What to Serve with Tri-Tip Sandwiches: 10 Best Sides

There’s nothing like a nice, juicy tri-tip sandwich.

But what should you serve with it? The options are virtually limitless.

This article highlights 10 of the most mouth-watering sides you can serve alongside your next tri-tip sandwich.

Here are the 10 best sides to serve with tri tip sandwiches.

Read Also: Upgrade Your Sandwich Game with These 50 Tri Tip Toppings

What to Serve with Tri-Tip Sandwiches: 10 Best Sides

Tri-tip is a must at any BBQ and it’s easy to see why: it’s very tasty.

The only trouble with tri-tip is deciding what to serve alongside it.

It goes great with many sides and there are many excellent sides that you can serve along side of your tri-tip.

Here are my top 10 side dishes to serve with tri-tip sandwiches:

1. Potato Salad

Potato salad is one of the best side dishes to serve with tri-tip sandwiches.

Potato salad offers a nice contrast in texture, with the crunchy celery, and the soft potatoes.

Potato salad can be made ahead of time and kept on hand for when guests arrive. If you’re serving a crowd, potato salad is also one dish that keeps well since it’s served cold.

You can also add your own personal touches to potato salad, making it more interesting than just the traditional recipe by adding your favorite ingredients.

When it comes to potato salads, there are many different varieties you can make.

You can make a classic German potato salad; or if you prefer a tangier flavor, you could make a red wine vinegar potato salad.

Or if you like colorful dishes, you could make a colorful potato salad with green peas, red tomatoes and yellow corn kernels.

And if you want to save time by not having to peel and cube potatoes, try making a quick potato salad with frozen hash browns – they already come cubed and shredded!

2. Coleslaw

Coleslaw is a classic side dish for sandwiches, and for a good reason.

Whether you’re serving beef or pork, the cool crunch of coleslaw is the perfect complement to a warm sandwich.

As far as tri-tip sandwiches go, this classic side will win over your taste buds every time.

Serve this creamy coleslaw alongside your next batch of tri-tip sandwiches for a side dish you’ll want to make again and again.

3. Baked Beans

Beans are a classic side dish at barbecues, so they pair perfectly with tri-tip sandwiches!

Baked beans are an obvious choice because of their smoky flavor, which goes so well with grilled meats like tri-tip.

They’re also easy to make ahead of time and keep warm in a crockpot until you’re ready to serve them.

Plus, there’s no better side dish for soaking up some of that delicious barbecue sauce from your sandwich.

4. Macaroni Salad

If you want to make the most of your tri-tip sandwiches, then you need to come up with an amazing side dish.

There are a lot of choices out there, but if you are looking for something that just might be perfect, then macaroni salad is definitely worth considering.

After all, macaroni salad is all about the balance between being crunchy and creamy at the same time.

This means that it works especially well when served alongside something that is really juicy and flavorful, such as tri-tip sandwiches.

You get to enjoy the flavor of the meat and bread alongside something that has a very different texture, which makes for a really interesting meal overall.

Macaroni salad also works because it tends to be richer than other types of side dishes.

With something like potato salad or coleslaw, you can only eat so much before you start feeling full.

But macaroni salad tends to be on the heavier side, which means that it will help fill you up when you are eating your tri-tip sandwich as well.

5. Corn on the Cob

If you’re feeding a crowd, corn on the cob is a great side dish to serve alongside tri-tip sandwiches.

Corn on the cob feeds a lot of people, and it’s easy to cook several ears at once.

You can steam or boil your corn, but I prefer grilling it.

If you’ve already got your barbecue fired up for the tri-tip and have room, put some ears on the grill right next to the meat and let them cook while the meat is resting.

Grilling corn on the cob gives it wonderful smoky flavor that perfectly pairs with everything else in this meal.

And it couldn’t be simpler: just soak the ears in water for about half an hour before you put them on the grill.

This will help them cook all the way through without drying out.

When they’re ready, remove them from the grill, and then brush with butter or ghee before serving.

6. Cucumber Salad

When the weather turns warm, summer entertaining heats up!

And what’s a better menu for summer entertaining than tri-tip sandwiches?

Whether you’re serving a crowd or just your family, this dish is always a winner.

If you’re looking for the perfect side dish to serve alongside your tri-tip, be sure to try this cucumber salad recipe.

It’s so easy to make, and it goes with just about any main dish!

It’s also a great way to use up extra cucumbers from the garden.

Why is cucumber salad a great side dish to serve alongside tri-tip sandwiches?

When you pair this cool, crunchy salad with the heat of the grilled meat, you create a delicious contrast that everyone will enjoy.

7. Fruit Salad

Fruit salad, like most salads that are based on fruit, tends to be a very colorful dish.

This makes it visually appealing, and thus a good addition to any party spread.

A colorful dish can also help to draw attention away from any parts of your menu or your table setting that are not quite up to par; if you want to conceal the fact that you’re using paper plates or plastic silverware, for example, putting them next to a brightly colored fruit salad can help.

In addition to being colorful, fruit salad is also light and refreshing.

This makes it especially appropriate when serving rich foods such as tri-tip sandwiches. 

8. Pasta Salad

If you have a tri tip roast and are planning to make tri-tip sandwiches, then you will also want to make a good side dish to go with it.

One of the most popular side dishes to serve alongside tri-tip sandwiches is pasta salad.

Pasta salad can be made in so many different ways that you can serve it with any type of meal and it will fit in well with the other items served at the dinner table.

If you are serving steak sandwiches, then you may choose a pasta salad which is on the rich side, such as one made with olive oil and pine nuts.

You could also choose an Italian dressing or another dressing that has a strong flavor.

If you are serving barbecue chicken sandwiches, then you might want to go for a lighter dressing such as ranch or Caesar.

However, when making tri-tip sandwiches, I like to have a creamy pasta salad because it contrasts well with the flavors of the meat and the sauce on the sandwich.

9. Grilled Vegetables

Grilled vegetables are a great side dish to serve alongside tri-tip sandwiches, or just about any other grilled meats.

The hearty vegetables add color and flavor to the meal and can be grilled right along with the meat.

You can also take advantage of any leftover vegetables and make a cold vegetable salad or sandwich spread for the next day.

10. Green Salad with Vinaigrette Dressing

Green Salad with Vinaigrette Dressing is an excellent side dish to serve with tri-tip sandwiches.

The tangy flavors of the vinaigrette dressing nicely complement the unique taste of the meat.

And the crisp freshness of the greens contrasts well with the soft textures of the meat and sandwich roll.

Why Consider Serving Side Dishes With Tri Tip Sandwiches?

If you’re planning to serve tri-tip sandwiches, consider side dishes that complement the main meal.

We’ll look at some good reasons for serving sides with tri-tip sandwiches, and provide a few examples of side dishes you may want to consider.

The most obvious reason for serving side dishes with tri-tip sandwiches is because people like them.

Just as we’re often hungry for things other than the main dish, sometimes we’re just hungry for more than one thing.

Sides can also add texture to your meal. The crunch of a good potato chip or a handful of peanuts can add something that your palate craves.

Sides don’t have to be chips or nuts, though.

They could be vegetables, rice or pasta.

Some tri-tip sandwich recipes call for vegetables to be added to the meat while it’s grilling; you could use those same vegetables as sides, or offer something else entirely.

Including side dishes with your meal can also help stretch the food if you need to feed more people than you planned on.

A little extra food goes a long way toward filling up hungry tummies.

5 Tips For Serving Sides With Tri Tip Sandwiches

Tri tip is a versatile meat that can be served in sandwiches, tacos, and salads.

It can also be paired with a wide variety of sides such as french fries and coleslaw.

Here are some tips for serving sides with tri tip sandwiches:

1. Don’t try to push too many flavors on your guests.
2. Many people enjoy fries with sandwiches, they’re great to have on hand in case some guests want them.
3. Coleslaw is a popular side dish that pairs well with the meat.
4. A little bit of potato salad can go a long way.
5. Baked beans are another tasty side dish that will go well with the meat!