There's more to Asian-inspired appetizers and side dishes than just spring rolls and lettuce wraps. Not to knock them—rice paper and lettuce wrap sides are versatile, healthy, and delicious. But within the range of Chinese, Japanese, Thai, Vietnamese, and Indian flavors (to name just a few), there's a whole world of range to uncover.
Including flexible Asian vegetable side dishes, traditional Japanese appetizers, and modern takes on Chinese ingredients, here are some of the best sides and apps to serve up Eastern flair for your next get-together.
Sticky Caramelized Shrimp Lettuce Wraps
Save yourself the trouble of plates with these adorable, light, and easy-to-eat Vietnamese and Thai-inspired lettuce wrap sides. They're light and refreshing with fresh raw veggies like carrots, red radish, and of course, lettuce. And since you'll have carbs to spare, serving fragrant jasmine rice as lettuce wrap sides can help ground the dish.
Mix-and-Match Air-Fried Egg Rolls
You'll find egg rolls in Chinese, Vietnamese, and Thai cuisines, making them an ultimate and versatile Asian side dish. Once you master the technique, you can fill your rolls with what you like, including the Chinese combo of shrimp and cabbage. Rice vinegar, soy sauce, ginger, and garlic add a bite that balances beautifully with sweet chili, plum, or duck sauce.
Matcha-Cucumber Crostini
A little bit of matcha infuses Asian flair into a traditional European appetizer. Cream cheese and goat cheese get a dose of this grassy green tea, while Lemon zest and cucumber make it even brighter. Honey contributes a hint of sunshine to this garden party on toast.
Sweet and Spicy Summer Rolls
Take the traditional Vietnamese side dish and give it a contemporary pan-Asian twist. This recipe includes tropical elements like sliced mango and coconut, adds a hearty shredded broccoli slaw, and tofu for protein. Tossed in a creative ginger, wasabi, and lime dressing, it's a fun and different take.
Steamed Dumplings
This is one of those Chinese appetizers everyone gets excited about. Being able to present or pass around directly from the bamboo steamers is a bonus, lending more Asian style to your gathering while reducing your cleanup. Lemongrass and Ginger Pork or Cilantro-Lime Chicken fillings provide a dose of the unexpected, channeling Vietnamese and Thai influence.
Smoked Almond Curry Bread
Add some Indian to your side dish spread with a hint of curry, melted butter, and smoked almonds accented with dried currants to sweeten the bread and grace it with a pop of color. The spice level is mild and can be made even more so with the right spread, like a sweet chutney.
South Indian-Style Macaroni and Cheese
In an East-meets-West fusion, the addition of garam masala, turmeric, pepper, and garlic invigorates a classic comfort food. Serve this as a side dish, which is made rich and creamy with sharp cheddar and Asiago cheeses as well as milk and butter. Green peas provide a nice pop of refreshment.
Tandoori-Spiced Chicken Pita Crisps with Cilantro Sauce
Crostini, bruschetta, topped toasts—the combination of a crispy baked bread base and flavor-dense topping is universal and timeless. Tender dark meat chicken is primed to absorb the ginger, Greek yogurt, coriander, cumin, and cinnamon marinade, enhanced by herbaceous cilantro sauce.
Shortcut Steamed Bao Buns
These Chinese dim sum-inspired buns are almost too cute to eat, with their savory filling and pillowy bao envelopes. You'll want to make a big batch—the combination of hoisin- and brown-sugar-flavored meat, carrots, and green onions with warm, fluffy dough makes it even more irresistible.
Ginger-Spiced Cucumbers
A dressing made of rice vinegar, mirin, sugar, and ginger sparks easy pizzazz to an Asian vegetable side dish salad that would be as at home at an outdoor barbecue as an indoor dinner party. And if you're wondering what to serve with lettuce wraps, this could also double as a filling.
Vietnamese Beef Lettuce Wraps
The key to fantastic Vietnamese side dishes and Vietnamese appetizers with grilled meats is a flavorful marinade. These lettuce wraps offer a recipe that includes lime juice, fish sauce, lemongrass, sugar, and garlic for a combination that results in a fantastic char. Top them with traditional lettuce wrap sides like carrots, fresh cilantro or mint, peanuts…or all of the above.
Asian-Style Fried Rice and Beans
This sweet and savory dish combines traditional ingredients like garlic and ginger with some more unique additions (like chickpeas, which pack a serious protein punch). Lime, ginger, and cilantro add to the freshness.
Asian Ramen Noodle Slaw
This tangy side gets its crunch from raw ramen noodles and is sure to please a crowd. There's no real cooking required, though you'll want to let it sit so all the flavors have time to meld.
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