side dish

Meaning

A side dish is an extra portion of food served alongside the main course, such as french fries, a small salad, or steamed vegetables. It is usually served on a separate, smaller plate.

Examples

• Does the steak come with a side dish, or is that extra?

  Does the steak come with a side dish, or is that extra?

• I ordered a side dish of onion rings to go with my burger.

  I ordered a side dish of onion rings to go with my burger.

• You can choose one side dish from the list on the right.

  You can choose one side dish from the list on the right.

• A side dish of roasted vegetables would balance out this heavy meal.

  A side dish of roasted vegetables would balance out this heavy meal.

• We ordered three different side dishes to share among the four of us.

  We ordered three different side dishes to share among the four of us.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ I want a side plate of French fries.

  ✓ I want a side dish of French fries.

  A 'side plate' is the physical plate itself, whereas 'side dish' refers to the actual food serving.

• ✗ The fish includes a companion food.

  ✓ The fish includes a side dish.

  'Companion food' is not a standard English term; use 'side dish' or simply 'side' to refer to accompanying food.

Related Expressions

Practice

• Would you like a ___ of mashed potatoes with your chicken?

  💡 Extra food served alongside the main course.

  Show answer

  side dish

• I ordered a salad as my ___ instead of french fries.

  💡 A smaller portion of food that accompanies the main plate.

  Show answer

  side dish