10 Best Side Dishes for Pork Tenderloin
What to serve with pork tenderloin.
We like to think pork tenderloin could be as popular as chicken if everyone would just give it a chance. One reason is that the two proteins are just about tied when it comes to the number of side dishes we'd serve with them. Not that we're keeping score or anything. Just count these sides among the best to serve with this underdog of a main.
Related: Get top-rated pork tenderloin recipes.
1. Roasted Garlic-Parmesan Fingerling Potatoes
Just 15 to 20 minutes in the oven turns fingerlings soft and their garlic-parmesan topping crisp.
2. Chopped Brussels Sprout Salad
Raw Brussels sprouts resemble shredded cabbage in texture and taste. Gala apples, sliced almonds, raw sunflower seeds, and raw pumpkin seeds amp up the crunch.
WATCH: Chopped Brussels Sprout Salad
3. Merritt's Butternut Squash Gratin
Bread crumbs tossed with rosemary, thyme, Gruyere and Cheddar top this rich side. See how it's done here.
This salad of peppery arugula and ripe figs would wake up pork loin leftovers. (As if this balsamic-roasted tenderloin needed more zing. But still.)
5. Chef John's Perfect Polenta
"Polenta is nothing more than coarsely ground cornmeal," Chef John says. "It's a perfect base for any kind of saucy meat." (Check out Italian Pork Tenderloin or Porcini Pork Tenderloin for starters.)
6. Butternut Farro Salad with Blood Orange Vinaigrette
"This nutty farro salad is loaded with roasted butternut squash, cranberries, and toasted pecans, all topped with a tangy blood orange vinaigrette. It pairs perfectly with roasted chicken or pork," says recipe creator France C.
Consider this simple cauliflower a side-dish chameleon. Adding spices and herbs will transform the dish in an instant, but it doesn't even need it.
Related: 14 Deliciously Different Ways to Eat Cauliflower
"Sometimes simple is best, and that is the case here. So very simple to make, the uncooked peas pop in your mouth, and it's loaded with fresh flavor." — lutzflcat
9. Heirloom Tomato Salad with Rosemary
Serve this juicy salad with grilled pork tenderloin (thanks for the idea, Gourmet43) and meet the meal you'll return to all summer.
10. Braised Brussels Sprouts with Bacon
Lean pork tenderloin feels a little more indulgent when sharing a plate with this buttery, bacon-y side.
