12 Salads and Vegetable Sides to Serve With Pasta

updated Nov 28, 2023

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So, pasta is on the menu. Good. Now — what to serve with it? If you’re having a rich, creamy pasta, then you probably want something fresh and light to cut through all that richness. Or if you’re having a hearty baked pasta, you may want something else roasted as well — Brussels sprouts, perhaps? Take a look through 12 of my favorite dishes to accompany pasta, including a classic Italian-style salad , buttery mushrooms, broccoli, and a Brussels sprout Caesar salad.

Salads to go with Pasta

1 / 12

Every Pizza Place Salad

A pizza place-inspired salad of iceburg lettuce, radicchio, cherry tomatoes, olives, and cheese that's tossed in a bright and tangy lemon caper dressing.

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2 / 12

Brussels Sprouts Caesar Salad

An easy Caesar salad made with shredded Brussels sprouts and homemade croutons.

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3 / 12

Simple Arugula Salad

A quick and easy, unfussy arugula salad tossed in a lemon vinaigrette and finished with shaved Parmesan.

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4 / 12

Lemony Green Salad with Radicchio & Pepitas

The simple salad is bursting with freshness and a tart lemony dressing, which makes it the perfect partner for heavy pastas.

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5 / 12

Warm Golden Beet Salad with Greens and Almonds

This light, warm salad uses both the beet root and green tops. If you don’t have beet greens, go ahead and swap in whatever greens you have handy. Chard, kale, and spinach are all great choices.

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6 / 12

Tomato Salad with Red Onion, Dill and Feta

This is the full-on maximalist tomato salad: tossed gloriously with red pepper, feta, dill, cucumber, and olives.

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7 / 12

Easy 10-Minute Garlic Broccolini

An easy recipe for sautéed Broccolini with garlic and red pepper flakes that's the perfect weeknight side dish.

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8 / 12

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Parmesan

Halfway through roasting Brussels sprouts on a preheated baking sheet & high heat for optimal caramelization, you’ll shower the pan with a whole cup of Parmesan cheese.

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9 / 12

Garlic Butter Mushrooms

Cooked in an herby garlic butter, these mushrooms are the ultimate side dish.

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10 / 12

Easy Skillet Kale with Lemon & Garlic

A quick recipe for sautéed kale flavored with lots of lemon and garlic.

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11 / 12

Microwave Steamed Asparagus

The fastest way to make steamed asparagus is in the microwave. All you need is a damp paper towel to pull of tonight's easy veggie side.