Last Updated on 20th August 2021 by
Pork chops are one of the simplest and quickest dinner meats to cook. You can easily dry fry yours in a
Of course, pork chops are not a meat you’ll typically eat on its own. It needs the right kind of side dish to go with it, but how can you tell which dish will make a good complement to this meat? What vegetable goes with pork chops? What sides complement it well?
Our method of picking side dishes boils down to finding something that is a good counterpoint to the main dish. So, if your dish is acidic, you eat an alkaline side dish with it. If your main dish is thick and creamy, you choose a side dish that is thin and not very rich.
Pork chops are a sweet, often fatty meat. Your taste buds love the sweet flavour, but your digestive system might not agree with a side dish that is sweet and heavy as well.
We think a healthy vegetable goes great with a pork chop, balancing each other out nicely. What vegetable goes with pork chops? We will give you some of our favourite options for veggie sides that pair nicely with pork chops, and hopefully you will find one that you love from this list.
Roasted Potatoes and Carrots
This supper classic is easy to make and a great complement to pork chops. If you are looking for what vegetable goes well with pork chops, a roasted veggie combo is our top choice. Cooking these up is as simple as slicing some potatoes and carrots and seasoning them with a little parsley, garlic powder, parmesan cheese or butter.
I love how simple this dish is and yet how healthy and filling it is as well, and you don’t really need another side dish for your pork chops if you make enough veggies. This is a dish that has a little variety to it already, but you can add more by including some onions, chives, or minced garlic.
Baked Potato
The question of what kind of vegetable goes with pork chops always leads us back to some kind of potato dish. The two pair so nicely partly because of the different textures they offer. A baked potato has a slightly tough outer skin with a rich, pillowy centre.
The pork chop takes some chewing to get through, but it’s not overly tough. You don’t have to fight it with a knife and fork like you would for some roast beef, so pork chops are definitely an easier dish to bite through.
For a really tender baked potato, cook it slowly on a low temperature. Place it directly on the
Overcooking the potato can result in a dry interior. To keep things simple, you can just microwave it. This doesn’t take long and gives you a perfectly moist potato, so long as you remember to poke some holes in it.
The great thing about having baked potato with your pork chop is that you can make it as healthy or unhealthy as you like. Load it down with cheese, sour cream, bacon bits and chives or keep it simple with a little bit of butter and some parsley.
Steamed Asparagus
Just as pork chops are quick, simple and easy enough for even amateur cooks to pull off without any trouble, steamed asparagus is simple as well. That’s why they make a great side dish for the pork chops. To steam them, just roll up your asparagus, wrap it up with a damp paper towel, and stick them in the microwave for about 3-4 minutes. That’s it!
Now, if you’re in the mood for a cookout and you are looking for what vegetable goes with grilled pork chops, may we suggest grilling your asparagus.
It’s really simple as well, and you just cook them until they are slightly blackened and then flip them over and do the same on the other side. They should be tender and succulent, and they’ll definitely make for a good side dish to go with the pork chops.
Mashed Potatoes
We’re back on the potato side dish train here, because we want to point out what vegetable goes with pork chops and cinnamon apples. In some parts of the US, this is a common meal- pork chops, cinnamon apples and mashed potatoes.
You have the chewy chops, the sweet bites of cinnamon with the skin on that have a little fibre in them, and then the pillowy, creamy mashed potatoes. They go together so well that it is no wonder these dishes have been served in unison for years.
What’s great about this meal is that the cinnamon apples are so flavourful that you don’t need to do much to the mashed potatoes to make them work well with this meal.
Just add a little salt and pepper or some green garnish- parsley or chives. You won’t find a better combination of food anywhere outside of pancakes and bacon and eggs. This is simply a Southern United States classic and one everybody should try at least once in their life.
The cinnamon apples might seem complex the first time you make them, but you can find simple recipes that keep the prep time down to a few minutes.
Rice and Pigeon Pea Pelau
This Caribbean dish requires a few more ingredients to make than some of the others, but it’s a one pot dish, so it keeps things fairly simple. Pelau is definitely a comfort food, but it’s also fairly healthy and packed with flavour.
You cook the rice and pigeon peas together in a pot until they are completely cooked through- which takes about 20 minutes. White rice makes the best pelau rice, but you can use any kind of rice you like. Then, add in coconut milk, garlic powder, salt, pepper, ginger, and parsley and you have yourself a pelau.
This dish is often served with chunks of stewed chicken in it, but you can serve it meatless as a side dish for your pork chops. If you’re looking for what vegetable goes best with pork chops, pigeon peas might not be your first choice. However, once you pair it with some rice in a hearty pelau, you will see it’s the right choice.
We have given you a few options, and you can always springboard from here with some ideas for greens or potatoes, but we hope this is enough to get you started.
Pork chops can be part of a healthy meal, even if they aren’t the healthiest meat. As you mull over the thought of what kind of vegetable goes with pork chops, think of something healthy but filling and have yourself a dinner without any regrets.
I'm Pauline, a mother of four grown children, my passion for cooking stemmed from the joy i get cooking for my family. I love to try new dishes, especially when dining out but creating and sharing my own recipes is my favourite thing to do!
