Name: What To Serve With Short Ribs
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 portion short ribs

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

In this article, I list 17 of the most popular side dishes for short ribs.

In a rush? Here’s the short answer.

The best dishes to serve with short ribs are creamy polenta, parsnip mash, no-knead bread, and bitter greens salad. Try glazed carrots, buttered vegetables, and green papaya salad for healthier options. You can also serve brown butter pappardelle, kimchi fried rice, mantou, and scallops.

Ready? Let’s jump right in.

Creamy polenta

Saucy, fork-tender short ribs over a bed of creamy polenta – just the thought of this meal is making my mouth water.

Your regular polenta is taken up a notch in this dish with the addition of ricotta and parmesan cheese.

Parmesan adds a nutty flavor to your polenta, while ricotta cheese makes it velvety and luxurious.

This parmesan-ricotta polenta tastes like pure comfort in a bowl.

Parsnip mash

Braised short ribs traditionally go well with mashed potatoes.

But if you want to switch things up, why not try this parsnip mash?

It’s a healthy and tasty alternative that’s low-carb too.

Adding herbs, garlic, butter, and parmesan cheese intensifies the subtle natural sweetness of your parsnips.

It’ll only take 20 minutes to get this instant pot creamy parsnip mash from your kitchen to the dining table.

Glazed carrots

You can’t go wrong with these roasted carrots – they’re one of the classic side dishes to braised short ribs.

The inherent sweetness of your carrots is enhanced with the finger-licking good honey garlic sauce.

The added sugar also helps roast your carrots, giving you those delightfully crispy edges.

Whether for a weeknight dinner or a special occasion, these honey garlic butter roasted carrots are the ideal side dish.

Bitter greens and fennel salad

Braised short ribs can be a decadent dish, so a side salad of bitter greens is an excellent accompaniment.

This salad features radicchio, escarole, and fennel.

They all have a bitter taste that helps cut through the richness of your short ribs.

Of course, this salad won’t be complete without the vinaigrette.

It has a subtle hint of dijon and honey that adds a touch of spice and sweetness.

This bitter greens and fennel salad will give you the perfect balance of flavors in every bite.

No-knead bread

If you’re making braised short-ribs, you’ll want to have a loaf of crusty bread on the side.

It’ll help you soak up all the goodness from the short rib sauce.

Skip buying a loaf of bread from your grocery store – this no-knead bread is super straightforward to make.

You’ll have the best, crusty no-knead bread with a picture-perfect crumb, thanks to Crunchy, Creamy, Sweet’s recipe.

Brown butter pappardelle

Turn your braised short ribs into the ultimate comfort meal by serving them alongside pappardelle noodles.

These wide noodles allow more of your short ribs’ sauce to cling to them.

They also have a nutty taste, courtesy of the brown butter and sage, making them even more delicious.

This pappardelle with brown butter sage sauce is just as comforting as your childhood classic buttered noodles.

Garlic-herb potato salad

Bringing short ribs to a potluck party?

Make this potato salad to go with your main attraction.

Unlike your traditional potato salad, this features a herb vinaigrette, making it light and healthier.

The tanginess of this potato salad also provides a welcomed contrast to the umami flavors of the short ribs.

Your friends will be begging you for this garlic-herb potato salad recipe before the potluck ends.

Mantou

Mantou is a no-brainer side dish if you’re making Chinese-style short ribs.

Also known as steamed buns, these are pillowy soft, and fluffy as a cloud.

You can easily tear them open and use the buns to mop up the sauce or fill them with the tender meat from your short ribs.

The good news is these steamed buns are incredibly easy to make – you only need four basic ingredients.

Head over to Rasa Malaysia for a quick, fool-proof mantou recipe.

Lobster mac and cheese

Make your short ribs even more decadent with a generous helping of this lobster mac and cheese on the side.

Rich, cheesy macaroni and buttery lobster chunks – what more can you ask for?

Each bite of this dish tastes heavenly. Throw in juicy, tender short ribs, and you have an unforgettable meal.

Just make sure you don’t have anywhere to go after eating this.

This lobster mac and cheese is guaranteed to instantly lift anyone’s mood.

Kimchi fried rice

Jazz up your braised short ribs with this kimchi fried rice.

Adding kimchi gives your plain old fried rice a spicy and tangy kick that will knock your socks off.

It’s a flavor combination that contrasts nicely with your short ribs.

Get the full kimchi fried rice recipe here.

Buttered vegetables

These buttered vegetables have your back for weeknight dinners when you just want to take it easy.

Not only do they add vibrant colors to your dish, but they also add much-needed nutrition to round out the meal.

Of course, cooking them in butter adds flavor – (a little butter never hurt anyone).

Plus, no one wants to eat bland vegetables, right?

These buttered vegetables are a simple but nutritious addition to your weeknight meal plan.

Chili oil noodles

Craving for a quick and delicious dish you can whip up to serve alongside your short ribs?

Look no further than these Chinese-inspired chili noodles.

You won’t believe how effortless this dish is.

Aside from cooking the noodles, you only need to heat the oil for this dish to work.

You’ll get these trendy hot oil chili noodles done in less than 10 minutes.

Green papaya salad

If you haven’t tasted this green papaya salad yet – you’re truly missing out.

It’s a classic Thai salad with freshness in every bite, making it an excellent side dish for your short ribs.

This salad has the perfect irresistible balance of sweet, sour, salty, and spicy flavors.

It’ll be love at first bite when you taste this green papaya salad.

Korean coleslaw

Swap your traditional coleslaw for this fun, spicy Asian rendition.

It’s a spicy, sweet, tangy slaw with a crunch that provides a superb contrast to your savory and tender short ribs.

The secret to that mouthwatering spicy kick?

Adding gochugaru (also known as Korean chili flakes) to the slaw’s dressing.

Brighten up any dish with this spicy Korean coleslaw.

Boiled corn on the cob

Enjoy fresh corn on the cob without having to fire up your grill.

Boiling corn in milk and heavy cream may be unconventional.

But it’s a delicious and easy way to cook it.

Serve buttery boiled corn on the cob alongside your braised short ribs for a satisfying and decadent meal.

Grilled shrimp and pineapple skewers

Grilling your short ribs at a summer party? Take advantage of the open grill and toss a couple of these shrimp skewers on to go with your short ribs.

The shrimp are flavored with a spicy jerk marinade that pairs well with the sweet pineapple chunks.

Together, these skewers have a spicy, sweet flavor combination that’s too good to resist.

Here’s the recipe: Jerk Shrimp And Pineapple Skewers.

Seared scallops

Turn your braised short ribs into a fancy surf and turf meal with a serving of these seared scallops on the side.

Upon first glance, these scallops may seem like a simple dish.

But they’re packed with a combination of naturally sweet, buttery, and zesty flavors that will blow you away once you give them a taste.

Despite their simplicity, these pan-seared scallops are bound to impress your guests.

The best side dishes for short ribs

Creamy polenta
Parsnip mash
Glazed carrots
Bitter greens and fennel salad
No-knead bread
Brown butter pappardelle
Garlic-herb potato salad
Mantou
Lobster mac and cheese
Kimchi fried rice
Buttered vegetables
Chili oil noodles
Green papaya salad
Korean coleslaw
Boiled corn on the cob
Grilled shrimp and pineapple skewers
Seared scallops