What to Serve With Collard Greens: 14 Best Side Dishes

With the cold weather setting in, many of us are looking for comfort food side dishes to help warm our bodies and our souls. Nothing says comfort food like my delicious Instant Pot Collard Greens recipe made with 5 simple ingredients. Ready in 20 minutes and so versatile, this recipe pairs well with a variety of different dishes.

Here are the 14 best side dishes to try when you are wondering what to serve with collard greens.

Looking for a quick answer?

The best side dishes to serve with collard greens are mac and cheese, cornbread, and potato salad. If you are looking for something meatier, a pork sirloin tip roast or bone-in ham also pair well. You can even serve collard greens with a sweet potato casserole, fried chicken, and green beans for a hearty meal that everyone will love!

Now, let’s get cooking!

1. Mac and Cheese

Mac and cheese is another side dish that is considered a comfort food staple and has become synonymous with dishes like collard greens and fried chicken. My creamy mac and cheese recipe is so easy and is ready in less than 12 minutes.

2. Pork Sirloin Tip Roast

While it would typically take a few hours to make a roast, this pork sirloin top roast recipe can be ready in less than an hour. Crusted in garlic, salt, and pepper, this recipe is the perfect match to the smokey flavor of the collard greens.

3. Mashed Potatoes

Nothing brings me comfort quite like my flavorful mashed potatoes. With a few pantry staples, you can elevate a simple mash while still being a cost-effective side that fits well with just about any dish you can pair it with.

4. Bone-In Ham

The sweetness that you get from the orange, pineapple, honey, and brown sugar glaze will add a delicious contrast to my savory, smokey collard greens. You can even swap out the honey for some maple syrup to change up the flavor. Any leftovers can be used to make a ham potato hash, split pea and ham soup, or grilled ham and cheese sandwiches.

5. Ranch Pork Chops

Pork chops are another simple side dish that you can serve with collard greens. They are flavored with ranch seasonings, and you can have these pork chops hot and on the table in 15 minutes to serve with collard greens.

6. Grits

These grits are like a texture combo between mashed potatoes and oatmeal, which makes them versatile to have morning, noon, or night. Plus, they are so easy to adjust to your personal taste.

7. Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes are an excellent side dish to serve with collard greens. They are also super healthy. Sweet potatoes are packed with vitamins A, B6, and C, and they promote good gut health. Plus, sweet potato leftovers are great for your dog or cat as it's good for their tummies too!

8. Sea Bass

This light and aromatic sea bass recipe is easy to make and can be prepared with either fresh or frozen fillets. This fish is an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids, magnesium, and potassium, making it a super healthy side dish to serve with collard greens.

9. Cornbread

This classic American comfort food staple is so versatile that you can serve it with a variety of different dishes like chili, BBQ ribs, and even collard greens. You can put butter on your cornbread, drizzle it with honey, or use any other type of spread you like.

10. Potato Salad

There are many different types of potato salad, and no doubt you or someone in your family has a legendary recipe that everyone looks forward to at family dinners. If not, try this elevated take. This herbed potato salad recipe is on the lighter side, opting for a vinegarette dressing over the standard mayo base. It is also a very easy recipe to alter to your personal taste, adding or removing ingredients to create your own legendary potato salad recipe.

11. Sweet Potato Casserole

This sweet potato casserole with a pecan brown sugar topping can be served as a dessert or a side dish. What makes it an excellent choice to serve with collard greens is that the smokey bacon flavor contrasts beautifully with the sweetness of the casserole.

12. Fried Chicken

The crispy, crunchy texture of this flavorful fried chicken will have you wanting to make it every night.

13. Garlic and Bacon Green Beans

If you are like me, then you love your greens and won't think twice about serving these garlic bacon green beans as a side dish with collard greens. The bonus is that between these two dishes, there is enough bacon that you won't even need to add a protein to make a fulfilling meal.

14. BBQ Ribs

In American cuisine, collard greens are synonymous with BBQ. So, the next time you are hosting a backyard barbecue, try these amazing BBQ ribs with my collard greens recipe. Even if you don't have a barbecue or a smoker, you can still enjoy these ribs in the oven. The star of this recipe is the homemade BBQ sauce that you can adjust to your taste, whether you like it spicier, sweeter, or smokier.

Best Side Dishes For Collard Greens

• Mac and Cheese
• Pork Sirloin Tip Roast
• Mashed Potatoes
• Bone-in Ham
• Ranch Pork Chops
• Grits
• Mashed Sweet Potatoes
• Sea Bass
• Cornbread
• Potato Salad
• Sweet Potato Casserole
• Fried Chicken
• Garlic and Bacon Green Beans
• BBQ Ribs

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