Oysters undoubtedly taste great alone, but adding a few extra flavors and side dishes will elevate the experience even more, just like in a movie where the main character shines because of other supporting characters.
Likewise, oysters shine bright when other side dishes accompany this main star. However, the taste of oysters highly depends on their size and the water they come from. Let’s explore some amazing food combinations to try with oysters!
1. Oysters or Ostreidae
Oysters belong to the phylum “Bivalve Mollusca”. They are found in many coastal regions and backwaters and are a great source of food and shiny Pearls. Above all, oysters are very useful, as we can even use their shells to make beautiful decorative items.
Every species of oyster belongs to the superfamily of Ostreidae. For example, “Pearl oysters” are different from true oysters and belong to the “Pinctada” order.
The shells of oysters are really hard, and their color is usually whitish-gray. Their size and taste vary depending on the region they come from.
1.1. What to Eat with Raw Oysters?
You can eat either raw or cooked oysters. However, it is generally said that raw oysters are better in taste and provide complete nutrients that cooked oysters may not. So, raw oysters should always be fresh, but once they are old, they smell really bad.
However, a seafood restaurant will serve you raw oysters in half shell, where the shucking process is already done. These half-shell raw oysters are served with ice beneath them to remain fresh without any risk.
And now comes your part to eat it, make sure the flesh is detached from the shell and smells good. Then, take it in your hands and slurp it directly from the shell, you may bite it too or swallow it. When you bite, you can enjoy its full taste. But it’s all up to you, though.
1.2. How do Oysters Taste?
Raw oysters’ taste highly depends on the ocean they come from. But getting a basic idea will be salty. It’s coming from an ocean, so it will, of course, be salty. It’s just that you may get just salty raw oysters or too salty ones. If it’s too salty, add some lemon juice to balance the saltiness.
Apart from being salty, they sometimes taste like melons or cucumbers to some people. In addition to seaweed and earthy and coppery flavors, it even gives you that little hint of a sweet aftertaste.
If you want to know about the taste of cooked oysters, then the taste will be similar with some extra spices and how you cook it. Adding spices and the taste of oysters may result in extra flavour.
1.3. Edible Oysters
Furthermore, there are many types and species of edible oysters, but it is hard to cover all, so here we will provide you with just the names of the edible oysters.
- Pacific Oysters
- Kumamoto Oysters
- Blue Point Oysters
- Olympia Oysters
- Eastern Oysters
- Well Fleet Oysters
- Stellar Bay Oysters
- Maldon Rock Oysters
- Belon Oysters
Therefore, these are only the names of the few oysters you can try, there are many more, but make sure to start with this.
2. What to Eat With Oysters?
Many people enjoy oysters as a solo meal with only some sauce and lemon on the side. Oysters can undoubtedly be eaten as a main course or as a snack. But sometimes, you would want to serve this incredible shellfish with something else as a partner, right?
So, this is for all those people thinking of what to eat with oysters. There are so many side dishes that you cook regularly in your kitchen. It’s just that your cooked or raw oysters are about to get a suitable pair.
Furthermore, let’s look at the dishes we can serve with oysters and dive into heavenly taste.
2.1. Clam Chowder
This creamy, hot, delicious clam soup is a great dish to serve with oysters. Clam is just like a cousin or sister of oysters. And, when these cousins get together, there will be a blast of flavors.
Therefore, clam chowder is easy to make, and for creaminess, you only need some clams, vegetables, butter, and cornstarch. Furthermore, you can season it with salt, black pepper, Bay leaves, and fresh herbs.
2.2. Roasted Asparagus
Asparagus is healthy for your body. It has low calories, high fiber, and vitamin A. When this dish meets with your oysters, the taste will double with health benefits.
Just roast asparagus along with some olive oil, garlic cloves, and salt and squeeze some lemon juice over it. This easy, great dish will accompany your oysters to give you that healthy plus delicious dish.
2.3. Coleslaw
The following side dish you can enjoy with your oysters is this crunchy and creamy Coleslaw. It can be a healthy, flavorful, and creamy side dish with fresh raw oysters.
And it’s very easy to make this as well, you need to shred some cabbage, onion, and carrots. For some extra fruity flavour, you can even mix some apples as well.
After this chopping and shredding stuff is done, mix all this in mayonnaise, vinegar, honey, and Dijon mustard. Ahh! The number of flavors is when all these flavors combine and become one single-sided dish. Then, it will certainly be a great dish to accompany your oysters.
2.4. Caesar Salad
Fill your plate with this crunchy and green salad. This Caesar salad is very famous for its healthy and crunchy bite. It has Romaine lettuce, tomatoes, onions, croutons, and garlic, with a fine dressing of parmesan cheese, egg, olive oil, Dijon mustard, pepper, salt, lemon juice, and anchovies.
You can mix your oysters in it or enjoy it as a side dish. Even though it has a lot of flavors, it still won’t dominate the taste of oysters but rather enhance it.
2.5. French Onion Soup
If it’s cold outside and you want some hot soup to accompany your oysters, go for this one. French onion soup is an easy meal and won’t even take a lot of ingredients.
You will just need beef broth and, as the name suggests, onion. For extra flavor, add some wine and serve it with the toppings of croutons and mozzarella or parmesan cheese.
Also, garnish it well with some parsley, pepper, and salt. Enjoy it hot with your soft and cold oysters, balancing the flavors.
2.6. Hush Puppies
This one is a great pair for oysters, this is a fritter made of corn and is deeply fried. But, if you don’t prefer fried foods then you can even grill or bake this.
These corn hush puppies are incredibly healthy with low fat and the addition of high fibre. When the richness of oysters meets with this fibrous hush puppies, then it will be a balanced full meal.
Furthermore, this dish is very easy to make, and for extra flavor, you can use corn, onion, peppers, butter, and parmesan cheese.
However, the way you want to make and have it all depends on your preference. But it’s a great side dish that matches well with oysters.
2.7. Zesty Saltine Crackers
These crackers are amazing and blend well with raw oysters. The good thing about these crackers is that they’re crispy with lots of flavors. Don’t worry it’s not going to be too salty.
Hence, it will have that spicy flavor with a good balance of tanginess, they are soft but crunchy. Enjoy this crunchiness with your soft and smooth raw oysters. If you want more spice in the crackers, add some chili flakes to them. Above all, this pair of crackers and oysters is going to be fantastic.
2.8. Fried Shrimp
Pair this seafood with other seafood like shrimp. It is an excellent and tasty seafood that goes well with oysters. Fry this to pair with your raw oysters and create a classic match.
This crispy with softness is going to pair well with the smooth oysters, you can also season your shrimp and even serve aioli to have with it.
2.9. Mac And Cheese
Enjoy your steamed or raw oysters with this fancy duo of macaroni and cheese, this will be a creamy plus delicious dish to enjoy with your oysters.
You can make this dish with macaroni pasta, milk, salt, and creamy cheddar cheese. Furthermore, for extra flavor, sprinkle some spring onions and a few drops of yellow mustard. You have the advantage of making it as creamy as you want and enjoying your delicious raw oyster.
2.10. Risotto
Now, this one will fill your stomach, but your mouth will want it more and more. Risotto is that Arborio rice dish that can go well with any seafood and is very delicious.
This time, cook it with our star oyster; you can mix oysters in the rice itself or just use them as a side dish, but try using lobster or oyster broth for extra deliciousness.
Additionally, grade parmesan cheese over the rice and garnish it with fresh herbs like parsley, basil, and bay leaves. Also, drizzle some olive oil in it for extra flavour.
2.11. Lemon Herb Couscous Salad
So now, let’s welcome this light and refreshing salad as the pair of our oysters. You can make this salad with any veggie you want, but you can use cucumbers, onions, juicy tomatoes, fresh fruits, raisins, and nuts.
However, this dish is easy to make and pairs well with oysters. For dressing, you must use lemon juice and fresh herbs such as chives, parsley, basil, and mint.
You can add cheese like goat cheese and feta cheese as well, but it’s better to skip cheese this time for a light touch. Finally, get refreshed with this healthy and lemony couscous in addition to smooth and jiggly oysters.
2.12. Garlic Bread
If you are missing the garlic, then this one is for you: the crispy, flavorful bread with the addition of garlic. This bread is easy to make, and you can play with adding seasonings as you like.
All you need is, as the name suggests, garlic and bread. Furthermore, top the bread with garlic paste or chopped ones, butter, or olive oil, for that extra flavour and colour, season it with fresh herbs. After that, either bake or grill it as you prefer.
As a result, you will get a flavorful, crunchy bread with soft and silky oysters. Yummy!
3. Sauces for Oysters
However, if you are not looking for side dishes and only want to know the sauces for fresh oysters, then we are here for you. Or, if you want both side dishes with sauces side by side, it’s also in your favor.
Let’s see the sauces that we can pair with our soft oysters.
3.1. Lemon Aioli Sauce
Lemon is a great partner for raw oysters. It can cover up its saltiness very well, but if you find raw lemon juice very sour, try this sauce.
This sauce combines lime juice, pepper, garlic, mayo, salt and mustard. Quite easy, right? But it will taste highly delicious with raw oysters.
3.2. Mignonette Sauce
The sauce that will be an excellent match for oysters, is this classic mignonette sauce. You may think this sauce will be complex, but it’s not. It’s a very easy sauce with easily accessible ingredients.
All you need is vinegar, especially red wine vinegar and white vinegar, then some shallots, sugar, salt, and fresh black pepper.
Yes, that’s it; if you want to add something else, like garlic and spices, you can. But remember, shallots and pepper are a must. All that is left is to enjoy this sauce with the fresh, shucked oysters.
3.3. Horseradish Sauce
It’s time to serve your raw oysters with this creamy sauce. It is easy to make; all you need is horseradish (grate it), ketchup, lemon juice, and Worcestershire sauce.
If you want extra creaminess, you can add mayo, mustard, and some cream. Mix all these ingredients, and add some hot sauce for spice. That’s it. Very easy, right? Now, serve it with your oysters and enjoy.
3.4. Cocktail Sauce
The following sauce on our list is cocktail sauce, made by blending ketchup, lemon juice, salt, horseradish sauce, Tabasco, and Worcestershire sauce.
Very simple, right? It may be simple, but this sweet and spicy sauce tastes amazing with raw Oysters and any seafood. So, make a pretty large batch.
3.5. Pesto Sauce
Indulge in the taste with this duo of Pesto sauce and fresh raw oyster. Pesto sauce is healthy and also takes no time to make, you need some garlic cloves, fresh basil, pine nuts, parmesan cheese, and olive oil.
Blend all these ingredients and add lime juice, hot sauce, and extra Parmesan cheese for flavor. Now, enjoy this green creamy sauce with smooth and white oysters.
4. On A Final Note:
Whether you want to enjoy it alone or pair it with some classic sides and sauces, oysters are delicious and also have a lot of nutrients on the plus side. Have fun cooking!
Last Updated on by Arnab