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 main dish and you'll have an amazing complete meal.
A little history about Pasta
Pasta, is mainly known as Italian cuisine, is steeped in centuries old tradition and innovation. Its origins can actually be traced back to ancient civilizations like the Etruscans and Greeks, who crafted variations of it from grains and water.
However, it was the Italians who elevated pasta-making to an art form. Pasta found its way into Italian hearts and flourished alongside a plethora of side dishes, from vibrant salads to savory meats and cheeses, showcasing the culinary creativity of each Italian region.
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, 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 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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
