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Haddock is a popular and versatile white fish that is a great choice for seafood lovers around the world. Its delicate, sweet flavor and firm, flaky texture make it a favorite among chefs and home cooks alike. Similar to cod, the two white fish are often used interchangeably and can be substituted for each other in most recipes. Ever wondering what to serve with haddock?
While haddock is a rockstar protein option for any meal of the day, it can be a struggle to build out a full menu of what to serve with haddock fish to make a well-rounded meal. We don’t want to overwhelm the delicate flavor of the fish, but introducing memorable flavors and textures are the key to a delicious meal.
So let’s explore some of the best side dishes and accompaniments to serve with haddock fish, as well as some tips on how to prepare this gorgeous fish to perfection.
What to Serve with Haddock Fish Fillets:
Roasted Carrots with Brown Sugar and Pistachios
Roasted vegetables are a great choice to serve with haddock fish as they add a burst of color, flavor, and nutrients to your plate. One of my favorites is this roasted carrot recipe sweetened with brown sugar and topped with toasty, crunchy pistachios.
It’s a delicious dish the whole family will love. To prepare, simply toss your fresh carrots in butter, sugar, salt and black pepper and roast until slightly charred. Toss in some orange zest and top with pistachios and parsley. Gorgeous and memorable!
Garlic Brown Rice and Quinoa
Haddock fish pairs well with a variety of grains, but this rice and quinoa dish is a great option to consider and an even healthier option with its high fiber and nutrients. This savory, starchy side provide the perfect base for the fish and helps soak up any delicious sauce or juices. It’s also an easy way to add nutrients to your meal planning when you make a big batch on Sunday and use it through the week.
Lemon Dill Rice
If a light and refreshing Mediterranean flavor combination like lemon and dill makes your heart sing and your taste buds dance, this delicious side dish is your ticket to bliss. Lemon Dill Rice is an easy recipe with gorgeous flavors and presentation – perfect for a dinner party, an easy weeknight meal or even meal prep Sunday. Your mild white fish recipe will look and taste exceptional next to this simple side dish.
Mediterranean Salad
A fresh and light salad is another excellent choice to serve with haddock fish. A simple green salad with a quick homemade vinaigrette dressing is always a good option, but you can also experiment with adding herbs and spices to the salad that compliment the flavors in your easy fish recipe.
Grilled Asparagus
Grilled asparagus is a simple and elegant side dish that pairs well with haddock. To grill asparagus, marinate the spears in a simple vinaigrette, brush the spears with olive oil, sprinkle some salt and pepper, and grill them over medium-high heat until they are tender-crisp and charred. Top with the rest of the vinaigrette and a warm egg. Grilled asparagus is a delicious and healthy side dish that adds a smoky flavor to your haddock meal.
Lemon Garlic Green Beans
Green beans are a classic side dish that pairs well with many seafood dishes, including haddock. To elevate your green beans, add complimentary flavors like freshly squeezed lemon juice, minced garlic, crunchy almonds and salty parmesan cheese. Toss in the cooked green beans and stir until they are coated with the lemon butter sauce. This simple but flavorful side dish will add brightness and tanginess to your haddock meal and have everyone asking for your recipe.
Savory Coleslaw
Coleslaw is a refreshing and crunchy side dish that pairs well with the mild flavor of haddock. You can make your coleslaw from scratch or buy a pre-made one from the grocery store. To make this savory napa slaw, shred some cabbage, carrots, and a few crunchy radishes, peppers and fresh tomatoes. Toss them in a mustard-heavy creamy dressing made with a touch of mayonnaise, fresh lemon juice, and celery salt. This fresh and crunchy slaw will add texture and flavor to your haddock dish, and it’s also a great way to sneak in some vegetables into your meal.
Roasted Baby Potatoes with Whipped Feta
These easy roasted potatoes are a comforting and indulgent side dish that goes well with haddock. These roasted yellow new potatoes are crispy on the outside, tender and pillowy inside, then piled high with roasted garlic over a schmear of creamy whipped feta. The perfect, simple side dish for your holiday table, Sunday supper, or a mid-week family affair. The roasted garlic and feta add a subtle kick to the crispy potatoes, making them a perfect pairing for the mild flavor of haddock.
Din Tai Fung Cucumber Salad
A chilled, fresh salad is a great side dish to serve with a savory haddock dish. This sweet, spicy, savory cucumber recipe is viral for a reason! Based on the wildly popular cucumbers at Michelin starred Din Tai Fung, this recipe takes just a handful of ingredients and some time in the fridge marinating, but your patience will be rewarded with craveable cucumbers that belong in the delicious sides hall of fame!
Baked Potato
You can’t go wrong serving a hot and crispy baked potato with butter and sour cream as a side dish for your haddock dinner. If you’re looking to take your potato game up a notch, consider these Shrimp Stuffed Baked Potatoes, a rich and creamy carbohydrate that will keep you coming back for more. A baked sweet potato is a nutritious and flavorful side dish that complements the mildness of haddock. To make baked sweet potato, wash and dry a sweet potato, prick it with a fork, and bake it in the oven at 400°F for about 45 minutes, or until it’s tender. Slice the sweet potato in half, and top it with some butter, cinnamon, and a drizzle of honey.
Crispy French Fries
Oven fried haddock is the perfect pairing for French fries – one of the most popular side dishes for any seafood. And if you really want to take your fish and chips meal over the top, go for Parmesan Truffle French Fries. A sprinkle of grated parmesan and truffle salt bring sophisticated flavor to one of the most delicious sides for your fish dinner. The recipe includes details on the best soaking and baking methods to achieve the perfect crispy baked (not fried!) French fry.
Braised Lentils
If warm and cozy meals are on your mind, pair your haddock with these braised lentils with veggies. It’s the perfect weeknight side dish or dinner party stunner. Don’t forget to serve your haddock and braised lentils with a loaf of crusty bread to soak up all that savory, herby stock in the bottom of your bowl.
Recipe courtesy of Frances Kellar at Cooking with our CSA.
Perfect Pasta Salad
This Persian-inspired Gemelli Pasta Salad Recipe is fresh and delicious, with texture and umami to spare. It’s studded with feta, walnuts and loads of fresh herbs and the lemon dressing makes this the loveliest side dish for your grilled haddock recipe. Perfect anytime of year, this is the pasta salad that will have everyone coming back for seconds.
Caesar Salad
A traditional Caesar salad is one of my favorite side dishes for fish. But when I’m in the mood to really step up my flavor game, I whip up a bowl of Mexican Caesar Salad with Homemade Croutons. It’s a beautiful mix of fresh greens, cotija cheese, smoky chipotles, crunchy pumpkin seeds and crispy seasoned croutons. It’s good enough to be its own meal, but when you serve it alongside a grilled haddock fillet and you’ll be feeling delighted and satisfied by your healthy-ish and super flavorful dinner.
Roasted Green Cauliflower
This gorgeous green cauliflower recipe is roasted and topped with olive oil, anchovies, pine nuts and a squeeze of lemon. It brings memorable flavor and texture to any haddock recipe. The best part of this dish is that it’s sophisticated enough to sit next to your special occasion main dishes, but quick enough to dress up a simple grilled haddock on a Tuesday night.
Side of Bread
A slice of warm, crusty bread is the perfect addition to any seafood meal, and haddock fish is no exception. You can serve bread on its own or with a flavored butter or dipping sauce. My all-time favorite bread side for almost any meal is Garlic Bread Baguette. The fresh parsley, chives and lemon zest are the perfect combination to bring freshness to the savory garlic butter. Make it! I know you’ll love it. A classic Fish Fry Friday would be lovely with cornbread or hushpuppies, too!
Sauces
Sauces are a great way to add extra flavor and moisture to your haddock fish. Here are my favorite sauces to prepare when I’m making haddock or a similar white fish dish.
Tartar Sauce
It’s the classic for a reason! This quick homemade version is easy to prepare and full of pickly and fresh dill flavors. Perfect with your main dish of fish and a great dipping sauce for any french fries you find, as well. While fried fish may be the logical accompaniment with tartar sauce, I serve it often with grilled fish, white fish cakes and even baked haddock. It’s the best recipe for a quick and easy sauce solution!
Fish Taco Sauce
If Baja-style fish tacos are on your haddock menu, whip up a batch of this smoky, creamy fish taco sauce for the perfect topping. The sour cream, spicy chipotle, mayo, fresh garlic and fresh lime juice come together to form the perfect creamy sauce to top your haddock tacos or burritos or as a dip for your tortilla chips while you wait for the haddock to finish cooking.
Fresh Ginger Scallion Sauce
If your haddock is taking an Asian turn, such as this Easy Fish with Ginger & Soy, whip up a batch of this fresh ginger scallion sauce to serve alongside the savory fish. This 4-ingredient sauce superstar brings a fresh and unique flavor to the party and is equally delicious over almost any type of fish, simple steamed rice and even toast!
Spicy Aioli Sauce
An easy and customizable aioli sauce is the perfect recipe to pair with haddock, whether baked, fried or grilled. This recipe gives you options for flavoring the aioli to create the ideal flavor combination and compliment your main dish. This sauce does double duty as a dip for fries, chips and grilled vegetables, as well!
Mardi Gras Mustard
If you like honey mustard and horseradish sauce, you’re about to be in sauce heaven. This copycat mustard sauce from our favorite take out chicken joint is the loveliest dipping and drizzling sauce for crispy baked or fried haddock. Sweet and savory with a hint of spice, you just can’t quit dipping into this magic sauce. Make a double batch!
Looking for your new favorite haddock recipe? Try these easy and delicious white fish recipes next!
Perfectly Seasoned Grilled Haddock
Baked Fish with Lemon Butter Sauce
Tips for Preparing Haddock Fish
Haddock is a popular whitefish that is known for its mild flavor and flaky texture. It’s versatile and can be prepared in a variety of ways, from simple pan-frying to more complex dishes.
Now that you know what to serve with haddock fish, let’s take a look at some tips for preparing it to perfection.
Choose Fresh Fish or High Quality Frozen
The key to a delicious haddock dish is using high-quality fish. If you have easy access to fresh haddock, that’s a great option. But if you don’t, no need to despair! Frozen haddock is popular and often just as fresh (or more) than seafood counter haddock because it is cleaned and frozen shortly after it’s caught. To thaw your fish, let it sit in the refrigerator overnight so it comes up to temperature slowly and gently, releasing as much water as possible. If you forgot to thaw overnight, submerge your frozen fish (still in packaging) in a bowl of cold water for 30-45 minutes to thaw. Never thaw fish in warm or hot water, as that temperature fluctuation can create food safety issues.
Season Generously
Haddock has a mild flavor that benefits from plenty of seasoning. Whether you’re baking, broiling, sauteing, grilling or frying, before cooking your haddock, sprinkle it with salt, pepper, and any other seasonings you like, such as garlic, paprika, or lemon zest.
Cook with Care
Haddock is a delicate fish that can easily become overcooked or dry out. To avoid this, cook your fish gently and avoid repeatedly flipping the fish, as this will cause the delicate fillets to disintegrate. But if that happens just add a few fresh herbs, serve it over rice and call it a stir-fry!