Looking for the best side dishes to go with comforting lasagna? Whether you’re hosting a holiday meal, family dinner, buffet, or potluck, stop fretting over what to serve with lasagna. Find here a complete recipe collection of sides, salads, breads, and desserts with expert tips for serving!
Regardless if you’re hosting a Christmas dinner, preparing a family meal, buffet, or bringing a dish to a friend in need, lasagna continues to be a popular choice! It can be prepared ahead of time, serves a crowd, and makes a great freezer meal.
Lasagna’s versatility also makes it a go-to recipe for home cooks. Recipes abound to fit any need, such as gluten-free lasagna, vegetarian, meat lovers with ground beef and Italian sausage, or a quick skillet lasagna for weeknight meals.
There is no question it is the ultimate comfort food. How can you go wrong with layers of lasagna noodles, marinara sauce, gooey mozzarella, and creamy ricotta cheese? It’s a dish adults nor kids can turn down!
Whether you need to know what to serve with lasagna, the best side dishes, salads, breads, or even desserts, find an arsenal of ideas and recipes are all here!
what goes with lasagna – Vegetables
Since lasagna can be so filling, it’s a difficult dish to pair with sides. Similar to figuring out what to serve with mac or cheese, baked ziti, or what goes with chili, a great side dish shouldn’t overwhelm the main entree.
Below are veggies and more easy sides to go with lasagna. Further down in the article you will find the specific recipes, plus expert tips for making and serving lasagna.
- Broccoli
- Steamed or roasted carrots
- Roasted or fried eggplant
- Corn
- Creamed spinach
- Green beans
- Zucchini
- Brussels Sprouts
- Roasted or steamed cauliflower
- Artichokes
- Asparagus
- Peas
- Giardiniera
Breads to serve with lasagna
Even with the filling pasta in classic Italian lasagna, many people prefer to serve their meal with a side of bread. It’s perfect for sopping up leftover bits of sauce and cheese with doughy breadsticks or crusty garlic butter bread.
- Garlic bread
- Breadsticks
- Bruschetta
- Dinner rolls
- Focaccia
- Cheese bread
- Garlic knots
easy Salads to serve with
Light, fresh salads go well with lasagna and seem to be an easy choice. Pile leafy greens with red onion, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, olives and serve with a simple olive oil, lemon juice vinaigrette or any preferred dressing.
For festive meals, like Christmas or Easter, something sweeter such as jello salads, pretzel salad, or fruit salads, make a decadent accompaniment.
- Caprese salad with fresh basil
- Wedge salad
- Caesar salad with croutons
- Spinach
- Tossed Greens – spring mix, arugula salad, romaine, or iceberg lettuce
- Jello salads
- Antipasto platter
- Fruit salads
don’t forget desserts!
Of course it’s the perfect ending to a meal! Something lighter like fresh fruit or jello salad balances out the cheesy goodness.
However, if you are hosting a party and looking for something a little more decadent, consider almond joy cake, easy homemade brownies, banoffee cake, no bake strawberry cheesecake, or even a themed dessert platter.
best tips for making and serving lasagna
Although homemade lasagna is simple to make, don’t let your effort go to waste with dry, mushy or soupy layers. Follow the best expert tips below!
- A 9X13 lasagna casserole will serve 8 medium portions. If you plan on serving a buffet, or a lot of sides to go with it, it may serve up to 12.
- Lasagna needs to rest for 15 minutes, uncovered, before cutting and serving. This gives the layers time to cool slightly and congeal together, so they stay intact when slicing.
- Prepare homemade sauce ahead of time. Flavors enhance and meld as the sauce sits, so for best results make the sauce one to two days before assembling and baking.
- Adding an egg and a little parmesan cheese to the ricotta or cottage cheese filling, helps bind the layer.
- Do not boil fresh lasagna sheets or no boil noodles before layering. Boil traditional lasagna noodles (without salt in water) for 4-5 minutes, or just enough to be slightly pliable.
- Layer the sheets without overlapping noodles. Otherwise they will stick and glue themselves to each other during baking, leaving undercooked, chewy pasta.
- Cover the casserole with foil for at least half the baking time. Remove the foil halfway to brown the cheese. For a golden, bubbly mozzarella cheese topping, finish baking with a 1-2 minutes under the broiler.
fAQ about lasagna
Yes, lasagna may be baked from frozen, but plan on at least 30 minutes extra baking time. Be sure to keep the casserole covered with foil for at least 45 minutes, so it does not dry out. Then, remove the foil to brown the cheese for the last 20-30 minutes.
Lasagna may sit out for 2 hours after it has been cooked before you are in danger of bacteria forming. If the room temperature is higher than 90ºF, refrigerate the lasagna after 1 hour sitting out.
If reheating in the microwave, it’s best to do it in slices. Reheat at 50% power until it starts to warm. Once it’s almost hot, finish heating at full power to warm completely.
If you have a lot of leftovers to reheat at once, place in an oven-proof baking dish. Cover securely with foil and warm in a 325ºF oven until hot throughout.
Yes, but since it’s best reheated in smaller portions, freeze in serving-size slices. Wrap each slice in plastic wrap and then transfer to a ziplock freezer bag. Freeze up to three months.
Yes, but to make a truly great gluten-free lasagna use a no-boil noodle so it does not become mushy. I use and recommend Barilla Gluten-Free Oven-Ready Lasagne Noodles. Cover the baking dish with foil for three-fourths baking time before removing it to brown the cheese.
For best results, lasagna should be covered for at least half the time while baking. Spray a large sheet of heavy-duty foil with cooking spray so the cheese does not stick to it. Wrap the baking dish securely and bake for 30 minutes before removing.
Best sides to go with lasagna
The best homemade gluten-free breadsticks recipe will make you forget those soft Olive Garden breadsticks ever existed!
Golden, roasted zucchini squash is flavored with garlic and seasonings for a healthy side dish everyone will devour!
Baked Tomatoes are cheesy, oven roasted tomato slices with bubbly, golden parmesan or mozzarella cheese and sprinkled with fresh basil.
Fresh Strawberry Salad layers fresh greens, juicy strawberries, toasted nuts, and feta cheese all covered with tangy, sweet vinaigrette dressing.
A quick and easy oven roasted broccoli recipe with melty cheese, garlic, and crispy breadcrumbs.
Oven baked with chopped bacon, apples, and a drizzle of maple syrup. This recipe is guaranteed to convert any non-lovers into diehards!
Broccoli Cauliflower Casserole
Easy Broccoli Cauliflower Casserole is cheesy baked vegetable casserole loaded with fresh or frozen veggies in a creamy sauce. This gluten free, low carb recipe is quick to throw together, plus make-ahead and freezer-friendly!
Cranberry Raspberry Jello Salad recipe is an easy, festive dish to add to your Thanksgiving or Christmas holiday table. Raspberry jello is molded with cranberry sauce, crushed pineapple, and a hint of orange then topped with a creamsicle Cool Whip cream cheese topping.
Layers an ultra creamy dressing with lettuce, peas, cheese, eggs, and bacon, which can conveniently be made ahead, refrigerated , and then be ready to serve for a crowd or party!
Make sautéed zucchini and squash with this quick and easy lemon garlic recipe. In little as five minutes you’ll have a healthy, yet richly flavorful, zucchini recipe ready to enjoy!
Easy, old fashioned jello salad can be adapted for raspberry, strawberry, lime, or orange flavors, mixed with fruit, or topped with a creamy dollop of cool whip.
Gluten-free corn casserole makes a creamy, comforting cornbread casserole with an easy 5-minute prep and no Jiffy mix necessary!
Harvest Salad is the perfect fall salad recipe with fresh greens, candied pecans, crisp apples, dried cranberries, and tangy blue cheese all tossed together in a deliciously easy maple vinaigrette dressing.
Pineapple Pretzel Salad makes a delightful cool and creamy dish perfect for holiday gatherings, potlucks, and BBQs. This easy, sweet and salty recipe has a layer or buttery crushed pretzels, sweet cream cheese filling, and refreshing crushed pineapple topping.
Make-ahead, marinated Green Bean Salad is an easy, healthy recipe perfect for summer! Simply toss green beans, tomatoes, and red onions with a balsamic vinaigrette and serve cold with blue or feta cheese.
Oven Roasted Cabbage Steaks make an easy, hands off side dish to compliment any meal! Buttery roasted cabbage slices are baked till golden brown with crispy edges.
Savory Vegetable Tart is a filling, vegetarian tart recipe perfect for brunch, an appetizer, weeknight dinner, or holiday side dish. Try it with the easy homemade crust or use shortcut puff pastry dough.
Roasted Butternut Squash has four simple ingredients, but makes one phenomenal, healthy, and easy side dish recipe. Cubes of baked butternut squash are toasty and caramelized with a cinnamon-spiced maple glaze.
Click here to
see a web story slideshow of the recipes!
SAVE THese lasagna side dish recipes TO YOUR PINTEREST BOARD!
Let’s be friends on Pinterest! I’m always sharing great recipes!
This post contains affiliate links. My opinions are always my own. If you purchase a product through an affiliate link, I make a small commission – at no cost to you. Read full disclosure policy here.
Leave a Reply