Venison Side Dishes

Over the years of cooking venison, one thing I had to constantly experiment with was creating unique side dishes.

I have many venison recipes on this site but very few side dishes, as often I focus on only the venison.

However, most of these recipes are accompanied by a side dish.

To make it simple, this article will contain an extensive list of my favorite venison side dishes.

Mashed Potatoes

It’s no surprise to see mashed potatoes on this list.

Mashed potatoes are a classic side dish for numerous recipes, but for venison, there are a few tips you should know.

First, I don’t use mashed potatoes with venison often, as I find they only work well with certain recipes, and for others, I prefer to get creative.

I like using mashed potatoes with Mississippi pot roast and venison sausages.

However, if you are short on sides, mashed potatoes will work in a pinch for most venison dishes.

If you are using mashed potatoes, boil them in their jackets, then peel them.

Use good quality butter and lots of it.

Roasted Vegetables

I use roasted veg for a lot of venison dishes. I find their sweet and rustic flavor a good accompaniment to venison.

This side works well particularly if you are roasting venison, but it also works well with pan-fried venison steak.

The veg I use the most are carrots, potatoes, and red onions.

However, over the years I’ve experimented with other vegetables, and most if not all of them pair well with venison.

So, feel free to experiment with other types of veg such as broccoli, zucchini, bell peppers, etc.

Mac and Cheese

Mac and cheese is my go-to side for a lot of my smoked and BBQ’d venison dishes.

The creaminess and cheesiness of this dish make it a great companion for bbq food.

What I really love about this dish is that you can also smoke it alongside your venison to get a completely smoked meal.

Pureed Cauliflower

This is my alternative to mashed potatoes. I started using this side dish about four years ago in order to have a lighter meal, and I rarely use mashed potatoes anymore.

Pureed cauliflower goes well with venison roasts from the oven, rack of venison, or venison steaks.

However, it’s not a good substitute for mashed potato with Mississippi pot roast, or venison sausage in my opinion.

Corn on the Cob

Corn on the cob is another classic side for BBQ venison. 

Just like mac and cheese, you can smoke corn on the cob alongside your venison.

It also works well with grilled venison and can be tossed on the grill with the venison.

Rustic Bread

I rarely make bread but when I do it’s the rustic-looking loaf that is crusty, light, and airy.

While I initially made this bread to mop up venison stew or venison roast, it’s become my go-to for so many more dishes.

I now make it to serve with venison pastrami, fry it with breakfast sausage, etc.

Homemade Coleslaw

Another side that I frequently make is coleslaw. 

I find this side to be one of the most versatile sides. You get the sweetness of the veg, the creaminess, and a slight hint of seasoning.

I’ve had this with so many venison dishes but some of my favorites to serve it with are fried venison and pulled venison.

Mushroom Sauce

I wasn’t sure whether to add a sauce to this list.

However, so many of my dishes are accompanied by a mushroom sauce so I thought I would add just one.

This pan sauce is so quick and easy to use and is an absolute treasure with venison steak.

Although I make different variations of this sauce my secret ingredient is using porcini mushrooms.

Using porcini mushrooms gives the sauce a much more pronounced flavor that pairs well with the venison.