What To Serve With Pulled Pork: 31 Side Dishes - PureWow

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About UsStyleFashionBeautyReviewsShoppingFoodFamilyWellnessEntertainmentNewsHomeRecipesTravelPetsHoroscopesGift GuidesWeddingsCulturesMoneyBooksTechNew YorkLos AngelesSUBSCRIBEfoodWondering What to Serve with Pulled Pork? We Have 35 Tasty IdeasAuthor image: taryn pire 3By Taryn Pire•Published Oct 26, 2022

We dare you to name one con when it comes to pulled pork. You can try, but we’re pretty sure there’s not a single bad thing to say about the summer staple. Pulled pork is meaty, tangy, saucy, sweet, spicy and can be paired with just about any BBQ side imaginable. It may take a while to prepare, but the wait is well worth the effort. Now that we’ve convinced you of what you’re cooking next, let us take things a step further: Next time you’re wondering what to serve with pulled pork, lean on this list of 35 delicious ideas.

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what to serve with pulled pork grilled corn with spicy aioli recipePhoto: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

1. Grilled Corn with Spicy Aioli

Garlicky sriracha mayo > melted butter and salt, no contest. If the weather’s off, feel free to cook the corn indoors on a grill plate instead of on the barbecue.

Get the recipewhat to serve with pulled pork slow cooker baked beans recipePhoto: Eric Moran/Styling: Erin McDowell

2. Slow Cooker Baked Beans

We love using the Crockpot over the summer because it means not having to sweat over a hot stove all night. Less time in the kitchen = more time in the yard.

Get the recipewhat to serve with pulled pork light and tangy coleslaw recipePhoto: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

3. Light and Tangy Coleslaw

Whether you’re serving it on the side or piling it high atop a pulled pork sandwich, coleslaw is an absolute must at any cookout. It’s crisp, refreshing and pairs with smoky meat like a charm.

Get the recipewhat to serve with pulled pork pretzel buns recipePhoto: Mark Weinberg/Styling: Erin McDowell

4. Easy Pretzel Buns

Want to make a pulled pork sandwich instead of serving the meat solo? Turn to these impressive buns that your guests won’t believe are homemade.

Get the recipewhat to serve with pulled pork cauliflower potato salad recipePhoto: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

5. Cauliflower ‘Potato’ Salad

You won’t find spuds or mayonnaise in this creamy picnic staple. Instead, we use cauliflower and a mix of Greek yogurt, sour cream and Dijon mustard.

Get the recipewhat to serve with pulled pork jalapeno avocado mac and cheese recipePhoto: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

6. Jalapeño-Avocado Mac and Cheese

Of all the pulled pork side dishes, mac and cheese might be the most essential. Its buttery, decadent flavor is just the match for tangy barbecue.

Get the recipewhat to serve with pulled pork rainbow vegetable skewers recipePhoto: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

7. Rainbow Vegetable Skewers

The trick to not burning a single skewer, you ask? Stick to one veggie per stick so they all cook evenly. Pass the lemon-parsley dressing, please.

Get the recipewhat to serve with pulled pork yogurt biscuitsErin McDowell

8. Yogurt Biscuits with Honey Butter

This Southern-inspired side is a guaranteed win, even with picky kids. We trade butter in the dough for Greek yogurt to keep it moist, but don’t worry—the biscuits are brushed with honey butter before being baked.

Get the recipewhat to serve with pulled pork easy homemade pickles recipePhoto: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

9. Easy Homemade Pickles

As far as pulled pork sides go, you may not think of pickles right off the bat. But they’re served at real-deal barbecue joints for a reason: Their vinegary acidity acts as a palate cleanser, cutting through the meat’s fattiness and richness between bites.

Get the recipewhat to serve with pulled pork rodney scott pimento cheese recipeJerrelle Guy/Rodney Scott’s World of BBQ

10. Rodney Scott’s Pimento Cheese

The key to this award-winning pitmaster’s iconic cheese spread? Shredding the sharp cheddar by hand. It may seem like a pain at first, but pre-shredded cheese contains added ingredients that prevent clumping, so it’s the only way to get the smooth, creamy consistency you crave.

Get the recipewhat to serve with pulled pork chilled cucumber salad recipeErin McDowell

11. Chilled Cucumber Salad

The hottest summer day is no match for this refreshing side dish. It’s as simple as quick-pickling European cucumber, red onion and garlic with fresh dill.

Get the recipewhat to serve with pulled pork grilled peach and halloumi salad with lemon pesto dressing recipePhoto: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

12. Grilled Peach and Halloumi Salad with Lemon-Pesto Dressing

Pulled pork is the star, but this stunning salad could very well steal the spotlight. Think sweet, charred peaches, crispy pine nuts, tangy halloumi and lots of fresh greens.

Get the recipewhat to serve with pulled pork sweet spicy cornbread recipePhoto: Nico Schinco/Styling: Erin McDowell

13. Sweet-and-Spicy Cornbread

Fresh Fresno chiles meet honey and all the melted butter atop a tangy, sour cream-laced cornbread that will straight-up knock your socks off. Don’t say we didn’t warn you.

Get the recipewhat to serve with pulled pork summer millet salad recipePhoto: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

14. Summer Millet Salad

Over quinoa? We have just the swap. Meet millet, a nutritious, gluten-free grain that’s just as hearty and comforting. Here, it’s mixed with scallions, cherry tomatoes and cubed Havarti.

Get the recipewhat to serve with pulled pork skillet pasta with summer squash ricotta and basil recipePhoto: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

15. Skillet Pasta with Summer Squash, Ricotta and Basil

This beauty 1) cooks in a single pan, 2) is prime for warm weather, unlike, say, spaghetti and meatballs and 3) will look downright divine in the center of your patio table.

Get the recipewhat to serve with pulled pork veggie nicoise salad with red curry green beans recipePhoto: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

16. Veggie Niçoise Salad with Red Curry Green Beans

The traditional French version is topped with canned tuna, but we went ham with vibrant veggies instead. We’re talking green beans, arugula, radishes, cucumber and potatoes.

Get the recipewhat to serve with pulled pork kale brussels sprouts caesar slaw recipeAna Cuba/The Modern Cook’s Year

17. Kale and Brussels Sprout Caesar Slaw

We don’t blame you for thinking cabbage tastes a little…meh. Kale and sprouts have much stronger tastes that can hold their own against vegan Caesar dressing.

Get the recipewhat to serve with pulled pork cheddar biscuits with caramelized onion and gravy recipePhoto: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

18. Cheddar Biscuits with Caramelized Onion Gravy

By swapping sausage for caramelized onions, these biscuits doused in gravy are totally vegetarian. TBH, we’d plan to use one of the biscuits as a bun for a pulled pork sandwich.

Get the recipewhat to serve with pulled pork caprese salad with grilled zucchini recipePhoto: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

19. Zucchini Caprese Salad

Aka summer on a plate. Grilled zucchini’s crisp, mild flavor is just the match for mild mozz, juicy tomatoes and zingy balsamic.

Get the recipewhat to serve with pulled pork yellow tomato gazpacho verticalPhoto: Nico Schinco/Styling: Sarah Copeland

20. Yellow Tomato Gazpacho

If you’ve never tried yellow tomatoes, they’re much less acidic than their red cousins and slightly sweet. The addition of two ripe peaches makes this 45-minute wonder even sweeter.

Get the recipewhat to serve with pulled pork smoky barbecued corn recipe 921Kristin Perers/Round Ours

21. Smoky Barbecued Corn

One bite and you’ll never settle for plain boiled corn again. These puppies are slathered in chili-lime mayonnaise, then rolled in Parmesan cheese and smoked paprika.

Get the recipewhat to serve with pulled pork baked sweet potato fries recipePhoto: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

22. Baked Sweet Potato Fries

There’s really no need to brave a pot of spitting oil to get your fry on. These bake to crispy perfection in the oven in just over half an hour.

Get the recipewhat to serve with pulled pork corn fritter caprese recipePhoto: Mark Weinberg/Styling: Erin McDowell

23. Corn Fritter Caprese with Peaches and Tomatoes

Not only are the fritters bursting with sweet summer corn, but they’re also loaded with chopped scallions, shredded mozzarella and Parmesan.

Get the recipewhat to serve with pulled pork blt pasta salad recipe heroPhoto: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

24. BLT Pasta Salad

Bury us in black pepper bacon. This sandwich-inspired side dish has all the crunch, creaminess and flavor of the O.G., minus the bread.

Get the recipewhat to serve with pulled pork watermelon feta skewers recipePhoto: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

25. Grilled Watermelon-Feta Skewers

BRB, swooning hard over those char marks. If you need tips for assembling the sweet-and-salty skewers, follow our guide for cutting watermelon. (It’s easier than you think, promise.)

Get the recipewhat to serve with pulled pork burrata salad with stone fruit and asparagus recipe 921Photo: Jon Cospito/Styling: Heath Goldman

26. 20-Minute Burrata Salad with Stone Fruit and Asparagus

If you hit the farmers market and picked up the tastiest spring and summer produce in one trip, you’d have the makings for this mélange of sugar snap peas, asparagus, peaches, plums and cherries.

Get the recipewhat to serve with pulled pork loaded baked potato chips recipePhoto: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

27. Loaded Baked Potato ‘Chips’

Have you ever ordered a baked potato with all the trimmings (bacon! cheese! sour cream!) only to get full after two bites? These minis solve that problem. Go ahead, have a dozen.

Get the recipewhat to serve with pulled pork salami artichoke and ricotta pasta salad recipePhoto: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

28. Salami, Artichoke and Ricotta Pasta Salad

The only bowties we want to see at our barbecue are these beauties, coated in balsamic-mustard vinaigrette.

Get the recipewhat to serve with pulled pork 15 minute cucumber avocado blender soup recipePhoto: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

29. 15-Minute Cucumber Avocado Blender Soup

Helloooo, refreshment. It’s as simple as dumping avocado, cukes, fresh herbs and Greek yogurt into a blender and whirling until smooth. The Asiago-encrusted baguette is just the cherry on top.

Get the recipewhat to serve with pulled pork melon salad with chili powder mint lime and flaky sea salt recipeAmanda Frederickson/Simple Beautiful Food

30. Melon Salad with Chili Powder, Mint, Lime and Flaky Sea Salt

If you’re one of those people who are bored by cantaloupe and honeydew, this recipe will change your mind. It’s sweet, spicy, sour, salty—what else could you want?

Get the recipewhat to serve with pulled pork roasted broccoli and bacon pasta salad recipePhoto: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

31. Roasted Broccoli and Bacon Pasta Salad

This earthy, hearty dish, complete with lemony breadcrumbs and a bacon-infused mustard vinaigrette, demands a permanent spot in your summer rotation.

Get the recipewhat to serve with pulled pork grilled sweet potatoes recipe1Katherine Gillen

32. Grilled Sweet Potatoes with a Dilly Dip

We love shoestring fries as much as the next person, but there's something to be said for spuds that are thick enough to sport drool-worthy char marks. Don't even get us started on the herby yogurt dip.

Get the recipewhat to serve with pulled pork watermelon salsa recipeKatherine Gillen

33. Watermelon Salsa

Your first instinct may be to spoon it onto broiled salmon or scoop it up with tortilla chips, but watermelon's sweetness makes it a prime pairing for pulled pork too. Even better, it's only eight ingredients away.

Get the recipewhat goes with rotisserie chicken: herb butter glazed radishesBen Dearnley/In Praise of Veg

34. Herb-Butter Glazed Radishes

Radishes are super underrated, so your guests will never see this vibrant, seven-ingredient side coming. Use the bright, herbaceous compound butter on everything from steak to a baguette.

Get the recipewhat to serve with pulled pork ranch potato salad recipeKatherine Gillen

35. Ranch Potato Salad

Everyone's favorite dressing plays the star in this lip-smackingly tasty side dish. The key is using acidic buttermilk, tangy white vinegar and all the fresh herbs you can get your hands on.

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Taryn Pire is PureWow’s associate food editor. A former bartender and barista, she’s been writing about all things delicious since 2016, developing recipes, reviewing restaurants and investigating food trends at Food52, New Jersey Family Magazine and Taste Talks. When she isn’t testing TikTok’s latest viral recipe, she’s having popcorn for dinner and posting about it on Instagram @cookingwithpire.

taryn pire 3Taryn Pire

Food Editor

  • Spearheads PureWow's food vertical
  • Manages PureWow's recipe vertical and newsletter
  • Studied English and writing at Ithaca College
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