Pies make for a delicious and comforting dinner, but it can be tricky figuring out what to serve alongside them. A pie on its own often doesn’t constitute a full meal. Serving up the right side dishes and desserts with your savory or sweet pie ensures a hearty, satisfying dinner that hits all the right notes. So what are the best accompaniments for pie? Let’s take a look!
What to serve with savory pies
Savory pies like chicken pot pie, shepherd’s pie, or vegetable pot pie make hearty main dishes. But they need some complementary sides to round out the meal. Here are some savory pie pairing ideas:
Salad
A fresh, crisp salad is a perfect partner for a hot, comforting savory pie. The raw veggies and greens balance the richness of the pie. Great options include:
- Green salad with vinaigrette
- Caesar salad
- Wedge salad
- Greek salad
- Spinach salad with berries and nuts
Roasted vegetables
Roasting vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, carrots, or butternut squash caramelizes their natural sugars and adds great flavor. Roasted veggies pair nicely with savory pies.
Mashed potatoes
You can never go wrong with creamy, buttery mashed potatoes next to a chicken or shepherd’s pie! The smooth, rich potatoes complement the heartiness of the pie.
Rice pilaf or risotto
A rice-based side dish can soak up all the delicious sauce and gravy from a savory pie. Try a simple rice pilaf or creamy risotto.
Bread
Warm, crusty bread is meant for sopping up pie fillings. Serve slices of French bread, rolls, or biscuits on the side.
What to serve with fruit pies
Moving onto dessert, fruit pies beg for certain accompaniments to enhance their sweet fruity flavors. Consider these pairings:
Whipped cream
A dollop of fluffy whipped cream is a must with fruit pies like apple, peach, or berry. It adds a cooling, creamy contrast to the pie filling.
Ice cream
For an extra-decadent treat, top your pie with a scoop of ice cream. Vanilla, cinnamon, or caramel ice cream work especially well with warm fruit pies.
Custard or pudding
Rich custard or pudding makes a marvelous accompaniment for fruit pie. Vanilla, chocolate, or coconut custard pair nicely.
Cheese
Slices of sharp cheddar cheese bring out new dimensions in the fruit flavors. Cheddar, gouda, and gruyere all complement fruit pies.
Nuts
Chopped nuts such as walnuts, pecans, or almonds sprinkled on top provide crunch and texture contrast to a fruit pie.
Whipped topping
For a lighter alternative to whipped cream, try whipped topping on your fruit pie.
Yogurt
Plain yogurt makes a more health-conscious pairing for fruit pie. Greek yogurt is especially creamy, rich, and tangy.
What to drink with pie
Don’t forget beverage pairings for pie! Here are some drink ideas:
With savory pie
- Ale or lager beer
- Hard cider
- Pinot noir wine
- Cabernet sauvignon wine
- Iced tea
With fruit pie
- Coffee
- Tea
- Sparkling wine
- Sweet white wine like riesling
- Cider
- Fruit juice
- Milk
Full meal examples
Here are some full meal ideas with a pie as the centerpiece:
Chicken pot pie dinner
- Chicken pot pie
- Mixed green salad with vinaigrette
- Buttered peas
- Dinner rolls
- Iced tea
Shepherd’s pie dinner
- Shepherd’s pie
- Caesar salad
- Mashed potatoes
- Ale or lager
Vegetable pot pie dinner
- Vegetable pot pie
- Wedge salad
- Rice pilaf
- Sparkling water with lemon
Apple pie dessert
- Apple pie
- Vanilla ice cream
- Coffee
Blueberry pie dessert
- Blueberry pie
- Whipped cream
- Riesling wine
Pecan pie dessert
- Pecan pie
- Custard
- Black coffee
Tips for pairing sides with pie
Here are some helpful tips for picking complementary sides for your pies:
- Aim for contrasting textures – creamed spinach, crisp slaw, or toasted nuts
- Complement flavors – sharp cheddar with apple pie, vanilla ice cream with peach
- Offer color contrast – bright veggies, mixed greens, or ruby cranberries
- Balance rich and light elements
- Match intensities – bold stouts with meaty pies, sparkling wines with fruity pies
- Consider meal courses – savory sides for main course, sweet sides for dessert
Conclusion
Serving up a perfect side dish transforms pie from a snack into a fully satisfying meal. Salad, roasted vegetables, starchy sides, and breads all pair wonderfully with savory main-course pies. For fruit dessert pies, you can’t go wrong with ice cream, whipped cream, cheese, nuts, yogurt and more. With the right pie accompaniments and beverage pairings, you can create a delicious, cohesive dinner or dessert. Use contrasting flavors, textures, colors and intensities to complement your pie and round out the meal.