If you’re looking for easy and delicious side dishes for pizza, you’ve come to the right place.
We’ve selected 25 of our best salads, slaws, vegetable sides, and finger foods that pair perfectly with pizza.
Whether you are having Neapolitan, thin crust, deep dish, homemade, or New York-style pizza tonight – these quick sides will complement your pizza beautifully.
Vegetables and salads are fantastic accompaniments to pizza, offering a balance of flavors and textures.
Roasted vegetables, such as bell peppers, zucchini, and eggplant, provide vibrant colors and fresh flavors that harmonize with cheesy pizza.
For a lighter option, steamed, raw, or sautéed sides can lend a fresh and nutritious touch to your meal, creating a well–rounded dining experience.
Let’s kick off this pizza–friendly collection of side dishes and appetizers without further ado.
Our 25 best side dishes for pizza
Zucchini Salad
Vibrant, fresh, and aromatic - this zucchini salad with cherry tomatoes is a perfect side dish with cheesy pizza.
It's a quick way to increase your veggie intake - and a wonderful salad for the spring and summer seasons.
Tomato Cucumber Onion Salad
A crunchy, refreshing, simple dish that you can enjoy as a starter or as a side dish with any type of pizza.
The combination of ripe tomatoes and crisp cucumbers in a tangy dressing perfectly complements the indulgent flavors of pizza.
Panzanella salad
Panzanella salad is a traditional Italian summer dish made with seasonal vegetables.
It's a juicy mix of fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, and chunks of day-old bread. It provides a refreshing and satisfying accompaniment to a piping-hot pizza
Fennel and orange salad
Fennel and orange salad is a crunchy, fresh, and light salad to be served as a side dish or as a starter before pizza.
Make this salad in autumn and winter, when the oranges are sweet and the fennel fresh and crunchy.
Red Cabbage Slaw
An easy, crunchy, and comforting salad with apples and the optional addition of candied walnuts.
This healthy slaw adds extra color to a cheesy pizza, such as Quattro Formaggio and New York-style pizza.
Tomato Confit
Tomato confit is a perfect topping for pizza and focaccia.
Eat it either as a side dish or on top of your pizza bianca, marinara, or margherita.
Roasted Brussels sprouts with maple syrup
A sweet and crispy vegetable side dish that pairs well with pizza: roasted Brussels sprouts covered in a maple syrup vinaigrette.
They're a delicious side for the holidays and a quick everyday dinner.
Eggplant Pizza
If you're planning a pizza party, this roasted eggplant pizza recipe is a handy starter and appetizer.
Quick to make in the oven, kids-friendly, and fun to eat - a real crowd-pleaser!
Air Fryer Green Beans
Need a side dish for your pizza that's ready in 15 minutes?
No problem, air fryer green beans are a quick and simple recipe to enjoy all year round, made with fresh or frozen green beans.
Italian Salsa Verde
Pizza goes amazingly well with fresh Italian herbs and spices.
Drizzle a little Italian salsa verde on top of your pizza, or serve it with a side salad for added green color and bold flavor.
Air Fryer Zucchini
Ready in 20 minutes, this air fryer zucchini recipe is a juicy green side dish for pizza.
You can even add the zucchini as a topping on your pizza for added greens.
Sautéed Asparagus
Sautéed asparagus is a green and lemony spring dish, and it's a perfect addition to your pizza dinner!
It's a quick and easy recipe for asparagus on the stovetop cooked with olive oil, crushed garlic, salt, and pepper.
Roasted Zucchini
Garlic-infused, aromatic, and delicious, this roasted zucchini recipe is easy to prepare and goes well with any meal.
Our favorite ways to serve it are with California-style pizza and thin-crust pizza.
Roasted Eggplant
Roasted eggplant is an easy, delicious side that complements a variety of main dishes, and it's perfect as a vegetable topping for pizza.
You can also serve it as an appetizer with marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese on top.
Air Fryer Asparagus
Asparagus and air fryer are made for each other, and this air fryer asparagus recipe is proof of that.
It's quick, healthy, and delicious, especially served next to a slice of pizza.
Steamed artichokes
When steamed artichokes melt in your mouth, they are creamy and with a mild flavor, slightly nutty, and a little sweet.
A perfect appetizer for pizza and most Italian main meals.
Oven Roasted Broccoli
Oven-roasted broccoli is so tasty you won't believe it's actual broccoli. Perfect for pizza parties and game nights.
They are perfect as a pre-dinner appetizer, snack, or side dish.
Roasted bell peppers
Roasted bell peppers are a delicious recipe that can be served as an antipasto or side dish.
You can also use the marinated peppers as a topping for your pizza pizza (and pasta dish).
Sauteed Eggplant
Sauteed eggplant is the best way to cook the eggplant on the stove in just 20 minutes.
The hearty tomato flavor and tender eggplant pair perfectly with any kind of pizza and on crostini too.
Olive Tapenade
Olive Tapenade is a delicious spread to serve with crostini or crackers.
It's perfect for an easy and tasty appetizer on toasted bread before pizza to prepare your taste buds.
Air Fryer Eggplant
The air-fried eggplants are slightly charred on the outside and soft and tender on the inside.
You can drizzle the eggplant with green chimichurri sauce for an Italian and pizza-friendly pairing.
Sautéed Zucchini
Use sauteed zucchini in pasta or on pizza as a quick and healthy veggie topping.
You can easily sautée zucchini on a pan in just about 10 minutes and get ready for the zucchini season.
Quick Chickpea Salad
This chickpea salad is an easy and nutritious dish, great with thin and crispy pizza.
Make it in just 15 minutes with simple, fresh ingredients and a refreshing lemon vinaigrette. It's naturally vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free
Avocado Salad
The creamy texture of avocado and the sweetness from cherry tomatoes add a delightful contrast to a pizza rossa (pizza with red sauce).
With this 10-minute salad recipe, you can easily create a balanced and satisfying meal for you and your family.
Arugula Salad
We wrap up this list with a quick arugula salad.
Enjoy delicate shavings of Parmesan and crisp slices of red apple that pair perfectly with any kind of pizza, adding a fresh and tangy twist to each bite.
Storage
How to store sides for pizza: Most of these sides keep for three days in the refrigerator, best if stored in an airtight container. We usually reheat it in the microwave, but a pan with a dash of water would do too.
How to reheat: Most recipes can be reheated in the microwave or on a pan with a dash of water. Check the individual recipes for full make-ahead, reheating, and storage instructions.
More Side Dishes for Pizza
If you’re looking to increase your veggie intake while enjoying a slice of pizza, take a look at these favorite vegetable compilations:
- Best asparagus recipes with grilling, roasting, and steaming techniques.
- 25 best vegetable sides, including raw salads, Italian starters, and sides.
- 30 zucchini recipes such as grilled, roasted, stuffed, and marinated zucchini ideas.
- 35 eggplant recipes with soups, bruschetta, grilled, roasted, and air fryer recipes.
- 12 artichoke recipes, including how to cook artichoke leftovers (scraps).
What is a good appetizer with pizza?
Simple salads, easy soups, and dips make your pizza dinner stand out and bring color to your table.
Try pairing your pizza with one or more of these easy appetizers – they will please kids and adults too:
- Eggplant zaalouk is an excellent pairing with crostini
- Zucchini soup served with homemade croutons
- Italian caponata served with chickpea farinata
- Shaved Brussels sprouts salad with walnuts and mustard vinaigrette
- Crostini served with a bowl of vegan pesto
If you’re planning a pizza party, check out these mini pizzas, flatbread pizzas, or no-knead focaccia. They are tested and authentic recipes with many different pizza topping ideas.
For many more side dish ideas, check out our sides category page.
25 Best Side Dishes for Pizza
Ingredients
- Check each individual recipe for ingredients required.
- Try something new for your pizza party! Cook your favorite recipe and serve with pizza.
Instructions
- How to store: Keep these meals stored in the refrigerator, ideally in an airtight container, for up to 3 days.
- How to reheat: Warm it up on the stovetop or in the microwave. Before serving garnish with fresh herbs, salt and pepper,
Video
Notes
Nutrition
If you liked these 25 side dishes for pizza, you might also like:
[adthrive-in-post-video-player video-id=”Nb7IWSpI” upload-date=”2023-05-05T16:21:10.000Z” name=”Panzanella Salad” description=”I’ll show you how to make a 100% authentic Panzanella recipe. The exact recipe you’ll find in restaurants in central Italy, where Panzanella is from. The same recipe my grandma made for me growing up.” player-type=”default” override-embed=”default”]
Hi! We are Nico & Louise
Welcome to The Plant-Based School, a food blog with easy, tasty, and wholesome recipes.
Our aim is to help you and your family eat more veggies through delicious recipes with simple ingredients.
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