What to Serve with Char Siu Pork? 10 BEST Side Dishes

Barbequed pork is delicious and you’ll find many types across the globe.

Char siu pork refers to a Chinese, specifically Cantonese-style BBQ meat dish often added to stir-fries, noodles, and other items.

It‘s a stand-alone dish and versatile, so you can enjoy it with many items.

Whenever you plan to include it in your menu, there’ll be plenty of dishes to choose from.

But what to serve with char siu pork? Some popular items include fried rice, green beans stir-fry, garlic-roasted cauliflower, and sautéed broccoli.

Why Consider Serving Side Dishes with Char Siu Pork?

Chinese barbequed pork is a delicacy and a favorite dish not only in the country of its origin but also in many other regions worldwide.

Hence, it’s a regular feature in various events.

While it’s quite delicious, it won’t be fair to serve only one dish on any occasion as you’ll have plenty of guests.

You, as a host, are sure to want everyone to fill their stomach.

Side dishes can come in handy when you serve char siu pork at dinner or a big gathering.

Besides, meat can overload you, so extra items will tone down the richness and create a balance.

What to Serve with Char Siu Pork? 10 BEST Side Dishes

1 – Bok Choy Salad

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This green leafy veggie is one of the most widely eaten vegetables in China and other Asian countries.

It’s a versatile vegetable, so you can cook it in multiple ways.

Besides, it pairs quite well with Chinese barbequed pork, so we have it on the list.

Bok choy salad is one of the dishes that you can serve with char siu pork.

It’s simple, requires few ingredients, and refreshes your palate very nicely.

Bok choy, green onions, toasted almonds, and a soy dressing make the salad delicious.

You can use all parts of the bok choy plant, but matured leaves may be slightly peppery, so choose baby bok choy to make raw dishes like salads.

2 – Garlic Roasted Brussels Sprouts

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You can serve many vegetable dishes with pork, and there will still be room in your belly because they combine amazingly well.

Brussels sprouts also belong to the mustard family Brassicaceae and have similar features to their relatives.

They are slightly peppery when raw but becomes milder when cooked.

Roasted Brussels sprouts with garlic are yummy, and yes, they complement char siu pork.

Salt, garlic powder, paprika, and butter are the only other items used besides the veggies, but the result is delicious.

3 – Sautéed Broccoli

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Since char siu pork is so flavorful, a simple dish like sautéed broccoli is enough to make it a complete meal.

Since meat and veggies are a match made in the kitchen, we guarantee that everybody will return for a second helping.

Sautéing broccoli florets is quite simple and takes very little time.

Hence, you can serve this dish if you’ll feed plenty of people at your event.

You can make several batches in a short time and get the dish ready for serving.

When making purchases, choose broccoli with bright green heads and avoid loose heads with yellow florets, as these are past their prime.

4 – Fried Rice

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If you want a hearty dish that can fill everyone at the gathering, fried rice is a suitable side dish to serve with char siu pork.

You’ll not only feel full but also experience a variety of flavors and textures.

Fried rice is also an invention of the Chinese, but every region has a variant with ingredients varying from one place to another.

So, you’re likely to find different types with different tastes.

Fried rice can be entirely vegan, or you can also add eggs, meat, and seafood with the vegetables.

One vital aspect to remember: fried rice tastes best when made with cold rice, so cook the grain in advance and let it cool down.

5 – Roasted Cauliflower

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Cauliflower is one of those vegetables that taste good no matter how you serve it.

The veggie is also nutritious and can be added to your diet easily.

Of course, it tastes yummy with char siu pork.

Roasted cauliflower with garlic is a simple but tasty dish that few people can resist.

It cooks fast, so it can be an excellent item to include in your menu if you don’t have plenty of time to spare.

Cauliflower can turn nasty when kept out in the open for a long.

So, choose fresh veggies with white heads and tightly closed bud clusters.

Avoid any veggie with spots and crumbly florets.

6 – Stir-Fried Green Beans

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Stir fries are delicious whether you make them with veggies or non-veg foods.

So, adding a few stir-fried items to the menu is only fair.

Of course, they match with Chinese barbequed pork too.

Green beans are available all year round, so they’re convenient.

They’re delicious and versatile, too, so the beans are prevalent in most events.

Besides, stir-fried green beans are simple; hence, the dish ticks all the boxes.

What will you need? Don’t worry; you can make the yummiest and crisp-tender green beans with only four ingredients, including sunflower oil, garlic, soy or oyster sauce, and beans.

7 – Roasted Potatoes

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It’s pretty difficult to leave out spuds from any side dish list because they taste good with everything.

Roasted potatoes aren’t the usual Asian side dish but pair well with Chinese barbequed pork.

Besides, yummy roasted potatoes are famous, and everyone loves them, so you’ll have a lovely combo on your menu.

Spuds are also available in plenty, so making the dish won’t be a problem.

What is interesting is the fact that you don’t have to add too many ingredients to obtain an excellent taste.

But you have to use the right potatoes for the dish.

You may use Yukon Gold or Russet spuds for the best results.

8 – Lettuce Wraps

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Adding some crunch to your meal brings in much-needed freshness.

It’s what lettuce wraps do. They make an excellent side dish and combine nicely with char siu pork.

However, if you think there will be too much meat in one meal, you can omit the meat and create a vegan version.

Both types are delicious and add variety to a meal, so it will be a nice addition.

Vegan lettuce wraps can have tofu or mushrooms as a substitute for meat.

You can use the remaining ingredients as usual.

If you add a yummy sauce, your lettuce wraps will be perfect.

9 – Sautéed Bell Peppers and Onions

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When you have a delicious dish like char siu pork, you don’t have to choose complex side dishes because there can be a clash of flavors.

Simple items such as sautéed bell peppers and onions work great and allow you to enjoy and experience the taste.

Sautéed bell peppers and onions look bright and colorful, so the dish isn’t only yummy and attractive.

Besides, you will only need green, red, and yellow bell peppers, onions, olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic, dried oregano, and red pepper flakes.

Any pan will do for the dish but use a non-stick skillet so that you don’t have to use a lot of oil.

10 – Pan Fried Noodles

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Char siu pork is typically eaten with noodles, so it will be a crime not to include at least one noodles dish.

We added pan-fried noodles because the dish is delicious and easy to make.

You can enjoy the noodles and pork side by side or add the meat slices to the noodles.

The noodles can be plain, but you can add carrots, green beans, onions, garlic, and bean sprouts to enhance the taste.

A dressing with soy sauce, hoisin, sesame oil, cornstarch, and water makes the dish perfect and something you can’t resist.

Conclusion

You won’t have to worry about side dishes when making char siu pork because there are at least ten dishes to choose from now.

Each one is tasty and complements the pork dish, so you’ll have a lovely combo every time you serve Chinese barbequed meat.

You can choose different foods so that it doesn’t get boring and make you feel like eating the same item.