, try pairing with crispy pancakes - Trader Joe's scallion pancake side pairings.

5 - Sweet Corn Fritters

sweet corn fritters Save for Later!

Enjoy your sweet corn while you can.

Summer brings a lot of refreshing food items, and corn is one of them.

Fortunately, sweet corn fritters go well with sweet potatoes.

They are the two sweet dishes that do not compete with each other but instead combine beautifully.

You can spice it up by adding red pepper flakes or cayenne.

If you want to improve the flavors, try garlic, black pepper, paprika, and parsley.

Sweet potatoes are mushy and soft.

Adding a contrasting element to the table, like corn, will make your meal multi-textured and exciting.

To play up the sweet-and-tang contrast, consider pairing corn fritters with sweet and sour chicken - sweet and sour chicken side suggestions for contrast.

6 - Corned Beef

corned beef Save for Later!

Who says you can think about making corned beef only when St.

Patrick's Day is near? You can enjoy this delicious meat any time.

Corned beef gets its name from how the meat is treated using rock salt, aka salt "corns.

" Recipes featuring this item usually include the addition of spices and sugar.

You can find precooked corned beef in the market.

But if you choose to buy it raw, slow cooking is the best method to prepare it.

It takes a few hours to get that tender, juicy, flavorful meat.

Brisk, salty meats like corned beef match sweet potatoes well - corned beef hash side ideas for hearty meals.

7 - Vegan Falafel

vegan falafel Save for Later!

Vegans certainly don't have to worry about finding something to serve with sweet potatoes, as we have the best option.

Using pumpkin and nuts, you can bake a healthy vegan falafel for your next meal.

The crispy outer layer and the tender inside loaded with flavors will keep your guests reaching out for more and more.

A classic falafel is made using broad beans and chickpeas.

But you can use other ingredients, too, as long as they taste good.

Don't forget to add a binder to your falafel mix before baking/frying to keep it from breaking apart.

Sweet potato gnocchi pairs with complementary sides. sweet potato gnocchi side pairings for richer meals highlights more options. sweet potato fries side ideas for casual plates covers casual, crowd-pleasing pairings.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best side dish for Sweet Potatoes?

Air-fryer Chicken Tenders Need to make an irresistible side dish in an hour? Pollo Asado Another chicken dish that is guilty of stealing the show is Pollo Asado.

Most home cooks pick this because it adds contrast and rounds out the meal.

What sides work well when feeding a crowd?

For large groups, go with sides that can be made in big batches and hold well at room temperature. This side dish scales up easily.

Grain-based dishes and roasted vegetables stay good on a buffet without becoming soggy.

How do you avoid overshadowing the main dish?

Keep the seasoning on the side simple. Bold sauces or heavy spices can pull attention away from the main.

Let the supporting dish enhance rather than compete.

Do sides need to match the cuisine style?

Not strictly. Mixing cuisine styles is common in home cooking.

Focus on flavor balance rather than regional matching - the plate will feel cohesive if the tastes work together.

Explore more: This post is part of our Side Dish Pairing Guide.
Andrew Gray

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Andrew Gray - GustoMeadow founder

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Food Writer & Recipe Developer

Restaurant industry veteran sharing real recipes, honest substitutes, and tips that actually work in a home kitchen.

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