14 Side Dishes That Go Well with Great Northern Beans

If you’ve never tried great northern beans, you’re missing out.

Great northern beans are a staple in the south, but they’re also popular across the country.

They have a somewhat mild flavor, which makes them perfect for pairing with other flavors—they won’t be too overpowering!

Below, I’ll cover 14 easy side dishes that go great with great northern beans!

What Side Dish Goes with Great Northern Beans?

The most common side dish that goes with great northern beans is cornbread. Great northern beans are hearty and filling, but they also have a somewhat sweet, nutty flavor that makes them very compatible with cornbread. Cornbread is easy to make, so it’s a great choice for people who don’t want to spend a lot of time making dinner.

If you’re looking for some easy side dishes to go with your next batch of great northern beans, check out these 14 ideas:

1. Sautéed Zucchini and Squash

The zucchini and squash will give your meal a little more spice than the beans alone, but not too much.

They’re also a great way to add more vegetables to your meal without making it feel like a chore.

2. Cauliflower Rice

Cauliflower rice is a great alternative to regular rice if you’re looking to cut carbs from your diet or just want something different than plain white rice.

1. To make cauliflower rice, simply grate a head of cauliflower until it forms small pieces similar to rice grains in texture.
2. Then, sauté the cauliflower in olive oil until it becomes soft and tender.

You can serve this with just about anything!

3. Broccoli Salad

Broccoli salad is one of my favorite ways to eat broccoli!

If you haven’t tried it yet, you need to!

Mix together 3 cups chopped broccoli florets with 1 cup diced red bell pepper; add 1 cup shredded carrots; toss with 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 tablespoon honey mustard dressing, 2 teaspoons poppy seeds; season with salt and pepper to taste; serve alongside the beans.

4. Grilled Corn on The Cob

Great northern beans (see also these canned great northern beans recipes) are a great side for grilled corn on the cob!

This is one of my favorite summertime meals, and it’s really easy to make.

1. I just take a few ears of corn and throw them in the oven for about 20 minutes or so, turning them every 5 minutes or so, until they’re nice and charred.
2. Then I take them out of the oven and let them cool off before slicing the kernels off the cob.

You can serve this with some butter and salt if you want to keep things simple, but if you have some fresh herbs and spices around, try adding them on top!

5. Quinoa with Roasted Vegetables

Quinoa is an excellent side dish because it’s packed with protein and fiber, making it filling and nutritious.

The addition of roasted vegetables makes this dish hearty enough for even the most discerning meat-eaters (who might not normally be into quinoa).

6. Mashed Potatoes with Gravy

If there’s one thing everyone loves at dinner, it’s mashed potatoes!

You can make them ahead of time so they’re ready when guests arrive—just reheat them in the oven after they’ve been refrigerated overnight (or two days).

7. Green Beans Roasted in Olive Oil and Garlic

This recipe is super simple and always a crowd-pleaser.

Just toss your green beans (see also these del monte canned green beans recipes) with olive oil, minced garlic (you can use jarred if you don’t want to mince it yourself), salt and pepper, and roast them until they’re tender but not mushy.

8. Rice Pilaf

If you want to serve rice with your great northern beans, make sure you cook it right.

Rice pilaf is made by cooking rice in chicken stock or water and stirring in butter at the end for richness.

You can also add saffron for a bright yellow color or turmeric for an earthy flavor.

9. Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Carrots

Try roasting your sweet potatoes in olive oil until they are tender all the way through, then toss them with butter and cinnamon before serving them with the great northern beans.

For carrots, try cutting them into thin sticks and roasting them alongside your sweet potatoes until they’re tender but still crisp (about 15 minutes).

10. Cucumber Salad

This is a very simple side dish that is easy to make and tastes great with Great Northern Beans.

1. First, you will want to wash your cucumbers and slice them up into little rounds or squares.
2. Next, mix together some vinegar (I like white wine vinegar), lemon juice and sugar in a small bowl until it makes a nice dressing.
3. Pour this over the cucumbers and let it sit for about an hour before serving.

11. Coleslaw

Coleslaw is another excellent choice for a side dish with great northern beans! It goes great with any kind of barbecue or pork dish—and it’s super easy to make!

Just chop up some cabbage, carrots, onions and green peppers and mix them together with some mayonnaise and vinegar for a delicious coleslaw!

You can add some seasoning if you wish but this is so good as it is!

12. Green Bean Casserole

This one is pretty easy, too—just boil some green beans until they’re tender but still have some crunch left in them, then combine them with cream of mushroom soup (or cream of chicken soup), milk or evaporated milk (or half-and-half), onion powder or chopped onion if you’d like extra flavor, garlic powder or chopped garlic if you’d like extra flavor… whatever you want!

Then mix it all together in a baking dish and bake it at 350 degrees Fahrenheit until the sauce has thickened up enough that it covers all of your green beans evenly—about 30 minutes should do it!

13. Creamy Cauliflower Soup

If you’re looking for a side dish that’s light and fresh, but still hearty enough to stand up to the great northern beans, try this creamy cauliflower soup.

It’s made with cauliflower, broccoli, and carrots, so it’s full of vitamins and minerals and will leave you feeling full without weighing you down.

Plus, it’s easy to make!

Just toss all the ingredients in your blender or food processor and blend until smooth.

Serve hot or cold!

14. Grilled Asparagus

Great northern beans are a great source of protein, so they pair well with grilled asparagus—a superfood itself!

This side dish is easy to make: simply heat up your grill until smoking hot (or preheat your oven), then brush each stalk of asparagus with olive oil and season it with salt.

Grill or bake until lightly charred on each side.