side dish

American  

noun

1. a serving of a portion of food in addition to the principal food, usually on a separate dish.

2. the small additional dish used for such food.

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side dish British  

noun

1. a portion of food served in addition to the main dish

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Etymology

Origin of side dish

First recorded in 1715–25

Example Sentences

As a soothing side dish, I recommend her malawax, a slightly sweet cardamom-scented pancake that goes well with breakfast coffee.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 17, 2026

The five-time major champion goes back to his roots with Irish champ as a main course side dish to accompany either wagyu filet mignon or seared salmon.

From BBC • Mar. 18, 2026

Indeed, as in other Lawrence projects — which typically feature divorced or separated characters — romance is a sort of side dish, less the issue than whether people are managing to treat one another well.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 8, 2026

“I’ll typically prepare them as a side dish, maybe alongside roasted chicken,” Matijevich says.

From Salon • Feb. 20, 2026

It’s the main side dish in our house for all three meals.

From "The House That Lou Built" by Mae Respicio