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

There’s mast-o-khiar, a Persian side dish and dip that’s a mix of yogurt, cucumber, dried mint and walnuts.

From Salon • Mar. 28, 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

Boiled Swiss chard, simply seasoned with salt and pepper, is a staple side dish in my kitchen in autumn.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 3, 2025

But it is not such a good thing when you are serving it as a side dish on its own.

From Salon • Apr. 1, 2025

“Need I remind you, I don’t know deep-cut Ashkenazi stuff; it’s not my thing. Like, I barely understand kugel. Is it a dessert or a side dish? Is it noodles or is it cheesecake?”

From "Night Owls" by A.R. Vishny