11 Familiar Side Dishes for Industrial Catering

Building a menu for thousands of people every day while ensuring no repetition for at least a month is no easy matter. It requires the menu planner to know the dishes thoroughly and understand the preferences of each kitchen they cook for in order to choose the most suitable dishes, meeting every criterion of cost, portion size, taste and more... Below, STAVI would like to suggest 11 familiar side dishes in industrial catering for you to consider for your own kitchen’s menu!

See also:

• 10 useful kitchen tips you should know
• Principles of scientific eating to safeguard your health
• STAVI explains how to tell fresh, good-quality pork for your kitchen

Side dishes commonly seen on industrial catering menus

Side dishes in industrial catering usually prioritise the criteria of being easy to prepare in large quantities, reasonably priced and nutritionally balanced, and include stir-fried vegetables, eggs, tofu, dried fish, peanuts and so on.

For industrial catering, the side dish plays a supporting role yet has a very large influence on how diners perceive the meal. A well-chosen side dish not only helps balance nutrition but also creates variety, reduces the feeling of monotony and raises the quality of the meal. Below are 11 familiar side dishes that frequently appear in industrial kitchens, along with an analysis of the preparation methods suited to cooking in large quantities.

1. Meat-stuffed tofu in tomato sauce

Among the side dishes of industrial kitchens, meat-stuffed tofu in tomato sauce is a popular choice thanks to its readily available ingredients, low cost and rich plant protein. In preparation, the tofu is usually cut into squares and stuffed with meat, then lightly fried until golden to firm it up so that it does not fall apart in the sauce.

The tomatoes are stir-fried thoroughly and mashed to create a natural red colour and a gentle sour taste, after which the tofu is added to the sauce over medium heat so that the seasoning soaks in evenly. The finished dish has a lightly thickened sauce, is easy to portion out and suits many groups of workers.

Meat-stuffed tofu, a simple side dish that is easy to prepare

2. Bean sprouts stir-fried with chicken gizzards and offal

Bean sprouts stir-fried with chicken gizzards and offal is both quick to cook and refreshing, helping to balance meals that are high in protein. The gizzards and offal need to be prepared carefully, cleaned and deodorised with ginger or rice wine before stir-frying.

During cooking, the gizzards and offal are stir-fried through first to keep them crunchy, and only then are the bean sprouts added and stir-fried quickly over high heat to limit the release of liquid. The finished dish should keep the crunch of the sprouts, be well seasoned and not too oily.

3. Rolled omelette

This is a side dish that is easy to eat, easy to portion and suits almost every palate. The eggs are beaten evenly and may be combined with finely chopped carrot or spring onion to add colour and nutrition.

When cooking in large quantities, the egg is spread into a thin layer, rolled up evenly and then cut into bite-sized pieces. Rolling the egg into pieces keeps the dish looking attractive, makes portioning convenient and ensures that each portion has an equal amount of egg.

4. Oil-roasted peanuts

Peanuts roasted in oil and sprinkled with a little seasoning powder have become a familiar dish in industrial kitchens because the method is simple, fast and cost-efficient. Put the oil and the peanuts in at the same time and roast them, stirring evenly, over medium heat.

According to chefs’ experience, you must wait until the peanuts have cooled down a little before adding the salt or seasoning powder so that it clings to the peanuts and they do not turn watery. When seasoning, do not make them too salty, so that they suit the general palate and combine easily with the other main dishes in the meal.

5. Fried anchovies

Among side dishes, fried anchovies are also a favourite because of their delicious aroma and simple ingredients. It is a rustic dish, crispy, goes very well with rice and is easy for most people to eat.

After cleaning, the fish need to be drained thoroughly before frying to ensure crispness and limit oil splatter. In industrial kitchens, the fish are usually deep-fried at a stable temperature so that they cook evenly, then lifted out to drain. They can be lightly braised in a sweet and salty sauce so they are more flavourful and keep their taste when served in large quantities.

Crispy fried anchovies that go well with rice 

6. Quail eggs braised in soy sauce

Eggs braised in soy sauce bring a novel flavour to everyone’s meal. Although quail eggs are small, they contain abundant nutrition, with protein, fat, folate, iron, vitamin B12 and more. That is why many kitchens choose this food to prepare accompanying side dishes.

In preparation, the quail eggs are boiled, peeled and then braised over low heat with soy sauce so the seasoning soaks in evenly. The braising liquid needs to be seasoned just right, not too salty, and kept lightly thickened so that the dish looks appetising and does not dry out when portioned.

7. Vietnamese pork sausage (gio lua)

This is one of the most convenient side dishes in terms of speed, helping the kitchen save preparation time while still ensuring a complete meal. The sausage is sliced evenly and can be lightly re-steamed before serving to keep it soft and fragrant. It can also be varied into dishes such as sausage braised in fish sauce or sausage braised with pepper, to avoid the dish becoming monotonous.

When choosing pork sausage for industrial catering, the key factor is a supply source that guarantees food safety and stable quality.

8. Fried spring rolls

Fried spring rolls are a familiar traditional Vietnamese dish loved by many people that makes a meal more varied. However, when included in industrial catering, spring rolls are usually served at a reasonable frequency to avoid the feeling of monotony. The rolls are wrapped to a uniform size, fried thoroughly and drained of oil before portioning. Controlling the oil temperature and the frying time keeps the rolls crispy without soaking up oil.

9. Meat stir-fried with onion and celery

Meat stir-fried with onion and celery is a quick, nutritious dish that combines firm stir-fried meat with crunchy, sweet onion and celery. The meat is thinly sliced, lightly marinated and then stir-fried quickly to keep it tender. The onion and celery are added last and tossed briefly to keep their green colour and characteristic aroma. The finished dish should be moderately seasoned, easy to eat and suited to the palate of the majority.

Tasty meat stir-fried with onion and celery has become a familiar side dish

10. Fried round scad

Fried round scad is a popular side dish thanks to its high nutritional value and readily available ingredients. The fish is cleaned and fried over medium heat so that it cooks evenly from the inside out. When cooking in large quantities, the oil temperature must be controlled so the fish does not burn while still keeping its good taste and attractive appearance when served.

11. Green banana stewed with tofu and pork

Green banana stewed with tofu and pork is a traditional dish, a traditional dish rich in the flavour of the homeland, combining the richness of tofu, the mealy taste of green banana and the sweetness of the meat. The bananas are prepared carefully to remove their astringency, then stewed together with the meat and tofu. The dish needs to be cooked over medium heat and seasoned gently to create a mealy, moderately rich taste suited to many kinds of diners. It is also a dish that keeps people full for a long time and has become a familiar side dish in industrial kitchens.

Green banana stewed with tofu and pork is a familiar side dish

Points to note when choosing side dishes for industrial catering

When building a side dish menu, the kitchen needs to ensure the rotation of fried, stir-fried and braised dishes with low-oil dishes to ensure nutritional balance and avoid monotony. Side dishes should be easy to portion, stable in quality when prepared in large quantities and suited to the general palate of the workforce. In addition, controlling incoming ingredients, the preparation process and food safety is always the key factor in ensuring that meals achieve stable, lasting quality.

Choosing and preparing side dishes appropriately is exactly what makes industrial catering more complete and appealing every day. When side dishes are invested in carefully, meals will both ensure nutrition and help improve the health, morale and work performance of the workforce. This is also the foundation on which industrial kitchens build sustainable, varied menus and earn lasting customer satisfaction.

At STAVI’s kitchens, besides focusing investment on the main dishes, the team also pays particular attention to the side dish menu in order to create harmony and balance in the meal as a whole, helping diners enjoy their food more. The variety in the way side dishes are combined not only enriches the portion but also helps enhance the dining experience every day.