15+ Great Side Dishes For What To Serve With Meatballs For Dinners! (2024)

Looking for ideas on what to serve with meatballs? Our guide has you covered. Explore classic sides and new favorites. Find the best match for any meatball dish. Whether it's a family dinner or a special occasion, make every meal memorable. Dive in and discover the perfect pairing!

15 Sides To Serve With Meatballs

Meatballs are not just a delightful main dish but also shine as appetizers and finger foods. Their versatility is unmatched, allowing them to be paired with an array of side dishes. From the classic spaghetti and garlic bread to the comforting mashed potatoes and rice, the possibilities are endless.

There are more options than you may think, so stay tuned if you’re looking for that perfect side to compliment your delicious meatballs!

1. Mashed Potatoes

There’s a reason you see meat and potatoes in some variation on almost any menu you pick up. It just works. Mashed potatoes bring textural variation and familiarity when alongside meatballs.

If you are coating meatballs in ketchup or barbeque-esque sauce, pairing with mashed potatoes is sure to give you meatloaf vibes (in all the best ways).

2. Buttered Noodles

Ikea anyone? Swedish meatballs are known to be paired with buttered noodles, specifically, egg noodles tossed with lots and lots of parsley.

Buttered noodles are just as they sound, noodles that are cooked to al dente then tossed in butter.

3. Green Beans

I love green beans because as we spoke of earlier, many different
cuisines have their own version of the meatball, and this vegetable can pair with just about any of them.

Whether your meatballs are spicy, tangy, or loaded up with garlic and onion, green beans on the side will brighten up the meal while providing some textural support.

4. Rice

Many times in Middle-Eastern or Mediterranean cuisine, you will see skewered meatballs served alongside seasoned rice. Bonus points if you then pour a sauce or vinaigrette over the skewer because it will double as a seasoning for the rice!

5. Roasted Brussel Sprouts

Gone are the days of boring steamed Brussel sprouts. Instead, may I suggest roasting them in the oven until fork-tender, then pairing them with a meatball.

Specifically, an Asian-inspired meatball would work well in this instance.

6. Caesar Salad

I mean, come on, who doesn’t love a Caesar salad? Caesar, while it is rich, has enough acid and brightness to lighten up a few meatballs and create a more balanced feel to a meal.

You can quickly toss a Caesar salad together with minimal effort. Make your own dressing to really knock it out of the park!

7. Boiled Potatoes

Not only are they a good vessel for ooey-gooey raclette, but they are also a fantastic sidekick when serving meatballs. Simply boil potatoes in water until you can easily pierce through the skin, then cut in half to serve.

Are you starting to sense a pattern here? Carbohydrates just want to be alongside meatballs, and we aren’t here to argue.

8. Spaghetti Bolognese

Bolognese translates to “meat sauce,” making this pairing a no-brainer. While traditional players in Bolognese consist of tomato sauce, peppers, garlic, onion, basil, carrots, and ground meat, imagine adding meatballs!

Once you have your sauce, this can be served over spaghetti noodles with a healthy amount of grated parmesan cheese.

9. Garlic Bread

I think we can all agree that meatball subs with garlic-filled tomato sauce are delicious, so why not try pairing a side of garlic bread with an Italian meatball?

I suggest some carryover between the herbs within the meatball and the herbs that top the garlic bread to provide some element of fluidity between the two.
Plus, once you finish your meatballs, your garlic bread will double as the best Scarpetta.

10. Sauteed Mushrooms and Onions

While both mushroom and onions make great additions to the meatball itself, they also are an effortless and flavorful accompaniment.

Whether you sauté these two together with some olive oil and white wine vinegar or roast them gently in your oven, their flavors are very complimentary.

11. Corn on the Cob

It could be the dead of winter, but meatballs and corn on the cob could have me believing otherwise. You can grill the whole kernel or boil it in milk and butter if you prefer to prepare the corn within the comfort of your kitchen.

Crock-pot meatballs covered in sauce alongside some buttered corn on the cob is a match made in heaven that will have you thinking you are seated at a picnic table in the middle of the Summer.

12. Steamed Cauliflower

Cauliflower is a great accent dish because of its versatility. When you steam cauliflower as opposed to roasting it, you avoid any caramelization or browning, thus creating a very neutral palate.

You could even take it one step further and prepare your own cauliflower “rice” by shredding it before you steam it. When it comes to cauliflower, a healthy amount of salt and white pepper is complementary and well-suited for any meatball variation.

13. Yellow Squash and Zucchini Casserole

I love the idea of incorporating some color into a plate of meatballs. I don’t know who needs to hear this, but squash and zucchini need not only be consumed during the Summer.

This preparation screams comfort food and is the perfect dish to warm up your tastebuds and your plate.

14. Glazed Carrots

Glazing carrots are an effortless preparation with grandiose results. I love glazed carrots because I find them to be incredibly versatile.

You can do a sweet glaze of maple syrup or brown sugar or coat them in whole grain mustard, both being equally delicious. A simple butter and brown sugar glaze could convince the pickiest of eaters that they love eating their vegetables as much as their meatballs.

15. Fried Cabbage

We’ve got one final thing that should be served with meatballs, and I can just see my German ancestors living for this pairing.

Cabbage is far more than a pairing set aside for sausage and corned beef; in fact, this preparation offers both a welcomed flavor contrast as well as textural compared to your meatballs.

No matter your type of meatball, we hope you've found its perfect match! Let us know how you serve your meatballs by dropping us a comment down below, or if you try any of these awesome sides, let us know how your meatball dish turned out!

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