Tourtière is a traditional French Canadian spiced meat pie for the holidays. Like ragu in Italy, the Quebecois approach to Tourtière is highly personal. There are as many recipes for tourtière as there are cooks in Quebec!.
Pork tourtiere is a classic French Canadian meat pie that is a staple during the holidays This savory pie is filled with spiced ground pork and baked in a flakey pastry crust While tourtiere is delicious on its own, pairing it with the right side dishes can take this meal to the next level.
In this article, we’ll explore 20 fantastic side dish options to serve alongside pork tourtiere to make it a complete and mouthwatering meal. Whether you want something refreshing, crispy, creamy, or sweet, there’s a side here that will perfectly complement the flavors of this iconic meat pie.
Complementary Flavors for Tourtiere
The pork filling in tourtiere is usually seasoned with warm spices like cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and allspice. This gives the pie an almost Christmas-like flavor profile. Sides that echo these spices or offer a contrast through tangy, bright flavors tend to pair best.
Some guidelines for flavors that go well with pork tourtiere include:
- Sweet and tangy: Cranberry sauce, pickled beets, apple sauce
- Warm spices: Roasted winter vegetables, mashed sweet potatoes
- Creamy: Mashed potatoes, mac and cheese, creamed spinach
- Crisp and fresh: Green salad, slaw, roasted Brussels sprouts
- Savory and umami: Gravy, mushrooms, roasted garlic
With these flavor principles in mind, let’s look at 20 of the best side dishes to serve with pork tourtiere.
20 Side Dishes to Serve with Pork Tourtiere
1. Cranberry Sauce
A tart, fruity cranberry sauce is one of the most classic pairings for pork tourtiere. The sweet-tart flavors complement the warm spices in the filling beautifully. Homemade is best, but canned sauce also does the trick!
2. Pickled Beets
Brightly colored pickled beets offer a tangy, vinegary crunch that balances the rich flavors of tourtiere. They also add great visual appeal to the plate.
3. Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Mashed sweet potatoes are already seasoned with warm cinnamon and brown sugar, echoing the spices in the meat pie. Their natural sweetness contrasts the savory pie perfectly.
4. Roasted Root Vegetables
A medley of roasted carrots, parsnips, turnips and other root veggies is a hearty, comforting side for tourtiere. Coat them in olive oil, salt, pepper and herbs for deep, caramelized flavors.
5. Brussels Sprouts
Buttery roasted Brussels sprouts offer a satisfying crunch and savory depth that stands up well to the hearty meat pie. Toss them with balsamic vinegar for a tangy kick.
6. Green Salad
A simple green salad with a bright vinaigrette provides refreshing contrast alongside a rich dish like tourtiere. Top it with fruits, nuts or crumbled cheese for more complexity.
7. Dinner Rolls
Warm, soft dinner rolls are perfect for sopping up the delicious gravy and juices from tourtiere. Butter them up for extra indulgence!
8. Mushroom Gravy
For next-level flavor, make a mushroom gravy from the tourtiere drippings. Pork and earthy mushrooms are a match made in heaven!
9. Creamed Spinach
Buttery, garlicky creamed spinach is a creamy, savory side that pairs wonderfully with the flaky crust and spiced meat.
10. Mac and Cheese
Comforting, cheesy mac and cheese is a beloved accompaniment for meat pies and other hearty dishes. Make it extra decadent with a crispy breadcrumb topping.
11. Mashed Potatoes
Fluffy mashed potatoes are a no-brainer pairing for tourtiere. They soak up the delicious gravy and provide a neutral canvas for the flavorful filling.
12. Corn on the Cob
In summer, sweet grill-charred corn on the cob is a fantastic complement to tourtiere. Slather it in butter and sprinkle with salt for pure corn-y goodness.
13. Coleslaw
A tangy, cooling coleslaw with a creamy dressing and crunch from cabbage and carrots balances the richness of pork tourtiere wonderfully.
14. Roasted Garlic
A whole head of roasted garlic cloves turns this vegetable into something decadent and spreadable. It adds a sweet, mellow flavor to complete the meal.
15. Green Beans
Simply roasted or sautéed green beans lend color, texture and freshness to a tourtiere dinner. Toss them in lemon juice or almonds for extra flavor.
16. Glazed Carrots
Sweet, glistening glazed carrots are a lovely side for special occasions. Their natural subtle sweetness accentuates the dessert-like spices in the pie.
17. Apple Cider
Warm spiced apple cider is the perfect beverage pairing for pork tourtiere. Sip it alongside your meal for a warming, aromatic experience.
18. Potato Gratin
Creamy scalloped potatoes baked until golden and crispy on top make a rich, indulgent side dish for tourtiere.
19. Stuffing or Dressing
Savory, herb-filled stuffing is a holiday classic for good reason. Its soft, pillowy texture soaks up juices from the meat pie deliciously.
20. French Onion Soup
As a first course, French onion soup makes a flavorful lead-in to tourtiere, with similar aromas of browned meat and savory broth.
Enjoy Your Meal!
Pork tourtiere is so satisfying on its own, but served with one or more of these flavor-packed sides, it becomes a truly spectacular meal. From bright pickled flavors to hearty roasted veggies, these dishes offer an array of textures, colors and tastes to delight your palate.
The next time you make this French Canadian classic, try pairing it with a new side from this list. Your dinner guests will be thoroughly impressed! And of course, don’t forget the crispy tourtiere crust is just as important as the filling. For the perfect pastry, follow this foolproof crust recipe.
Let your creativity run wild with exciting new flavor combinations. Tourtiere deserves sides as special as the pie itself. Just be sure to save room for seconds!
Quebec’s Own French Canadian Meat Pie
Some Quebecois like the Lac Saint Jean style, which has chunky meats and potatoes. But most people use ground meats, which are usually a “tri-meat” blend of pork, beef, and veal and are easy to find in Quebec.
Others prefer to use pork and veal, some all beef, others all pork, that they grind themselves. Some tourtière recipes call for fillers like breadcrumbs, but potatoes are usually used to keep the meat inside the pastry. Some add cream or milk. Some swear (in a very Quebecois way) that a good French Canadian meat pie should run all over the plate. There are wet mixes and dry mixes.
Everyone agrees on one thing: Christmas isn’t Christmas without a good tourtière flavored with cinnamon, allspice, and cloves.
In the past, this cake was served on Christmas Eve. Our professional-level recipe is well-balanced and moist, but it holds and serves well. We follow the traditional three-meat method and add a light, fluffy potato mash to the filling to make a meat pie that is both moist and strong.
Lard is great for meat pies like tourtière because it is both firm and flaky. That’s why I used it in this recipe. You can use butter, vegetable shortening, or even a mix of 50/50 butter and lard if you’d rather. I find butter-based crusts often don’t hold well with meat pies. The bottom crust gets too soggy after a day in the fridge… because there will be leftovers!.
But hey, there’s no harm in going with a pre-made pie shell. Just make sure it’s a deep-dish, savoury pastry to fit all that delicious French Canadian meat pie filling.
Maybe A Little Extra
There will probably be extra filling. And potatoes. And a bit of extra pastry. It’s all a bit extra when you’re making tourtières!.
This is the perfect make-ahead recipe. We have a lot going on right now, so I made the pastry one day and the filling the next. On day three, it was just a quick roll, fill, roll, and bake meal. You’ve been busy, and the last thing you need on Christmas Eve is to spend three hours cooking.
Tourtiere – Holiday Meat Pie – Food Wishes
FAQ
What is traditionally served with tourtière?
What is a good side dish for tourtière?
What are two French-Canadian holidays where tourtière is served?
What to serve with tourtière?
The best side dishes to serve with tourtière are mashed sweet potatoes, potato wedges, ratatouille, cauliflower cheese, salad Nicoise, gravy, French onion soup, oven roasted zucchini, green bean almondine, apple sauce, sautéed mushrooms, dinner rolls, coleslaw, corn on the cob, cucumber salad, and cranberry sauce. Now, let’s get cooking! 1.
Is tourtière a pork pie?
Tourtière is often referred to as pork pie or meat pie because it is made with ground meat, onions, and spices all baked in a double pie crust. The pork is a key ingredient in this dish, and it is the particular spicing mixture that makes this pie so special to those who call this pie a Christmas tradition, and enjoyed by everyone who is introduced to it. What meat is used in tourtière?
Is tourtiere a healthy side dish?
Tourtiere is a classic dish that people have relished over decades. It’s a meat-filled pie that tastes delicious in itself. However, having this meat pie alone would be pretty unhealthy because it contains a high amount of fats and proteins. Hence, serving a nutrient-filled side dish would balance out the meal.
Should you eat a tourtiere pie?
Having tourtiere is the best choice for your health. The meat-filled pie has a high intake of fats and protein, and to even out the nutrients, a light, nutritious side dish would be excellent. Opting for a vegetable side dish would add freshness to your meal. And if you want a wholesome meal, then a complementary meal would be incredible.