Name: What To Serve With Pork Tenderloin
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 1 portion pork tenderloin

Table of Contents

If you’re wondering what to serve with your pork tenderloin, you’ve come to the right place.

In this article, I list 39 of the most popular side dishes for pork tenderloin.

In a rush? Here’s the short answer.

The best side dishes to serve with pork tenderloin are fried cabbage and mushrooms, granny smith apple slaw, pineapple spinach salad, and creamy mushrooms. You can also serve balsamic mashed sweet potatoes, summer couscous salad, gnocchi in brown butter sage sauce, or baked cannellini beans.

Ready? Let’s jump right in.

Roasted carrots and parsnips

Stay traditional and serve your pork with some roasted carrots and parsnips.

The veggies are covered in butter and a spicy rub, then roasted until the edges start to char.

And just before serving they’re glazed in a mixture of cane syrup (or maple syrup) and orange juice which gives them a sweet-but-spicy flavor. YUM!

Why we love this recipe: it elevates a simple ingredient into something totally delicious.

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Roasted carrots and parsnips with bacon
Make it decadent
Duck-fat roasted parsnips and carrots
Try different veggies
Roasted Mediterranean vegetables

Fried cabbage and mushrooms

This stir-fried cabbage is a quick and easy dish to serve with pork tenderloin.

Simply sauteing it with some umami-packed mushrooms, butter, and seasonings like garlic powder turns your bland cabbage into a moreish dish.

Not a fan of mushrooms? Use onions instead.

Why we love this recipe: it’s a tasty dish that won’t break the bank.

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Fried cabbage and mushrooms
Make it tangy
Quick pickled red cabbage
Skip the cabbage
Sauteed broccolini

Granny smith apple slaw

Apples are a classic fruit to pair with pork tenderloin.

You could go for an apple sauce, or try Southern fried apples.

But I like them in a fresh, bright slaw covered in a tangy Greek yogurt dressing.

The apples will still have a nice crunchy texture to them, which keeps the dish light.

Why we like this recipe: it’s a healthier version of your traditional coleslaw.

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Granny smith apple slaw
Add jicama
Sweet and spicy apple jicama slaw
Make it dairy-free
Vinegar coleslaw

Cheesy creamed peas and potatoes

We’ve all heard of creamed peas but this dish takes things to another comfort level by adding potatoes.

And the best part?

You can skip making a sauce for your pork tenderloin and just use this instead.

Why we love this recipe: it’s a great way to sneak vegetables into fussy eaters.

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Cheesy creamed peas and potatoes
Skip the peas
Roasted fingerling potatoes
Make it simple
Parmesan peas

Pineapple spinach salad

This salad may sound strange at first, but all your worries will disappear when you taste it.

The tropical pineapples are perfect for summer and have a sweetness that will balance out any spicy rub you have on your pork.

Psst… if it’s too tangy for you, skip the mustard in the dressing.

Why we love this recipe: it’s a fun twist on the better-known strawberry and spinach salad.

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Pineapple spinach salad
Fire up the grill
Grilled pineapple salad
Swap the fruit
Pear spinach salad

Spicy Szechuan noodles

If you love spicy food, these noodles are for you (and they go great with Chinese five-spice pork tenderloin).

The heat comes from Szechuan chili peppers, which are more than 10 times hotter than a jalapeno!

Psst… have an ice-cold drink within reach when you’re eating these.

Why we love this recipe: it’s simple but jam-packed with flavor.

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Spicy Szechuan noodles
Change the flavor
Sweet and spicy gochujang noodles
Make a salad
Vietnamese noodle salad

Summer couscous salad

Tired of the usual leafy greens salad?

Give this couscous salad a try – it’s loaded with fresh and vibrant tomatoes, cucumbers, and bell peppers.

Then everything is tied together with a zesty white wine vinaigrette.

All it needs is some protein… hello pork tenderloin!

Why we love this recipe: it works with quinoa or barley too.

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Summer couscous salad
Skip the couscous
Shirazi salad
Make it different
Couscous salad with lime basil vinaigrette

Honey balsamic mashed sweet potatoes

Mash, pork, and gravy.

You can’t get much better than that.

Or can you?

Yes… if you use sweet potatoes instead of normal potatoes for your mash.

Pro-tip: use a food mill or a fine mesh strainer to achieve a silky smooth consistency.

Why we love this recipe: it’s dairy-free!

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Honey balsamic mashed sweet potatoes
Make it indulgent
Sweet potatoes au gratin
Make it low-carb
Mashed cauliflower

Gnocchi in brown butter sage sauce

Ditch your usual pasta dish and give classic gnocchi a try.

These potato dumplings are seared, giving them a deliciously crisp crust to contrast with their pillowy soft insides.

But what seals the deal for this dish is its nutty brown butter sage sauce.

This sauce is so good I’d make extra and drizzle it over your pork tenderloin.

Why we love this recipe: it’s easy enough for mid-week but fancy enough for a dinner party.

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Pan-seared gnocchi in brown butter sage sauce
Make it decadent
Alfredo gnocchi bake
Make a classic
Brown butter garlic noodles

Italian baked cannellini beans

This jazzed-up baked beans recipe is a fabulous protein-loaded side to serve with pork tenderloin.

It uses fire-roasted tomatoes which have a deep sweetness to them, and Fontina cheese which has a mildly nutty flavor.

Psst… can’t find Fonita? You can substitute it for gruyère, provolone, gouda, or emmental.

Why we love this recipe: it’s reminiscent of a comforting pasta dish but a lot healthier.

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Cheesy Italian baked cannellini beans
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Tuscan white bean skillet
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White beans with bacon and herbs

Skillet zucchini, corn, and peppers

Inspired by the classic Mexican dish calabacitas, this is a medley of bell peppers, green chile, corn, zucchini, and tomatoes.

It’s bright and colorful, so it will look really tasty next to your pork tenderloin.

Psst… you can add cayenne for a little (or a lot of) extra heat.

Why we love this recipe: any leftovers will taste amazing in an omelet the next day.

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Skillet zucchini, corn, and peppers
Add beans
Southwestern succotash
Fire up the grill
Avocado corn salad

Polenta florentine

A bowl of creamy polenta is fabulous with pork tenderloin, but why not try something new with this recipe?

The polenta is baked instead of boiled, and then topped with a cheesy spinach sauce.

It’s kind of like a potato bake, but with a lot less calories.

Psst… make this gluten-free by using cornstarch instead of flour.

Why we love this recipe: it’s a unique dish that most people won’t have tasted before.

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Polenta florentine
Change the flavor
Margherita baked polenta
Go back to basics
Parmesan polenta

Mushroom cream sauce

Dress up your pork tenderloin by serving it with a luscious mushroom cream sauce.

The mushrooms have an earthy flavor that pairs well with the savory pork, and they mean the sauce can double as a veggie side.

Win-win!

Why we love this recipe: you only need six ingredients and 30 minutes to make it.

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Mushroom cream sauce
Go for gravy
Red onion gravy
Make it dairy-free
Magic mushroom sauce

What sauce is good with pork tenderloin?

Pork tenderloin is fabulous with mushroom cream sauce or a mustard sauce. You could also try the classic peppercorn sauce or an onion gravy. For something a little different, try a chimichurri sauce or a peanut dipping sauce.

Best sauce to serve with pork tenderloin