In summary: The delectable side dishes to enhance pulled pork range from Spicy Sriracha Asian Coleslaw and Easy Egg Fried Rice to Crispy Oven Roasted Potatoes and Quick Kimchi, and many more. These sides are designed to complement pulled pork’s succulent and tender texture, whether served in buns, atop rice, or alongside other flavorful accompaniments.
Pulled pork is a classic American barbeque dish. Pulled pork is usually made from the shoulder cut, which is cooked low and slow. The meat is then pulled off the bone, shredded, and mixed with a sauce. The result is melt-in-your-mouth moist meat.
Pulled pork, for me, is best served in a boa bun with Asian flavors or in a soft white roll, topped with coleslaw and chimichurri sauce.
Not sure what to serve with pulled pork or what goes well with pulled pork? Here are my suggestions for pulled pork sides.
Here’s What To Serve With Pulled Pork:
#1. Spicy Sriracha Asian Coleslaw
Coleslaw is a great side dish to serve with pulled pork, and this recipe is creamy with just the right amount of heat.
The coleslaw ingredients are combined with mayonnaise, sriracha, and lime juice. Serve this coleslaw on the side with some pulled pork, or even better, served on a bun with pulled pork.
Recipe: easyfamilyrecipes.com
#2. Easy Egg Fried Rice
This is a great recipe for any leftover rice you might have and served with pork; it’s a treat. The onion and garlic are sautéed until translucent, and the rice is then added with the sesame oil and cooked until heated through.
The eggs are added to the rice and scrambled, and the soy is mixed in. Finished off with a pinch of garlic salt and lime juice.
Recipe: kitchensanctuary.com
#3. Crispy Oven Roasted Potatoes
Roast potatoes make great sides for pulled pork. The trick to achieving crispy roast potatoes is to boil them first, and the potatoes are cooked until soft and drained.
They are then tossed in butter, oil, rosemary, and salt spread out on a baking tray, and baked in a very hot oven until golden and crisp.
Recipe: twokooksinthekitchen.com
#4. Quick Kimchi
This is one of my best pulled pork side dishes. The traditional kimchi takes at least three days to ferment, but this recipe can be whipped up and eaten the same day.
The cabbage is cut and marinated in saltwater for an hour. Meanwhile, the kimchi spices are combined. The cabbage is then drained from the saltwater and rinsed, tossed in the kimchi spices, and left to marinate. The longer it sits, the better, and it can be kept for up to 7 days in the fridge.
Recipe: seonkyounglongest.com
#5. Garlic Sesame Noodles
These noodles are gluten-free and have great flavor, and with some shredded pork stirred through them, it’s one delicious meal. The rice noodles are cooked as per packet instructions.
In a pan, the sauce is made, the garlic is heated until golden brown and toast, and the rest of the ingredients are added and left to simmer for a few minutes until slightly thickened.
The noodles are tossed in the sauce and finished with chopped scallions, red pepper flakes, and crushed peanuts.
Recipe: eatwithclarity.com
#6. Sweet Dinner Rolls
These sweet dinner rolls are the perfect side to serve your pulled pork on; they are pillow soft and subtly sweet. Topped with some sriracha Asian coleslaw, it is a flavor explosion.
The rolls are made with enriched dough, with the addition of eggs, and butter. The dough is mixed, shaped, and left to prove and then baked. Once out of the oven, the bread rolls are brushed with butter.
Recipe: grumpyshoneybunch.com
#7. Pickled Cucumber
This is a great way to preserve your cucumbers and they are delicious to eat with pork. The cucumber is sliced into thin rounds and tossed in salt to draw the excess moisture.
The vinegar and sugar are combined, and then the cucumbers are added to the liquid. Leave to marinate for an hour before serving. You will never buy ready-made pickled cucumbers again.
Recipe: rasamalaysia.com
#8. Carrot Salad
This carrot salad is flavored with Asian flavors and pairs perfectly with pork. The carrots are grated and tossed with some red bell pepper, chopped cilantro, and scallions and then dressed in a delicious Asian dressing.
The Asian dressing comprises tamari, lime juice, ginger, garlic, and sesame. This carrot salad served with pulled pork on a hot sweet dinner roll- heaven!
Recipe: twopeasandtheirpod.com
#9. Honey Balsamic Roasted Carrots
Not sure what to eat with pulled pork? Why not give these carrots a go? They are sweet, sticky, and delicious.
They are roasted in balsamic, honey, and fresh until soft and caramelized. The sweetness of the caramelized carrots is the perfect flavor to pair with pulled pork.
Recipe: eatwell101.com
#10. Steamed Bao Buns
Bao buns have become very trendy and can be filled with many things. But a popular choice is pulled pork. The buns are really easy to make; the dough is made, folded over, proved, and then steamed.
The result is soft pillowy bread that is opened and filled. My choice would be pulled pork, topped with pickled cucumber, and finished with aioli.
Recipe: eatlittlebird.com
#11. Crispy Oven-Roasted Broccolini
This method of cooking your broccolini is way tastier than steaming it. The roasting causes the concentration of flavor. The broccolini is tossed in olive oil and a splash of soy sauce and placed on a baking tray.
It’s important that the tray is not overcrowded; this will prevent the broccolini from crispening up. The broccoli is roasted until golden and tender, and served warm with a seasoning of salt.
Recipe: loveandoliveoil.com
#12. Japanese Spinach Salad with Sesame Dressing
This is a traditional Japanese vegetable dish, and it’s super tasty. The spinach is blanched in boiling water and then tossed in the sesame dressing.
The sesame dressing is made with toasted sesame seeds, which are ground up into a rough paste. The sesame paste is let down with a splash of soy, mirin, and sake.
The sauce is finished with a pinch of sugar to balance the saltiness. The result is a delicious, creamy, nutty salty-sweet spinach, all the perfect flavors to have with your pork.
Recipe: justonecookbook.com
#13. Celery root, fennel and grape salad
This is a great fresh and crunchy salad with pops of sweetness. The freshness from the celery root and fennel and the sweetness from the grapes work great with pulled pork.
The salad is quick and easy to make, the celery root is grated, and the fennel bulb is thinly shaved and tossed in a honey dressing finished with sweet grapes. It’s a simple but delicious side.
Recipe: scalingbackblog.com
#14. Blistered Green Beans with Tomato-Almond Pesto
These green beans taste as delicious as they look; they are cooked on a scorching hot skillet until blackened and blistered. The tomato almond pesto is made with roasted cherry tomatoes blended in a blender with garlic, almonds, olive oil, vinegar, paprika, and cayenne pepper.
The green beans are tossed in the tomato almond pesto and finished with some whole roasted cherry tomatoes on top. This dish can be made ahead of time and served at room temperature.
Recipe: bonappetit.com
#15. Marinated Slow Roasted Onions
I love these onions, they are soft and sweet and the perfect side dish to serve with pork. The onions are marinated overnight in a marinade of rosemary, vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper.
The onions are then topped with some butter and roasted until soft and caramelized. The marinade is reduced to a sweet and sour syrup; the onions are soft and sweet- served with pulled pork, it’s heavenly.
Recipe: keviniscooking.com
#16. White Cabbage Fennel And Avocado Slaw With Jalapeno Dressing
This is a great fresh, crisp salad with creamy avo and a jalapeno dressing. The cabbage is finely shredded, and the avo is sliced up and combined with the dressing.
The dressing has a hint of heat from the jalapenos, which are blended with sour cream, lime juice, and fresh coriander. This slaw can be served as a side dish to pull pork or a topping to a pork bun.
Recipe: donnahay.com.au
#17. Creamy Polenta with Parmesan Cheese
Creamy polenta makes great sides with pulled pork. The polenta is cooked with stock and milk and finished with butter and parmesan.
It’s creamy, cheesy, and delicious; topped with shredded pork, it’s a great winter warming meal. Served with a creamy mustard sauce, delicious.
Recipe: platingsandpairings.com
#18. Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Mashed potato is also a great side dish to serve, and adding roasted garlic makes for an even better mashed potato. The garlic is roasted whole in the oven for about 40 minutes until soft.
The potatoes are boiled until tender and then mashed with butter and milk. Be sure to mash the potatoes while they are still hot. The roasted garlic, herbs, and spring onions are added in and mixed thoroughly. The potato is seasoned well with salt and pepper.
Recipe: apinchofhealthy.com
#19. Grilled Eggplant and Spinach Salad
This is a great salad and quite different from the usual lettuce and tomato ones. The aubergine is grilled until charred and smoky.
The aubergine is tossed with an array of chopped herbs, sundried tomatoes, and baby spinach and then dressed in a delicious tahini dressing. The dressing is made up of tahini, mustard, olive oil, garlic, and lemon.
Recipe: saltandlavender.com
#20. Garlic Parmesan Pasta
This is a creamy plain but delicious pasta that can be served with anything. Served with some tender pork and this pasta would be super tasty.
The pasta is a one-pot wonder and can be whipped up in 20 minutes. The garlic is sautéed in butter, and the milk, stock, and seasoning are added and brought to a boil.
The angel hair pasta is then added to the sauce and cooked until done. The parmesan is then added and mixed until all combined. The pasta is seasoned and finished with a sprinkle of chopped parsley.
Recipe: thecozycook.com
FAQs
What kind of bread goes with pulled pork?
Soft and slightly sweet bread like brioche buns, hamburger rolls, or even cornbread make great choices to pair with pulled pork, as they complement the savory and tender texture of the meat.
What to eat with pulled pork tacos?
Accompaniments that work well with pulled pork tacos include tangy slaw, pickled onions, chopped cilantro, lime wedges, and a drizzle of crema or sour cream, providing a balance of flavors and adding freshness to the tacos.
Final words
If you are using frozen pulled pork, the best way is to reheat pulled pork in the oven for the best outcome.
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*image by dolorespreciado/depositphotos