In short: The suggested side dishes that pair well with lasagna include Greek Cucumber and Arugula Salad, Grilled Carrots with Balsamic Glaze, Tuscan Artichoke Salad, Marinated Tomatoes, and more. These side dishes offer a range of flavors and textures to enhance the enjoyment of lasagna.
Lasagna is one of my all-time favorite home-cooked comfort meals. The smell of it baking in the oven, with the cheese bubbling on the surface of the bechamel sauce, brings back memories and a feeling of nostalgia.
It was always served with a simple green salad of lettuce, cucumber, tomato, and green pepper at home. But, the sides for lasagna don’t have to be so boring.
Not sure of what goes well with lasagna? Or not sure what to serve with lasagna? Search no further because I have some great side dishes for lasagna.
Here’s What to Serve With Lasagna:
#1. Greek Cucumber and Arugula Salad
This side is a great crisp salad to serve with lasagna. It’s made up of the classic ingredients of a Greek salad, but with the addition of arugula or rocket leaves. The salad is dressed in a simple vinaigrette of lemon juice, olive oil, and oregano.
The saltiness from the feta and olives, together with the pepper flavor of the rocket leaves, help cut through the richness of the lasagna. The salad dressing further helps to balance the creaminess of the béchamel sauce.
These carrots are parboiled before going on to the grill. Make sure the carrots are cut into the same thickness to encourage even cooking. The carrots are then put on the grill and basted in the balsamic glaze.
The glaze is made of balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, lime juice, and ginger. The carrots become blackened, sticky, and sweet in the glaze when grilled. A delicious option of sides with lasagna.
Not sure what to eat with lasagna? I’ve paired an Italian salad with an Italian dish. This salad is filled with such flavor and the best ingredients.
Artichokes, roasted red peppers, garbanzo beans or chickpeas, cherry tomatoes, and red onion- all tossed in a herb vinaigrette.
The vinaigrette is made up of good olive oil, red wine vinegar, and chopped fresh herbs. So simple, but simple is always best when you have great ingredients.
#4. Roasted Butternut Squash with Goat Cheese & Pomegranates
This dish is a great combination of ingredients and a great side to serve with lasagna. The butternut squash is cubed and tossed in coconut oil; you could use olive oil if you wish.
Roasted until tender and caramelized, the butternut is tossed in a basic vinaigrette with balsamic vinegar and fresh chopped rosemary.
The butternut is gently tossed with crumbled goat’s cheese and pomegranate jewels. You could easily serve this salad warm or cold.
This is not your ordinary bean salad that comes in the tin. This is fresh, way tastier, and very easy to make.
The three beans in this salad are green beans, chickpeas, and red kidney beans- the fresh green beans are boiled until tender, and the others are removed from the tins and rinsed.
The three “beans” are then mixed with finely sliced red onion and chopped parsley. The ingredients are then tossed in a classic vinaigrette.
The key is to leave the salad and allow the flavors to develop and marry for at least 2 hours. But you can keep this salad in the fridge for up to 3 days, and the longer it sits, the better the flavor becomes.
#6. Quick smashed Greek potatoes with feta and rosemary
Potatoes make a great side dish, but these smashed potatoes with feta, capers, and thinly sliced red onion are sublime. And the best thing is they are relatively quick to make, and the potatoes are cooked in the microwave, which takes a short 7 minutes.
The potatoes are then crushed and drizzled with olive oil, seasoned, tossed with crushed garlic and a sprig of rosemary, and roasted in a hot oven until golden and crisp. The potatoes are served with crumbled feta, capers, and red onion.
This green bean side is the perfect recipe to add some healthy greens to your meal, and they are tasty too.
The green beans are boiled until tender and then sautéed in a pan with olive oil and garlic and cooked for only a few minutes until the garlic is toasted. Removed from the heat, the beans are finished with a squeeze of lemon, a grating of parmesan, and toasted pine nuts.
Got lots of carrots in the fridge at home? This will make one of the best sides for lasagna, full of texture and flavor.
The carrots are peeled and sliced thinly into julienne, and the carrots are tossed with chopped scallions, fresh basil, and cilantro.
The dressing is made up of bold Asian ingredients of rice vinegar, sesame oil, tamari, white miso, sriracha, fresh garlic, and ginger. The ingredients are blended all together and tossed with carrots and herbs.
Leave the salad in the fridge for a few hours, which will allow the flavors to meld together. Plate the salad on a platter and garnish with some toasted sesame seeds when ready to serve.
I love this combination of mushroom and spinach, and this is one of the best lasagna side dishes; and it’s so easy to rustle up while the lasagna is baking in the oven. Simply heat some oil in a pan, and sauté the mushrooms until brown and softened.
Add the garlic and onion powder and season with salt, cook for a minute or two. Add the spinach in bunches and let it wilt down, then add a generous drizzle of balsamic vinegar and give the pan a final toss. Plate up and serve.
You can whip up this side dish while the lasagna is warming through in the oven. This recipe calls for the broccolini to be sauteed together with the garlic.
Once the broccolini stems are tender, remove them from the heat and top with grated parmesan and a squeeze of lemon.
Tomatoes are a great option for a side, and can be served with just about anything, and these marinated tomatoes are effortless to make and packed full of flavor.
The tomatoes are sliced up into thick slices, you can use any tomatoes; the more of the variety, the better. Lay the tomato slices in a dish, and pour over the marinade.
The marinade comprises red wine vinegar, finely chopped onion, garlic, fresh basil, parsley, salt, and pepper. Marinate the tomatoes for 2 hours at least; the longer, the better. It’s one of the better lasagna sides, delicious!
This lasagna side can be made ahead of time and kept in the fridge for a few days. This salad comprises canned chickpeas, tomatoes, cucumber olives, peppers, red onion, and creamy feta cheese.
All the ingredients are chopped up into bite-size pieces, so every mouthful is as delicious as the next. And served with a drizzle of olive oil and a squeeze of lemon, this chickpea salad is fresh and tasty!
This asparagus casserole is a heartier, more decadent side when you feel like indulging. The asparagus is arranged in a baking dish and topped with chopped onions, minced garlic, and seasoning.
The cream cheese is then softened in a bowl with the broth and poured over the asparagus. Top the asparagus with the grated cheese of your choice and parmesan.
The asparagus is baked in a hot oven until tender and soft, and the cheese has melted and is golden brown on top. Tuck in and enjoy with your lasagna.
This side dish is a vibrant and mayo-free version of potato salad. With crispy roasted potatoes, spring onions, fresh radish, and arugula leaves tossed in fresh homemade arugula and basil pesto.
The pesto is made with arugula, basil, chives, garlic, pine nuts, pecorino cheese, lemon, and olive oil, all blended together in a food processor until finely chopped. Toss the roast potatoes, radishes and rocket leaves in the pesto and serve.
This salad is a lovely combination of vegetables mixed with wild garlic pesto. The cauliflower is chopped into florets and the courgettes into chunks and roasted until they are cooked and golden brown.
The roast vegetables are then tossed through the pesto with the tin of butter beans. The vegetables are seasoned with salt and pepper, plated up, and finished with a garnish of chopped hazelnuts.
The wedge salad is a classic, it is so easy to make, and it’s the perfect side to serve with dinner. The wedges of iceberg lettuce are drizzled generously in the blue cheese dressing topped with sliced tomatoes, thinly sliced red onion, and crispy bacon bits.
The salad is finished with crumbled blue cheese and chopped chives. Crisp, creamy, and fresh- this is a great side to serve with your lasagna.
This side of skillet zucchini and mushrooms can be cooked up in minutes. The zucchini is thinly sliced and sauteed in a bit of butter and olive oil. The onions and mushrooms are then cooked separately in the pan until golden and tender; the garlic and herbs are then added and stirred through.
The cooked zucchini is added back to the pan, and the vegetable broth is added and brought to a boil. The dish is finished with grated parmesan and chopped parsley.
#18. Green Salad with Peas, Green Beans, and Buttermilk Ranch Dressing
This lovely green salad is bound in a creamy buttermilk dressing. The dressing is made up of equal amounts of buttermilk and mayonnaise, flavored up with a teaspoon of Dijon mustard, minced garlic, and chopped dill and chives.
The green beans and peas are blanched until just tender to the tooth. Crisp lettuce is added with the peas and beans, and it’s all tossed together in a generous amount of dressing. Be sure to store any leftover dressing in an airtight container- you’ll want to rustle up another salad later.
Italians often serve lasagna with simple sides like a mixed green salad, crusty bread, or sautéed vegetables, allowing the rich flavors of the lasagna to be complemented by lighter, fresh elements.
Can you serve chips with lasagne?
Yes, you can serve chips with lasagne, but it’s not a traditional pairing in many cuisines.
Having completed three years at cooking school, Gabi then went into the realm of private cheffing where she got to travel the world, cooking for the rich and famous in their luxury homes and holiday homes. Through her travels, she has experienced different cuisines, which she has added to her cooking repertoire.
