25 Best Sides to Serve with Mac and Cheese

Asparagus is one of the most versatile vegetables you can cook — you can grill it, toss it in the air fryer, and even cover a bunch in cheesy sauce. But one of the easiest and best ways to enjoy it is by roasting.

This classic vegetable side comes together in minutes.

Perfectly seasoned broccoli florets roasted until crisp and caramelized.

With a little love (thanks to lemon zest and juice, Parmesan cheese, and toasted almonds), these easy roasted green beans will be your new favorite side dish. The best part: They only take about 10 minutes to cook.

Miso is a fantastic ingredient that makes simple roasted carrots into something magical.

If you’re looking for a wildly quick and easy side dish that comes together in under five minutes, the answer is snap peas. Sautéed in a fiery skillet with a glug of olive oil and finished with a squeeze of lemon, they make for a light and vibrant side with a tender, snappy bite and bright flavor.

Combine sautéed cremini mushrooms and onions with the slight acidity of lemon juice and white wine for a dish that bursts with umami.

Sweet, jammy roasted carrots get a salty, crispy Parmesan crust.

Snappy blanched green beans served with sautéed shallots and buttery sliced almonds.

If you love roasted cauliflower, you must try melting your cauliflower. Melting cauliflower takes inspiration from the brilliant technique used for melting potatoes.

It's just the right balance of spicy, sweet, and tangy, thanks to harissa paste and honey.

It’s the cheesiest way to eat your green cabbage.

The vegetable, often called baby broccoli, isn’t just immature broccoli — instead it’s a hybrid of broccoli and Chinese broccoli.

A drizzle of maple syrup gives it a sweet finishing touch.

Smashed carrots will be your new go-to veggie side dish.

This is the crunchy side you’re going to want anytime you serve rich and creamy mac and cheese.

Shredded cheddar gets into every little pocket, dried cranberries add tangy-sweet flavor and chew, and toasted sunflower seeds add roasty-toasty nuttiness. Bonus: it's a great make-ahead side because it holds up well to dressing without sacrificing crunch.

It’s a classic for a reason.

With crispy roasted potatoes and a flavorful dressing made with shallots, whole grain mustard, maple syrup, golden raisins, and a little soy sauce, this hearty kale salad is perfect with mac and cheese.

A simple baby spinach salad filled with fruit, nuts, and cheese. It's the perfect salad to serve with mac and cheese.

We don’t know who needs to hear this, but salads are not just an assortment of raw vegetables! One of the most common misconceptions with salads is that you have to eat a little pile of leaves. This roasted cauliflower salad says otherwise. Roasting vegetables — cauliflower, shallots, and a lemon here — make the whole thing immediately feel more substantial while adding a lot of textural variety.

This salad has everything (except lettuce). Chopped broccoli, chewy sweet dates, nutty toasted walnuts, aged cheddar, and crunchy shallots, tossed in warm lemon-honey vinaigrette. It would be right at home alongside your holiday spread or at a potluck dinner.

Roast butternut squash, chickpeas, and croutons, then build a delicious, filling fall salad — directly on top!

With briny feta crumbles, crunchy toasted walnuts, and zippy herbs, this chopped kale salad tastes just like spanakopita, the iconic Greek savory pie.

Roast sweet potatoes, croutons, and hearty chickpeas, then build a flavorful, satisfying salad on top.