What to Serve with Chili Besides Cornbread

If you’re looking for side dishes to serve with chili besides cornbread, you’ve come to the right place!

Here are 18 amazing options that will pair perfectly with your bowl of spicy goodness!

See Also: How To Make Chili Without Tomato Sauce

What to Serve with Chili Besides Cornbread

Chili is a pretty versatile dish. It can be served with tortillas, sour cream, cheese, and even cornbread.

But there are so many other delicious things you can serve with chili!

Here are a few suggestions for what to serve with chili besides cornbread:

1. Nachos

Nachos are always a hit when paired with chili! Make your own using our recipe below, or pick up your favorite bag of chips at the store.

This dish is easy and delicious—perfect for those who don’t have a lot of time to prepare their meal.

Read Also: What To Eat With Cornbread

2. Breadsticks

Instead of cornbread, try some breadsticks on the side!

They’re soft and buttery, which makes them the perfect complement to chili.

You can also use this recipe as an opportunity to experiment with different flavors like garlic or cheese.

If you’re feeling adventurous, try sprinkling Parmesan cheese on top for an extra kick!

Serve warm with marinara sauce and enjoy!

3. Jicama Slaw

If you love slaw but want something a bit more interesting than just cabbage and mayo, try this jicama version.

It’s refreshing and crisp—just what you need when it comes time to cool off from all that chili heat!

4. Salad

 A salad is a great side dish to serve with chili. It’s really easy to make and it’s also healthy!

Here’s what you need:

• lettuce
• tomatoes
• cucumbers
• olives
• onions (optional)
• a dressing of your choice

And here’s how to make it:

1. Get a bowl and fill it with lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, and onions if you want them.
2. Pour your dressing over the salad ingredients (if you want).

That’s all there is to it!

5. Macaroni & Cheese

Macaroni and cheese is a great side dish to serve with chili!

You can serve it with any kind of chili, but it works especially well with bean-based ones because the noodles help thicken up the broth.

This recipe calls for just a few ingredients—cheese (we recommend cheddar), milk, butter, and elbow macaroni—and you can make it in under an hour.

If you’re serving this side dish with chili, first make sure that the macaroni is cooked thoroughly before adding it to your pot of chili.

Otherwise, it will take too long to heat through and could end up getting mushy.

Then just add some grated cheese on top before serving!

6. Coleslaw

Coleslaw is an easy choice that will add great flavor to any meal.

All you need are these simple ingredients:

• shredded cabbage
• carrots
• onions

The best part is that you can use whatever type of cabbage you have on hand—but we recommend using red cabbage for its extra crunchy texture which pairs well with the soft texture of the carrots and onions.

You can even add in some shredded apples for extra sweetness!

Directions:

1. To make this coleslaw, simply shred your cabbage, carrots, and onions (or apples!) in a food processor or with a knife.
2. Then mix everything together in a large bowl with your favorite dressing!
3. Serve this delicious coleslaw alongside your chili for an easy side dish that everyone will love!

7. Chips and Salsa

Chips and salsa is always a great choice!

It’s super easy to make too.

All you need is:

• tortilla chips
• salsa
• some cheese (you can use cheddar or jack cheese)

Directions:

1. First, preheat your oven to 350°F.
2. Then spread out the tortillas on a baking sheet.
3. Bake them for about 10 minutes until they’re nice and crispy.
4. Next, take the chips out of the oven and sprinkle on some cheddar cheese over top of them.
5. Place them back in the oven for another 5 minutes or so until it melts.
6. Then all that’s left is to add some salsa on top!
7. Serve as an appetizer at your next chili party or just snack on them throughout your day!

8. Sweet Potato Fries

You know what’s a good side dish to serve with chili besides cornbread?

Sweet potato fries!

They’re so easy to make, and they give you that nice sweet/savory taste that complements chili perfectly.

Here’s how you make them:

Ingredients:

• 2 medium sweet potatoes (cut into fry shapes)
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1 tablespoon of salt
• 1 teaspoon of garlic powder

Directions:

1. Heat your oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Toss the cut sweet potatoes with olive oil and the seasonings.
3. Spread the sweet potatoes out on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes until golden brown.
4. Serve hot with your delicious bowl of chili.

9. Biscuits

These biscuits are the perfect accompaniment to any chili dish.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp cold butter (cut into pieces)
• 3/4 cup buttermilk (or substitute regular milk if necessary)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Line a baking sheet or cookie sheet with parchment paper, and set aside.
3. In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt until evenly distributed.
4. Cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
5. Stir in the buttermilk until just moistened and combined.
6. Knead dough for about 1 minute on a lightly floured surface.
7. Roll or pat out dough to just under 1 inch thick, and cut into biscuits using a 2-inch round cutter.
8. Place biscuits on prepared baking sheet, leaving about an inch of space between them; bake until golden brown, 10–12 minutes.
9. Serve warm with butter on the side as well as honey!

10. Hash browns

When you’re looking for something to serve with chili besides cornbread, hash browns are the way to go!

They’re simple to make, so even if you’re not an expert chef, you can still make them at home.

And they’re versatile enough that you can serve them with almost any kind of chili—beef, chicken, or even vegetarian!

Here’s how to make them:

1. Get your potatoes ready by washing them and then cutting them into thin slices.
2. Put the slices into a bowl filled with water; let them sit while you get everything else ready.
3. In a pan over medium heat, add some oil or butter and turn on your burner; wait until the pan is hot before adding your potatoes!
4. Cook the potatoes until they’re golden brown on both sides; this should take about 10 minutes total (but will depend on how thick your slices are).
5. Serve with chili and enjoy!

11. Fried pickles or fried green tomatoes

While they might sound like strange additions to chili, they both compliment each other well and make for an interesting combination.

Instructions:

1. To make fried pickles or fried green tomatoes (See Also: what do you dip fried green tomatoes in?), first cut your veggies into slices about 1/4 inch thick.
2. Then dip them in egg wash (1 egg + 1 tbsp water) and then in breadcrumbs before frying them in hot oil for about 2 minutes per side.
3. Serve these delicious treats with chili by adding them on top of your bowl or next to it on a plate.

12. Deviled eggs

If you’re looking for ideas for what to serve with chili besides cornbread, one of our favorite options is deviled eggs.

They work so well with the flavor profile of chili and are a great way to make the meal feel a little more special.

Here’s what you need:

• 6 hard-boiled eggs
• 2 tablespoons Greek yogurt (we recommend plain, whole milk)
• 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
• 1/2 teaspoon mustard powder
• 1 teaspoon white vinegar
• A pinch of salt

Here’s how to make it:

1. Cut the hard-boiled eggs in half and remove the yolks from each half into a bowl.
2. Add the remaining ingredients and mix until blended.
3. Spoon back into egg whites and top with paprika for garnish!

Tips for serving: If you’re having a party, try doubling or even tripling this recipe! Deviled eggs are always a big hit at parties and family dinners.

Something to keep in mind: Have fun with this recipe! You can add diced pickles or pickle juice, horseradish, or even hot sauce to give it your own special touch.

13. Fruit salad (You’re going to need something healthy in there, after all!)

Fruit salad is one of my favorites: it’s healthy and sweet, which goes well with the spicy flavors of chili.

You can make this fruit salad with just about any kind of fruit: strawberries, pineapple, apples, bananas… whatever you’ve got lying around in your kitchen.

1. Just chop up your favorite fruits into bite-sized pieces and mix them together in a bowl.
2. Then add some honey or brown sugar (depending on how sweet you like it!) and toss everything together until evenly coated.
3. Serve as a side dish to your chili!

14. Roasted carrots

Roasted carrots are the perfect side dish for your chili.

They’re easy to make and they pair perfectly with the flavor of your chili.

1. To make them, just toss some carrots in olive oil, salt, pepper, and any other herbs or spices you want.
2. Roast them at 425°F for about 30 minutes until fork tender.
3. Serve with lime wedges for an extra kick of flavor!

15. Baked potato

Baked potatoes are easy to make and they’ll keep you feeling full all night long.

Here’s how to make them:

Ingredients:

• 1 medium potato per person
• Olive oil or butter
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Clean the potatoes and wrap each one in aluminum foil.
3. Bake for about an hour, or until tender when pierced with a fork.
4. Remove from oven and set aside for 10 minutes before unwrapping and serving.
5. Serve with sour cream, cheese, chili—whatever suits your fancy!

16. Rice cakes

Rice cakes are a great side dish for chili.

They’re easy to make, and they go well with any kind of chili—whether it’s vegetarian, vegan, or gluten-free.

To make this:

1. Take some rice cakes out of their packaging and put them in a pan over medium heat with a little
2. Fry them on both sides until they’re crispy
3. Serve with your favorite chili

17. Crackers

Crackers are a great side dish to serve with chili.

They provide a nice crunch, while also complementing the flavors of the chili.

To make crackers:

1. Break up the crackers into small pieces.
2. Add some butter or margarine to them and put them in the oven at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes.
3. Serve with some cheese, sour cream, or even salsa on top!

18. Toast

Again, this may seem like an odd example, but hear us out!

Chili’s flavor profile is actually really suited to toast.

The toasty-ness of the bread can round out the spiciness in your chili instead of mellowing it out entirely like cornbread would do.

And you can always switch up your bread—we find that sourdough or French bread works particularly well.

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