Orange roughy is such a versatile fish!
On top of being easy to cook, it pairs well with so many different foods.
However, it can be difficult to figure out what kind of side dishes you should serve with it!
To solve that problem, we have done the work for you!
So, what should you serve with orange roughy? A great side dish for orange roughy is steamed broccoli. The sweetness of the orange roughy goes perfectly with the slightly sweet flavor of the broccoli. You can also add some lemon juice to the broccoli to create a citrus taste.
Here are 17 easy sides that go great with orange roughy!
Why Consider Serving a Side Dish for Orange Roughy?
Orange roughy is a popular dish among fish lovers.
Since it’s a protein-rich dish, it can be served as a main dish or side dish.
However, it can be tough to find a side dish for orange roughy that everyone will enjoy.
Luckily, there are several excellent side dishes for orange roughy that are sure to make your meal extra fun and interesting.
While this isn’t an exhaustive list, it should help you make the perfect choice for your orange roughy side dish.
Side dishes are important for this dish.
They can make the meal more enjoyable and help make it taste good.
If you are looking to spice up your orange roughy, consider serving it alongside side dishes like potatoes and salads.
This will allow you to create a colorful and interesting meal.
The salad or potato can be used to cut the richness of the orange roughy, and the fish itself has a mild flavor.
It will add the perfect touch of sweetness to the meal.
17 Easy Side Dishes To Serve with Orange Roughy
Keep in mind: Any of these delicious sides can be paired with your orange roughy as a delicious side dish.
1. Sautéed Green Beans with Bacon
I’m a big fan of orange roughy. It’s one of those fish that’s so flavourful, but it’s also a little more on the healthy side than the usual choice, which tends to be cod. For a more traditional option, you could serve up sautéed green beans with bacon.
They’re easy to make and delicious, so they’re a great choice for what to serve with orange roughy. If you don’t have any canned green beans, you can always pick up a bag from your local supermarket.
2. Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Parmesan Cheese
Brussels sprouts are a favourite of mine, and they make a really tasty side to serve with orange roughy! I like to roast them in the oven to ensure they get nice and crispy. Just add some olive oil to a roasting dish, and place your brussels sprouts on top.
Pop it in the oven at 350 degrees Farenheit for 15 minutes. If you’d like, you can sprinkle some freshly grated Parmesan cheese on top before you serve them.
3. Grilled Asparagus Spears
If you’re looking for something super healthy to serve alongside orange roughy, it’s hard to beat grilled asparagus spears.
These can be grilled for the perfect length of time if you want them really tender, or you can choose to serve them more simply, and just toss the whole bunch of spears in a hot oven for a few minutes. A sprinkling of Parmesan cheese is a great option to add extra flavour and texture.
4. Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Garlic mashed potatoes are a great option when you’re in a hurry, as you can throw them together in about 5 minutes! Just peel and chop up some fresh garlic cloves, add them to a large bowl, and mash them up with a fork.
Click here to find the perfect sauce for mashed potatoes.
Then add in a knob of butter, a splash of milk, salt, and freshly ground black pepper, and mix it all together. I like to serve mine with a sprinkling of freshly chopped chives.
5. Creamy Polenta with Marinara Sauce
A creamy polenta side dish is a great accompaniment to an orange roughy dinner. It’s made by pouring boiling water over polenta in a large pan, stirring constantly for about a minute. Next, add grated parmesan cheese and stir in some mascarpone (also check out this list of the best mascarpone pasta recipes), or fresh cream if you prefer.
Leave to cook for a further five to ten minutes, until the consistency of the polenta is completely absorbed by the cheese. When it’s ready, top with some marinara sauce, and you have yourself a winner!
6. Quinoa Pilaf with Dried Cranberries and Pecans
For an alternative option, you can prepare a pilaf with quinoa instead of polenta. It’s equally delicious, and a great way to get in some fibre as well. It’s best to soak the quinoa in cold water overnight, so just throw it into a large bowl and cover with more water.
Leave to soak for 8 hours, then drain and rinse before cooking. To cook the quinoa, bring plenty of water to a boil, then add in the rinsed quinoa and a pinch of salt. Reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for 15-20 minutes or until all the liquid has been absorbed.
Just be aware that this takes a bit longer than normal rice, so give yourself a bit of extra time if you’re planning on eating your pilaf at a later date.
7. Baked sweet potato fries
If you’re looking for an easy option, baked sweet potato fries are the way to go! Just cut up a sweet potato into chip-sized pieces, add a little salt and pepper, and bake in the oven for around 30 minutes at 180C.
They’re a really convenient option as you can eat them hot or cold, and they also reheat really well if you need to take some along to work or school.
8. Carrots with Mint Butter
Another side dish that’s super simple to prepare is carrots with mint butter! Just grab a tub of butter from the fridge and mix in some fresh mint leaves. Add a dash of seasoning and you have a quick and easy accompaniment to your main meal.
You can add a little garlic if you like, or experiment with other herbs such as chives or parsley.
9. Mashed Cauliflower
Mashed cauliflower is a delicious, versatile side dish that’s good for so many different things. It makes a great accompaniment to fish, chicken, beef, pork, and veggie meals, and it goes really well with a range of sauces, from mild to spicy. The key to success with this one is to try and give it a light and fluffy texture, so the flavour of the fish or meat is really prominent. To achieve this, you can use a food processor to blitz your cauliflower, or you can simply grate it instead using the holes on the side of a cheese grater.
10. Fried Rice with Egg, Peppers, and Onions
Fried rice is another super versatile side dish that can work well with lots of different foods. It’s so simple to prepare that even kids will be able to help you make it. Simply chop up some veggies, such as peppers and onions, add a couple of eggs, cook them together, and you’re done! If you want to make this more substantial, you can also add mushrooms, cooked chicken, bacon bits, and even seafood like prawns or crab.
11. Cheesy Twice-Baked Potatoes
Once you get into the habit of making cheesy twice-baked potatoes at home, you’ll wonder how you ever got by before! They’re so simple to prepare, and the best bit is that they’re ready in minutes. The original recipe is fairly basic, but you can really add your own touches here if you fancy it. Use some fresh herbs, or go for a more traditional flavour combination like parmesan and rosemary. You could even make a few batches at once and freeze them for later. They’re also great for meal prep, and it’s super easy to grab a snack when you’re on the go.
12. Garlic Roasted Broccoli
A roasted version of broccoli works really well with orange roughy and will definitely turn the dish into a real crowd pleaser. Roasting is the perfect way to caramelise vegetables, creating a delicious flavour and texture. The best part about this is that you can prepare it in advance and pop it in the oven straight from the fridge, making it easier to make if you’re heading out. It’s not as messy as stir-frying your veggies, though, so I think it’s better suited to dishes like lasagne and chicken tikka masala.
13. Scalloped Potatoes with Sour Cream, Chives, and Cheese
If you’re looking for a side dish to go alongside orange roughy, scalloped potatoes are a great choice. They’re a classic side dish that you can make in minutes, and it only takes a couple of fresh ingredients like chives, cheese, and sour cream to make them delicious. If you want to add some extra flavour, you can add in a small amount of finely chopped chilli for an extra kick.
14. Pasta e Fagioli
The best thing about pasta e fagioli is how easy it is to prepare. You just boil the pasta and a can of diced tomatoes in a saucepan, before topping with a generous serving of grated cheese.
It’s a simple recipe, but it’s also one of the most satisfying meals you can make. Serve with crusty bread or focaccia if you want to make the dish feel special.
15. Baked Tortilla Chips with Salsa, Black Beans, and Cheese
If you’re looking for a quick, healthy, and tasty option to serve alongside your orange roughy, baked tortilla chips are the perfect choice. They’re easy to prepare, fun to eat, and really versatile too. You can dip them in lots of different things if you like, including but not limited to; salsa, guacamole, hummus, and even spicy tomato sauce! They also work really well as finger food and can be easily passed around at a dinner party. Just be sure to keep a supply handy so that everyone is able to help themselves to more than their fair share!
16. Green Salad With Ranch Dressing
A side serving of fresh vegetables on a bed of salad leaves is a great accompaniment to any fish dish, especially if you’re making a seafood platter. This one is a little bit healthier and more balanced than your average lettuce salad, though it’s still packed with lots of essential vitamins and minerals. For me, the best combination of flavours here is bacon and walnuts. Just slice up some bacon into batons, toss with chopped walnuts, and season with some salt and pepper. I love a dash of freshly squeezed lemon juice too for a really sharp taste.
17. Chips and Salsa
When it comes to chips, I usually lean towards the healthier options, so my favourite is to serve them up with a bowl of salsa on the side. You can have your own homemade or shop-bought, as long as you don’t add any added sugar and you ensure that you’re using organic ingredients. If you’re using pre-made salsa, try to find one that’s made from fresh tomatoes and not high in sugar.
FAQ
What is unique about the orange roughy?
Orange roughy is unique because it is so versatile. The fish can be prepared in a variety of different ways, for example it tastes great whether you fry, broil, microwave, or bake it. The texture of the fish is also more desirable than many other kinds of white-fleshed fish on the market, making it an excellent choice for any dish.
Does orange roughy taste good?
Yes, it does! The fish is known to have a mild flavor, which is why it pairs well with a wide variety of side dishes. You can serve it as an appetizer or main course.
If you overcook it though, the dish can become too dry and chewy, which doesn’t exactly taste great.
What are some tips for eating orange roughy?
Although the fish is already quite easy to prepare, there are a few tips to keep in mind. The first is that you should always use fresh orange roughy; only buy it if the fish was recently caught and sold at a store that’s close to where it came from.
This reduces the risk of time passing between catching and selling. If you want to be absolutely sure the fish has been caught and sold at a reasonable time, you should buy it from the fish counter at your local supermarket.
Another tip is to buy your fish whole if possible; this will make it easier to check the freshness of the fish before you buy it. If you do want to cook your orange roughy whole, then you need to know that it takes around 4 minutes of cooking time per half inch of thickness.
Conclusion
If you’re looking for a side dish that’s great with orange roughy, try these recipes.
Of course, these are just a few of the options.
You can always serve more than one of these dishes or combine them.
The only thing you need to remember is that they all pair well with orange roughy, so choose the ones that are most appealing to you.
17 Orange Roughy Side Dishes
Ingredients
- Sautéed Green Beans with Bacon
- Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Parmesan Cheese
- Grilled Asparagus Spears
- Garlic Mashed Potatoes
- Creamy Polenta with Marinara Sauce
- Quinoa Pilaf with Dried Cranberries and Pecans
- Baked sweet potato fries
- Carrots with Mint Butter
- Mashed Cauliflower
- Fried Rice with Egg, Peppers, and Onions
- Cheesy Twice-Baked Potatoes
- Garlic Roasted Broccoli
- Scalloped Potatoes with Sour Cream, Chives, and Cheese
- Pasta e Fagioli
- Baked Tortilla Chips with Salsa, Black Beans, and Cheese
- Green Salad With Ranch Dressing
- Chips and Salsa
Instructions
- Pick any of these tasty sides to pair with your fish dinner!
- Prepare the ingredients according to the recipe.
- Enjoy your meal in no time!
Hi, I'm Benjamin. I love cooking, long walks, and my girlfriend! Here you’ll find simple and delicious recipes that you can make in 30 minutes or less.