Looking to find the best side dishes for your pasta dinners? Well, the hunt is over! We've found you 35 of the best sides to go with your favorite pasta!
The ideas to serve with pasta meals are endless. Instead of plain bread and butter or a simple green salad, try pairing any of these delicious side dish recipes with your pasta main dish and you'll have an amazing complete meal.
Why serve side dishes with pasta meals?
You may be wondering why you should even go through the steps to create a side dish when you're serving pasta.
Well, serving any of these sides shared below means you're getting healthier, tasty options for your family. They aren't just filling their bellies with 100% pasta or carbs for dinner.
These perfect sides are also bursting with so much flavor, you can take any ordinary dinner and make it something extraordinary!
You can have leftovers that are more filling and nutritious to enjoy again later.
If you're looking for some good sides for pasta, this list of 35 side dishes was made for you. And all are vegetarian or vegan too!
Let's get down to business and share the best side dishes to pair along with your pasta dinner whether it's spaghetti or any other pasta shape of your choice.
Best pasta side dishes
Air Fryer Eggplant
Air fried breaded eggplant is the perfect companion to your pasta dinner. Add some pasta sauce to this simple recipe and top with cheese for an easy eggplant Parmesan!
Check out this recipe
Green Beans Almandine by Debra Klein
You only need a few simple ingredients to make these green beans. Hints of garlic and a crunch from the almonds make this green bean side dish fun for your taste buds.
Check out this recipe
Strawberry Salad by Quiche My Grits
This Strawberry Salad with feta cheese is refreshing and light, making it a great side dish to complement your big bowl of spaghetti.
Check out this recipe
Mediterranian Vegan Corn Salad by Veggies Save the Day
Made with sweet onion, tomatoes, grilled corn, crisp cucumber, and balsamic vinegar (plus a few other ingredients), this great recipe is one with a lot of flavors.
Check out this recipe
Italian Style Baked Zucchini with Tomatoes by Christina's Cucina
Fantastic Zucchini slices with breadcrumbs and cherry tomatoes bring this side dish to a new level and is a wonderful combo of delicious flavors.
Check out this recipe
Roasted Eggplant by The Forked Spoon
This low-carb Roasted Eggplant side dish is a great way to get more veggies in your diet and add some health benefits to your carb-heavy pasta dinners.
Check out this recipe
Easy Roasted Summer Squash by Nosh Nourish Wander
This is a great option with zucchini, yellow squash, red onion, herbs, and spices. They're all roasted together to bring out the delicious summer vegetable flavors.
Check out this recipe
Insalata Caprese by Happy Kitchen
This classic recipe only needs a handful of different ingredients. It's quite popular at Italian restaurants and for good reason! It's made with fresh in season tomatoes, fresh mozzarella cheese, a balsamic reduction, extra virgin olive oil, some salt and pepper, and some fresh basil. YUM!
Check out this recipe
Vegan White Bean Salad by Zardy Plants
The main stars of this dish are white beans, seedless cucumbers, onion, avocado, fresh lemon juice, garlic cloves, and more. They're all tossed together to make a wonderful side dish for any type of pasta.
Check out this recipe
Italian-Style Impossible Burger Meatballs
These Impossible Meatballs made with impossible ground are the perfect thing to add to your pasta recipes. Add some tomato sauce or marinara with these meatless meatballs on top of your pasta for a super simple embellished main course.
Check out this recipe
Sourdough Panzanella Bread Salad by Veggies Save the Day
Bread and juicy tomatoes are two Italian classics that pair nicely together to create this simple salad.
Check out this recipe
Roman-Style Artichokes by Our Plant Based World
This delicious dish is also called Carciogi Alla Romana and it's a great way to enjoy some artichokes by peeling the leaves away and enjoying the artichoke bud itself.
Check out this recipe
Roasted Artichokes with Parmesan by Saporito Kitchen
These flavorful artichokes are sliced and stuffed with Parmesan cheese and an herb filling before being roasted to perfection.
Check out this recipe
Vegan Lentil Salad by A Mummy Too
This vegan salad is made of colorful, earthy ingredients: lentils, roasted cherry tomatoes, onions, sweet peppers, capers, and black olives.
Check out this recipe
Vegan Garlic Knots by Make it Dairy Free
These dairy-free garlic knots are the perfect bread to serve alongside your pasta dinner. These knots are brushed with a vegan garlic butter sauce and would go really well with a non-dairy creamy garlic shells recipe, but can be used as a side for any pasta dish.
Check out this recipe
Simple Sauteed Vegetables by Eat Something Vegan
These sauteed bell peppers, zucchini, carrots, and summer squash are seasoned with the best herbs and spices and can go with any of your favorite pasta dishes.
Check out this recipe
Garlic Mushrooms by Cooktoria
These garlic mushrooms are made with white wine and are bursting with flavor.
Check out this recipe
Air Fryer Brussel Sprouts by Strength and Sunshine
This is the perfect side dish for those who are looking for different ways to enjoy Brussels sprouts with their pasta and simple sauce.
Check out this recipe
Easy Vegan Mushroom Crostini by Happy Kitchen
The next time you whip up your favorite pasta, make sure to make this fantastic Crostini which is made from a crunchy baguette topped with grilled vegan mozzarella, sweet caramelized onions, and mushrooms, with a drizzle of balsamic and Dijon mustard.
Check out this recipe
Roasted Broccoli Rabe by Living Lou
This side dish is also called rabini. It's made with some orange zest and red pepper flakes for an interesting flavored bite!
Check out this recipe
Cucumber and Tomato Salad
This light side salad is a refreshing, yummy salad made from fresh tomatoes, English cucumbers, red onions, red wine vinegar, and some other herbs and spices. It's so easy and comes together in a matter of minutes.
Check out this recipe
Vegan Garlic Bread by Steph Sunshine
An easy garlic bread recipe made from a baguette and a homemade vegan garlic butter spread.
Check out this recipe
Italian Celery Salad with Parmesan by Saporito Kitchen
Here's an easy celery salad made with celery, olive oil, spices, and creamy Parmesan cheese shavings.
Check out this recipe
Healthy Tomato Soup by Veg Buffet
Enjoy a nice bowl of healthy and nutritious tomato soup before you dig into your bowl of pasta.
Check out this recipe
Air Fryer Garlic Bread by The Aussie Home Cook
This 6 ingredient Garlic Bread will be on your dinner table in 10 minutes and goes with any and all of the best kinds of pasta.
Check out this recipe
Roasted Asparagus and Mushrooms by My Pure Plants
This versatile recipe is great for roasting veggies on the grill or in the oven. These veggies are so flavorful, you don't even need many seasonings.
Check out this recipe
Marinated Tomatoes by Budget Delicious
This super easy, 5-minutes, 5-ingredient tomato dish with fresh herbs is very refreshing and so flavorful.
Check out this recipe
Garden Zucchini Squash Casserole by The Carrot Underground
This beautiful tasty side dish is made with squash, breadcrumbs, and delicious Parmesan. Grab a scoop of this with your pasta!
Check out this recipe
Air Fryer Texas Toast Garlic Bread by Always Use Butter
This crispy, buttery garlic bread made in the air fryer is perfect for pairing with pasta and a quick salad!
Check out this recipe
Greek Zucchini Fries by Scrummy Lane
These light and crispy zucchini fries with a tempura batter are fried to a golden perfection. Dip these in a homemade Greek Tzatziki sauce.
Check out this recipe
Balsamic Roasted Asparagus by A Sweet Alternative
Using fresh asparagus and just a few other pantry staples, you can pull of this roasted asparagus with balsamic vinegar.
Check out this recipe
Broccolini Salad with Mushrooms by The Devil Wears Salad
A tasty, crunchy broccolini salad with mushrooms and roasted garlic combined with a sweet and savory teriyaki salad dressing make a wonderful side dish for any dinner.
Check out this recipe
Air Fryer Mushrooms by Culinary Shades
These tasty mushrooms with soy sauce and garlic make the perfect side for your pasta meal.
Check out this recipe
Grilled Peppers by In the Kitch
These grilled peppers would be delicious in your favorite marinara sauce served on top of angel hair pasta.
Check out this recipe
Grilled Broccolini by Saporito Kitchen
This 5 ingredient, 15-minute recipe gives you the perfect broccolini to enjoy with your pasta!
Check out this recipe
I hope you were able to surf through all of these easy side dishes that go well with pasta and find the perfect choice to pair with your main course!
With over 30 perfect sides to choose from, you'll be able to find so many new sides that can go with any red sauce, creamy sauce, etc. with your pasta dishes and make hearty, full, and complete meals for your family.
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