What sides pair best with Italian beef sandwiches? Pair Italian beef sandwiches with potatoes dishes, either fried, baked, or a cold Italian potato salad. Alternatively, opt for a healthy portion of veggies, like roasted root veggies, zucchini, or green beans. Lastly, a fresh salad, polenta, or parmesan knots make an excellent side for these sandwiches.
Italian beef sandwiches are chock-full of yummy ingredients – a feast in itself! But let’s be honest, none of us can resist a juicy or hearty side with a beef sandwich.
So, stick around for the 9 best sides for Italian beef sandwiches.
French Fries
Have you noticed how sandwiches are rarely served without fries in a restaurant? Well, copy the idea and make crispy, fluffy French fries as a side for Italian beef sandwiches.
First, peel and rinse potatoes or sweet potatoes and cut them into 2-inch-thick sticks, and allow them to soak in cold water for two hours.
When you’re ready to fry the potato sticks, blot them dry with a paper towel and cook them in small batches for 4 minutes at 300°F in a pot with oil. Note that the potatoes should not be browned just yet.
Lastly, turn up the heat to 400°F and fry the potato sticks in batches until golden and crisp. Sprinkle the fries with salt and rosemary, and dive in!
Roasted Potatoes With Sage & Prosciutto
Roasted potatoes are a filling and hearty pairing for Italian beef sandwiches. Ensure you make a double batch; your guests won’t be able to resist seconds with our sage and prosciutto toppings.
Simply roast the potatoes (we like red potatoes) in a cast-iron skillet at 450°F, adding chopped prosciutto and sage halfway through. Then, top them with a dollop of butter and serve warm.
Italian Potato Salad
Italian potato salad is a delicious go-to side that you can prepare in advance to accompany mouth-watering Italian beef sandwiches at dinnertime.
The best tip we can share when preparing the potato salad is to let it marinate. An hour or more is sufficient to allow the potatoes to absorb the zesty Italian vinaigrette flavors.
Slice the baby potatoes (our favorite is to use baby yukon golds) into “fat” quarters. Next, boil them until you can easily pierce them with a sharp knife. Then, drain the baby potatoes and toss them in an Italian-inspired vinaigrette.
Our vinaigrette recipe includes minced garlic, red wine vinegar, olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, and fresh herbs like basil, thyme, and oregano.
Chili & Lime Roasted Root Veggies
Roasted vegetables go with almost any main. However, adding a chili and lime twist takes your roasted root veggies to a new level with the balance of heat and citrus.
We like a mixture of fingerling potatoes, butternut, sweet potatoes, parsnips, carrots, and red onions cut into 1-inch chunks.
Toss your veggies in a marinade of fresh lime juice, olive oil, chili powder, cumin, kosher salt, and pepper. Now, arrange your veggie mix in a single layer on the sheet pan and roast them for 40-45 minutes at 425°F until browned and tender.
Lastly, add a sprinkling of lime juice and cilantro before serving.
Baked Parmesan Zucchini Sticks
Zucchini and Parmesan are regulars in Italian kitchens. So, why not pair them together to compliment Italian beef sandwiches? Perfectly baked crispy and tender parmesan zucchini sticks are a healthy and addictive side.
Pairing the zucchini sticks with Italian beef sandwiches it’s a true match made in heaven.
First, cut the zucchini into quarters lengthwise. Then, sprinkle them with olive oil, parmesan cheese, garlic powder, oregano, and thyme. Next, pop them into the oven at 350°F until nice and crisp.
Tip: allow them to broil the last three minutes for a golden-brown crust.
Green Beans
Serve green beans with your Italian beef sandwich to add crunch and a touch of freshness.
You can choose your favorite type of green beans (French, snow, or snap) for this dish; they all work perfectly.
Blanch the beans in well-salted water for roughly two minutes or until bright green, tender, and crisp. Then, shock them in ice water to stop them from cooking.
Now, sauté the green beans in oil, butter, and garlic over medium heat for roughly 5 minutes. Lastly, season the beans with red pepper flakes, lemon zest, salt, and pepper.
Caprese Salad
Caprese salad is a classic Italian salad that takes like sunshine! This simplistic side adds a fresh, popping flavor to your Italian beef sandwiches.
You’ll need 3 sliced tomatoes, thickly sliced mozzarella, large fresh basil leaves, and balsamic vinegar to tie the dish together.
You can drizzle fresh balsamic onto your salad, but we prefer reducing it in a pan over low heat to achieve a thick glaze.
Arrange the salad on a platter, alternating between the tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil leaves. Then, drizzle the gorgeous balsamic reduction and olive oil over the top. Finally, sprinkle a kosher salt and pepper pinch over the salad.
Creamy Polenta
Creamy polenta is an Italian cuisine staple. It might sound like a strange side for Italian beef sandwiches, but believe us, it works!
Creamy polenta is made by cooking yellow cornmeal in a seasoned broth, finishing it off with butter and parmesan cheese.
Start by caramelizing chopped yellow onions and minced garlic cloves in olive oil in a pot. Next, add the chicken stock and cornmeal, and allow the polenta to simmer for about 15 minutes.
Once the polenta is smooth and fully cooked, stir in butter, Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper.
Easy Parmesan Knots
Parmesan knots are the perfect side dish to round out the bold Italian beef sandwich flavors.
Parmesan knots are flaky and buttery, with fluffy centers that melt in your mouth.
Take biscuit dough halves and roll them to 5 inches long. Then tie them in a knot, slather on a mixture of melted butter, garlic powder, oregano, and Parmesan, and pop them into the oven at 400°F for 10 minutes.
Best Wine Pairings For Italian Beef Sandwiches
Matching your Italian beef sandwiches with the best wines poses unique considerations depending on the maker and level of spiciness.
Go the traditional route with an Italian Italian Sangiovese or Chianti wine. These two wines will highlight the meatiness and top up the flavorings in the Italian beef sandwich.
Alternatively, spice things up with a Nero d’avola, zinfandel, or shiraz. These three wine pairings highlight the peppery profile with spicy and fruity flavors.
Best Sauces For Italian Beef Sandwiches
The best sauce to pair with Italian beef sandwiches is horseradish sauce or Worcestershire mayonnaise.
You can purchase ready-made horseradish sauce or make a homemade spruced-up version by adding sour cream, Dijon mustard, mayonnaise, and chopped chives.
Our second option is Worcestershire mayo sauce consisting of Worcestershire, mayonnaise, and whole-grain mustard. This minute-made sauce delivers a tangy and slightly tangy sauce ideal for peppery Italian beef sandwiches.