If you’re wondering what to serve with your ribs, you’ve come to the right place.
In this article, I list 48 of the most popular side dishes for ribs.
In a rush? Here’s the short answer.
The best side dishes to serve with ribs are Hawaiian macaroni salad, cornbread yeast rolls, pepper jack mac, and collard greens. You can also serve kimchi coleslaw, loaded mashed potatoes, BBQ baked beans, or deviled eggs. For grilled sides, try grilled peaches or grilled bacon and brussel sprouts.
Ready? Let’s jump right in.
Blistered Padron peppers
This is my personal favorite side for ribs – they’re an incredibly addicting Spanish tapas dish.
I was introduced to them by my best friend (shout out to Roz), and now I’m introducing them to you.
Eating them is kind of like pot luck, most aren’t spicy but then every so often there’s a super hot one!
Why we love this recipe: it gives you 4 different ways to cook the peppers.
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Blistered padron peppers
Stuff them
Jalapeno poppers
Make it different
Jalapeno popper bites
Hawaiian macaroni salad
No barbecue spread is complete without a big bowl of this Hawaiian macaroni salad.
It’s a rich, creamy pasta salad with a sweet and slightly tangy flavor, making it perfect for juicy barbecued meat like ribs.
Why we love this recipe: it’s affordable but super tasty.
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Hawaiian macaroni salad
Make it Southern-style
Southern macaroni salad
Make it Tex Mex
Tex Mex pasta salad
Cornbread yeast rolls
When it comes to a barbecue, these yeast rolls reign supreme.
They’re light and chewy, with a distinct cornbread flavor, thanks to the cornmeal.
You can shred up your ribs and stuff them into these yeast rolls…
Or use the rolls to mop any extra barbecue sauce on your plate. YUM!
Why we love this recipe: they only take 15 minutes to bake.
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Buttery cornbread yeast rolls
Make it different
Cornmeal biscuits
Go back to basics
Cornbread
Pepper jack mac
Bored with your usual stovetop mac and cheese?
Try this jazzed-up version.
It calls for pepper jack cheese and sliced jalapenos, infusing your bechamel with a spicy kick that will keep your taste buds on their toes.
Why we love this recipe: the cheese helps to balance out the heat from the jalapenos, so it’s not TOO spicy.
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Pepper jack mac
Change the flavor
Cajun mac and cheese
Fire up the grill
Smoked mac and cheese
Grilled bacon wrapped brussel sprouts
Grilling brussel sprouts takes them to another level.
They get deliciously charred and smoky, with crispy edges that are simply irresistible.
Plus, the bacon threaded with your sprouts also crisps up and adds a meaty, savory note to every bite.
Why we love this recipe: it’s an excellent way to incorporate a veggie side into your barbecue meal.
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Bacon-wrapped grilled brussel sprouts
Bust out the air fryer
Air fryer bacon-wrapped brussel sprouts
Fire up the oven
Roasted brussel sprouts with bacon
Scalloped corn
Impress the guests at your next barbecue party by serving this scalloped corn.
It’s chock-full of sweet corn kernels baked with custard and topped with a crunchy cracker mixture.
It’s kind of similar to mac and cheese, but lighter because there’s no pasta.
Why we love this recipe: it’s a show-stopping side dish made with basic pantry staples.
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Scalloped corn
Make a salad
Creamy corn salad
Make it easy
Five-ingredient corn casserole
Quick kimchi coleslaw
Creamy coleslaw is a quintessential barbecue side, but why not switch things up with this kimchi coleslaw?
This version is extra tangy, with a spicy kick, thanks to the Korean kimchi.
The bright, acidic flavor is just what you need to cut through the rich flavors of your ribs.
Why we love this recipe: it will be a colorful and unique addition to your barbecue spread.
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Quick kimchi coleslaw
Make it creamy
Greek yogurt coleslaw
Change the flavor
Cilantro apple slaw
Loaded mashed potatoes
Spruce up your plain old mashed spuds with the help of classic loaded baked potato fixings like sour cream, bacon, and cheddar cheese.
Adding sour cream and cream cheese makes your mash even creamier and more indulgent.
While the crisp bacon bits add a satisfying crunchy bite to contrast with your fork-tender ribs.
Why we love this recipe: it’s an easy upgrade that yields a decadent, crowd-pleasing mash.
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Loaded mashed potatoes
Go back to basics
Loaded baked potato
Make it dairy-free
Dairy-free garlic mashed potatoes
Southern deviled eggs
Deviled eggs are great party food.
They’re easy to grab and go, and you can serve them as a starter or as part of a ‘finger-food’ buffet alongside the ribs.
Psst… don’t skip the relish in this recipe, it really lifts the dish.
Why we love this recipe: they’re super fun to make and you can get the whole family involved.
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Southern deviled eggs
Make it crispy
Fried deviled eggs
Make it interesting
Avocado deviled eggs
Grilled peaches
Peaches are one of those summer fruits that taste absolutely phenomenal when grilled.
They soften nicely and their juices caramelize making them extra sweet.
You can use these grilled peaches for a summery salad or as a sweet treat to serve after your savory ribs meal – just add ice cream, and you’ve got a winning dessert.
Why we love this recipe: they only need a few minutes on the grill.
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Peach halves on the grill
Skip the grill
Honey roasted peaches
Make a classic
Peach cobbler
Mango black bean salad
Bring a tropical feel to your ribs with this mango and black bean salad.
It’s got lime juice, cilantro, and red pepper flakes to balance out the fruity sweetness.
And if you want even more heat, add some jalapenos.
Pro-tip: for best results use slightly under-ripe mangoes.
Why we love this recipe: it’s easy to put together a big batch for a large crowd.
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Mango black bean salad
Skip the beans
Mango salsa
Make it different
Mango jicama slaw
Southern hushpuppies
Hushpuppies are a classic side for fried fish, but who says you can’t serve them with some sticky, tender ribs?
These lightly crisp and tender treats are perfect for dipping into your rib’s rich barbecue sauce.
And they’re guaranteed to be loved by everyone – kids and adults alike.
Why we love this recipe: you can get them on the table in only 20 minutes.
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Southern hushpuppies
Skip the deep-frying
Baked hushpuppies
Make it different
Old-fashioned corn fritters
Collard greens
If you want to stick with a Southern classic, collard greens are the way to go.
These veggies are usually made over the stove, but I prefer making them in an instant pot to reduce cooking time.
You’ll have soft, flavorful collard green with a flavorsome broth ready in just 45 minutes.
Why we love this recipe: it’s the ultimate healthy comfort food.
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Instant pot collard greens
Make it simple
Quick collard greens
Make it decadent
Creamed collard greens
Lemon orzo salad
Enjoy bright summer flavors with this lemon orzo salad.
The zesty dressing will cut right through your rich and savory ribs, and the feta adds a touch of saltiness.
If you don’t have orzo, it works just as well with a small-shaped pasta.
Why we love this recipe: it uses simple, fresh ingredients.
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Lemon orzo salad
Make it spicy
Spicy Thai pasta salad
Make it light
Lemon arugula salad
Bourbon peach BBQ baked beans
Baked beans are a go-to barbecue side and these don’t disappoint next to some ribs.
I mentioned peaches earlier, and here’s another way to use them I bet you’ve never tried.
Aside from peaches and bourbon, these beans feature chipotle, paprika, bacon, and balsamic vinegar.
Why we love this recipe: it’s a warm and hearty dish that is BURSTING with flavor.
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Bourbon peach BBQ baked beans
Go American
Spicy baked beans with bacon
Make it cheesy
Cheesy white bean tomato bake
Pickled carrots and radish
Pickles are fabulous with ribs.
They’ll cleanse your palate and keep the whole meal from getting too heavy.
You can pickle pretty much anything, but this recipe has gone for a colorful mix of carrots and radish.
Why we love this recipe: except for heating the pickling solution, this is a no-cook side.
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Quick pickled carrots and daikon radish
Back to basics
Refrigerator dill pickles
Make it fun
Cheesy dill pickle chips
What To Serve With Ribs
Ingredients
- 1 portion ribs
Instructions
- Prepare your ribs according to your favorite recipe.
- In the meantime, choose one of the following sides to serve alongside it.
- Side dishes include: blistered Padron peppers, Hawaiian macaroni salad, cornbread yeast rolls, pepper jack mac, grilled bacon wrapped brussels sprouts, scalloped corn, quick kimchi coleslaw, loaded mashed potatoes, southern deviled eggs, grilled peaches, mango black bean salad, southern hushpuppies, collard greens, lemon orzo salad, bourbon peach bbq baked beans, and pickled carrots and radish.
- Serve immediately and enjoy!
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