What to Serve with Pizza: 20 Side Dishes You’ll Love

What to serve with pizza is something we have all wondered about. Pizza is an incredible food but sometimes you need more than just a big slice of pizza to complete a meal.

Pizza is a hearty, cheesy dish that goes well with lighter sides. Fresh green salads and roasted broccoli are two examples of amazing sides for pizza.

Pizza is Italian food so it also pairs well with other Italian dishes. Zucchini fries with a side of marinara sauce is a tasty Italian treat that goes well with pizza.

An entire Italian bruschetta bar would be perfect to serve at your next pizza party.

Take a look at all the sides we have found that pair perfectly with a saucy, golden pizza. We will help you make your pizza night complete!

 

Best Side Dishes for Pizza

We have found 25 side dishes that all answer the question of what to serve with pizza. There is something on this list for everyone!

Your pizza night will never be the same now that you have so many side dishes to choose from.

1. Spinach Pesto Pasta

Homemade spinach pesto is the perfect dish to serve with pizza. The bright, fresh taste goes well with cheesy pizza. The vibrant green color of the pesto looks amazing next to a big slice of pizza.

 

Our spinach pesto is made with spinach, basil, kale, almonds, garlic cloves, parmesan cheese, and lemon juice. The ingredients are blended together until smooth then tossed with cooked pasta and tomatoes.

Spinach pesto pasta only takes about 10 minutes to make. You will have the entire dish ready before your pizza is even delivered!

2. Caesar Salad

A crispy caesar salad is the perfect answer to what to serve with pizza. It is healthy and very flavorful.

We love this caesar salad recipe from Natasha’s Kitchen. The homemade caesar dressing is creamy and rich. All you need is olive oil, garlic cloves, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, vinegar, salt, and pepper.

Fresh romaine lettuce is great for caesar salad. Skip the homemade croutons to save time. Caesar salad and a big slice of pizza sound like the perfect complete meal for pizza night!

3. Garlic Bread

Garlic bread can be found on almost every Italian restaurant menu. It is often served as a pizza dinner side. Use this recipe from Simply Recipes to make your own amazing bread.

Use either Italian bread or French bread for this recipe. Lots of butter and olive oil make the bread rich and moist. Fresh minced garlic, parsley, and parmesan cheese top the bread.

A few slices of homemade garlic bread are the perfect side for pizza nights! Get some extra pizza sauce to dip the crunchy bread into.

A garlicky, crusty bread with some marinara sauce is pure pizza night perfection.

4. Kale Salad

Kale salad is a great, healthy side to serve with pizza. This recipe from Spend with Pennies is full of nutritious ingredients. A big bowl of kale salad will make your pizza nights a little healthier!

This kale salad recipe is made with dried cranberries. The cranberries give the salad a nice sweet flavor.

Sunflower seeds and chopped red onion give the salad a nice crunch. A homemade lemon dressing makes the whole dish bright and easy to eat.

5. Roasted Broccoli

Serving a vegetable on pizza night is a great idea. We love this easy roasted broccoli recipe from Love and Lemons.

You can roast the broccoli in the oven alongside your frozen pizza. Dinner will be ready in just a few minutes!

Broccoli florets are tossed in olive oil and salt. The broccoli is roasted on a sheet pan until slightly browned and crispy.

Meyer lemon juice is drizzled over the vegetable, giving it a zesty and floral taste. Eat the broccoli while it is warm alongside your warm slice of pizza.

6. Pasta Salad

Fresh pasta salad is perfect for serving next to pizza in the summer. It is cold, flavorful, and hearty enough to fill you up.

This recipe from The Kitchn is very easy to make and holds up well in the fridge for several days. Pizza leftovers with pasta salad sound like the perfect lunch!

Red onion, tomatoes, cucumber slices, mini mozzarella balls, salami, and olives are all tossed with cooked pasta. Homemade Italian vinaigrette tops the salad and adds a lot of fresh flavors.

Make this pasta salad in advance so the ingredients have time to marinate in the dressing.

7. Greek Wedge Salad

Pizza may be considered an Italian food but it pairs well with this Greek wedge salad recipe from Cookie and Kate. The thick, creamy dressing actually makes a perfect pizza dip!

The salad starts with a few large leaves of romaine lettuce. Feel free to use a wedge of iceberg lettuce in its place for a more authentic wedge salad. Tomatoes, olives, cucumbers, shallots, and celery are spread over the lettuce.

Homemade tahini lemon dressing is poured over the salad. The zesty lemon juice goes well with the creamy, rich tahini. You will be surprised how delicious this salad is along with a slice of pizza.

8. Arugula Salad

The peppery flavor of fresh arugula is delicious with pizza. This recipe from Well Plated By Erin has an Italian flair that is perfect to serve with pizza.

Arugula is tossed with carrots, tomatoes, grated cheese, and sunflower seeds. Homemade balsamic vinaigrette is the perfect finishing touch to the arugula salad.

Add a few red pepper flakes to make the salad have a spicy kick.

9. Sweet Potato Bars

Sometimes the only thing you need to serve with a pizza is a great dessert. We love these sweet potato marshmallow bars from Handle the Heat. They are super sweet and perfect for the cool, fall-weather months.

The sweet potato filling and graham cracker crust taste a lot like a pumpkin pie. The roasted marshmallow topping is the perfect garnish. Sweet potato marshmallow bars are a great way to end a pizza meal.

10. Loaded Baked Potatoes

Pizza can have lots of different toppings. Loaded baked potatoes can also have a lot of homemade toppings. The two foods go perfectly together!

Give this recipe for stuffed baked potatoes from Simply Recipes a try. It is very easy to make and gives to a totally customizable side dish.

Add your favorite pizza toppings to the baked potato for a while new twist on pizza night. Try using sweet potatoes for a sweeter take on the baked potato.

11. Carrot Slaw

Pizza is a delicious, salty, and greasy food. Sometimes you need a lighter, healthy side dish to pair with pizza. Carrot slaw from Once Upon a Chef is exactly what you need to make!

Carrots, walnuts, and dried cranberries are tossed together in a citrus vinaigrette. The salad is a little savory and a little bit sweet.

12. Spinach Artichoke Dip

Pizza is often served as party food. A good spinach artichoke dip will go perfectly at that pizza party! Give this spinach artichoke dip from Cooking Classy a try. It is a great pizza side dish!

The dip is made with cream cheese, mayonnaise, sour cream, shredded cheese, whole garlic cloves and so much more.

Artichokes and spinach are added to the warm dip to give it just the right amount of veggies. Broil the dip so the top is golden brown and slightly crisp.

13. Tomato Soup

Pizza is slathered in rich tomato sauce. It is one of the best parts of a good pizza! Continue that great tomato trend by serving pizza with tomato soup.

This recipe from Inspired Taste is very easy to make. In fact, you only need five ingredients! Chopped onions are cooked in melted butter.

Fresh tomatoes or canned tomatoes are added to the pan along with chicken stock and sea salt. Tomato soup is one of our favorite side dishes for pizza. You are going to love it too!

14. Mozzarella Sticks

Mozzarella sticks are a classic side to serve with pizza. Extra warm mozzarella cheese is always a good idea! This recipe from Lil Luna makes the perfect mozzarella sticks.

Mozzarella sticks are best when warm. Try them dipped in blue cheese dressing or homemade tomato sauce.

15. Avocado Salad

Fresh avocado salad is the perfect, light side dish to pair with pizza. Cookie and Kate have the best avocado salad recipe we have ever tried.

Creamy, ripe avocados are mixed with pumpkin seeds, chopped radishes, and jalapeños. Lots of herbs are added to the salad. Fresh parsley and basil compliment pizza well.

16. Caprese Salad

Caprese salad is a classic Italian salad that is often served with pizza. The fresh salad actually has many of the same ingredients as pizza. Everything is simply put together in a different way!

This recipe for Caprese salad from Recipe Tin Eats is simply perfect. Fresh slices of tomato, mozzarella cheese, and basil leaves are drizzled with balsamic vinegar.

A little salt and pepper are the only spices you need!

17. Tiramisu

Pizza can be a very filling meal without any extra side dishes. However, there is always room for dessert! This tiramisu recipe from Serious Eats is truly incredible.

Tiramisu is the perfect Italian dessert to complete your pizza night. Tiramisu is made with a light cake soaked with espresso syrup.

Mascarpone cheese and cocoa powdered are layered with the cake. The coffee and chocolate flavor are a tasty way to end your night.

18. Grilled Chicken Salad

You may want to serve a hearty, protein with your pizza. Healthy grilled chicken salad may just be the answer to the quest

ion of what to serve with pizza!

We like this recipe for grilled chicken salad from Dinner at the Zoo. It is full of fresh vegetables in addition to healthy chicken. A salad and a protein together will make a pizza meal complete!

19. Fruit Salad

A good, fresh fruit salad can be served before or after a cheesy pizza. It is perfect as a pizza night appetizer or a dessert for after the main course.

This fruit salad recipe from Downshiftology is a recipe you should try! There are a lot of fruits in this recipe including strawberries, mango, kiwi, and cherries.

The homemade lime vinaigrette brings all the flavors together. One bite will make your taste buds sing!

20. Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Crispy, healthy Brussels sprouts are the last food on our list of what to serve with pizza. Brussels sprouts are a classic Italian side dish.

Cacio e Pepe Brussels Sprouts are on almost every Italian pizzeria menu! We love this recipe for roasted Brussels from Cafe Delites.

The veggie is cooked with bacon to add extra flavor. The Brussels are crisp, juicy, and totally irresistible.

Side Dishes for Pizza Night, from Caesar Salad to Parmesan Garlic Bread

You never have to wonder what to serve with pizza again. We found incredible side dishes that everyone will love!

Give a few of these pizza sides a try and let us know your favorites!