Food and Recipes Side Dishes Rice Side Dishes 32 Sides That Will Jazz Up Jambalaya Round out all the Cajun favorite with something fun. By Josh Miller Josh Miller Josh Miller is a writer, editor, recipe developer, and food stylist who has been writing about Southern food and working in the publishing industry for the past 20 years. His work has appeared in Southern Living, Food & Wine, Cooking Light, Taste of the South, and Southern Cast Iron magazines. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Published on July 21, 2024 Close Photo: Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox Jambalaya is a party all by itself, but this Cajun favorite is even better when you pair it with your favorite side dish. There are no rules when it comes to picking a side dish for jambalaya—your house, your choice. Whether you decide to pick some light and fresh or double down on the starchy goodness, these 32 recipes will jazz up that delicious jambalaya. The Difference Between Creole And Cajun Food 01 of 32 Garlic Bread Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox Garlic bread goes with almost everything, but it's especially great with jambalaya. Get The Recipe 02 of 32 Cajun-Style Potato Salad Antonis Achilleos; Prop Stylist: Christine Keely; Food Stylist: Ali Ramee When the potato salad starts to melt into jambalaya, that's when culinary magic happens. Get the recipe 03 of 32 New-Fashioned Green Bean Salad Antonis Achilleos, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist: Shell Royster Tender-crisp green beans and peppery radishes make a great side for jambalaya, especially with a flavor boost from the tangy buttermilk dressing. Get the recipe 04 of 32 Tennessee Onions Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox These crispy, cheesy onions may hail from Tennessee, but they play well with jambalaya. Get The Recipe 05 of 32 Double Potlikker Greens Greg Dupree, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Shell Royster Rich and smoky, these greens and their rich broth are the ultimate comfort food side. Get the recipe 06 of 32 Roasted Brussels Sprouts Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox If you think you're not a fan of Brussels sprouts, give the crispy roasted guys a try. Get The Recipe 07 of 32 Cajun Mac And Cheese Jen Causey; Food Stylist: Margaret Dickey Creamy and spicy, this indulgent dish goes great with jambalaya. Get the recipe 08 of 32 Chopped Kale Salad with Toasted Breadcrumbs Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis A hearty green like kale is a great partner for the starch party that is jambalaya. Get The Recipe 09 of 32 No-Knead Buttermilk Bread Greg DuPree This no-knead buttermilk bread is perfect for sopping up any jambalaya juices. Get The Recipe 10 of 32 Mom’s Mac and Cheese Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist: Christine Keely The crispy breadcrumbs on top of this extra-creamy mac is just what your jambalaya needs. Get The Recipe 11 of 32 Make-Ahead Yeast Rolls Greg DuPree, Food Stylist: Micah Morton, Prop Stylist: Kathleen Varner First published in almost 30 years ago, these fluffy rolls are one of our most popular bread recipes of all time. Get The Recipe 12 of 32 Cornbread Muffins Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox You can butter these perfect cornbread muffins up, or crumble them over your jambalaya—we won't judge. Get The Recipe 13 of 32 Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist: Christine Keely Mashed cauliflower gives these mashed potatoes a fluffier texture, which actually makes them perfect for serving with jambalaya. Get The Recipe 14 of 32 Parker House Rolls Photographer: Alison Miksch / Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn / Prop Stylist: Christina Brockman Soft and pillowy with buttery, salty tops, these rolls remind us of home. Get The Recipe 15 of 32 Jalapeño Cheddar Cornbread Caitlin Bensel, Food Stylist: Torie Cox Since you're going to Cajun flavor town already, lean into the heat with this chile-flecked cornbread. Get The Recipe 16 of 32 Apple-Cranberry Salad Photographer: Isaac Nunn, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn A green salad is a great foil for jambalaya, especially when it's packed with crisp apples like this one. Get The Recipe 17 of 32 Maque Choux Johnny Autry; Prop and Food Styling: Charlotte L. Autry Similar to succotash, this creamy side dish gets a flavor boost from sausage. Get the recipe 18 of 32 Classic Deviled Eggs Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox In the South, deviled eggs go with literally everything. Get the recipe 19 of 32 Smashed Oven-Fried Okra Greg Dupree; Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Christine Keely With all the soft textures in jambalaya, this crispy okra provides a nice contrast. Get the recipe 20 of 32 Fried Potatoes and Onions Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox If you don't have any hang-ups with double-loading on starches, these crispy potatoes can be great pals with jambalaya. Get the recipe 21 of 32 Creamed Spinach Antonis Achilleos This rich and nutritious side dish comes together quickly, making it great to serve with jambalaya. Get the recipe 22 of 32 Roasted Broccolini Jennifer Causey; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Stylist: Heather Chadduck Hillegas The stalky crunch of broccolini contrasts nicely with the tender rice and meat in jambalaya. Get the recipe 23 of 32 Skillet-Roasted Cabbage Wedges With Hot Bacon Dressing Victor Protasio, Food Stylist Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist Lydia Pursell Humble cabbage get the five-star treatment in this tangy, bacon-topped rendition. Get The Recipe 24 of 32 Easy Cauliflower Casserole Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Heather Chadduck; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer Sneak an extra vegetable into the mix with this deceptively cheesy casserole. Get The Recipe 25 of 32 Roasted Broccoli Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Torie Cox Blissfully simple this classic side dish is a great back-pocket recipe to keep on hand for almost any dinner menu. Get the recipe 26 of 32 Roasted Sweet Potatoes Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox The subtle sweetness of the simple roasted potato sides offsets the Cajun spices in jambalaya perfectly. Get the recipe 27 of 32 Romaine Salad With Oranges and Radishes Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Melissa Gray; Prop Stylist: Christine Keely Jambalaya's bold, spicy flavors are in need of a lift; this bright and fresh salad provides it. Get the recipe 28 of 32 Southern Skillet Cornbread Robby Lozano, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall Park a wedge of cornbread into your jambalaya and get ready for a real good meal. Get The Recipe 29 of 32 Cloverleaf Rolls Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Shell Royster Rolls go with everything...and these cloverleaf versions are so fun to pull apart! Get The Recipe 30 of 32 Lemony Salad with Broccoli and White Beans Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Ruth Blackburn; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis The sunny flavor of lemon gives this salad this brightness it needs to shine with a bowl of warm jambalaya. Get the recipe 31 of 32 Heirloom Tomato And Cracker Salad ANTONIS ACHILLEOS; FOOD STYLING: ALI RAMEE; PROP STYLING: CHRISTINE KEELY With an elaborate dish like jambalaya, sometimes a simple side is best. The crackers on top of this salad provide the perfect amount of crunch. Get the recipe 32 of 32 Frenched Green Bean Salad Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer; Prop Stylist: Christine Daley Bright and vinegary, this side dish cuts through all the spicy richness of Cajun cooking. Get the recipe Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit