After all, who doesn’t lust over layers upon layers of al dente pasta, tasty ground meat, creamy bechamel sauce, and rich melted cheese? The combinations of these flavors are undoubtedly a match made in heaven. Lasagna is so hearty as it is, we often serve or eat it on its own. But why not pair this tasty dish with a few classic sides? From good-old garlic bread to salad or even wings, these tasty combos will transform your meal from good to great! So, if you’re serving lasagna at your next party and want to impress your guests with your mad cooking skills, you’ve come to the right place. In this article, we’ll transform your lasagna into an Italian feast with 10 simple and delicious side dishes.
Let’s go! The 10 best sides to eat with lasagna…
1. Antipasto
Give your lasagna dinner an even more authentic Italian flair by serving an antipasto platter! This appetizing starter is very simple to whip up – just put together your favorite meats, cheeses, fruits, and veggies. Add as many colors to your platter as you can for a more vibrant feast.
2. Breadsticks
Pasta and bread is one of the most classic pairings ever created, and for good reason. Bread works like a sponge that soaks up all that flavorful pasta sauce. Some of the best types of bread to serve with lasagna include a nice chewy ciabatta, focaccia, asiago, and of course – garlic bread! For a truly authentic feel, serve your bread with a small bowls of olive oil for dipping. For a fun treat – you can also make garlic breadsticks! While you can get store-bought breadsticks, they’re so easy to make that you ought to try baking your own. To make the dough, combine 3 ½ cups of flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, ½ teaspoon instant yeast, 1 ¾ tablespoons salt, 3 tablespoons of melted unsalted butter, and a cup of water. Knead the dough for 7 minutes or until it becomes smooth and elastic. Form the dough into sticks and bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit until golden. Slather the bread with more butter right after baking- this causes them to absorb more butter, making them even tastier. Season the bread with salt and garlic powder according to your preference. This recipe makes a dozen breadsticks, perfect for a hungry crowd.
3. Tomato Feta Salad
Since lasagna is already a filling dish on its own, you may want to pair it with something light and fresh. A refreshing salad made of tomatoes, red onion, dill, and feta cheese provides a healthy balance to the heaviness of the lasagna. What I love about this, apart from the taste, is that it’s also convenient to make since it’s composed of basic pantry ingredients. Just a tip: soak your red onions in a bowl of cold water for a few minutes to tone down their strong flavor. Also, season your salad with freshly ground pepper for a nice kick.
4. Green Salad
A serving of lasagna is about 450 calories. And let’s face it, it’s so tempting to eat more than just one serving. As such, you may want to pair it with something guilt-free to fill you up. What better way to counter-balance that high-calorie dish than by partnering it up with a bowl of leafy greens? When making your green salad, you may choose from a wide variety of leafy greens such as kale, arugula, collard, spinach, or classic romaine lettuce. You can even combine some or all of these greens to make a super nutritious green salad! To make, combine 5 ounces of your preferred leafy greens and 2 ounces of shaved Parmesan cheese. Dress it up with olive oil and lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Easy breezy.
5. Wedge Salad
Here’s another excellent way to round out your dinner: pair the lasagna with a wedge salad. A wedge salad provides a crunchy contrast to the softness of lasagna. To make: top a wedge of iceberg lettuce with ranch dressing, blue cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, and chives. Garnish with potato chip crumbs for a nice salty surprise.
6. Chicken Wings
If you’re a meat-lover, you can round out your lasagna dinner with a bowl of chicken wings. Whether you serve the basic salted and fried wings, or more flavorful Buffalo wings, they both work well with lasagna.
7. Roasted Veggies
All roasted veggies are delicious with lasagna, but we’re talking specifically about Brussels sprouts today. And before you skip on this entry, please hear me out. Brussels sprouts, when cooked properly, have a delightfully sweet, nutty, and caramelized flavor. If you roast them the right way, you’ll get a nicely charred and flavorful veggie dish. And, when combined with prosciutto and garlic, you get a fantastic side dish that tastes great with lasagna. To make Garlic Prosciutto Brussels Sprouts: fry some prosciutto (or bacon) in butter over medium heat. Take the prosciutto out of the skillet and saute some garlic. Once the garlic is cooked, place the prosciutto back in the skillet and flavor with salt and pepper. Stir in the Brussels sprouts and pop in the oven. Bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 8 minutes. Apart from Brussels sprouts, roasted broccoli, cauliflower, and asparagus also make tasty sides for lasagna.
8. Roasted Tomatoes
Since we’re on the subject of roasting veggies, roasted cherry tomatoes are also a refreshing accompaniment to lasagna. They’re tasty, nutritious, and easy to make. To make this delightful side dish combine sliced cherry tomatoes, olive oil, salt, pepper, chopped garlic, and Italian seasoning. Then transfer the tomatoes onto a baking sheet. Roast in the oven for an hour and let its wonderful aroma fill your entire house. Drizzle more olive oil on top after roasting. Delicious!
9. Honey-Coated Carrots
Carrots are commonly used as a secondary ingredient to many dishes. Sadly for this root crop, it rarely ever gets to be in the spotlight. But in this entry, the carrots are the star of the dish. The best way to bring out the natural flavors of carrots is to, as you might have guessed, roast them! To make: combine sliced carrots, sunflower oil, salt, and pepper. Place carrots on a baking sheet and roast in the oven at 300 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes. Take the carrots out and coat them in honey and white wine vinegar. Pop them back in the oven and roast for another 20 minutes. This gets them nicely glazed and incredibly tasty, a perfect pairing with your lasagna.
10. Steamed Veggies
Asparagus and green beans may have a slightly bland flavor, but if you cook and season them properly, they make a great side dish. To make, steam green beans and asparagus until tender and flavor with some lemon zest. It only takes 10 minutes! Click on a star to rate it!
Average rating 4.8 / 5. Vote count: 44 No votes so far! Be the first to rate this post.
Share on social media:
Let us improve this post!
