16 Best Sides To Perfectly Complement Pulled Pork

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Pulled pork is a dish that's satisfying year-round, but it's especially fun to eat in the summer at barbecues and other events. If you're taking the time to make the best pulled pork recipe, then you deserve to have equally awesome side dishes. Not only should they be tasty, but the flavors and textures should also work in unison to help the pork shine.

You also have to consider how you'll be serving your pulled pork. Are you eating it plain as your main protein, or turning it into a hearty pulled pork sandwich? Either way, you'll need some sides that can round out the meal without being over the top.

So, how can you ensure that your pulled pork meal reaches its full potential? Read on for 16 of the best side dishes that are the perfect pairings for pulled pork. You may even want to whip up a few of them for a feast.

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Traditional mashed potatoes don't get enough praise for being the ultimate all-purpose side dish. They pair well with a wide variety of proteins and even with other side dishes. Many people feel like their mashed potatoes aren't complete without corn or another veggie on top.

You can peel your potatoes and whip them until they're smooth and creamy, or you can leave the skin on and mash them for a more rustic approach. You can also take things to the next level by incorporating garlic, cheese, and all kinds of spices.

Mashed potatoes with the perfect level of saltiness are ideal for pulled pork because they can help balance the sweetness. Pulled pork also tends to be quite chewy, so the soft potatoes can give your jaw a break. Plus, cooking pulled pork will create a bunch of juices, even after the pork has time to soak them back up after shredding. If you're feeling extra indulgent, you can pour a little bit of those juices over your mashed potatoes to really blend the flavors.

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The reason so many folks adore pulled pork is that its flavor profile is complex. It's sweet, savory, tangy, a little smoky, and sometimes a bit spicy if you enjoy adding cayenne or other spices with a kick. As a result, a refreshing traditional coleslaw can help cut through some of the decadence while still playing off the tanginess of the meat.

The high water content of the shredded cabbage and carrots, combined with the cooling mayonnaise, adds lovely brightness to the dish. Of course, that splash of apple cider vinegar makes your taste buds tingle as well. Folks love having a scoop of it on their plates or slathering some on their pulled pork sandwiches.

Since whipping up homemade coleslaw is easy, especially if you buy the pre-shredded coleslaw mix at the grocery store, you don't have to feel overwhelmed with juggling a million things in the kitchen. You can mix it, then let it rest in the fridge until the rest of the meal is ready.

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We all love to complain about how corn on the cob always gets stuck in our teeth, yet we still can't get enough of it. It's a fun ritual to butter and salt the cob before chomping away at it. Each kernel bursts with natural sweetness. If you're eating corn on the cob with a lot of other people at the table, you may even splash your neighbor after a big bite, which is always hilarious. Since pulled pork recipes usually contain ketchup, brown sugar, honey, and other sweet ingredients, it makes sense to pair it with corn on the cob, which also balances saltiness and sweetness.

The key to having the sweetest, juiciest corn on the cob is to buy it as fresh as possible. Farmers markets are always a good bet, but you can still get high-quality corn on the cob at the grocery store. Just make sure that the silk is still brown instead of black and that the bottom of the cob doesn't have any browning. It's best to cook your corn the same day you buy it, so try to avoid letting it sit in the fridge for several days.

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Good pulled pork should have a nice bite and be juicy. Mac and cheese is incredibly creamy and goes down easily. Since the flavor is milder, the pork can take center stage without the rest of the meal feeling boring.

There are all kinds of phenomenal mac and cheese recipes out there, but sometimes it's nice to have a recipe that tastes familiar and comforting. If you make a copycat Chick-fil-A mac and cheese, it's guaranteed to be a huge hit at the dinner table. The recipe goes beyond the usual cheddar-and-Gruyère combo. It combines Parmesan, cheddar, Romano, American, and BellaVitano. The result is gooey, sharp, savory, and buttery. The mac and cheese has enough personality that it won't get lost on your palate if you're switching between it and the pulled pork. It truly adds a lot of coziness to the entire meal, and even one scoop is enough to satisfy you.

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If you're not in the mood for some mashed potatoes, then you could go to the other side of the potato spectrum and make crispy air fryer steak fries. Why this cut of potato? Steak fries have enough body to hold up against robust pulled pork. The thickness gives you a lot of softness in each bite, while still allowing you to enjoy a good crunch on the exterior. The blend of textures makes your meal more exciting.

Steak fries can seem a little bland if you don't season them well. This is why it's crucial to toss them with some salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder, and maybe even some smoked paprika and oregano. You can have fun experimenting with your ideal spice blend when you're pairing the fries with pulled pork. If you're a french fry lover, then you could even make loaded steak fries that are topped with the pulled pork and other fixings you love.

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Another dish that's associated with summer and carefree living is a simple macaroni salad. It's impossible to be in a bad mood when you're eating it, unless someone messed up the recipe, of course. The tastiest dressings use some type of mustard and vinegar to add zippiness to the starchy pasta and the rich mayo. Since pulled pork also has some acidity, the flavors won't clash.

What's nice about macaroni salad is that you can prepare a big batch the night before, and it'll taste better than when you first mixed it. All of the ingredients have time to marry. Since you'll serve it chilled, you don't need to get extra cookware dirty or use valuable stove or microwave space.

Macaroni salad has a gorgeous, refreshing crunch, thanks to the blend of chopped onions, bell peppers, celery, and carrots. If you serve it with piping-hot pulled pork, the contrast in temperature and texture will delight your palate.

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Some folks don't like to get too wild with their side dish pairings. If you want a side dish that tastes similar to pulled pork, you can never go wrong with barbecue baked beans. You can get away with cracking open a can of store-bought baked beans and heating them, but it's worth taking the time to spruce them up a little. Baked beans straight out of the can sometimes taste too sweet, but this is an easy fix.

Frying some bacon to add to the beans will provide some pleasant saltiness and fat. Sautéed onions and green bell peppers can make store-bought beans taste fresh as well. It's also wise to play with your seasonings to create a more nuanced flavor profile since the pulled pork isn't one-note either.

Since beans are so filling, they can help you stretch your pulled pork further. Whether you have a large crowd to feed or you simply enjoy having leftovers, you can count on the humble bean to satisfy even the biggest appetites.

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There's nothing more rewarding than being able to chop up a bunch of ingredients and then let them roast in the oven while you relax or tend to other dishes. That's why sheet pan dinners are such a sensation online. We're all busy, and some folks just don't enjoy cooking much. While you will need to prepare your pulled pork separately, you can create an impressive side with a sheet pan.

Roasted potatoes and veggies are a brilliant side dish for pulled pork and other proteins because the potatoes are satiating, and the veggies make the meal feel more balanced and nutritious. Plus, roasting your veggies can caramelize them beautifully, which complements the sweetness of pulled pork. You can get creative with your veggie blend, but a classic combo that works well with roasted potatoes is bell peppers and onion. Chopping green, red, and yellow bell peppers can make the dish look more intriguing and inviting. Once you toss the chopped potatoes and veggies in some olive oil and herbs, you can have a beautiful side dish in 20 to 30 minutes.

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If you love Southern food, then you already know that a barbecue meal isn't complete without the perfect collard greens. This side dish is bursting with nutrients and flavor. The greens are tender, thanks to a low-and-slow cooking process. Since the greens are cooked with flavorful meat, such as bacon or smoked turkey, the broth becomes sumptuous. Aromatics like garlic and onion sweeten the deal as well.

What's brilliant about making these two dishes together is that they both require time to develop the ideal texture. Collard greens take up to two hours to become tender, while pulled pork takes at least two hours to cook. This means you can marinate, sear, and roast your pork in the oven before you start working on the collard greens. Once both dishes are situated, you have time to relax while they cook. The greens themselves can bring balanced nutrition to the plate, while the bits of smoky meat and rich broth will go hand in hand with the pulled pork.

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Green beans are one of those vegetables that can make any meal seem more impressive without requiring much effort. Instead of stir-frying or baking your green beans, you can pop them in your air fryer and make magic. Air fryer garlic green beans become tender without going limp, unlike many other cooking methods. Each green bean will still pop in your mouth and release its subtle sweetness.

Almost everything savory tastes better once garlic gets involved, so tossing the green beans with garlic powder and freshly minced garlic complements the natural flavors. You can enjoy the best of both worlds since granulated garlic provides concentrated flavor, while fresh garlic makes your house smell divine. Coating the green beans in olive oil keeps the side dish feeling luxurious yet wholesome. This side dish is so simple to prepare, yet it does a lot of heavy lifting when it comes to adding color and freshness to your plate of pulled pork.

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Picture this: you have a juicy pile of pulled pork on your plate, along with some of your favorite side dishes. You also have a giant pan of warm Southern-style buttermilk cornbread begging you to dive in. As you eat your pulled pork, you can make mini sandwiches by piling the meat on it. This can be such a fun twist on the traditional pulled pork sandwiches, which use a flour-based bun. If you have any leftover juice on your plate, you can also sop it up with a piece of cornbread.

Whipping up some homemade cornbread couldn't be simpler. The only dilemma you'll face is how much added sugar you want to add to the mix. Some purists firmly believe that cornbread shouldn't be sweetened, while others can't enjoy it without some sugar or honey. No matter where you fall on this spectrum, any cornbread style will suit your pulled pork perfectly.

It's true that serving just pulled pork and cornbread won't feel like enough. Other side dishes like mashed potatoes are hearty enough to complete the meal. However, having warm cornbread along with one or two other sides will make you feel like royalty.

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If you're a Chipotle fan, then the idea of making some cilantro lime rice may just make you hungry for a burrito bowl. However, this side dish can complement so many other meals, including pulled pork served with other traditional side dishes. Heck, you could still make a burrito bowl with the leftovers as long as you're happy with the flavor profile being different from traditional carnitas.

Sure, you can keep things simple by steaming some white rice and topping it with some butter, salt, and pepper. The rice will still do an amazing job of soaking up the pork juices. However, a squeeze of lime can do wonders for your dish.

The lime matters because of its acidity. The citrus breathes life into the plain rice, but there's still plenty of room for the pork flavors to mingle. The vinegar that gives your pulled pork a slight tang will complement cilantro lime rice. Unless you have the gene that makes cilantro taste soapy, your palate will appreciate the freshness. You could always substitute a little bit of fresh parsley as well.

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There are so many delicious fruit and meat pairings that everyone should try at least once. Pork chops with applesauce, prosciutto-wrapped honeydew, and even the polarizing Hawaiian pizza are just a few classic pairings. Another combo that may become an instant hit in your household is pineapple and pulled pork. Many of us eat pineapple with our holiday hams, so why not try it with this recipe?

Pineapple is arguably the perfect fruit to pair with pulled pork because it's juicy, sweet, and tangy. Some fruits are fully on the sweet side of the spectrum, but pineapple's acidity provides balance for pulled pork.

Opening a can of pineapple is the most convenient option, but everyone can agree that fresh pineapple is remarkably yummier. This spiky fruit is undoubtedly intimidating, but with the right pineapple cutting tricks, you can always have access to fresh fruit without losing any fingers. Having a bite of this succulent fruit now and then can cleanse your palate and get you excited about savoring every other component in your meal.

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No list of yummy side dishes would feel complete without the humble baked potato and sweet potato. It doesn't matter what protein is on the menu: white and sweet potatoes are always there to elevate your meal. You can dress each option up as much as you want or just let the potatoes shine with a pat of butter, salt, and pepper.

White potatoes are heavenly when you load them with cheese, sour cream, bacon bits, and chives. Now imagine how much more scrumptious yours would taste with a bit of pulled pork on top. Sweet potatoes are a dreamy pairing as well if you want to lean into the sweetness of the pulled pork.

If you're pressed for time, you can have a fluffy baked potato ready in 10 minutes or less by zapping it in the microwave. However, taking the time to rub your potatoes with oil and salt before baking them in the oven for an hour or so will help the skin develop an unbelievable crust.

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There are dozens of vibrant salad recipes that could make your pulled pork dinner taste even more special. No one would argue about receiving a classic Italian or Caesar salad. However, you should challenge yourself to try different dressings to avoid getting into a rut. One dressing that's taken the internet by storm in recent years is the TikTok-inspired Green Goddess salad dressing. Its name comes from the fact that the fresh herbs turn the dressing a stunning shade of green, which makes your salad look all the more refreshing.

Instead of using romaine, iceberg, or another popular type of lettuce, Green Goddess salad dressing goes over finely chopped cabbage. This hearty green will remind you of coleslaw with a twist. The dressing itself blends chives, spinach, fresh basil, shallots, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, nutritional yeast (for a plant-based cheesy flavor), apple cider vinegar, walnuts, and a whole avocado.

The walnuts and olive oil create a wonderful mouthfeel, while the lemon juice and apple cider vinegar keep things bright. The salad will look phenomenal on your pulled pork plate, and you'll still have room for more indulgent side dishes like french fries.

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If someone looked at the ingredients for cornbread and homemade hush puppies, they might think that they're the same dish. However, this statement would make any Southerner clutch their pearls. While the two have a similar flavor, the cooking method makes all the difference. Cornbread is soft and crumbly, while hush puppies are formed into balls and fried until the outside is crispy and the interior is pillowy. Despite these differences, it's not too presumptuous to assume that someone who enjoys cornbread would also love hush puppies.

Balls of fried dough are already whimsical, but they can sometimes hide surprises inside as well. Shredded cheese, diced onions, and finely chopped jalapeños are a few ingredients that taste lovely when folded into the batter. Like cornbread, you can adjust the sweetness of the batter to your liking. A bit of sugar can enhance the sweetness of the pork. Do keep in mind that this side dish may feel like too much if you're planning on making pulled pork sandwiches, since the bun could compete with the hush puppies. There are many folks who agree that you can never have too many carbs on the table, though.