Wondering what the best pulled pork sides are? I’ve got you covered with this handy guide. So that you can find a great side for your pork dinner in a hurry!
Pulled Pork + Amazing Side Dish = PERFECTION!
When serving pulled pork, there are 4 essentials:
- An amazing homemade barbecue sauce.
- Napkins. Lots of napkins. Especially if pulled pork sandwiches are involved.
- Wine. Here are 7 bottles that pair perfectly with barbecue.
- And, of course, some really stellar side dishes.
From classics such as mac & cheese and potato salad to healthier options such as vinegar coleslaw (my personal favorite) and quick pickles, there are so many options.
Favorite Sides for Pulled Pork
These are some of my favorite pork side dishes:
- Crunchy Slaw – A great choice, especially added on top of a pulled pork sandwich.
- German Potato Salad – This classic side dish is perfect for summer BBQs because it’s mayo-free.
- Tomato Cucumber Salad – This fresh salad is one of the best healthy sides.
- Instant Pot Mac and Cheese – A definite crowd pleaser!
But the list goes on! Keep reading to discover 35+ delicious sides for pulled pork!
The BEST Pulled Pork Side Dishes
Red Cabbage Slaw is a super simple side dish recipe made without mayo. It’s tangy, delicious and crunchy.
Red Cabbage Slaw
This delicious warm German Potato Salad combines tender potatoes with a warm bacon-mustard vinaigrette dressing. It’s tangy, creamy and the perfect side dish for the summer grilling season.
German Potato Salad
Learn how to make the BEST Instant Pot Corn on the Cob. This pressure cooker corn on the cob recipe uses a simple, secret ingredient to guarantee that your corn is sweet, tender and delicious!
Instant Pot Corn on the Cob
Instant Pot pinto beans are easy to make and taste so much better than the canned version! Perfect for meal prep or as a side dish to your favorite tacos, salads, or protein bowls, these beans can be ready in under an hour with no soaking required.
Instant Pot Pinto Beans
These easy air fryer Hasselback potatoes are drenched in garlic herb butter, giving you an almost addictive crispy-on-the-outside, pillowy-on-inside snack or side dish in no time.
Air Fryer Hasselback Potatoes
Baked Sweet Potato Fries- you are going to love these healthy, crispy fries! They are baked instead of fried and are so easy to make at home!
Get the RECIPE from Two Peas & Their Pod
This Couscous Corn Salad puts a salad twist on Mexican Street Corn. Smoky grilled corn, a creamy cumin-lime dressing, and pearl couscous combine to create this delicious salad.
Couscous Corn Salad
Air Fryer Potato Wedges are so crispy and perfectly seasoned! Tossed with Parmesan these easy homemade Air Fried Wedges make a tasty appetizer or side dish.
Get the RECIPE from Plated Cravings
This Zucchini Corn Fritters recipe makes a great healthy breakfast or brunch option, which is super fluffy and packed full of flavour. The perfect brunch
Get the RECIPE from Cooking with Ayeh
Cheesy and packed with flavor, this savory jalapeño cheddar cornbread is so good and easy to make. The best side for any meal!
Get the RECIPE from Savor the Best
These Blistered Shishito Peppers are the perfect finger food. They’re so easy to make too. Lightly seasoned and slightly smoky, you’ll find that most are mild… one out of every ten might surprise you.
Blistered Shishito Peppers
This is the BEST Instant Pot Mac and Cheese! Made extra creamy with a secret ingredient plus delicious cheddar & parmesan cheese. It can be made in just 4 minutes with your electric pressure cooker.
Instant Pot Mac and Cheese
Air Fryer Zucchini Fries with Lemon Tarragon Aioli are perfect for snacking. Strips of zucchini, coated in panko cook up perfectly crispy in the air fryer. Dip them in an easy-to-prepare creamy aioli flavored with tarragon and lemon.
Air Fryer Zucchini Fries
Hawaiian Coleslaw with pineapple, cabbage, carrots, sesame seeds and a ginger-soy lime vinaigrette brings a tropical taste to traditional slaw.
Hawaiian Coleslaw
This Tomato Cucumber Salad features fresh cucumbers, juicy tomatoes, and crisp red onion. Dressed in a tangy homemade red wine vinaigrette, every bite is bursting with refreshing Mediterranean flavors!
Tomato Cucumber Salad
These Air Fryer Frozen Shoestring Fries come out exactly like your favorite fast food fries! They’re crispy, golden on the outside and perfectly fluffy inside. SO much better than deep frying or baking! Plus, you can cook different types of fries – waffle fries, steak fries and more!
Air Fryer Frozen Shoestring Fries
These Quick Pickled Cucumbers are ready to eat in 1 hour! There’s no canning required and they stay crisp for months.
Quick Pickled Cucumbers
These no soak Instant Pot Black Beans are easy to make and taste so much better than the canned version! Perfect for meal prep or as a side dish to your favorite tacos, salads, or protein bowls, these black beans can be ready in under an hour.
Instant Pot Black Beans
Learn how to make perfectly tender and blistered Grilled Bell Peppers at home! It’s one of the best and easiest side dishes you can add to burrito bowls, fajitas, or pair with grilled meats.
Grilled Bell Peppers
This Arugula Salad recipe with red wine vinaigrette is my go-to green salad. The arugula has a peppery bite to it which pairs wonderfully with the acid in the vinaigrette. It’s the perfect salad for pairing with rich dishes.
Arugula Salad
Creamy and Rich Corn Pudding made from scratch with brown butter, heavy cream and corn. No boxed jiffy corn mix or canned corn needed!
Get the RECIPE from Chef Savvy
You’ll want to keep a jar of this Pickled Red Cabbage in your fridge at all times. Not only is it fast and easy, but you can use it on anything! Pile it onto tacos, burgers, pork sandwiches, and so much more.
Pickled Red Cabbage
{No Soak} Instant Pot Black Eyed Peas cook up quickly with the help of your pressure cooker. Serve this traditional side dish on New Year's for good luck!
Instant Pot Black Eyed Peas
My Crispy Air Fryer Onion Rings are sweet, crunchy, and delicious! Lightly breaded with egg, milk, and seasoned Panko, they’re also a healthier option cooked in the air fryer!
Get the RECIPE from Diethood
Quick Pickled Onions are so easy to make at home. With just 5-minutes you can have your red onions pickling. Let them cool to room temperature before using and then you can store them in the fridge for up to two weeks!
Pickled Red Onions
Roasted Sweet Potatoes are a salty, crispy, savory, and slightly sweet side dish you can pair with almost anything! Lightly spiced and so simple, this easy recipe is a total crowd pleaser and a must-have for weeknight dinners.
Roasted Sweet Potatoes
This simple Shirazi Salad recipe features fresh cucumbers, juicy tomatoes, and crisp red onion. Dressed with plenty of fresh herbs and tossed with a tangy dressing made with lime juice and olive oil. Every bite is bursting with refreshing flavors!
Shirazi Salad
Learn how to make the most delicious oven roasted green beans with 6 ingredients in 20 minutes. Baked green beans are an easy, healthy vegetable side dish perfect for the holidays or a weeknight meal.
Get the RECIPE from Joy Food Sunshine
This fresh and tangy Peach Caprese Salad features sweet peaches, creamy burrata cheese, and juicy tomatoes. A perfect blend of summery flavors, this simple yet delicious salad is the ideal late summer side dish!
Peach Caprese Salad
This southern collard greens recipe makes the best collard greens you’ll ever have, with bacon and smoked ham, simmered low and slow until perfectly tender.
Get the RECIPE from Chili Pepper Madness
Macaroni Salad is quick to throw together and so DELICIOUS! A versatile, fool-proof pasta salad recipe with a full-flavored creamy dressing.
Get the RECIPE from Cafe Delites
This Zucchini Pasta Salad recipe may be the best I've tried to date! Packed with sauteed zucchini, loads of parmesan cheese, fresh dill and crunchy walnuts.
Zucchini Pasta Salad
This Cherry Tomato Salad with Roasted Lemons is the perfect side dish. Sweet tomatoes combine with a tangy vinaigrette and delicious roasted lemons.
Cherry Tomato Salad
Crispy parmesan Green Bean Fries are baked in the oven for a healthy, delicious treat. Served up with three dipping sauces – green goddess, honey mustard & creamy sriracha. A secret ingredient makes them extra delicious! Air Fryer directions included.
Green Bean Fries
Baked Potato Bar
This Baked Potato Bar is perfect for any occasion, including parties, potlucks, and tailgating events! The topping ideas are endless, and each guest will love customizing their own potato.
This Fennel and Chickpea Salad is tossed in a light citrus vinaigrette & topped with parmesan. It’s the perfect make-ahead salad for potlucks or lunches.
Fennel and Chickpea Salad
This Kale Caesar Salad is topped with crispy homemade croutons and parmesan cheese. Massaging the creamy garlic dressing into the kale makes it extra tender and delicious.
Kale Caesar Salad
Baked Beans
These are the BEST Baked Beans! Brown sugar and bacon make this baked beans recipe extra delicious.
This Fennel Celery Salad comes together quickly and has such a delicious light lemon-parmesan vinaigrette and wonderful crunch. It's the perfect side salad for rich and hearty dishes like pasta or braised short ribs.
Shaved Fennel Salad
Say bye bye to basic potato salad. This Grilled Potato Salad combines smoky grilled potatoes with a delicious tangy mustard dressing that’s loaded with fresh herbs and salty capers. It’s delicious!
Grilled Potato Salad
This summertime classic fruit salad is a simple combo of juicy seasonal fruit drizzled with a bright honey lime dressing. A must for BBQ’s, picnics, and beach days!
Get the RECIPE from Downshiftology
How to Serve Pulled Pork
- Sandwiched between a bun to make Pulled Pork Sandwiches or Pork Sliders.
- Piled into Pork Tacos with pickled onions.
- On top of baked tortilla chips to make Pork Nachos.
How to Make Ahead and Store
Many of these pulled pork dish recipes can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for a few days or even in the freezer. Simply check the individual recipes for full storing instructions and details on how to make ahead.
Did you Make Any of These Pulled Pork Side Dishes?
Please leave a comment and rating below, if you loved this round up of pork sides. Also, be sure to snap a picture of your finished dish and share it with me on Instagram using the hashtag #platingsandpairings and tagging me @platingsandpairings.
HUNGRY FOR MORE? For more great Platings & Pairings recipes, be sure to follow me on Pinterest, TikTok, Facebook, YouTube and Twitter.
More Side Dish Recipes
35+ Sides for Pulled Pork
Wondering what the best sides for pulled pork are? I’ve got you covered with this handy guide. So that you can find a great side for your pork dinner in a hurry! This Vinegar Slaw is one of my favorites!
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Servings: 12 people
Ingredients
- ½ head red cabbage (shredded)
- ½ head green cabbage (shredded)
- 1 carrot (grated)
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon honey
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Salt and pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- Add cabbage and carrot to a large bowl.
- Whisk together apple cider vinegar, honey, olive oil and salt. Pour over cabbage mixture.
- Toss well to combine. Season with additional salt and pepper, to taste.
Notes
In place of the cabbage and carrot, you can use a 16-ounce package of shredded cabbage mix.
Did you make this recipe?Mention @platingsandpairings or tag #platingsandpairings!
Nutrition
Calories: 39kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 214mg | Potassium: 169mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1276IU | Vitamin C: 34mg | Calcium: 33mg | Iron: 1mg
