What to Serve with Korean Short Ribs? 13 Best Sides

If you want to serve Korean short ribs, then you’ll need to think about what you’re going to serve with them.

When it comes to side dishes for Korean short ribs, you can serve traditional side dishes like kimchi and spicy rice.

You can also try out some of the best side dishes for Korean short ribs, which include canned green beans with sesame seeds, spicy fried rice and sweet potatoes with brown sugar.

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Let’s look at some other options!

What to Serve with Korean Short Ribs? 13 Best Sides

Korean short ribs are one of the most popular cuts of beef in the world. You’ll want to serve a side dish that pairs well with this hearty cut.

One of the best sides to go with Korean short ribs is a baked potato.

The oven will cook the potatoes perfectly, and the extra spice and salt in the short ribs will help to complement the taste of the potatoes.

Looking for something else?

Here are 13 other sides you can serve with Korean short ribs:

1. Korean Spinach

Korean spinach is a dish that has become increasingly popular in recent years.

It’s actually one of the most commonly served side dishes in Korean cuisine, so it’s a great choice when you want something to accompany your short ribs.

The reason why it’s become so popular is because it pairs perfectly with many flavors, and it’s relatively simple to make.

The only cooking time required for this dish is boiling the spinach in the water for five minutes. The rest of the time is spent preparing it before you eat it.

To get the best flavor out of this dish, you should prepare it at least an hour in advance.

The longer the dish sits, the better it tastes.

2. Lightly Pickled Radish

Another healthy and flavorful side dish is the lightly pickled radish. The key to preparing this dish is to use a vinegar that has some kick to it.

This helps balance out the radish’s mild flavor.

You can choose any kind of vinegar you like, but a citrus-based vinegar like balsamic is always a good choice.

And as long as you cut the radishes into matchsticks, you won’t need much of the vinegar.

Pickled radishes are especially good when you want something fresh, crunchy, and tasty.

3. Korean Bean Sprouts

If you’re looking for a side dish to go with your Korean short rib supper, then you could do a lot worse than serve up some freshly made bean sprouts.

They’re an excellent source of protein and iron, which is something that I think is so important for any meal! I like to soak mine in rice wine vinegar before serving.

4. Spicy Scallion Salad

Spicy scallion salad is a great choice for what to serve with Korean short ribs, as it offers lots of crunch alongside a really light flavour profile.

It’s just some fresh sliced garlic, red chilli, green onion, and sesame oil served in a bowl alongside some sliced lettuce leaves.

5. Cucumber Kimchi

Cucumbers and kimchi go together like hand and glove! A side serving of this super healthy pickle will help you to feel healthier and lighter after indulging in all that meat.

There’s a ton of variety in the world of kimchi, so if you want to add something else to the mix, you can always throw in a handful of nuts or seeds, such as walnuts, pumpkin seeds, and sunflower seeds.

6. Sweet potato mash

If you’re looking for a healthy option for what to serve with Korean short ribs, then this sweet potato mash recipe is one of the best ones I know!

It’s a simple dish which is made from simply boiling the sweet potato in water until tender and then mashing it through a sieve.

The trick is to add some milk and butter to make sure that you end up with something really rich and creamy!

This really takes the humble sweet potato to the next level, and is just as good cold as it is hot.

Read Also: What To Serve With Sweet Potato Mash – 10 Best Side Dishes

7. Roasted Butternut Squash

A healthy side dish that won’t weigh you down or leave you feeling bloated, this butternut squash is an excellent choice for what to serve with Korean short ribs.

Just chop it up and roast it for about 20 minutes in the oven at 200˚C.

You’ll need to keep an eye on it as it does tend to burn quite easily, so turn it halfway through.

8. Baby Bok Choy

Another great side dish that will work well with Korean short ribs is baby bok choy. Just cut up the leaves and serve them in a bowl with some soy sauce and sesame oil.

This one isn’t so high in calories, but I love the way it makes a satisfying crunch alongside the rest of the meal.

9. Sweet and Sour Coleslaw

Sometimes, I think a side serving of coleslaw can be a bit of a snooze fest. It’s very often served as a light accompaniment to meaty meals, rather than a tasty dish in its own right.

But, there is a better way to serve this delicious vegetable, and that’s by making it into a sweet and sour slaw.

You don’t even have to add any sugar or vinegar to get the best flavour, as it already has them in abundance!

I like to use shredded cabbage for this, though I’ve also tried shredded carrot and napa cabbage before.

10. Fried Rice

A fried rice side dish is a really simple choice that really adds lots of flavour and texture to the meal.

To make your own, just throw in whatever you like to eat with fried rice, including your favourite veggies, mushrooms, and beef.

For example, I like to add baby corn, broccoli, red peppers, carrots, and spinach.

You can even add some extra protein to the mix if you like, like leftover roast chicken or beef.

If you don’t want to go all out and make your own, you can always buy ready-made fried rice from the supermarket.

11. Roasted Carrots

Roasted carrots have a sweet, mellow flavor that heightens the savory flavor of short ribs.

Toss 1 pound sliced carrots with 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and black pepper to taste, and roast at 425 degrees for 20-30 minutes, or until browned and tender.

12. Cider-Braised Cabbage

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.

Add 4 cups thinly sliced green cabbage, 1 sliced Granny Smith apple, 5 halved garlic cloves and 1 teaspoon caraway seeds; season with salt and pepper and cook until tender, 12 to 15 minutes.

Add 2 cups hard cider, bring to a boil and cook until almost all the liquid is absorbed, 8 to 10 minutes more.

13. Green Beans

Toss 1 pound trimmed green beans with 1 tablespoon olive oil on a baking sheet; season with salt and pepper.

Roast at 450 degrees Fahrenheit until crisp-tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Toss with 1 tablespoon each melted butter and chopped fresh herbs (such as dill or tarragon).

Tips for Serving Sides with Korean Short Ribs

Korean short ribs are the perfect meal for the grill. They’re easy to cook and the meat is so flavorful that you don’t have to marinate it before cooking.

That said, there’s something a little awkward about serving a big plate of grilled meat without any sides. So I started thinking about what to serve with them.

The first thing you want is some sort of starch: potatoes, rice, noodles, polenta, etc. You’ll want something that will soak up the juice from the meat and make it seem even more substantial.

The second thing you want is color. Something green or orange would be nice because otherwise your meal looks like Christmas dinner — red meat and white potatoes.

So I made mashed potatoes (white) with roasted cauliflower (green) and carrots (orange).

It was great!

But next time I’m going to serve them with cheesy polenta instead of mashed potatoes because it’s easier to make and even better at soaking up the sauce from the meat.

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