15 Side Dishes for Spaghetti Including Garlic Bread, Caesar Salad, and More
You can always count on a spaghetti dinner. It’s often a quick and easy meal that’s beloved by all ages. But what goes with spaghetti? Seasonal produce found in simple salads and roasted vegetable dishes is always popular to serve with spaghetti. And you can’t forget the power of bread with all of its seasonings and ability to mop up the extra sauce on your plate. Whether you’re looking for meatballs, bread, salads, veggies, or fruit, these easy side dishes for spaghetti are full of flavor and are sure to please the entire family.
Classic Chopped Salad
You can’t go wrong with this classic spaghetti side containing healthy green veggies. Topped with creamy avocado and crunchy bacon, it combines fresh romaine lettuce, corn, cucumbers, green beans, and tomatoes. Serve it with the recipe’s creamy homemade dressing made with crème fraiche, lemon, and garlic.
Caprese Bruschetta
This traditional toasted bread is topped with a tomato mixture starring mozzarella cheese, red onion, and basil. A balsamic vinegar dressing complete with olive oil, salt, and pepper combines with the tomato mixture for an Italian side. You can add this flavorful dish to your spaghetti dinner in just 20 minutes.
Garlic and Herb Swirl Bread
Once you learn how to make garlic bread, you’ll be pairing it with every Italian main dish. This homemade garlic bread recipe features swirls of Parmesan cheese, basil, and sun-dried tomatoes. Just bake it up and brush the warm bread with melted butter for an easy spaghetti side dish.
Easy Roasted Broccoli with Pecorino and Lemon
The best broccoli recipes are those that pair perfectly with your main dish. This quick broccoli recipe roasts in the oven while you’re preparing your spaghetti dinner. A squeeze of lemon and a sprinkle of Pecorino Romano cheese is all it takes to finish the dish.
Radicchio Caesar Salad
Radicchio leaves combine with romaine lettuce to give this salad an extra boost of color and crunch. A garlic vinaigrette dressing made with Dijon mustard, hard-boiled egg yolks, anchovies, and lemon juice brings home the flavors of Italy and pairs perfectly with classic Italian dishes. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, homemade garlic croutons, and pepper for a delightful side dish.
Basic Meatballs
Wonder no more about how to make meatballs for your spaghetti dinner. You can master the basics with this simple, customizable recipe, then choose one of the recipe’s seven variations including beef, pork, shrimp, lamb, turkey, chicken, and bratwurst options.
French Bread
Make your own baguettes with one of our best bread recipes. This crowd-pleaser makes two loaves, so you’ll have plenty to feed unexpected guests. To achieve a crispy crust, place a pan of hot water on the oven rack below the bread while it bakes.
No-Knead Skillet Focaccia
Easily make focaccia bread for your spaghetti dinner with a cast-iron skillet. It’s the no-fuss way to make homemade bread with a light exterior and a chewy, airy interior. Garnished with olives, roasted pepper, rosemary, and garlic, this no-knead bread will be one of your favorite focaccia bread recipes.
Garlic-Roasted Asparagus
The secret to this side dish is knowing how to cook asparagus. While you’re cooking your spaghetti, you can easily roast this asparagus recipe on a sheet pan. Just drizzle the asparagus spears with garlic and oil, and finish with a sprinkling of salt and pepper.
Rosemary-Parmesan Bread with Garlic Butter
Add this garlic-infused bread to your list of favorite slow cooker Italian recipes. The cheesy, herbed dough bakes in your slow cooker and doesn’t require any special kneading. A few minutes under the broiler gives this flavorful bread a golden crisp top crust.
Honey Fruit Salad
It’s easy to make this classic fruit salad for your spaghetti dinner. Simply select your favorite fresh fruits and combine them with a citrus-honey dressing. Your family will love the simplicity of this no-fuss fruit salad recipe.
Blistered Green Beans with Bacon
Elevate your green bean side dish by adding bacon to it. These veggies are sautéed in oil until they’re blistered and crisp-tender. Topped with cilantro, jalapeno, bacon, and pickled shallots, this green bean recipe will be one of your go-to side dishes for spaghetti.
Tuscan Bread Salad
Traditional Italian bread salads combine onions, tomatoes, basil, olive oil, vinegar, and seasonings. This panzanella has all of the traditional flavors of a classic Italian recipe but adds fresh green beans, asparagus, pea pods, cucumber, and roasted peppers for a hearty, flavorful salad. It’s easy to toast the bread slices under the broiler while you keep an eye on your spaghetti noodles.
Triple-Melon Salad
Add a refreshing side dish to your spaghetti dinner with this modern fruit salad. Summer-fresh melon combines beautifully with peppery arugula, tangy feta, and a garlic-citrus dressing. Top salad with fresh herbs to add another layer of savoriness.
Kale Falafel Salad with Toasted Pine Nuts
Add loads of vitamins A and C to your spaghetti dinner with this kale recipe. Dressed in a red wine vinaigrette, kale combines with fresh spinach, cucumber, tomatoes, feta cheese, parsley, and oregano for a veggie-packed side dish. It’s elevated with store-bought falafel (deep-fried croquettes of spicy ground chickpeas), a spread of hummus on the side, and toasted pine nuts on top.