30 Side Dish Recipes That Pair Perfectly With Casseroles

Casseroles have a sort of all-in-one reputation, meaning that just about anything you could need in a single meal can be found in the casserole itself. While this may be true to some extent, especially for those casseroles that feature meat, some sort of carb, and plenty of vegetables, it's not always the case. Many casseroles tend to lean heavily into meaty, cheesy territory (and, realistically, that's why we love them so), often skimping on the veggies. While you could feasibly enjoy any casserole as a standalone dish even if it is a bit shy on the veg front, it's always better to round out your meal with a side dish — not only for extra nutrients, but simply for a bit of variety as well.

To make your pairing decisions a bit easier, we've compiled a list of some of our best side dish recipes to pair with casseroles. These recipes are particularly well-suited as such side dishes because they wouldn't necessarily stand alone as a main course by themselves, but they sure to work well with something hearty and sturdy (like a casserole) leading the way. Most of these recipes also teeter into some sort of vegetal territory, be it a straight-up veggie side dish or some variety of salad, to help round out any particularly meaty, cheesy, and heavy casserole mains.

Although the term "melting carrots" might conjure up images of orange goop, the actual dish is far more luxurious and refined. Instead, these carrots are more so named for the way the finished product melts in your mouth, largely due to a two-part roasting process that involves plenty of butter. The resulting texture of the carrots can only be described as silky smooth, and dare we say that they might actually come close to outshining the casserole you're enjoying as the main course.

Recipe: The Best Melting Carrots

It's always a good idea to have a go-to, easy-to-make veggie recipe in your repertoire, even for those nights when you don't necessarily need a side dish for a casserole. Luckily, this Brussels sprouts recipe works two-fold, being both an easy, quick, and reliable recipe for a tasty veggie side, and one that will complement any (and we mean any) casserole out there. Naysayers will also appreciate the maple-Dijon dressing that the sprouts get tossed in right before serving, one that helps tame any potential bitter flavor.

Recipe: The Best Sauteed Brussels Sprouts

If you've just spent an entire evening throwing together the dinner casserole, then there's a good chance you don't want to spend even more time whipping up a convoluted side dish. That's where this potato salad comes in handy, as it requires but three ingredients and will no doubt add a cooling element to your steaming hot casserole main. Do prepare this potato salad ahead of time if you can, so that it will be perfectly chilled by the time dinner rolls around (and it'll be one less thing to worry about in the evening).

Recipe: 3-Ingredient Potato Salad

In a world where kale, romaine, and arugula reign supreme as go-to dinnertime greens, try something different and make these dandelion greens instead. Slightly bitter and similar in flavor to arugula, dandelion greens are even better when sauteed, which is exactly the route that this recipe takes. A final garnish of Parmesan cheese adds just the right nutty, savory touch to make this the best simple salad recipe you didn't know you were missing.

Recipe: Simple Dandelion Greens

Although it's not strictly necessary that a casserole side dish be one that requires only three ingredients, it certainly never hurts when it does. These maple pecan carrots fit the bill, remarkably relying on a small selection of ingredients to yield a perfectly rich, subtly sweet, and nutty veggie dish. After pulling out half of the contents of your fridge and pantry to make the casserole, you'll be glad to have such a simple, minimalistic side dish to fall back on as a pairing option.

Recipe: 3-Ingredient Maple Pecan Glazed Carrots

Considering how heavy many casseroles tend to be, it's always ideal when the side dish leans more into the fresh and refreshing category. And, of all the fresh and refreshing salad sides you could opt for, we have to give special credit to this cucumber-based ensalada de pepino, which is bursting with freshness at every seam. Aside from the thinly-sliced cucumbers, you'll also find tomato, onion, cilantro, and a zesty lime dressing in this Mexican-inspired salad.

Recipe: Ensalada de Pepino (Mexico-Inspired Cucumber Salad)

If you want your side salad to stand its own against a hearty casserole entree, then this Mexican kale salad is certainly up to the task. At first glance, a kale salad doesn't seem like something that would be incredibly bulky, but trust us when we say that this bright side is bursting with hearty plant-based ingredients. More specifically, avocado, red bell pepper, corn, tomatoes, and even black beans round out this Mexican-inspired salad, making for one side that packs a hearty punch all on its own.

Recipe: Mexican Kale Salad

Succotash is a classic Native American dish that may have come to be out of necessity more than anything else, but that doesn't make it any less delicious. Moreover, that doesn't make succotash any less well-suited to be the veggie-filled side dish that you pair with your casserole. This succotash rendition leans on the simple side, incorporating staples like corn, green beans, lima beans, red bell pepper, and cherry tomatoes to make one vibrant, comforting, and delicious side dish.

Recipe: Simple Classic Succotash

Ranch lovers rejoice — this creamy, tangy, herby dressing works in salads far beyond the leafy green ones. In fact, a homemade version of buttermilk ranch is the star of this potato salad recipe, one that will also no doubt bring some bright and tangy notes to your casserole-led dinner table. An abundance of fresh herbs (including cilantro, dill, parsley, and chives) really make this potato salad what it is, providing an impeccable level of freshness to even the heaviest of entrees.

Recipe: Buttermilk Ranch Potato Salad

There are those who want to pair their rich, creamy casserole with something on the lighter side, and then there are those who want to lay on the creaminess even more. If you fall into that latter category, then you'll love this collard greens recipe, which not only comes with bacon but also comes with cream. That's right — in the same way that one might cream corn, this recipe creams collard greens, making for a positively rich, decadent, and downright delicious veggie side.

Recipe: Creamed Collard Greens With Bacon

Casseroles can boast many different ingredients, textures, and flavor profiles, but they're not too often sweet (at least, not dinner casseroles). As such, this opens up a unique opportunity to pair said savory casserole with a sweet-leaning side, and these cider-glazed root vegetables are just the right fit. Chopped sweet potatoes, carrots, and parsnips come together to make a colorful root veggie blend, but the real star of this recipe is the sweet-tangy apple cider glaze that coats every last bite.

Recipe: Cider-Glazed Root Vegetables

A good salad makes just about any dinner entree a little bit better, especially when it's as simple yet refined as this French-inspired one. Featuring arugula as the base, this salad also boasts chèvre (aka goat cheese), sliced almonds, and sliced plums for a sweet and juicy touch. Topped off with a simple Dijon-and-red-wine vinaigrette, this sophisticated salad will pair perfectly with that (not so) sophisticated casserole entree.

Recipe: French-Inspired Arugula And Chèvre Salad

Casseroles tend to be soft and sometimes even mushy, so by contrast, a crunchier side dish will at least keep your plate texturally interesting. This simple but flavorful salad certainly checks the crunchy box, from the crisp greens themselves to the even crisper apples to the downright crunchy pecans. You'll even find a little bit of blue cheese in the mix — we're not claiming that this will provide any crunchy goodness, but it certainly will provide a nice tangy flair.

Recipe: Apple Harvest Salad

Green beans are almost always a good idea when it comes to a dinner side, but we get it — plain green beans can get boring after a while. Perhaps the easiest way to breathe fresh life into green beans is by pairing them with almonds (and maybe Parmesan cheese for good measure), a la green beans almondine. This recipe does just that, adding some crunchy, nutty goodness to fresh green beans and making for one simple side that will pair exceptionally well with virtually any casserole out there.

Recipe: Fresh Green Bean Almondine

The only thing better than an easy-to-cook casserole side dish is one that doesn't require any cooking at all. This chickpea and spinach salad fits the bill, requiring absolutely no cooking while still managing to pack in plenty of flavor. Speaking of flavor, the salad takes a cue from Moroccan cuisine, boasting spices like marjoram and oregano along with mix-ins like dried apricots, kalamata olives, and crunchy pistachios on top.

Recipe: Moroccan Chickpea Salad

Spinach is one of those sort of universal ingredients that just fits in anywhere, cooked or raw, adding a pop of greenery and nice mild flavor. Although it's more typical to see raw spinach in a salad, this wilted spinach salad recipe takes a lightly-cooked approach, wilting the spinach down with goodies like mushrooms and shallots. Balsamic vinegar adds just the right tangy touch, and a final garnish of crunchy pine nuts makes this one incredibly simple yet elegant side salad option.

Recipe: Healthy Wilted Spinach Salad

In the wide, expansive world of potato salad, it's not too often that you see one with a sweet potato base. That said, sweet potatoes do make for a lovely and unique potato salad base, as proven by this side dish recipe. Sweet potatoes don't operate alone here, as chickpeas help bulk up the dish, while a tahini-based dressing adds a slight nutty flair to the whole thing. The recipe calls for serving the salad over a bed of greens, but we think it'd be equally delicious on its own (or, better yet, sharing a plate with a slice of casserole).

Recipe: Sweet Potato Salad

Since your oven will most likely already be on-duty with the casserole, it's all the more reason to put another kitchen appliance — the nifty air fryer — to good use. These carrot fries cook up beautifully in the air fryer, ending up with just the right amount of char and crispiness. This recipe is also incredibly simple, requiring only seven ingredients and 16 minutes to make. So if you're scrambling for a side dish and have some carrots sitting in the fridge, this recipe will save the day.

Recipe: Air Fryer Carrot Fries

Caesar salad is something of a chameleon, effortlessly blending in with any meal and working as a side dish to just about any main course. Even better yet, when that main course is a casserole, the salad will offer a nice brightness and ideal crunch to keep your plate interesting. This grilled Caesar salad features whole romaine hearts that are grilled until slightly charred, along with salad staples like croutons, pre-made Caesar dressing, and Parmesan cheese for a simple yet elevated rendition.

Recipe: Grilled Romaine Caesar Salad

Though edamame may be more associated with go-to appetizers at sushi restaurants, it certainly works in other contexts, too. One such context is as a side dish alongside a hearty casserole, where edamame can really shine and pack a distinct soy-forward flavor all its own. This particular recipe takes things a step further, dressing up the shelled edamame in a spicy, garlicky, positively delicious (yet easy to prepare) sauce.

Recipe: Spicy Garlic Edamame

Sometimes you need a truly extravagant, show-stopping side dish to really round out a meal. Other times — and especially when you've already got a show-stopping casserole as the main course — you just need a tried-and-true vegetable to get the job done. That's exactly what this simple steamed asparagus will do; it's not necessarily going to knock anyone's socks off, but it will add a touch of greenery to your plate, and one that's perfectly-cooked and lightly salted.

Recipe: Simple Steamed Asparagus

Just when it seems that any and all salad inspiration has run dry, TikTok always seems to deliver a fresh new twist to keep things interesting. That was certainly the case back when Green Goddess salad (and salad dressings) was trending, and fortunately, it's a tasty variation that has withstood the test of time. This recipe features cabbage, cucumber, and green onion as a base, along with a tangy, basil-forward, and positively green salad dressing to really hone in on the whole "Green Goddess" thing.

Recipe: TikTok-Inspired Green Goddess Salad

We get it, we get it — Brussels sprouts aren't exactly known for being the most popular veggie out there, so why would you want to pair them with your favorite casserole? Trust us when we say that these aren't your average sprouts, as they come dressed in a unique pomegranate glaze that adds the perfect pop of sweetness. Fresh pomegranate arils and pistachios top off the veggie-forward dish, making for an impressive side that doesn't disappoint in flavor.

Recipe: Crispy Fried Brussels Sprouts With Pomegranate Glaze

We sure have piled on the veggie recipes in this roundup, but don't worry, bread lovers — we haven't forgotten about you. If there's one way to upgrade a hearty casserole, it would be to tack on an equally comforting side, and these Texas Roadhouse copycat rolls definitely deliver on that end. And, yes, this recipe also comes with the beloved cinnamon-honey butter, so you can be slathering your warm, homemade rolls in style.

Recipe: Copycat Texas Roadhouse Rolls

Mashed potatoes may be an obvious side dish for just about any entree (casseroles naturally included), but dare we say that it may be a bit too obvious? Instead, opt for something like this creamy cauliflower mash, which delivers a similarly rich, creamy final dish, but one with even more veggie goodness. Parmesan plays a big role in contributing plenty of savory, nutty flavor to the mash, but a small amount of white miso paste also adds just the right amount of umami-forward complexity.

Recipe: Creamy Cauliflower Mash

No one, and we mean absolutely no one, is going to turn down a slice of homemade garlic bread, especially when it's paired with a tomatoey casserole. Naturally, you have to give the people what they want, and even better yet, whipping up garlic bread is a breeze thanks to this easy recipe. Instead of baking bread from scratch, you'll instead jazz up a baguette, meaning that this garlicky carb will be ready to munch on in 15 minutes flat.

Recipe: Easy Garlic Bread

While many types of squash are associated with winter, there's absolutely nothing wintery about this summer squash salad, which is positively bursting with brightness. Zucchini and yellow squash are the more specific stars of this salad, but they don't stand alone. Pine nuts add a nice crunch, burrata adds a soft creaminess, basil adds an herbaceous touch, and the whole salad gets dressed in a bright, lemony Dijon vinaigrette.

Recipe: Summer Squash And Basil Burrata Salad

If simple salads aren't really your thing when it comes to casserole side dishes, then this goat cheese and apple salad is pretty much the opposite of simple. There are some truly unique flavor combinations at play in this salad recipe, from the goat cheese (which gets a panko coating before being pan-fried) to the crisp apples that add freshness, sweetness, and crunch. Hazelnuts top the whole salad off, adding extra crunch and a certain nuttiness that something like almonds or pecans just can't quite compete with.

Recipe: Panko-Breaded Goat Cheese And Crisp Apple Salad

We'll be the first to admit that, on its own, asparagus isn't exactly the most exciting thing you could pair with a homemade casserole. That said, it's easy to jazz up asparagus without much effort, and in this recipe, all it takes is Parmesan cheese, lemon juice, and basic seasonings to turn something drab into something fab. A simple sauteed cooking method also means that this side will be ready to hit your plate in slightly less than 10 minutes.

Recipe: Easy Sauteed Asparagus

You could simply pair your casserole with steamed broccoli and call it a day, or you could make your plate that much more exciting and pair it with this smashed broccoli instead. Despite yielding such an elevated result, this recipe is super simple — only four ingredients are necessary — and relies on za'atar seasoning, garlic powder, and grated Parmesan to do the heavy-lifting flavor-wise. 

Recipe: Za'atar And Parmesan Smashed Broccoli

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