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What to Serve with Mojo Pork (10 Best Sides)

Mojo pork is delicious, juicy, and savory.

It takes us right back to the first time we tried it at the local Cuban restaurant near our house—we fell in love with it immediately.

But what to serve with this delightful dish?

What to Serve with Mojo Pork

Here are 10 sides that pair perfectly with mojo pork

What to Serve with Mojo Pork

Mojo pork is a traditional Cuban dish made of pork that has been marinated in citrus juices, spices, and herbs.

This dish is often served with rice and beans, but other sides can also be used.

Here are some of the best side dishes that go with mojo pork:

1. Salads

Classic Caesar Salad

If you’re looking for a side dish to go with a mojo pork entree, consider making a salad.

The best salads have a base of leafy greens, like spinach or kale.

From there, you can add other vegetables, or fruits and nuts.

Related post: What to Serve with Pork Chops (59 Easy Side Dishes)

We like to add sliced strawberries, pecan pieces and orange segments to our salad for added color and crunch!

You can make your own salad dressing at home if you want to save some money.

Just mix olive oil with balsamic vinegar in the proportions that suit your taste.

Add salt and pepper, plus any additional seasonings you want.

But before you commit to getting a salad with meal, keep in mind that salads can sometimes be quite cold.

If you’re looking for something warm and cozy to eat on a cold winter night, this might not be what you’re looking for.

2. Baked or Mashed Potatoes

Mashed Potatoes

While this is a naturally flavorful dish, it can be paired with a variety of sides that add complexity to the meal.

See Also: 15 Sauces for Mashed Potatoes I Can’t Resist

One side dish that brings out some of the subtle flavors in this Cuban dish is baked or mashed potatoes.

  1. To make baked potatoes at home, wash them clean and then puncture them with a fork several times.
  2. Place them in the oven for about an hour on 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
  3. Once they’re cooked through, drizzle some olive oil over them and serve warm with a bit of salt (and maybe even butter).

Tip:

But before you commit to potatoes as your side dish, we’d recommend considering how much time you have to cook beforehand.

Potatoes take about an hour to make—from boiling to smashing to baking, then waiting for them to cool off a bit so you can dig in.

If you’re in a pinch for time or don’t want to add a lot of effort towards cooking your side dish, consider choosing something else (like plantains or rice).

3. Fried or Steamed Potatoes

Steamed Potatoes
  1. First, cut the potatoes into cubes. If you’re going to fry them, use enough oil so that all sides of the potato will get covered. If you’d rather steam them, then put them in a stockpot—and make sure there’s enough water in there so they don’t burn!
  2. Then just let it all cook until everything is tender and golden brown.
  3. When it comes time to serve your main dish alongside these tasty spuds, remember one thing: don’t forget the salt!

One thing to keep in mind when choosing this particular side dish is that there are many different ways to prepare potatoes for frying or steaming.

You can peel them and dice them up into little cubes before frying them, or you could leave them whole and steam them like that, or you could even leave them whole and just fry them all at once!

The options are limitless.

4. French Fries

French Fries

When you’re making mojo pork at home, you’ll want to make sure the meal is complete by serving it with French fries.

  1. To make the fries, all you have to do is peel the potatoes and cut them into 1-inch long strips.
  2. Place the strips into a bowl of water and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
  3. Then, heat 2 inches of oil in a dutch oven until it’s between 350° and 375° F.
  4. Remove the potatoes from the water and pat them dry.
  5. Fry them for about 2 or 3 minutes, or until they’re tender but not brown.
  6. Drain the potatoes on a paper towel-lined plate and serve warm!

Before you decide to serve your mojo pork with this side dish, there is one thing to consider: how do you like your fries?

If you’re a ketchup fan, these fries will be perfect!

But if you prefer saltier, crispy french fries—or even sweet potato fries—then you might not be completely satisfied with this side dish.

In that case, consider making cubes of fried polenta instead!

5. Baked Beans

Baked Beans

Baked beans are a classic side dish, and one that can easily be made at home.

So when you’re looking for something to pair with your Cuban meal, you can’t go wrong with homemade baked beans.

  1. To make great baked beans, start by pouring two cans of beans (any kind will do) into a medium saucepan.
  2. Add in a half cup of brown sugar, a quarter cup of ketchup, and a half teaspoon of salt.
  3. Then add in some BBQ sauce—how much is up to you! You can use a store-bought sauce or even experiment with making your own. If you want to get really creative, try adding some crushed pineapple.

If you’re planning on serving the beans as part of a party or an open house, this recipe is perfect for slow cooking throughout the day!

6. Fried Plantains

Fried plantains

If you have a few minutes free, you can make fried plantains at home.

  1. To make this side dish, first, slice the plantains into about 1/2 inch pieces.
  2. Next, heat up some oil in a frying pan on medium heat.
  3. Once the oil is hot, add the plantain slices to the pan and fry them for about 4-6 minutes, or until they turn golden brown.
  4. Finally, remove them from the pan and serve them immediately with mojo pork!

TIP: Before making fried plantains at home yourself, keep in mind that it’s easier to do this with a cooking buddy who can keep an eye on things while you’re slicing plantain pieces.

7. Corn Tortillas

Corn Tortillas

We’ve got the perfect side dish for your dinner.

And it’s something you can make at home, even if you’ve never cooked before.

You’ll need:

  • corn tortillas
  • lard
  • a bowl
  • a griddle
  • and a frying pan

Here’s what to do:

  1. Set your griddle to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
  2. Put your corn tortillas on the griddle for about 4 minutes on each side, or until they’re golden brown.
  3. After that, fry them in lard for another minute on each side.

Voila!

You’ll have 18 crispy tortilla chips—not those flimsy things from the store that no one ever eats.

Now all you need to do is crumble some mojo pork over the top of your chips and dip them into whatever sauce you like best!

But before you decide to go this route with your meal, consider what kind of occasion you’re cooking for – these are heavy, so they’re definitely not diet-friendly!

8. Chips and Guacamole

Chips and Guacamole

To make chips and guacamole at home, you’ll need:

  • A knife
  • A bowl
  • An avocado, diced
  • Some cilantro, chopped
  • Juice of half a lime (or one whole if you’re feeling extra zesty)
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

How to make it:

  1. Take your knife and dice up your avocado and chop up some cilantro.
  2. Throw them in a bowl together.
  3. Squeeze in the juice of half a lime (or more if you like) and add salt and pepper to taste.
  4. Mix everything together, and you’re done!

Easy, right?

9. Mojo Sauce

Mojo Sauce

You know what goes well with mojo pork?

More mojo sauce.

We’re serious.

Mojo pork is an absolute classic, and it’s easy to prepare—but you can’t just serve the pork on its own.

You need to make sure that your guests have some sauce ready to go, so they can dip the meat in the extra flavor.

If you’re making mojo pork at home, you can easily whip up a batch of our signature mojo sauce to serve with it.

All you need is:

  • 1/2 cup of orange juice
  • 1/4 cup of lime juice
  • 1 teaspoon of cumin
  • 2 teaspoons of garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon of salt

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl, and let sit for 20 minutes so the flavors can blend together.

Before serving, stir again and add salt if needed.

You’ll have enough for 4 servings.

Things to consider: Mojo sauce can be used as a marinade, rub, or dipping sauce for meats, seafood, and vegetables; as an ingredient in salad dressings; and more.

If you have any leftover mojo sauce after making this side dish, consider using it as part of a breakfast skillet: fry an egg and use mojo sauce as your “salsa” of choice!

10. Black Bean Soup

Black Bean Soup

Black bean soup is a perfect side dish to mojo pork.

Here’s how to make it at home:

  1. Cook some bacon until it’s crispy.
  2. Chop up an onion into small pieces, then add the onion and cook it in with the bacon. Add salt and pepper to taste.
  3. Once the bacon is crispy and the onions are cooked soft, add a couple of cans of black beans (drained). Add cumin and oregano to taste.
  4. Add about 3 cups of water, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and let it simmer for about 10 minutes or so.
  5. Pour in some lemon juice (to taste) and serve!

Before choosing this particular side dish, one thing to consider is how much time you have available to prepare it.

While we consider this to be an excellent choice for any meal, if you’re pressed for time or have other dishes on the menu that take longer to prepare, you might want to look at other options.

Mojo Pork side dishes

10 Sides to Serve with Mojo Pork

While mojo pork's powerful flavors will indeed be delicious served alone on a plate, a side dish can help balance out the meal, creating a less intense experience overall.
Additionally, if you're serving mojo pork to others who may not be used to its flavor profile, having a side dish to fall back on will allow them to have more taste options.
By adding side dishes into your meal, you'll also likely find yourself eating less of the pork and more of the balanced side options, so you won't feel as full or heavy afterward.
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Course Side Dish
Cuisine Cuban
Servings 4 people
Calories 350 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • Salads
  • Baked or mashed potatoes
  • Fried or steamed potatoes
  • French fries
  • Baked beans
  • Fried plantains
  • Corn tortillas
  • Chips and guacamole
  • Mojo sauce
  • Black bean soup

Instructions
 

  • Pick your favorite side dish from this list to serve with your pork meal.
  • Prepare the ingredients according to the recipe.
  • Be ready to eat in less than 25 minutes!
Keyword What to Serve with Mojo Pork
CEO at Happy Muncher | benjamin@happymuncher.com | Website | + posts

Hi, I'm Benjamin. I love cooking, long walks, and my girlfriend! Here you’ll find simple and delicious recipes that you can make in 30 minutes or less.