What side dishes go well with game? Celeriac purée with venison, parsnips with roe deer, or braised red cabbage with wild boar are delicious options. The choice also depends on the sauce and the preparation: roasted, pan-seared, or stewed. This CuisinerTelUnChef guide suggests pairings of vegetables, purées, starches, and fruits to balance flavors and textures, without imposing a single garnish for every meat. To choose your seasonal produce, consult our autumn vegetable guide. Game Purée idea Vegetable or fruit Possible starch Venison Celeriac Roasted red kuri squash Gratin dauphinois Roe deer Parsnip Glazed carrots Spaetzle Wild boar Potatoes Braised red cabbage Creamy polenta Pheasant Sweet potato Cooked mushrooms Rice pilaf Hare Celeriac Roasted beets Duchess potatoes Wild duck Sweet potato Pan-seared figs Mashed potatoes These garnishes are alternatives: it is not necessary to serve both a purée and another starch. A melt-in-the-mouth garnish, a vegetable, and a touch of fruit can be enough. 🥔 Which purées to serve with game? A purée provides a creamy texture that pairs well with sauce. Adjust its richness and sweetness according to the chosen garnish and sauce. 1. Celeriac purée Its flavor pairs well with venison, roe deer, and red deer. For a base preparation, plan for one celeriac, two potatoes, 200ml of heavy cream, 40g of butter, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Adapt quantities to the size of the vegetables and the number of guests. Peel and cut the vegetables into uniform pieces. Steam them until tender, then pass them through a food mill. Gradually incorporate the butter and cream to achieve the desired consistency. 2. Parsnip purée The sweetness of the parsnip contrasts with a full-bodied sauce. Try it with roe deer, wild boar, or pheasant, adjusting the amount of sauce to avoid a dish that is too rich. 3. Sweet potato purée It adds a sweet note to wild duck, venison, or roe deer. If the sauce already contains figs or port, use sweet touches sparingly. A pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg can complete the garnish: our spice guide presents their uses. 4. Old-fashioned mashed potatoes Choose potato varieties suitable for mashing. Mash them while cooked, then gradually incorporate butter and warm milk. Mashed potatoes serve as a subtle base for a stew or mushroom sauce. 👨🍳 CuisinerTelUnChef Tip For a smooth purée, use a suitable food mill. For a more rustic texture, choose a potato ricer/masher. A mandoline is for slicing vegetables, not for turning them into purée. Add liquid gradually rather than having to thicken a purée that is too runny. 🥕 Which autumn vegetables to choose? Vegetables bring color and contrast. Choose one or two depending on the sauce rather than multiplying the garnishes. Glazed carrots Cook them gently with butter, a little water, and thyme until tender. Honey is optional: the carrots already provide a sweet note. They can accompany pheasant or roe deer. Roasted parsnips Prepare them in the oven with a little olive oil, rosemary, and garlic. To choose a cooking fat according to the preparation, consult our cooking oil guide. Roasted beets Their sweetness can contrast with a tart lingonberry or blackcurrant sauce. Dose the fruity garnish according to the balance you are seeking. Roasted red kuri squash A melt-in-the-mouth garnish with a little olive oil, thyme, and salt. Serve it with venison or red deer, for example. Butternut squash Its mild flavor pairs with port or fig sauces. Avoid adding too much honey or sugar to the whole dish. Braised red cabbage Slow cooking with apples, vinegar, a little red wine, and juniper berries makes a sweet and tart garnish for wild boar, young boar, or venison. Brussels sprouts Cook until tender, then brown them with butter, possibly accompanied by a few bacon lardons. Discover the differences between roasting, braising, and steaming in our vegetable cooking guide. 🍄 Which mushrooms with game? Mushrooms add earthy notes to garnishes. Use only edible species identified with certainty, sourced from a reliable source. Find preparation tips in our mushroom guide. Mushroom Pairing suggestion Porcini Venison, roe deer Chanterelles Pheasant, roe deer Morels Venison, cream sauce Black trumpet Wild boar, hare Chanterelles Wild duck Oyster mushrooms Various game dishes Adapt cleaning and cooking to the species and supplier instructions. Do not reduce all mushrooms to a quick sauté: morels, in particular, require appropriate preparation and cooking and should not be served raw or undercooked. For dried products, also follow the rehydration and cooking instructions on the packaging. 🌰 Chestnuts with wild boar and stews Use prepared and cooked edible chestnuts, such as those sold vacuum-packed or in jars. Reheat them according to product instructions, then add them to a garnish, purée, or stew. Their melt-in-the-mouth texture pairs well with wild boar. Do not confuse edible chestnuts with horse chestnuts. 🍎 Which fruits to serve with game? Apples, pears, figs, lingonberries, blackcurrants, and quinces offer different profiles: some provide mainly sweetness, others more acidity. Choose a small fruity garnish according to the sauce, without sweetening the entire plate. Pan-seared apples, a cooked pear, or a small portion of lingonberry sauce can complement the vegetables. 🍝 Which starches to accompany a game sauce? Spaetzle These small dumplings accompany roe deer and wild boar and pair well with stew sauces. Gratin dauphinois A creamy garnish for a venison roast or a red deer steak. If the sauce is already rich, serve a moderate portion with a vegetable. Creamy polenta An alternative to potatoes for stews and wild boar sauces. Rice pilaf A base for port or mushroom sauces, to be prepared according to the chosen recipe. Potatoes Duchess potatoes, potatoes Anna, roasted baby potatoes, mashed potatoes, or fondant potatoes: choose the texture based on the meat and sauce. 🍷 Wine pairing suggestions The sauce, spices, and preparation matter as much as the species of game. The following proposals are starting points to adapt to your tastes and the bottle chosen. Game Red wine ideas Venison Saint-Émilion, Pauillac, Côte-Rôtie Roe deer Pommard, Volnay, Mercurey Wild boar Cahors, Madiran, Corbières Pheasant Alsatian Pinot Noir, Burgundy Hare Châteauneuf-du-Pape Wild duck Bandol Rouge 👨🍳 CuisinerTelUnChef tips for balancing the plate Combine a melt-in-the-mouth texture with a firmer garnish, according to your preferences. Add a few fresh herbs during plating: our aromatic herb guide helps you choose them. Roasting concentrates flavors and promotes browning; it does not mean that vegetables produce more sugar. A few toasted walnuts or hazelnuts provide crunch, if they are suitable for your guests. Alert those concerned by allergies to their presence. Choose uniform cuts to achieve more even cooking. ❌ Errors to avoid Multiplying rich garnishes with a sauce that is already creamy. Over-sweetening vegetables and fruits when the sauce is sweet. Choosing spices that mask the desired flavor. Preparing a purée that is too runny for the desired plating. Applying a single cooking method to all mushroom species. ❓ Frequently asked questions about game side dishes What side dish for a venison roast? Try a celeriac purée with roasted red kuri squash or properly prepared and cooked mushrooms. A gratin dauphinois can replace the purée. Adapt the richness of the garnish to that of the sauce. Which vegetables to serve with wild boar? Braised red cabbage, roasted parsnips, and carrots are suitable options. A few cooked chestnuts can complete a stew, without multiplying starches. Which side dish to choose for roe deer? A parsnip or celeriac purée, carrots, and a small touch of lingonberries offer a contrast between sweetness and acidity. Dose the fruits according to the sauce. Can you serve rice with game? Yes. Rice pilaf is an alternative to potatoes or polenta to accompany port or mushroom sauces. Which fruits pair with roe deer? Apples, pears, figs, lingonberries, and blackcurrants can be suitable. Sweet fruits and tart fruits do not play the same role: choose them according to the balance of the sauce. 🔗 To continue your preparations Explore our French cuisine guide for grand classics, and our ideas for cooking leftovers to vary meals. These suggestions do not replace the storage and reheating precautions specific to each preparation. 🛒 Cook like a chef with CuisinerTelUnChef Choose utensils adapted to your garnish: Our kitchen knives for preparing vegetables. Our cutting boards for working on a stable surface. Our mandolines for thin slices, using the appropriate protective device and following the manual. Our graters and zesters for nutmeg, zest, and finishing touches. A well-chosen garnish complements the sauce and allows the main course to shine.