45 Good Sides for Pasta

If you are getting ready to serve your favorite pasta for dinner, we are sharing some good sides for pasta that will take your main dish to the next level!

Pasta dishes are always an easy recipe and a great way to get even the picky eaters to the dinner table on those busy weeknights.

The only thing that can be a challenge is choosing what to serve as the best sides for your pasta recipes, besides defaulting to the classic caesar salad!

So we have gathered 45 of the BEST side dishes using simple ingredients that are the perfect pairing for your pasta dinners.

You’ll quickly find that the best pasta side dishes MUST be:

• a simple recipe that has delicious flavors to tickle the taste buds
• has great textures using ingredients you can easily find at the grocery store
• won’t take a lot of time to make (such as quick salads)
• has fresh flavor (such as fresh basil, fresh tomatoes, or fresh garlic)
• is a light side dish to offset the richness of the pasta (especially creamy pasta)

Because pasta meals are often high in carbohydrates, it’s a perfect combination when any type of pasta can be paired with a healthy side dish prepared the easy way to create one delicious meal!

So, grab your big bowl of spaghetti, favorite pastas sauce, your loaf of crusty bread, and let’s see which of these easy side dishes will become your new favorite pasta sides!

Kale and Brussels Sprouts Salad Recipe

A delicious and healthy salad packed with kale, brussels sprouts, craisins and more!

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Easy Green Garden Salad Recipe

This Easy Green Garden Salad is made with crisp salad greens and fresh veggies, it's a delicious, classic garden salad!

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Olive Garden Fresh Garden Salad Copycat Recipe

All the goodness of Olive Garden Fresh Garden Salad at home! This copycat recipe is so easy and delicious!

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Spring Salad with Homemade Lemon Poppyseed Dressing Recipe

5 from 1 vote

I love salad with a good homemade dressing!  This homemade lemon poppyseed dressing is so easy to make! 

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Parmesan Crusted Asparagus Recipe

5 from 1 vote

This Parmesan Crusted Asparagus is an easy and delicious side dish that goes with any meal.

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Parmesan Lemon Asparagus Recipe

This Parmesan Lemon Asparagus is so easy to make and full of delicious flavor. Plus, it's healthy, so I always feel good, feeding it to my family.

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Cheesy Garlic Breadsticks Recipe

These Easy Cheesy Garlic Breadsticks are made using a refrigerated pre-made pizza dough, and are topped with garlic and mozzarella cheese for the ultimate side dish or appetizer.

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Olive Garden Breadsticks Copycat Recipe

The perfect copycat Olive Garden Breadsticks! Perfect with any salad, soup and pasta dish!

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Oven-Roasted Broccoli Steaks Recipe

Broccoli is such a great vegetable and our oven-roasted broccoli steaks recipe is a great way to make it. There is so much less waste of this amazing vegetable when you make our broccoli steaks that you get to enjoy even more tender broccoli.

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Air Fryer Parmesan Broccoli Recipe

This Air Fryer Parmesan Broccoli is full of flavor and just the right amount of crispy!

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Caprese Salad Recipe

The best part about Caprese Salad is the Balsamic Reduction.

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Easy Homemade Caesar Salad and Dressing (Without Anchovies)

This Easy Homemade Caesar Salad and Dressing has crisp romaine topped with garlic croutons and parmesan cheese and is tossed in an easy homemade caesar dressing.

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Oven-Roasted Green Beans Recipe

Oven-Roasted Green Beans make the perfect side dish for any meal. Drizzled in olive oil and simply seasoned with salt and pepper, these beans turn out flavorful and perfect every time.

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Italian Roasted Vegetable Medley

My favorite thing about this recipe is that I can easily toss everything together and throw it on a baking sheet and it is ready to go! 

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Italian Peas Recipe

Frozen peas are taken to a new level in this easy Italian Peas recipe! Sauteed garlic and onion add loads of flavor to make this recipe a favorite side dish.

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Easy Parmesan Knots Recipe

These easy parmesan knots are so easy to make and compliment and dinner! They have the most delicious flavor and simple ingredients!

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Garlic Parmesan Skillet Rolls

These Easy Garlic Parmesan Skillet Rolls are made using biscuit dough for a quick and delicious side dish.

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Goes with Everything Side Salad – Garnish & Glaze

This delicious and easy Side Salad is the perfect addition to any meal! Add it to your dinner for a pop of color and extra nutrients!

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Pull Apart Cheese Bread | The Modern Proper

Pale green speckles of green onion and parsley brighten molten rivers of garlicky cheddar and mozzarella cheese that’s been melted over a loaf of bread in this easy pull-apart cheese bread recipe.

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Roasted Garlic Bread Recipe

This roasted garlic bread recipe is super easy to make, requiring only a few simple ingredients and 10 minutes of your time!

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Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus

A few spears of asparagus, some slices of prosciutto, and a bit of creamy Neufchatel cheese is all you need to assemble this fancy little side dish. Make a few more, and serve them on an appetizer tray.

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Parmesan Brussels Sprouts

Impress your guests with Brussels sprouts pan-fried with butter and topped with Parmesan cheese for a holiday side dish.

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Honey Dijon Brussels Sprouts Recipe

Mix up your side dish routine with these Honey Dijon Brussels Sprouts tossed in a sweet but tangy honey mustard mixture!

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Garlic Parmesan Roasted Brussels Sprouts

I remember HATING brussels sprouts as a kid! Now that I’m older, brussels sprouts are my go-to vegetable! They are SO good when cooked right and taste good with just about any seasoning.

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The Antipasto Salad To End All Antipasto Salads

Give us all the toppings.

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Green Beans Almondine

Green beans almondine is easy to make in under 15 minutes. Delicious vegan side dish, loaded with garlic and almonds for flavor and crunch!

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Mediterranean Vegan Corn Salad

Loaded with tomatoes, cucumber, sweet onion, and basil, this 30 minute Mediterranean vegan corn salad is a celebration of summer produce.

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Easy Roasted Summer Squash and Zucchini

Try this delicious Roasted Summer Squash and Zucchini! It makes an easy side dish, or these vegetables can add to salad, soups, or pasta.

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Vegan Garlic Knots

Completely from scratch vegan garlic knots will have you the talk of the dinner party. Easy to make and brushed with a delicious vegan garlic butter sauce.

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Simple Sautéed Vegetables

These Simple Sautéed Vegetables are so easy and make a delicious side dish to any meal. Seasoned with tasty spices and herbs.

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Garlic Mushrooms

These Garlic Mushrooms are so juicy and flavorful. Their meaty texture makes them the perfect complementary side dish to your favorite meals.

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Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts – Strength and Sunshine

Crispy & tender Brussels sprouts made in the air fryer! Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts are an easy healthy side dish you can make in minutes!

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Roasted broccoli rabe

Roasted broccoli rabe, also known as rapini, is a quick and delicious side dish tossed with olive oil, red pepper flakes and orange zest.

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Easy Cucumber and Tomato Salad [Naturally Vegan] – Watch Learn Eat

This simple and flavorful cucumber and tomato salad is light, refreshing and takes just minutes to make! Perfect as an appetizer or side.

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Air fryer garlic bread

This air fryer garlic bread is ridiculously quick and easy. With just six ingredients its on the table in ten minutes. A great side dish or a delicious snack.

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Roasted Asparagus and Mushrooms in 20 minutes! – My Pure Plants

Best spring side dish with asparagus and mushrooms. Easy, delicious and suitable for most diets (vegan, paleo, gluten-free, whole30, keto)

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Garlic Bread | The Modern Proper

Toasty, buttery, herby, covered in a dusting of salty parmesan cheese, piping hot and fresh out of the oven—our homemade garlic bread recipe is everything you’re craving right now, and then some.

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Cherry Tomato Salad with Roasted Lemons

This Cherry Tomato Salad with Roasted Lemons is the perfect side dish. Sweet tomatoes combine with a tangy vinaigrette and delicious roasted lemons.

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Easiest Bruschetta Recipe – The Recipe Critic

This bruschetta is easy to make with fresh, ripe Roma tomatoes, shredded mozzarella cheese and drizzled with balsamic vinaigrette over top of a French baguette. Bruschetta comes together quickly and easily!

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Italian Stuffed Artichokes Recipe – Well Seasoned Studio

Italian stuffed artichokes are filled with crunchy breadcrumbs, sun dried tomatoes, fresh herbs, and lots of Parmesan cheese for an easy app!

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Cheesy Garlic Knots – Real Food by Dad

Delicious rolls stuffed with cheese and topped with yummy garlic seasoning!

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The Ultimate Caesar Salad Recipe — Bite Me More

Caesar salad is a staple on restaurant menus across the country, but we’ve yet to find one as perfectly blended as this one – crisp romaine is tossed with creamy dressing, crunchy croutons and premium Parmesan. All hail Caesar!

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Sauteed Zucchini & Squash

Sauteed Zucchini & Squash. It’s a simple side dish that showcases sliced & seared summer squash and savory Italian flavors.

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Smothered Green Beans

Smothered Green Beans with Bacon is an easy side dish with tons of flavor! All you need is 6 ingredients and a few minutes of prep time.

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Tangy Cucumber Salad

Get out of your vegetable side dish rut with this Tangy Cucumber Salad! Just a few ingredients come together to make this perfectly tangy and delicious dish that goes with almost any meal.

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