What to Serve with Baked Ziti (2024)

Wondering what to serve with baked ziti?

In this classic dish, yummy meat sauce, al dente ziti pasta, and loads of parmesan cheese combine to make up the perfect comfort food.

However, whether you're enjoying baked ziti as a weeknight family meal or having guests over for a dinner party, what's served alongside the main dish is just as important!

❤️ Why we love it

• A perfect make-ahead meal
• Great way to use up ground beef or leftover ground meat
• Beginner friendly—it's one of those pasta dishes that always turns out delicious

Baked ziti is a classic Italian American pasta bake. It's so versatile, both when it comes to the ingredients you can use in it and what you can serve with it.

What to Serve with Baked Ziti

Now that you've decided on an easy baked ziti recipe for dinner, it's time to figure out what to serve with it! Keep reading to learn about the best side dishes, desserts, garnishes, and more to make with your delicious pasta dinner.

🥦 Vegetables and Sides

Veggies taste great alongside the heartiness of a rich tomato sauce and cooked pasta. Plus, they're usually pretty quick to make, so serving vegetables is one of the best ways to get dinner done and on the table!

1. Asparagus casserole with Ritz crackers
2. Baked zucchini
3. Broccoli with lemon juice
4. Caprese salad
5. Fresh greens salad with cherry tomatoes and bell pepper
6. Green bean casserole
7. Haricots verts
8. Italian green bean salad
9. Italian salad with leafy greens and balsamic vinaigrette
10. Maple roasted carrots
11. Marinated artichokes
12. Roasted green beans with garlic and red peppers
13. Roasted sweet potato salad (great for a holiday meal!)
14. Scalloped tomatoes
15. Seasoned squash
16. Spicy roasted cauliflower
17. Steamed broccoli
18. Yellow squash with butter and herbs

Breads

Warm, crusty bread goes with just about any type of pasta. Plus, you can use it as a spoon to swipe up every last drop of tangy tomato sauce.

19. Baguette slices
20. Cheddar and black pepper rolls
21. Cheese-stuffed knots
22. Cheesy garlic bread
23. Ciabatta rolls
24. Easy, 30-minute dinner rolls
25. Frozen rolls sprinkled with Italian seasoning
26. Garlic breadsticks
27. Garlic knots
28. Kalamata olive bread
29. Multigrain rolls
30. Potato bread
31. Potato rolls
32. Rosemary focaccia
33. Rustic cloche bread
34. Savory scones
35. Sourdough slices
36. Texas toast with mozzarella cheese
37. Whole wheat bread slices

Desserts

When planning what to serve with baked ziti dinner, don't forget dessert! A little something sweet is the perfect way to finish off a hearty meal.

38. Brownies
39. Butter pecan toffee cookies
40. Candy
41. Chocolate chip cookies
42. Chocolate-covered cherries
43. Chocolate layer cake with cookies and cream filling
44. Classic apple pie
45. Ice cream sundaes
46. No-bake Hershey pie with a chocolate graham cracker crust
47. Orange muffins
48. Peanut butter pretzel bites
49. Raisin bread
50. Red velvet cake
51. Shortbread cookies
52. Vintage buttermilk cake

🍷 Wine and co*cktails

Properly paired liquid libations can give your meal so much extra flavor! Here are some of my favorite drinks to serve with baked ziti.

53. Aperol Spritz co*cktail
54. Chianti
55. Commodore co*cktail
56. Fig Old-Fashioned co*cktail
57. Mulled wine
58. Negroni co*cktail
59. Pinot Noir (especially if using Italian sausage in the casserole dish)
60. Red Sangria
61. Sparkling non-alcoholic grape juice
62. Zinfandel (if you like something sweeter)
63. Durango co*cktail

🍇 Garnish

A little bit of garnish makes your main dish look finished, and allows your family or guests to adjust everything to their taste. After all, even the best baked ziti recipes can use a little extra cheese sprinkled on top!

64. Chiffonade-cut fresh basil
65. Chopped parsley
66. Fried sage
67. Pecorino Romano grated cheese
68. Red pepper flakes
69. Shaved parmesan cheese

💭 Things to know

These tips will help you to have the best ziti casserole meal. After all, dinner is only as good as all of its components put together! These side dish ideas are great with Mexican lasagna, too.

• Baked ziti gets its name from the smooth, tube-shaped pasta noodles. However, you can use any tubular pasta, like penne or rigatoni.
• You can make baked ziti ahead of time and cover it with plastic wrap until you're ready to bake.
• For best results, refrigerate unbaked ziti for up to three days. You can freeze it for longer storage.
• Don't dress a salad until serving time. Otherwise, the greens get soggy.
• Consider serving side dishes that balance out the flavorful sauce and creamy textures—not something that overpowers them.
• Since baked ziti is full of cheese, I generally avoid sides that are too creamy. Cottage cheese or sour cream-based sides are best served with another dish.
• Remember to rinse leafy herbs like basil and parsley. Dry them easily using a salad spinner.

These sides also go great with...

• Buffalo Chicken Pasta
• Old-Fashioned Baked Macaroni and Cheese
• Cream Cheese Chicken Spaghetti Bake
• Million-Dollar Spaghetti
• Angel Chicken Mac and Cheese

What are your favorite sides to pair with baked ziti? Share your ideas in the comments below!

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