Table of Contents
We all want to enjoy a healthy and balanced yet delicious and flavorful diet. Lots of people think that it is not possible. But for your information, many dishes can give you all the nutrition that you need and satisfy your taste buds at the same time.
One of these is jambalaya. It is a Southern dish that features a hearty mixture of spices, vegetable, spices, rice, and meat. There are times when people would also incorporate seafood in the mix. Because of its contents, the dish can deliver the right amount of proteins, fiber, and carbohydrates to the body.
This is the very reason why a lot of people decide to serve Jambalaya during dinner or birthday parties. If you plan on serving this dish anytime soon, one thing that you should think of is the side dishes that you should use with it. In this article, you will know what goes with jambalaya.
What Goes With Jambalaya? Here are Your Options!
With all its flavors and spices, jambalaya will surely tickle your taste buds. Because of this, most jambalaya enthusiasts are having some problems choosing which side dish to serve with it. Well, we are here to help you out.
Below are some of the side dishes that you can pair with your favorite Jambalaya recipe:
Cornbread
This is another southern food staple that would go well with Jambalaya. This is one of the go-to jambalaya side dishes simply because it is not as flavorful as your favorite Southern dish. Because of this, having cornbread on the side allows your taste buds to take a break from all the flavors of jambalaya.
The excellent news about cornbread is that they are so easy to make. It only needs a few ingredients and would require only a short amount of cooking time. In fact, you can prepare it while your jambalaya simmers.
The basic recipe of a cornbread calls for flour, cornmeal, granulated sugar, salt, butter, baking powder, milk, and egg. These are then placed in a baking pan which is baked in a convection oven.
If this basic recipe is a bit boring for you, you can try other cornbread variations. Instead of baking it, you can deep fry it. You can also try adding nuts (walnut) to the milk, or you can go for fruity additions like cranberries and oranges.
You can also make your cornbreads a bit savory by adding bacon, cheese, and scallions. For more oomph, you can add either pepper or roasted pepper to your cornbread.
Okra
This vegetable is as Southern as you can get. It is one of the best Jambalaya side dish options that you have simply because it is very versatile and will not add too many flavors to your already flavorful dish.
Most people would just coat it with breading then deep fry it. But if you want something different, you can try sautéing it in bacon grease then top it off with either vinegar or sweet oil dressing.
Collard Greens
Many people choose this side dish option because of its nutritional value. This vegetable can surely boost the fiber content of your jambalaya.
The best way to prepare a collard greens side dish is to saute it until it wilts then add water and let it simmer for five minutes more. You can add sweetened vinegar to make it a salad.
Chard
This dark leafy green vegetable is an excellent source of iron and fiber. It is easy to prepare too!
Just simply mix oil, vinegar, brown sugar, and onions in a pan. Saute chard leaves in it for a few minutes. Serve with jambalaya and enjoy!
Corn on the Cob
If you want to prepare the simplest and freshest side dish available, we suggest that you go for corn on the cob.
All you have to do is grill a few ear corns and serve them with Cajun and butter. Your guests will thank you for it!
Savory Crepe
If you want something neutral and bread-like, but you do not have the time an oven to bake cornbread in, this is the next best option that you have. Create your own crepe batter by mixing flour, eggs, and milk. You can boost its savory flavor by adding in mushroom or bacon slices.
You can also add other meat or vegetable slices— whatever it is that you feel would taste well with the flavor of jambalaya that you are planning to make.
Craw Fish Pies
Another favorite jambalaya side dish is a pie. If you did not add seafood in your jambalaya recipe, the best type of pie that you can use as a side dish is no other than crawfish pie. This type of fish would blend well with the flavor of the meats in your jambalaya.
Corn Maque Choux
If you want another vegetable side dish in your list, you may want to try this unique yet delicious Louisiana side dish.
Its name is a bit intimidating, but we assure you—it is super easy to make. All you have to do is saute creole vegetables in a skillet. Add corn then some seasoning and your broth and allow it to simmer. Only turn off the fire once you are sure that all of the ingredients are tender already. Drain the liquid and serve!
To make the dish more flavorful, you can also try adding either sugar, acid or any sauce to it.
In Summary:
Jambalaya is a really nutritious and delicious dish. However, its textures and flavors make it a bit difficult to pair with. We hope that through this article you are able to find what goes with jambalaya well.
If you want to boost the fiber content of your jambalaya, we suggest that you go for the vegetable salads in the list. If you want something that can neutralize its flavors, go for cornbread or crepe. But if you’re going to add a seafood taste to the mix, the crawfish pie is the best way to go!