Every Cracker Barrel Side Dish, Ranked by a Food Editor

• What It Is: steamed broccoli in savory seasoning
• Premium or Country Side: country
• Price: $3

Maybe it was a fluke, but I didn’t detect any seasoning on the broccoli. That said, it was well cooked, not over-steamed and vibrant in color. I’d pair it with steak and mashed potatoes if you want something green on your plate.

• What It Is: green beans slow simmered with pork seasoning
• Premium or Country Side: country
• Price: $3

These were a bit too mushy for my liking, but they were decently seasoned and not excessively salted. I didn’t necessarily taste pork or ham, though.

• What It Is: fresh sliced fruit
• Premium or Country Side: premium
• Price: $4

I liked that it was freshly cut rather than canned fruit cocktail. The strawberries were a little oversaturated, but the blueberries were sweet-tart and firm (that’s how I like them), and the pineapple was sour and juicy.

• What It Is: whole baby carrots cooked with margarine and brown sugar
• Premium or Country Side: country
• Price: $3

I’ll admit that I’m kind of a carrot hater (especially when they’re raw). Thankfully, these are cooked—with margarine and brown sugar, which gave them a pleasant sweetness. However, they were also a bit mushy for my taste; I wished they used sliced whole carrots instead of baby carrots.

• What It Is: whole kernel corn cooked with margarine
• Premium or Country Side: country
• Price: $3

This Cracker Barrel side was super buttery and glossy. The corn could’ve used a touch of salt, but its texture was just right, and its flavor was only mildly sweet. Pair it with ribs.

• What It Is: steak fries seasoned with garlic salt
• Premium or Country Side: country
• Price: $3

There’s something inherently rustic about steak fries that fits the Cracker Barrel aesthetic just right. The fries had a crispy exterior and tender interior, but they weren’t as plentiful as the other sides. Plus, there are so many other potato-based sides that the chain knocks out of the park. They’re good, but I’d skip ’em (unless you have a picky kid at the table).

• What It Is: homestyle dumplings with shredded chicken, celery, carrots and onions in savory broth
• Premium or Country Side: premium
• Price: $4.50

It was super thick, creamy, herbaceous and well-seasoned. The dumplings were almost too soft; I wish they were in balls instead of flat pieces, so they stayed chewier in the broth. I liked that the chicken was shredded, but it made for a less attractive final product.

• What It Is: mac n’ cheese topped with crispy bacon bites, parsley, green onions and Parmesan cheese
• Premium or Country Side: premium
• Price: $3.50

This didn’t come as it’s supposed to, according to the Cracker Barrel website. Instead of parsley, green onions and Parm, it was topped with incredibly buttery breadcrumbs and large, slightly chewy bacon bits. The mac and cheese is pretty flawless already, so I don’t know that it needed the trimmings, but the toppings certainly offer a kick of salt and diversity in texture.

• What It Is: mashed potatoes topped with bacon, Colby cheese and green onions
• Premium or Country Side: premium
• Price: $3.50

Like the mac and cheese, the mashed potatoes don’t need help in the deliciousness department. But I wasn’t mad at the additional bacon pieces and melty cheese. (There weren’t any green onions here either, though.)

• What It Is: creamy mashed potatoes with sawmill gravy (seasoned and cooked with pork flavors, salt and black pepper)
• Premium or Country Side: country
• Price: $3

The gravy has a smoky, ham-y flavor to it, and it hardens a bit as it sits. It may not have looked as appetizing as the brown gravy, but the mashed potatoes retained a stellar texture rather than being straight-up mush. (Hot tip: You can order a side of brown or sawmill gravy for $2.)

• What It Is: hashbrown casserole, fried in bite-sized tater tots
• Premium or Country Side: premium
• Price: $3.50

I was most excited to try this Cracker Barrel side. While it was tasty, it wasn’t my favorite of the lot. The tots were very cheesy, but like mashed potato on the inside rather than shredded hash browns. I wish they were crispier, but they were still very comforting and perfectly salted. FYI: They turn mushy after sitting for a while, so eat them quickly.

• What It Is: hashbrown casserole, grilled and topped with Colby cheese and bacon
• Premium or Country Side: premium
• Price: $3.50

The hashbrown casserole is already very indulgent and cheesy, so the “loaded” toppings felt more excessive here than on the mashed potatoes and mac and cheese. The casserole was definitely the highlight here over the toppings IMO, but they didn’t hurt either.

• What It Is: breaded, fried okra
• Premium or Country Side: country
• Price: $3

The breading was crispy and peppery, and each poppable boasted a stellar crunch. The okra inside had little of its signature sliminess and a very light vegetal taste. They likely pair seamlessly with steak and ribs.

• What It Is: slow-simmered, freshly prepared dumplins
• Premium or Country Side: country
• Price: $3

I was surprised how much I liked these sans-soup. Peppery, tender, indulgent and creamy, the dumplings were delightfully chewy versus those in the soup. They better retained their texture here, I guess because they didn’t take on extra liquid.

• What It Is: sliced fried apples, seasoned with cinnamon and baked
• Premium or Country Side: country
• Price: $3

The apples weren’t too soft or mushy; they had pie-filling energy without being straight-up goop. I loved that they have the peels on. Despite the generous, cinnamony sauce, the apples’ tartness and texture still shone through. I’ve only had them on sweet breakfast items before, but they’re probably a divine complement to pork chops.

• What It Is: green cabbage, red cabbage and carrots, tossed in coleslaw dressing
• Premium or Country Side: country
• Price: $3

I’m a coleslaw stan through and through. I just always crave a crisp, refreshing foil to mains like fried chicken, meatloaf and ribs, and slaw always does the trick. This batch had some larger pieces of cabbage, so it wasn’t a flawlessly uniform cut, but it was still super crisp, mayo-y and simple. It could’ve used a touch of black pepper, but that’s an easy fix.

• What It Is: hand-rolled buttermilk biscuits, served with butter
• Premium or Country Side: country
• Price: $3

I love the biscuits, but I usually eat them the second they hit the table. They’re salty, buttery, dense and crumby (not flaky) and begging to be slathered in jelly (or honey, if you’d prefer). This time because I had to eat through so many other sides first, they sat for a few minutes and hardened around the edges surprisingly quickly. While I still love them, I now see the merits of the fresh cornbread—more on that later.

• What It Is: creamy mashed potatoes with margarine, black pepper and salt
• Premium or Country Side: country
• Price: $3

The mashed potatoes are famously fluffy but have pieces of toothsome potato throughout. Plain, they were mild, comforting and accommodating enough to pair with just about anything on the menu. When in doubt (or if it’s your first time), you can’t go wrong.

• What It Is: creamy mashed potatoes with brown gravy
• Premium or Country Side: country
• Price: $3

That said, I love the savory, peppery and photogenic qualities of Cracker Barrel’s brown gravy. That makes this is my favorite of the many mashed potato options. If you order it with fried chicken, ask for extra gravy on the side for dunking.

• What It Is: baked potato topped with shredded Colby cheese, bacon, whipped butter, sour cream and green onions
• Premium or Country Side: premium
• Price: $3.50

I ooh’ed at the big scallion pieces and the generous dollop of sour cream. The butter was melted yet visible, seeping into the spud’s nooks and crannies and running like a river down the split in the center. The skin (which I quite enjoy) stayed crisp and offered earthiness to every bite.

• What It Is: elbow macaroni noodles mixed with cheese, baked
• Premium or Country Side: country
• Price: $3

There was literally nothing wrong with the standard mac—no notes. It was super cheesy, and the pasta is consistently tender without being overcooked. Picky kids will have no complaints, promise.

• What It Is: pinto beans slow-simmered with pork seasoning
• Premium or Country Side: country
• Price: $3

It could’ve been a touch saltier, but I adore this Cracker Barrel side. The beans were supremely creamy and lush in texture. They have good flavor and a slight hint of smokiness. (Hot tip: Order the Beans n’ Greens premium side to score both the pinto beans and turnip greens, along with sliced onion, vinegar and chow chow relish.)

• What It Is: classic corn muffins, served with butter
• Premium or Country Side: country
• Price: $3

Shoutout to our lovely server, Lisamarie, who made sure we got fresh-from-the-oven corn muffins. She revealed that they’re now made to order, and they were so worth the wait. They’re tender yet slightly gritty from the corn meal and incredibly buttery. The crumb was so fluffy. Pass the jam, please.

• What It Is: cooked turnip greens seasoned with country ham
• Premium or Country Side: country
• Price: $3

I feel like the greens are probably slept on, but they’re one of my all-time favorites. I loved the generous slivers of ham throughout. The greens are super savory and meaty, much like collards. They were a tad too salty this time around, but soft yet toothsome and very moist.

• What It Is: shredded potatoes, Colby cheese, chopped onions, seasoning, salt and pepper, baked into casserole
• Premium or Country Side: country
• Price: $3

Crisp on the outside, tender on the inside, super cheesy and dappled with charred, slightly sweet onion bits, the hashbrown casserole has my heart. It didn’t need any additional toppings IMO; it already checks every texture and flavor box imaginable.