Side Dishes for Grilled food

Whether you’re looking for a superfast vegetable dish or something unexpected, we’ve got you covered. These seven dishes all go beautifully with short ribs.

1. Polenta. Instead of buttered noodles, go for chive-flecked (and gluten-free!) polenta to sop up short ribs’ juices.

2. Alt purees. Forget mashed potatoes. Make a healthier cauliflower or white bean puree instead.

3. Roasted root vegetables. If you’d rather have some texture with your veg, roast them. Root veggies are in season throughout short rib weather, and their sweet, earthy flavors are perfect with the luscious beef.

4. Sautéed Broccolini. For a superfast side, broccolini can be cooked quickly and feels elegant enough for a dinner party.

5. Bitter salads. Want to cut through short ribs’ richness? Serve bracing salads made from escarole or radicchio alongside or after the short ribs.

6. Caramelized kimchi. Feeling adventurous? Cook cabbage kimchi (the fiery Korean pickle) with some sugar until it’s browned to make a sweet-tangy-spicy relish that’s delicious with short ribs.

7. Sautéed mushrooms. If the meal centers around a spectacular bottle of wine and you don’t want some vegetably vegetables messing with it, sauté some mushrooms. They echo the beefy flavors and pair with most wines.

Kristin Donnelly is a former Food & Wine editor and author of the forthcoming The Modern Potluck .

Related: 20 Delicious Salads