Walleye is a juicy, flaky white fish perfect for so many quick dinner recipes. But what are the best side dishes to serve with walleye fillets? Keep reading for 21 delicious ideas for your next fish dinner, fish fry or perfect walleye sandwich!
Looking for more delicious and easy walleye recipes? Try the best walleye recipes on Weekday Pescatarian!
More About Walleye:
Walleye is a freshwater fish originating in the upper Midwest and northern United States (in the Lake Erie / Lake Michigan region) and in Canada. It is a mild-flavored white fish with a flaky texture, making them ideal for a wide variety of fish preparations.
Other names for walleye include walleye pike (not related to pike fish!), dory, pike, sauger and yellow pickerel.
If you can’t find walleye in your local grocery store’s freezer or seafood market, feel free to substitute cod, hake, grouper or haddock in most walleye recipes. Keep in mind that walleye is a lake fish, so it will have a slightly milder flavor than fish varieties caught in the ocean.
Enough chit-chat! Let's build a delicious meal for our walleye.
21 Perfect Side Dish Recipes for Walleye:
FRENCH FRIES
Walleye is often served at fish fries in the midwest, and fried fish is a great pairing for French fries. And if you really want to take your walleye dinner to the next level, make these flavorful baked Parmesan Truffle French Fries. But you'll probably need a double batch so everyone can have seconds!
MEDITERRANEAN BASMATI RICE WITH LEMON & DILL
When you need the perfect side dish to serve with your walleye dinner, this Lemon Dill Rice is just what you're looking for in life. Deeply flavorful and refreshing with lemon zest and fresh dill, this 20-minute rice dish will have everyone asking for your recipe.
NAPA CABBAGE SLAW
No self respecting walleye fish fry is complete without a delicious, creamy coleslaw. If you’re looking for a new slaw to serve with your seafood meal, this savory napa slaw is a perfect way to add fresh and crunchy veggies to the table. The balance of mustard and mayonnaise in this recipe, along with the addition of celery salt, adds a robust and satisfying flavor to the slaw.
MEXICAN STREET CORN CASSEROLE
This is the dish that will have the whole neighborhood going wild. Grilled Street Corn Casserole is smoky, creamy, cheesy and lime-y. Basically all the best things in life fit into one casserole dish. Save this one to your Pinterest board today!
DIN TAI FUNG CUCUMBER SALAD
This beautiful Asian Cucumber Salad is a delicious way to add even more nutrition and big flavor to your fish dinner. This simple side dish is one of the most popular items at a Michelin starred dumpling shop, and for good reason! It's the perfect pairing for a fish fry or a ginger and soy fish dinner made with walleye fish.
GARLIC BREAD BAGUETTE
Nobody said all of your side dishes need to be healthy green veggies, right? Good! Because this buttery, garlicky loaf of Baguette Garlic Bread is an unforgettably delicious side. The recipe includes lemon zest and fresh parsley and chives in the softened butter, making it a really special addition to your fish dinner. Perfect with your family dinner, date night at home, or a dinner party with friends.
ROASTED NEW POTATOES WITH WHIPPED FETA
Your dinner table guests will be thrilled to see these roasted yellow new potatoes make an appearance. Crispy on the outside, tender and fluffy inside, and piled high with roasted garlic over a bed of creamy whipped feta. Like a fancy roasted potato salad with attitude, this dish will be the talk of your party!
MEDITERRANEAN TOSSED SALAD
Any classic wedge salad or bag of spring mix will add freshness to a walleye main course. But this Tossed Salad adds a little something extra. It’s a large bowl of freshness and flavor, complete with leafy greens, fresh cherry tomatoes, cucumbers and onions, pickled veggies, garbanzos, parmesan and pumpkin seeds. It’s the every-day-of-the-week-salad at my house and perfect with a simple grilled fish preparation.
FRENCH POTATOES AU GRATIN
If creamy mac n cheese had a fancy French cousin, it would be this potato dish, which is a wonderful option to serve with your favorite walleye fish dinner! Creamy, tender potatoes swimming in a rich shallot and parmesan cream sauce make these Au Gratin Potatoes a dish that will take your party to the next level.
CREAMY PARMESAN RICE
If you love risotto but don't love standing at the stove and stirring the risotto for 20 minutes, this creamy parmesan rice with lemon and parsley is the perfect side to all of your favorite pescatarian dinners. It’s a stellar risotto without all the fuss, and it's my favorite side dish when serving Baked Walleye with Garlic Lemon Butter.
CRISPY GRIT CAKES
This grit cake recipe is a great accompaniment for your fish fry or grilled walleye dinner! Perfect with a blackened walleye fillet topped with creamy cajun sauce, these grit cakes can be made using leftover grits, too!
MARINATED GRILLED ASPARAGUS WITH EGGS AND VINAIGRETTE
Fresh asparagus spears are marinated and grilled (outdoor grill or indoor grill pan over medium-high heat!) then topped with a simple but flavorful creamy dressing, grated hard boiled eggs and fresh green onions. The charred asparagus marries beautifully with the dressing and eggs and serves as the perfect side dish for your seafood dinner.
GEMELLI PASTA SALAD WITH HERBS, WALNUTS AND FETA
Your taste buds will go crazy for this Persian-inspired pasta salad, the perfect side dish for your favorite walleye fish recipe. Full of rich feta, fresh herbs, caramelized zucchini and fresh lemon juice, this is one of the most delicious recipes I made all year. Don't forget to serve this stunner with a few extra lemon wedges!
GARLIC AND LEMON SEASONED GREEN BEANS WITH ALMONDS
Green beans are one of my favorite healthy side dish options to serve with fresh or frozen walleye. The parmesan cheese adds beautiful umami and the toasted almonds bring a rich, nutty flavor. They are buttery and herbaceous and all the best things you look for in a vegetable dish to complement the sweet taste of the walleye fish.
LYONNAISE POTATOES
The most delicious and sophisticated fried potato and onion dish, perfect with a tray of your favorite baked or grilled walleye. The mild fish flavor will complement the richly flavored potatoes and buttery herb-sauteed onions. This is a simple recipe and a great choice when feeding both children and adults.
JERUSALEM SALAD
If you love when fresh herbs act as co-stars, not just the garnish to a dish, this Jerusalem salad tossed in fresh lime juice will be a welcome addition to your menu rotation! The fresh and flavorful dish is especially delicious paired up with Middle Eastern Yellow Rice and both are great served as side dishes for your favorite walleye recipe.
MEDITERRANEAN YELLOW RICE
When flaky white fish like walleye is on the menu, this amazing fragrant yellow rice is one of the best side dishes to add to your rolodex of options. The cumin, coriander, turmeric and fresh garlic make a deeply flavorful rice recipe that is ideal with any Middle Eastern or Mediterranean fish dish.
ROASTED GREEN CAULIFLOWER
This gorgeous green cauliflower is roasted until it's golden brown and topped with olive oil, anchovies, pine nuts and a squeeze of lemon. This veggie dish is the perfect side for so many different trout recipes. Sophisticated enough for a special occasion, yet simple enough to make any night of the week. This recipe can also be made using roasted broccoli to make the perfect side for walleye.
CREAMY SOUTHERN SUCCOTASH
This classic dish from the southern United States is a great way to show off fresh corn and lima beans, but frozen varieties will do in a pinch. I love the recommendation to use butter instead of lard, a great way to keep this easy weeknight side dish pescatarian-friendly! (From The Spruce Eats!)
MEXICAN RED RICE (ARROZ ROJO)
If walleye fish tacos are on the menu, this Mexican red rice is the perfect side dish for your meal! Fluffy and super flavorful, this rice is everything you dream of from your local Mexican restaurant, but it can be made in your very own kitchen! To complete the menu, add authentic refried beans and pickled onions to your next Taco Tuesday fish party.
CHINESE EGGPLANT IN OYSTER SAUCE
If Asian-inspired fish is on the menu, Chinese eggplant in oyster sauce will be the perfect side dish for your dinner. With just a handful of pantry staples, the humble eggplant is transformed into a sweet, sticky, savory side dish that your whole family will love. This eggplant dish is ideal if you're using walleye to make Asian fish with ginger and soy - a classically delicious fish preparation.
READY TO MAKE YOUR FAVORITE SIDE DISHES FOR WALLEYE?
Mix and match from the carbs, greens, veggies and sauces on this list and build the walleye menu of your dreams!
Looking for a great dipping sauce or topper to serve with your walleye fillets? Try these flavorful condiments on all your favorite fish recipes!
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