35 Recipes To Serve With Pork Chops, From Veggies To Comfort Food

The great Anthony Bourdain once wisely shared, "You can always tell when a person has worked in a restaurant. There's an empathy that can only be cultivated by those who've stood between a hungry mouth and a $28 pork chop" (via the Champagne Club). Indeed, while this speaks to the often gnarly nature of the hospitality industry, it also speaks to the understated prowess of the humble pork chop: Foodies are ravenous for 'em, even at a high markup price. That's how good they are — or, rather, how good they can be when properly prepared.

Pork chops come from the upper back of the pig, from shoulder to hip — aka the loin. It's the meatiest, most tender section of the pig, and a great source of iron, potassium, and magnesium. But, logical reasons aside, there's no shortage of culinary appeals to love about the unpretentious cut. Pork chops are filling and versatile. They can be pan-seared, grilled, fried, baked, shredded, sautéed, stir-fried, and broiled — preparations to fit all home cook skill levels — and they hold up well for leftovers, to boot.

If you've been overlooking pork chops for chicken breast or sirloin steaks, it's time to give this workhorse of an entrée a second look. That's why we've rounded up 35 of our favorite side dishes for pork chops to help make this utilitarian cut a good fit for dinner tonight.

Never subject yourself to store-bought applesauce again. Sure, it's fine, and an easy, healthy snack to grab and go or pack for school lunches. But, with this recipe, you can whip up a batch of homemade applesauce to please a crowd (even a crowd full of kiddos and picky eaters) in around a half-hour from start to finish. 

Just grab a bundle of fresh Granny Smith and Honeycrisp apples and a blender. Or mash by hand to keep it chunky, whatever you prefer. This warming spiced applesauce would pair especially well with a rack of glazed slow-cooker pork chops and a mug of mulled wine during the fall season.

Recipe: Sweet and Spiced Applesauce

In recent years, cauliflower has emerged as the ultimate culinary chameleon. It can be pizza crust, buffalo wings, and, as we're talking about today, mashed potatoes. For starters, cauliflower is way more nutrient-dense than potatoes. (Vitamin C, anyone?)

Also, perhaps even better for home cooks, cauliflower softens faster than potatoes, which majorly cuts down on cooking time — meaning you're liberated from the kitchen and free to get on with your day. Use a masher or even a food processor, and this dish will be ready in just 15 minutes. To serve, pair with pork chops and a roasted vegetable like asparagus or broccolini.

Recipe: Simple Mashed Cauliflower Recipe

To achieve the signature airy texture of savory red Spanish rice, the grains are toasted in butter, then simmered in chunky salsa, cumin, and water. This side dish is easily customizable: You can use spicy or mild salsa to adjust the level of spiciness.

Serve it with optional toppings — sliced jalapeños, diced red onion, and fresh cilantro — alongside barbecued pork chops, a fresh avocado salad, and a pitcher of blood orange margaritas or a michelada.

Recipe: Shortcut Spanish Rice

Be warned — once you try this pineapple salsa, there's a good chance you may never go back to tomatoes. It's refreshing, light, and sweet, which brings a welcome brightness to grilled pork chops.

Scoop up this salsa with tortilla chips and wash it down with a mojito or a glass of freshly squeezed lemonade. Or, for a knockout leftover game, turn those pork chops into pulled pork soft tacos topped with pineapple salsa and fresh cilantro.

Recipe: Pineapple Salsa

This Brussels sprouts slaw would make for a delicious topping for a pulled pork sandwich on a sesame roll or a side dish with pork chops and an ear of corn hot off the grill. Chopped pecans, honey, Dijon mustard, dried cranberries, apple cider vinegar, and shallots add sweetness and acidity to the hearty, succulent cut.

For party-planning ease, make it ahead of time and pop it in the fridge. The flavors will combine together that way too, with no cooking required. It's ready in less than 10 minutes, and you don't even need to turn on the stove.

Recipe: Brussels Sprouts Slaw

These simple candied yams are filling enough to stand on their own as a vegetarian entrée, but they would also function well as a pork chop side dish with butter beans or jasmine rice. Instead of maple syrup and lots of butter, as in many other candied yams recipes, this version creates dimensionality and complex flavor with the use of molasses, salt, ginger, cinnamon, and orange zest. Just be aware that you'll need to use the oven — which rocks on a cold winter day but is maybe not the best move on a dog day in August.

Serve the yams with pork chops, garlic mashed potatoes, and green beans for a cozy family dinner. A full-bodied red wine would finish the picture beautifully, like a Cabernet Sauvignon or a Pinot Noir.

Recipe: Simple Candied Yams

In this easy recipe for tostones and garlic sauce, we're using green plantains — which, despite their seemingly unripe appearance, are starchy and savory like a potato. This fun elevated snack is ready in less than 20 minutes. Simply fry the plantains in a saucepan, lightly smash them to flatten, then fry again.

Our favorite part, though, is the sauce — a creamy combination of garlic, lime, lemon, mayonnaise, olive oil, and salt. (It's easy to make vegan by subbing in a vegan mayo.) This sauce isn't just for tostones, by the way. It'd make a delicious dipper for celery, wings, chicken nuggets, carrots, or whatever other savory little snacks you like to munch on. Pair these buttery tostones with crispy fried pork chops, a quinoa salad, and an ice-cold Paloma.

Recipe: Easy Tostones and Garlic Sauce

You heard us right. We're combining the best of both worlds — garlic mashed potatoes meets sweet potatoes. The stunning electric orange hue will liven up your table, while the natural sweetness of the tubers with the umami of the garlic excites your palate.

Does the unlikely fusion feel a little too powerful for your taste? Or perhaps even a little wrong? We invite you to take this mash for a spin and change your own mind. It would go great with oven-roasted pork chops, stuffed portobello mushrooms, and a strong yet not overpowering wine like Zinfandel or Chardonnay.

Recipe: Garlic-Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Broccoli might just be the veggie superstar your fresh salads have been missing. Doubtful? Broccoli salad is anything but boring with this recipe and its engaging mouthfeel. Sunflower seeds, diced red onion, and dried cranberries make for interesting textural components, while Greek yogurt, turkey bacon, rice vinegar, and honey add unexpected zestiness.

This is a great fresh side dish for summer cookouts and picnics — and a simple yet impressive recipe for novice home cooks. Pair as-is with smoky pork chops and a hoppy American pale ale. To bulk it up or stretch it to satisfy a crowd, serve this broccoli salad over barley or brown rice.

Recipe: Best Broccoli Salad

The words "creamed spinach" evoke an image of a fancy dinner party from the 1800s. The hostess rings a dainty tinkle bell, summoning an armada of servers wearing Swedish maid aprons and pouring impossibly bubbly chalices of champagne. The creamed spinach is spoon-fed to you by a waistcoated butler named "Beauregard."

In reality, this creamed spinach recipe is just really impressive and surprisingly healthy. Cream cheese makes it thick and rich for a vegetarian dish, and sauteed shallots add a savory kick. Opt for fresh baby spinach here for the most tender results. As an added bonus, the veggies all get sauteed together in a single pan, plus one bowl for the cream sauce. Minimal dishes to wash is always a relief — especially since that Beauregard guy was likely more a figment of our imagination than somebody you can actually count on to help you clean up.

Recipe: Classic Creamed Spinach

Let us be clear — this is not your average potato salad. This potato salad (aka gamja saelleodeu) is a popular Korean barbecue banchan. In this version, the potatoes are pureed until totally smooth rather than remaining in chunks. Other than that, however, the ingredients are largely the same as a classic "American" style potato salad. 

The star of the show here is the grated egg yolk, which gets sprinkled across the top of the salad for a cheerful pop of bright yellow and an interesting texture in every bite. Serve with lemon-Dijon glazed pork chops and a pilsner beer.

Recipe: Korean Potato Salad

Mustard greens are in the same vegetable family as broccoli and cauliflower, which might seem a little odd to toss in a raw, leafy salad. But, in this recipe, the mustard greens' earthy, bitter flavor is balanced out by a lineup of toppings that feels oh-so-right. We're talking about a sweet-tart-herbaceous combination of green apple, fresh dill, and lemon.

For best results, assemble this salad right before you're ready to eat so the greens will maintain their crispness. Luckily, this bad boy only takes 10 minutes to throw together, so no need to worry about setting aside prep time. Serve with maple-glazed pork chops and some crispy lemony roasted potatoes. (Pro tip: Mustard greens are available year-round, but they're in season in the fall and spring.)

Recipe: Mustard Green Salad

These little guys are so impressive and flavorful that omnivores won't even realize they're vegetarian. (Gasp.) Crimini mushrooms are stuffed with a sort of reimagined spinach-artichoke dip with parmesan and mayo. Then, with the finishing move, smoked paprika flies in off the top rope with the People's Elbow, dropping an umami bomb that'll stoke everyone's appetite for the savory pork chops to come. For flavor-palate bonus points, prepare your pork chops with an umami-forward seasoning to match: It's time to break out the MSG.

Recipe: Simple Stuffed Mushrooms

When the days get colder and the nights grow longer, it can be tough to get a fresh vegetable on the table. Luckily, these herbed roasted root vegetables are a great side dish to whip up during the fall and winter months, when root veggies finally have their time to shine.

This recipe uses cubed beets, sweet potatoes, and carrots, but feel free to employ a little creative license here and incorporate whatever winter veggies you prefer, like onions, whole fennel, turnips, or any winter squash. The best part? These veggies simply get chopped, seasoned, and tossed on a baking sheet to roast — that's it. That means you only have one dirty dish to wash (three, if you include the cutting board and knife) and more time to enjoy the fruits (or, the vegetables) of your labor.

Recipe: Herbed Roasted Root Vegetables

These Greek lemon potatoes give classic, reliable, functional roasted potatoes a dimensional facelift. They're roasted in olive oil, oregano, and a splash of chicken broth, which adds moisture and major sensory appeal. You'll be filling the house with intoxicating aromas as you cook.

Serve with grilled pork chops and, for an extra impressive presentation, a sprig of fresh oregano and a few lemon wheels. If you're hosting a last-minute diner guest, you could even transition the meal into digestif cocktail hour with an herbaceous, lemony Tom Collins garnished with an oregano sprig.

Recipe: Greek Lemon Potatoes

Working with fresh artichokes is visually impressive, but it's also wicked labor-intensive. Those bad boys need to be de-stemmed, de-spiked, quartered, and cored. But, once your artichokes are prepped, the grilling part is quick and straightforward, and this recipe is all about simplicity. It only requires four ingredients: fresh artichokes, lemon, olive oil spray, and sea salt.

Serve these grilled artichokes at your next garden party with pear-roasted pork chops. For a tart, smoky garnish, char a fresh lemon wheel on the grill and place it on top. To complete the meal, opt for a similarly fruity, tart wine like a dry orange or rosé.

Recipe: Grilled Artichokes

In case you've never worked with it before, farro is an ancient grain similar to rice, flaxseed, and buckwheat. Unlike its contemporaries, however, farro lends an earthy, nutty flavor to any dish it touches — which works particularly well in a fresh salad like this one. It's loaded with arugula, feta, mint, dried cranberries, toasted walnuts, parsley, and pan-grilled asparagus, married by a homemade honey mustard vinaigrette.

To tie the zesty, herbaceous, earthy flavor profile together, serve this salad with onion-Dijon pork chops and a Moscow Mule – made with lime, mint, and ginger beer.

Recipe: Spring Harvest Farro Salad