16 Of The Tastiest Side Dishes For Pork Chops

You had better have some delectable side dishes in mind if pork chops will be on the dinner menu. While tasty when cooked properly, pork occasionally has a very bland flavor. 

How many times have you unintentionally overcooked a pork chop by cooking it completely through?

If the pork is a little hard to chew or the flavor is lacking, you might simply need some inspiration for tasty side dishes to go with your pork chops (see also ‘33 Juiciest Pork Chop Recipe That You’ll Love‘).

These 13 of our favorite side dish ideas (see also our favorite side dishes for meatloaf) go great with any pork chop.

1. Vegetable Wrap

You need distinctive side dishes (see also ‘24 Tasty Side Dishes That Are Perfect For Burgers‘) to go with a succulent pork chop because it might be dull on its own. With a tiny pork chop, serve this tasty vegetable wrap as a side dish. 

This whole grain tortilla has arugula, asparagus, and portobello mushroom caps inside of it. The balsamic mayonnaise (see also ‘How Long Does Mayonnaise Last?‘) is a delectable finishing touch that blends well with the meat juices.

By way of its low calorie content and ample veggie filling, this wrap gets its healthy stripes even with a sprinkle of goat cheese as well as a drizzle of balsamic mayo. 

This wrap may be prepared quickly and easily for a wonderful lunch or dinner.

Additionally, you’ll still get a major boost in protein to leave you feeling satisfied owing to the cheese and substantial amount of vegetables.

2. Cheesy Fries

Do you associate cheese fries with carnival cuisine or state fair fare? If so, you’re probably envisioning the most unhealthy cheesy fries one could buy. 

Thankfully, our recipe doesn’t call for a lot of cheese or frying oil. Prepare some of these nutritious cheddar fries to accompany your pork chops.

By roasting the potatoes until crispy, adding the perfect amount of cheese, and adding a few pieces of chopped bacon and a fistful of pickled jalapenos to provide the appearance of indulgence without the four-digit harm, this simple homemade version keeps total calories low.

3. Spicy Potato Skins

Making some hot potato skins is not only for game day. How delicious does a delicate pork chop paired with potato skins sound? Stop daydreaming and start acting! How about dinner this evening?

Since then, that tried-and-true combo of potato, cheese, and bacon has made its way across American menus, invading almost every corner of the nation with hypercaloric, horrifyingly greasy impersonations. 

It is now a staple for happy hours and game-day snacks both, and like many traditional American cuisine favorites, it is rich in calories.

Every day, we’ll take the lower-calorie variation over the authentic, yet deliciously altered, original.

4. Macaroni And Cheese

Macaroni and cheese is a staple in many homes – and for good reason! It’s mouthwateringly cheesy and pairs great with almost any meat!

Team your tender pork chops with this tasty macaroni and cheese recipe and you’ll be able to really treat your family or friends. 

This one is a healthier option too, because usually mac and cheese isn’t the best option if you’re trying to maintain a good diet. 

Undisputedly, mac and cheese (see also ‘The Best 9 Fast Food Mac And Cheese Options‘) reigns supreme among comfort foods. There have been  hundreds of variations of the traditional over the years—some with chiles, some with bacon, some with non-fat cheese. 

We keep coming back to the same recipe, though: a béchamel foundation with excess Cheddar cheese added, followed by a dash of yogurt to lend the sauce the ideal consistency.

This recipe, however, boasts under 400 calories per portion!

5. French Onion Soup

The flavor of roasted or grilled pork pairs beautifully with the unusual yet pleasant flavor of French onion soup (see also ‘23 Of The Most Popular American Soups‘).

Try giving this recipe a shot when you next decide you are going to cook some pork (see also ‘23 Delicious Side Dishes For Pork Tenderloin‘), if you can survive the unavoidable crying which will occur while you are chopping an onion.

It takes time to make good French onion soup. The only real work required, though, is to hold back the tears while you slice your way through into the recipe’s five onions. 

And if you’re going to eat in a restaurant, wouldn’t you rather cope with a few misplaced tears than a bland, expensive bowl of soup that contains more sodium and saturated fat than eight packets of chips? 

Now there’s a genuine cause for crying. This homemade version, which has fewer calories and is healthier, is the ideal comfort food.

6. Butternut Squash Soup

Speaking of soup, this might become your new go-to dish, especially if you’re cooking pork chops, if you like a creamier soup than one that is broth-based. 

Since it is in season during the fall and winter, butternut squash is best consumed during those seasons. When creating your supper meal, keep it in mind!

Butternut squash is the best vegetable soup out there. It’s not just incredibly delicious; it’s also one of the healthiest, being rich in vitamin A, fiber, and omega-3s.

7. Veggie Fried Rice

What better motivation to prepare your own vegetarian rice and egg as an accompaniment for some pork chops than the fact that you can get fried rice at Asian restaurants with pork strips in it?

It won’t even take many steps to complete this low-maintenance recipe and achieve the delectable outcome.

The same method used to lighten a bowl of spaghetti is needed to make a delicacy like fried rice healthy: The additions must be more plentiful than the actual carbohydrates. 

Use whatever combination of hard vegetables that you have within your fridge, just make sure to break them into pieces that are all around the same size so they cook at the same rate. 

Normally, eggs are scrambled right through into the rice, where they get muddled up with the soy and grains.

This veggie fried rice is best served with a single, freshly made egg on top so you can crack the yolk and get to eating.

8. Honey Roast Carrots

Consider using this approach for honey-roasted carrots if you only like to cook simple dishes. This recipe is incredibly simple to prepare because it only calls for five ingredients.

Every time anything is roasted, the natural sweetness is released.

The roast beef (see also ‘21 Savory Side Dishes To Serve With Prime Beef‘) you have in mind definitely looks delicious and juicy, but it ends up that the same idea also applies to vegetables.

 It is far more pleasurable (and delectable, for that matter) to consume roasted vegetables than, for instance, raw carrots because as the vegetable’s water slowly starts to evaporate, its sugars become more concentrated.

9. Bacon And Cheese Baked Potatoes

Any kind of meat, whether it be beef, roasted (and grilled) chicken, or pork chops, seems to go nicely with baked potatoes.

Twice baked typically means that the meal has been cooked in twice as much butter, twice as much cream, and, you guessed it, twice as much empty fat. 

Instead of using the high-calorie alternatives, milk and yogurt are used to enhance the potatoes in this recipe for twice-baked potatoes.

However, we never skimp on essential elements like crispy bacon and cheese.

Naturally, a small amount of bacon and cheese makes a big difference toward giving the potatoes the decadent texture and flavor that they require, and limiting the amount keeps calories in line. 

10. Vegetables With Melted Brie

Warm slices of bread are topped with melted brie (see also ‘23 Brie Cheese Recipes‘) and thin slices of pear and veggies. Two of them might be served with a balsamic or honey-glazed pork chop.

Being an American means enjoying the flavor of melted cheese. However, the idea of breading cheese sticks before sinking them into hot grease is an excess that we are unable to support.

When cheese is the star, give it a powerful supporting cast. 

Although the brie is undoubtedly the star of the show, the sautéed vegetables give our recipe for melting brie cheese plenty of essential substance.

11. Stuffed Tomatoes

How beautiful does this dish appear? With this delicious, goat cheese-stuffed tomato, your dish with pork chops won’t ever be boring again.

Occasionally, a recipe will state that it would only take you half an hour, but they neglect to include the preparation time, which can significantly lengthen the time you spend in the kitchen. 

Most of the time, before you even begin the 30-minute travel that ends up being an hour or more long, you will probably spend 40 minutes cutting veggies and seasoning meat.

With this vegetarian-friendly stuffed tomato recipe, you can transform ordinary tomatoes into something special that is sweet, creamy, crisp, and infused with hints of fresh basil and garlic in just 2 minutes of prep time and 20 minutes of cooking time.

It’s a terrific option if you’re in a rush to prepare a quick weekday meal that everyone will enjoy or when you have under 30 minutes of time. 

It is delectable and can be served with a variety of main meals. Try baking the tomatoes with a piece of prosciutto wrapped around each one if you really want to take them to the next level.

12. Butternut Squash

Butternut squash is just a wonderful addition to any recipe that needs a splash of color because it is sweet and buttery. The earthy flavor of the veggie is enhanced by the sage leaves.

Another of those veggies that is so good, especially when roasted, that you almost feel bad about eating it is butternut squash.

It’s so sweet and buttery; it almost tastes like dessert. In addition to being incredibly tasty, butternut squash is also incredibly healthy. 

They are loaded with top-tier nutrients, such as beta-carotene, which reduces inflammation, strengthens the eyes, and lowers cholesterol.

This method is a straightforward and fundamental way to roast squash. 

Whenever you roast anything, it draws out the inherent taste of whatever you cook it with, which makes a vegetable which is naturally sweet all the more alluring.

By adding some syrup and combining it with finely fresh chopped sage leaves, we make this butternut squash dish even sweeter. 

As a result, it has a sweet flavor with an unusually heated kick. Find a genuinely nice syrup that isn’t merely loaded with added sugar for the greatest outcomes.

A locally produced item from a farmers market is your best bet.

13. Smashed Potatoes

How adorable are these tiny potatoes? We advise you to gently apply pressure onto them with the bottom of your hand after they have cooled.

This could be a surprising method for reducing stress. If you give it a try, you’ll find out.

The most popular potato recipes are frequently neither gluten-free nor particularly healthy either because of rich, creamy sauces and extravagant add-ins. 

As is customary, most foods you order from a diner or fast food chain—especially those that involve potatoes—have been fried in copious amounts of oil and butter or, worse still, deep fried before they even make it to your plate, much less your stomach.

With this recipe, we deviate from that pattern. In this vegan-friendly recipe for mashed potatoes, we stay away from the various calorie pitfalls that your neighborhood diner has. 

The potatoes are smashed, never mashed, making for a larger chunk of your meal. And no, that is not a typo.

Both at dinner and breakfast, delicious potatoes are a great replacement for fatty French fries and calorie-dense hash browns.

14. Made-At-Home Stuffing

15 minutes to prepare homemade stuffing? Of course! Thanks to this simple recipe and your microwave. It features ingredients you can customize to your own tastes and has less salt than commercial mixes.

15. Hearty Spinach With Bacon Dressing

At any meal, this substantial spinach with bacon salad provides comfort. A touch of celery seed (see also ‘What Makes Celery Seeds Amazing, And 5 Substitutes You Can Use‘) is added to the glossy dressing as a distinctive touch.

16. Spanish Rice

This simple Spanish rice (see also our favorite rice side dishes) recipe will prove to be superior to any boxed mix found in supermarkets. The best part is that it can be made in the exact same time as those supposedly “fast and easy” boxes.

Final Thoughts

Choosing the finest accompaniments for pork chops is more difficult than cooking them, which is frequently the easy bit of the dinner scenario.

Hopefully this article has provided you with some great side dish inspirations for your next pork chop meal.