What To Serve With Pork Chops

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Pork chops are a slice of incredibly popular meat to enjoy and for a good reason. They’re packed with protein, taste great, and are a great option for a warm meal in the winter or a grilled one in the summer. We’ll give you some great ideas in this article for how to pair your pork chops to make the best meal possible!

When considering what to pair with pork chops, it’s important to consider that they’re typically savory in terms of taste, and also a filling food. You’ll have to pick tastes that will blend well with the savoriness, while also considering that lighter sides might be a good option.

If you’re ready to get out your newest package of pork chops and throw them on the pan or on the grill, then join us as we explore what possibilities exist for your dish!

Contents

17 Side Dishes to Serve With Pork Chops

Choosing what side dish to use with your pork chops all comes down to what you’re trying to get out of the meal. Let’s explore over a dozen different options for you to choose from.

1. Maple-Cinnamon Squash Agrodolce

Remember how we said above that pork chops can be a great cold-weather food? If that’s when you’ve decided to take a bite out of your best pork chop recipe, then this might be your pick for a side dish.

Squash is a popular food to enjoy in colder months, especially since it is usually harvested in the fall or even year-round. It’s hearty and delicious, and pairing it with maple cinnamon will give your pork chops a sweet option to pair alongside a pork chop’s savory taste.

2. Roasted Broccolini and Cheese

If you’re looking for a really healthy option to pair along with your pork chops, but don’t exactly love the sometimes-bitter taste of regular broccoli, may we present this side dish to you.

Broccolini is a smaller variation of regular broccoli, making it perfect for anyone looking to have smaller meals. Mix it up with some cheese for a wonderfully distinct taste. Since it’s light food, it will pair well with dense, filling food like a pork chop.

3. Mashed Potatoes

You probably saw this one coming from a mile away. Mashed potatoes are an absolute staple in a good recipe book, and for a good reason. The taste is fairly simple, meaning that they can be paired with basically any meat (like a pork chop!) with ease.

Bonus points if you’re looking for a fast side dish to whip up alongside your pork chops- many stores sell instant mashed potatoes. While they may not be as good as homemade, this is a great option for those of you living fast lives.

4. Corn Pudding

This is the opposite of mashed potatoes; it takes a pretty long time to make for a side dish, with a prep and cooking time of about an hour. Corn pudding is light and fluffy.

As we established above, light food can be a great idea to serve alongside a dense pork chop. If you want something more robust than broccolini without sacrificing the “light” aspect, corn pudding is for you!

5. Potato and Butternut Squash Latkes

Traditionally a Jewish food, these latkes are a great option. Many of us enjoy big, hearty meals when the snow starts falling, and this is definitely going to provide that.

Butternut squash recipes pair amazingly well with anything maple-related, and these latkes are no exception. If you’ve got yourself a maple-glazed pork chop, try pairing it with these latkes for an amazing meal!

6. Fried Apples

Fried apples are a pretty common dish to see at a lot of restaurants, especially in the south. Apples are widely available in the fall, making this a perfect idea for an autumn pork chop meal.

The sweetness of fried apples will go great with the savory taste of a pork chop, and they can even be poured on top for an amazing finish. Plus, they’re fairly easy to make.

7. Lemon-Ginger Spinach

This one might not be too popular with the kids, but it’s a quick, simple, and easy recipe to whip up on a busy night- and a healthy one, too.

The flavors in this dish are pretty simple and straightforward, so they’ll go with basically any type of pork chop recipe you decide to make. This also makes them great for pretty much any time of the year.

8. Parmesan Pesto Roasted Potatoes

Who doesn’t love some roasted potatoes? These are a go-to recipe for any time of the year, especially when pork chops are on the menu.

The sharp, distinct flavors in this side dish will blend wonderfully with the distinct and savory taste that pork chops provide, offering a meal that’s strong in flavor in the best way.

9. Sour Cream Balsamic Sweet Potatoes

This one is a bit more exotic; we’ve covered a lot of pretty simple side dishes so far, so we thought we’d throw a more creative one at you.

We promise- sour cream and sweet potatoes work surprisingly well together. Sweet potatoes are an awesome food to pair with pork chops since they offer sweetness to contrast pork chops’ savoriness.

10. Corn on the Cob

What could be a more classic summer food? Corn on the cob is a simple American classic that’s easy to make, whether you choose to do so inside or out on the grill.

If none of these side dishes are striking out at you, then definitely go with this essential. You can never go wrong with a food that’s so simple, yet so widely beloved by millions of people every year.

11. Coleslaw

Another popular summer food, coleslaw offers a nice tanginess that actually softens the taste of pork chops without making the flavors seem too different.

There’s lots of room for your own interpretation here, a definite contrast to a lot of what we’ve suggested so far. Lots of different recipes for coleslaw exist, or, if you’re living the fast life, plenty of stores sell pre-made coleslaw in the deli area.

12. Blue Cheese Wedge Salad

Wedge salads might seem like a bit of trendy food, but they’ve become popular for a good reason. They’re a bit simpler than making a salad, so if you don’t want all the effort of a salad, this is for you.

Blue cheese has a very sharp flavor, so like with coleslaw, you might find that it actually softens the taste of pork chops. If you’re looking for a healthy, delicious option to pair with your pork chops, this might just be it.

13. French Onion Soup

Looking for a good soup to pair with your pork chops? Look no further than French onion soup! This is a wonderful option when you’re trying to make a cozy meal.

French onion soup is rich and beefy, matching well with the sometimes soft but always savory taste of whatever pork chops you’re trying to make. If you want a hearty meal, pick French onion soup.

14. Roasted Celery Root

You might not expect us to have something like celery root on this list, but it actually can work quite well when paired with a good pork chop!

When done up with a great recipe, roasted celery root takes on a pleasant sweetness that works very well with the savoriness of pork chops. Plus, it’s a pretty healthy option.

15. Broccoli Macaroni and Cheese

You didn’t expect us to make a list of side dishes without including macaroni and cheese, did you? This goes down with corn on the cob as another essential side dish to have in your recipe book.

Adding broccoli will give your mac and cheese a nice, sharp flavor. Broccoli mac and cheese will stand out strong against soft-tasting pork chops. This side dish can also be prepared in less than thirty minutes.

16. Mint Rice

This is another pretty simple recipe, so it’s great for anyone who needs a fast solution to their side dish problem. Mint rice has a distinct, but simple, taste to it, meaning that it definitely won’t overpower the taste of your pork chops.

The taste of mint rice has been compared to risotto. It takes about half the time of steamed rice to prep and cook, making it an all-around basic side dish.

17. Garlic Rice

Rounding out this list is a much more dramatic alternative to mint rice- garlic rice. This is an incredibly flavorful dish that will help accentuate the flavors in your pork chop dish.

It’s also still pretty simple to prepare, too. Maybe not as simple as mint rice, but it’s still not any kind of crazy long-term cooking project.

Wrap-Up

Now you know a whole bunch of different side dishes you can pair with pork chops! Remember to keep the savory taste and filling nature of pork chops in mind while picking out side dishes. Leave a comment down below sharing your favorite pork chop recipe!

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