Ribs are melt-in-your-mouth delicious, especially if they fall off the bone. Whether you choose pork or beef ribs, they are finger-licking good! The key to great ribs is to braise them until they are soft and tender, then baste them in a delicious sweet smokey barbeque sauce and caramelize them on the grill.
Not sure what to serve with ribs, or what goes well with ribs? These are my suggestions
for sides for ribs.
Here’s What To Serve With Ribs:
#1. Southern Style Crispy Onion Rings
Crispy onion rings make the perfect sides for ribs, which are light, crisp, and delicious. The onions are thinly sliced and soaked in buttermilk to mute their strong onion flavor.
The onion rings are then removed from the buttermilk, tossed in flour, and deep-fried until golden. Be sure to make plenty of these; they will be devoured quickly!
#2. Roasted Carrots With Candied Pecans And Goat Cheese
This side dish has a great combination of flavors, the sweet roasted carrots with salty, creamy goat’s cheese and crunchy pecans. While the ribs are grilled on the barbecue, the carrots can be roasted in the oven at the same time.
The carrots are roasted until caramelized, soft, and topped with crumbled goats cheese and candied pecans nuts.
#3. Blistered Green Beans With Pickled Shallots And Toasted Breadcrumbs
Greens beans sauteed in a pan, and blistered adds great flavor to the simple green bean. This recipe calls for the green beans to be blistered and browned and then tossed with lightly pickled shallots and finished with crunchy toasted bread crumbs. A side dish full of flavor and texture.
Cabbage and kale are nutritious and delicious. The onions are caramelized until sweet and golden, and the cabbage is added and sautéed until soft. The kale is chopped and stirred with chopped garlic and chili flakes.
The dish is cooked until the Kale is wilted and soft, seasoned well, and finished with chopped fresh parsley.
I love whole roasted butternut, and this one is stuffed with a delicious stuffing of mushrooms, a medley of healthy grains, caramelized leeks, and cherry tomatoes. The grains are cooked per packet instructions, and the mushrooms are sautéed with the leeks and garlic and mixed through the cooked grain.
The butternut is filled with the stuffing and baked with the cherry tomatoes. This is such a great side; it could even be served as a meal on its own.
I love a fresh Greek salad, but you must try this baked version. It’s a one-tray wonder, and the result is deliciously tender feta, caramelized sweet onions, salty olives, sweet peppers, juicy tomatoes, and crispy croutons. The “salad” is finished with fresh basil and a drizzle of good quality olive oil.
Wedges make great sides with ribs; they are the healthier version of chips, and these are seasoned with garlic and parmesan, which make them even more delicious.
The potatoes are cut into wedges and tossed in delicious garlic, and spiced butter, and sprinkled with grated parmesan. The wedges are baked in a hot oven until soft, golden, and crisp.
Not sure what to eat with ribs? Give this slaw a try; it has just the right amount of tang from the lime to balance the sweetness of the ribs. The slaw is flavored up with chopped cilantro, green onions, cumin, and a dash of jalapeno pepper for some added heat.
This recipe calls for just three ingredients to be added to the mushrooms, and it’s mind-blowingly delicious.
The mushrooms, best kept whole, are sauteed over high heat, the balsamic, honey, and garlic are then added, and the mushrooms are simmered until the sauce has reduced and thickened. Served with a sprinkle of chopped parsley for some color, these mushrooms make the perfect side for ribs.
When watermelon is in season, I want to put it in every salad. The flavor combination of watermelon and feta is something everyone should try. The watermelon is cubed and tossed with fresh basil, rocket, and cucumber. The salad is simply dressed with poppy seed vinaigrette and finished with crumbled feta.
Who doesn’t love a Caesar salad? The crisp, cold cos lettuce is heavily dressed with the creamy, tangy dressing that boasts just the slightest hint of garlic and anchovy flavors. The dish is a staple in its own right, but when served with a tasty, tender rack of ribs, you are in for a treat. The tangy acidity of the dressing cuts the heavier BBQ sauce and complements the ribs perfectly.
Corn is such a versatile ingredient and a tasty one on its own as well. One of my favorite things to do with leftover corn on the cob is use them for corn cakes. Cut from the cob and fold into a stiff savory batter which is then shallow fried in oil.
They truly are small power pockets of crispy goodness. They work wonderfully with beef or pork ribs; the best thing is that they can be made in advance and reheated. Dinner parties just got easier!
We eat with our eyes first. Just looking at these tasty skewers gets the taste buds going. These vegetable skewers are made up of vegetables in the season, but you can easily make them up with your favorite veggies, no problem.
What’s more, is that these are hugely popular with vegetarians, so make sure you make a few extra at your next BBQ. They go well with just about any protein, and ribs are no exception. Grill them next to the ribs on the fire to get an extra smokey flavor.
This simple salad screams summer! With the whole summer vegetable patch chopped and tossed together, what’s not to love. Balsamic vinegar and crumbled ricotta are what make this salad stand out. The creamy, cheesy, and sweet acidic vinegar balances the salad beautifully. This salad works well with classic smokey ribs.
#15. Roasted Sweet Potato With Chickpeas, Feta, And Cilantro
Stuffing a sweet potato is a great way to spice them up a little, especially for a dinner party or BBQ. In this recipe, spiced chickpeas, feta, and cilantro make a great addition to the potato’s creamy sweetness.
Placing the stuffed sweet potatoes under the grill for one minute is a great idea to melt the feta slightly and crisp up the chickpeas. Be sure to sprinkle the cilantro on afterward.
This dish makes for a great meal on its own, and you don’t even have to be vegetarian to love it. All these flavors work very well with sticky ribs so enjoy.
The French know what they are doing when it comes to food, and this potato salad is no exception. What’s nice about this dish is it isn’t as heavy as most other potato salads.
The fact that there isn’t any mayo at all will appeal to many. Soft onions, a mixture of mustards, and olive oil for the dressing are all that are used. Tangy, sweet with a bit of background heat make this a perfect side for your grilled rib dinner. Potato salad is always better the following day so make sure you keep the leftovers.
#17. Grilled Romaine Salad with Charred Lemon Vinaigrette
Grilling lettuce isn’t a new concept; it tastes delicious when done correctly. The trick is a hot grill and a sharp, acidic dressing. The lemon dressing provides a lovely tang while the lettuce gives a great smokey, crunchy. It makes great sides for ribs, but be sure to serve a few other sides as the lettuce isn’t too filling.
This casserole-style reminds me of the ratatouille movie with the beautiful laid, baked veggies. This is a wonderful dish for the cooler months. It is quite a heavy side, so be sure to serve it with a simple salad of sorts. It couldn’t be easier to make and work well with all grilled meats, ribs especially.
The fancy word for these round pillows of flavor is croquette. A great snack on their own or as rib sides at a BBQ.
This is also a great way to use leftover mash potato as well. In this recipe, the mash balls are stuffed with bacon and cheddar to make them even more delicious. Ribs, potato, bacon, and cheese, this just sounds mouth-watering!
The sweet, crunchy, aromatic spice that is dukkah works wonderfully on grilled or roasted vegetables. This middle eastern condiment complements the squash well and makes for a tasty vegetable side to any meal. Serve these up as one of your ribs’ side dishes, and you are in for a treat.
Mac and Cheese is a fabulous family meal on its own. Placed alongside some grilled ribs and a crisp salad, there isn’t much more one can ask for.
The creamy pasta base is and will always be one of my firm favorites for any occasion. The best is the crispy crust topping made by grilling the cheese before serving it.
Corn and ribs pair beautifully. In this recipe, the corn is seasoned with a lovely sweet, smokey BBQ-like spice and sauce. The corn can be added to the grill with the ribs and the sauce made beforehand. Finish both the cron and ribs off with a good squeeze of lemon and chopped chives or spring onions.
Asian street flavors meet the BBQ south. Honestly, they both make use of the same flavor, taste, and sense. Sweet, acid, and salty. Add the smoke element in, and you have a flavor explosion. Cauliflower is the perfect vegetable for this style of dish, and it holds up well on the flames and works well with all grilled meats.
Arancini aren’t the fastest to make, but they are so good! Even better is if you have some leftover risotto to make them with.
Traditionally stuffed with a firm mozzarella and in this recipe a Boursin cheese, the stringy melted cheese center is what everyone raves about. Tomato and cheese all in a crispy coating.
These arancini also make a great side to anything, really, so be sure to get some ready for your next dinner party to show off.
Having completed three years at cooking school, Gabi then went into the realm of private cheffing where she got to travel the world, cooking for the rich and famous in their luxury homes and holiday homes. Through her travels, she has experienced different cuisines, which she has added to her cooking repertoire.
