It’s meaty, it’s tender, and it’s packed with so much flavor — oh, I just love a good slice of tri tip!
Whether that’s for a romantic candlelight dinner or experimenting in the kitchen, I always look forward to whipping up the best tri tip dish possible.
If you’re reading this, I bet you’re wondering what to serve with tri tip. For something as exquisite as this cut, I know you don’t want anything less than spectacular.
You’re in luck! Today, I’m sharing with you all the info you need on what to eat with tri tip.
From fried cheese or pasta, to something more filling (and nutritious) such as a pan of veggies, there’s sure to be something you’d love. Let’s dive right in!
1. Old Fashioned Baked Beans
Let’s start with an unbeatable classic: old-fashioned baked beans!
These beans are seriously tasty, full of protein, and surprisingly easy to prepare. The only thing I don’t appreciate that much is that dried beans take up to 10 hours to soften.
Here’s my pro tip: you should soften them up overnight before you begin cooking the next day!
Smoked paprika is a vital ingredient in this recipe for that irresistible smoky flavor. Worcestershire sauce and apple cider vinegar (along with the brown sugar) work to provide balance to create a rounded, fuller flavor.
This recipe also includes diced bacon, but you can choose to skip this as you’ll be pairing it with the rich, meaty taste of tri tip anyway!
2. Classic Dinner Rolls
Dinner rolls are a lovely little side to complement any meal, but they go particularly well with tri tip!
This is because their soft, fluffy texture works beautifully with the tender and rich flavor of the meat.
The recipe I’m sharing with you makes 14–16 rolls, so it can serve a party of six to seven comfortably.
Make sure you leave yourself plenty of time to allow the dough to proof before you pop them in the oven. This will make for perfectly bouncy little buns!
3. Cornbread
Who doesn’t love some tried and true cornbread? This recipe is quick and easy to make for a midweek dinner, and it’s buttery and totally delicious to boot!
The ingredients for this recipe are fairly basic, and the only things you might need to buy are cornmeal and a small amount of whole corn kernels. After half an hour, you’ll have yourself some fragrant and tempting cornbread!
This dish is just a wonderful starchy side to pair with tri tip as their textures combine to create a varied and complex mouth feel. It’s a real treat!
4. Spicy Potatoes
This is a traditional Lebanese recipe for spicy potatoes or batata harra. The key components of the dressing are the tasty olive oil, cilantro, and parsley, and they infuse these potatoes with such a delectable aroma.
Garlic, cracked pepper, and salt are also important ingredients to create a rounder taste profile.
Halve your potatoes or, if they are larger, cut them into bite-sized pieces. Spread them out on an oven tray with plenty of space between them so that they cook evenly.
Season them heartily before placing them in the oven. The result? Some gorgeous, golden potatoes that just mix so well with tri tip!
5. Fattoush Salad
Want to know what sides go with tri tip that you probably haven’t thought to try before? Take a page from the Lebanese cuisine playbook and try out fattoush salad!
This is another classic that would pair nicely with tri tip and the spicy Lebanese potatoes I just told you about. It’s fresh, crispy, and topped off with golden fried pita chips to add an extra crunch to the meal.
Iceberg lettuce, parsley, cherry tomatoes, scallions, and cucumber are the vegetables at the base of this dish. However, it’s really the dressing containing sumac, mint, and lemon that brings it to life!
6. Grilled Corn on the Cob
Corn on the cob with tri tip? Absolutely!
This pairing is a sure favorite on my family dinner table and, surprisingly, is also one of my greatest hits for the kids. They just can’t get enough of the sweet, charred, and fresh taste of this corn.
Actually, I shouldn’t be too surprised: the contrast in flavor and texture makes this an excellent side to tri tip!
All you need for this recipe are corn cobs, olive oil spray, and salt to taste – it’s that simple!
Most of the flavor comes from cooking your corn on a hot grill and waiting for that black charred effect to kick in.
7. Halloumi Fries
Here’s a unique side that I love when I’m feeling peckish: halloumi fries!
These delicious cheese treats can be cooked in either a hot pan of oil or in the air fryer. Just slice your halloumi into thin strips, coat it with flour, and shake off any excess.
Then, place these into hot oil or your air fryer until they’re golden brown and crispy. They’re mouthwatering when paired with meaty tri tip!
8. Penne Arrabbiata
Arrabiata is a classic Italian red sauce that has just the right level of spice. Tomatoes, garlic, and basil make for that Italian flavor we all know and love.
Red pepper flakes bring the spice to this dish, while salt and pepper can be used to perfect the flavor to your personal taste. And to top it off, there’s a generous sprinkling of parmesan!
Tri tip is the perfect protein component to incorporate into this meal. You can even dice it up and toss it throughout the pasta for a seamless combination.
9. Simple Green Salad
When I want a no-nonsense side that’s oozing with multiple healthy ingredients, I whip up a bowl of simple green salad. It’s simply gorgeous and tastes perfect especially in the summertime!
With soft butter lettuce, cucumber, avocado, microgreens, almonds, and pepitas, it can’t get any easier.
Serve this salad next to tri tip and cornbread for a balanced and nutritious meal that dinner guests will truly appreciate. It’s also a stress-free dish to prep, so you won’t have to spend much time in the kitchen!
10. Vermicelli Rice
I love a good plate of vermicelli rice! This Lebanese dish is also something that surprisingly pairs well with tri tip, especially when it’s tender and sliced into thin pieces.
The key to delicious vermicelli rice is its subtle flavors. Combined with the rich and meaty character of tri tip? It’s a delightful pairing!
With just five simple ingredients, you can have this dish ready in 25 minutes. It’s perfect for dinners that are pressed for time!
11. Caramelized Mushrooms
If we’re talking about what goes with tri tip (or any meat dish in general), caramelized mushrooms will always have a special place in my heart.
Caramelized mushrooms are simply the ultimate side to pair with your tri tip. And best of all: this recipe takes only 30 minutes to prepare and is incredibly simple!
The mushrooms are buttery and garlicky and have a hint of spice from the crushed red pepper. With their natural umami flavor, salt and pepper are the only seasonings you’ll need!
Sauté the mushrooms until all the butter has cooked away and they are nicely browned. Then, serve it alongside a hefty slice of tri tip!
12. Roasted Vegetable Medley (Ratatouille)
My family might have different opinions about what veggie they love best, but they won’t question ratatouille with tri tip!
This recipe is a mix of summer vegetables like eggplants, zucchini, potatoes, and tomatoes. Green beans are also a nice touch that brings some crunchy freshness to the medley.
Cooked in the oven with a generous drizzle of olive oil, ratatouille works so well with feta cheese and tri tip. Serve it for dinner, and it’s sure to be a hit with your guests as well!
13. Baked Cheesy Polenta Chips
Full disclosure: the dish itself isn’t time-consuming, but the polenta does take up to eight hours to set in the fridge. That’s why this is best prepared overnight so that it’s ready to serve by morning!
The ingredients for this baked cheesy polenta chips are super simple and should be lying around in your pantry. Basically, it’s not much of a hassle at all.
Polenta is an excellent side if you’re following a gluten-free diet, as it’s made from corn-based starch. Corn digests slower too, which is great for keeping tummies fuller for longer!
14. Easy Homemade Pita Bread
Pita bread is unbeatable on its own. But on a mezze platter with some sliced tri tip, hummus, and tabouleh? Sign me up!
One of my favorite ways to eat pita bread is by filling it with all these goodies. I also like them as crouton substitutes for an extra crunch.
This dough requires two hours to rise, but it only needs 15 minutes of prep time. Dough balls can even be frozen for later use.
15. Creamed Corn
Nope, this isn’t any ordinary canned, creamed corn. This is a homemade, delicately flavored treat that you and your family will definitely want more of!
Cream, butter, and parmesan cheese make this creamed corn extra creamy. Shallots, garlic, and parsley play a crucial supporting role and add delicious flavor to the mix as well.
And best of all: the recipe takes only 15 minutes, and it can serve up to eight people!
16. Summer Salad With Peaches and Goat Cheese
Cooking up some tri tip for a summertime feast? It’s not complete without this summer salad!
Peaches, toasted pistachios, fresh basil, and goat’s cheese make for an explosion of color and fresh flavor. Use soft market greens as the base, and you’re ready to start layering it with all the goods!
Mix champagne and olive oil to create a simple but scrumptious dressing that ties everything together seamlessly!
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17. Grilled Shrimp Skewers
A simple marinade takes these shrimp skewers to the next level. While it’s ready in 35 minutes, I personally love letting the shrimp bathe in the marinade for as long as possible for richer flavors!
It’s truly surprising that only lemon, garlic, and paprika are required for this recipe, and all of these ingredients complement the salty seafood taste of the shrimp perfectly.
18. Cucumber Salad
Cucumber salad is my personal favorite summertime recipe! It’s cooling, refreshing, and tastes delightful when paired with warm dishes.
My favorite combo is thinly sliced tri tip and this cucumber salad inside of homemade pita bread pockets. The result is a classic Lebanese-style sandwich that’s perfect for lunch!
This recipe calls for a tablespoon of dried mint – but if you can, substitute this with fresh mint for a superior taste. You can also use fresh, crushed garlic instead of garlic powder to bring things up a notch!
19. Thai-Style Slaw
This is one of those dishes that are gone in a flash as soon as I serve it to my family. And I can’t blame them! Thai-style slaw is just tasty, fresh, and delicious.
Thinly dice your cabbage, carrot, onion, and other vegetables of your choice. Then, add herbs like cilantro, basil, and fresh mint to complete the flavor profile of the dish.
Crushed roasted peanuts and sesame oil give this fresh salad a beautiful, nutty flavor – a highlight in itself! As a plus, peanuts also add protein to the slaw.
Once your tri tip is ready, slice it thinly and layer it atop a bed of this colorful salad. It’ll make for an impressive, Instagram-worthy plate at your next dinner party!
What to Serve with Tri Tip: 19 Tasty Sides!
Ingredients
- Old Fashioned Baked Beans
- Classic Dinner Rolls
- Cornbread
- Spicy Potatoes
- Fattoush Salad
- Grilled Corn on the Cob
- Halloumi Fries
- Penne Arrabbiata
- Simple Green Salad
- Vermicelli Rice
- Caramelized Mushrooms
- Roasted Vegetable Medley Ratatouille
- Baked Cheesy Polenta Chips
- Easy Homemade Pita Bread
- Creamed Corn
- Summer Salad With Peaches and Goat Cheese
- Grilled Shrimp Skewers
- Cucumber Salad
- Thai-Style Slaw
Instructions
- Make the best Tri Tip at home.
- Pick a side dish (or two) from the list above.
- Enjoy!
My name is Beth, Elizabeth Evelyn to be exact. A native Tennessean, I was born in the South.
I am the author behind Local Milk Blog.
