10 Best Side Dishes for 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.

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.

3. Merritt's Butternut Squash Gratin

Bread crumbs tossed with rosemary, thyme, Gruyere, and Cheddar cheese top this rich side.

4. Fig and Arugula Salad

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," recipe creator France C says.

7. Roasted Garlic Cauliflower

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.

8. Lemon Pea Salad

"Sometimes simple is best, and that is the case here," reviewer lutzflcat says. "So very simple to make, the uncooked peas pop in your mouth, and it's loaded with fresh flavor."

9. Heirloom Tomato Salad with Rosemary

Serve this juicy salad with grilled pork tenderloin (thanks for the idea, reviewer 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.