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These are all the best salads and sides to go with lasagna! Fresh green salad recipes and bright crisp-tender vegetables make it into a meal.

Not sure what to serve with lasagna to make it a meal? We’re here to help! Alex and I have spent years honing the craft of constructing a meal with the right sides. You’ve got to complement and contrast the main dish with just the right flavors, colors, and ingredients. And it’s got to be easy enough to make while making the main event.
To help fill your table, here are all our top sides and salads to go with lasagna! They feature fresh, seasonal vegetables to contrast the heavy, cheesy main dish. Pick from our favorite salads or crisp tender veggie sides you can make on the stovetop while the lasagna bakes. So what are you waiting for?
Tops salads and sides to go with lasagna
Top of the list in our sides to go with lasagna: Italian chopped salad! This one couldn't be a more perfect pairing, and it's easy to whip up. Homemade Italian dressing covers a mix of crisp romaine, tomatoes, shallot and Parmesan cheese shavings. The best part? Olives and jarred pepperoncini, which round it out with salty and tangy notes.
This delectable side dish is a total treat that goes perfectly with lasagna. It’s got just the right savory, garlicky flavor. It’s tender on the inside, and crunchy on top from broiling it with Parmesan cheese.
Here's an elegant salad to go with lasagna that's quite possibly the easiest salad recipe you’ll make! You don’t even have to make a salad dressing. In under 10 minutes, you’ve got an elegant salad that goes with literally everything. Dress baby arugula simply with olive oil and lemon juice, then add Parmesan shavings and thinly sliced shallots.
With this flavor popping Italian-style dressing of lemon, Parmesan cheese, and garlic, the bitter taste of the kale is mellowed and melds beautifully with the other flavors. This is one of our favorite ways to eat this leafy green, and it's the perfect salad to go with lasagna.
This Caesar salad recipe is a flavor explosion with creamy dressing, crunchy croutons, and salty Parmesan cheese. It's perfect as a classic side dish for lasagna (and even better homemade!).
Classic is classic for a reason, and the classic wedge salad does not disappoint. Every time we serve it, people ooo and ahh. Because it really is perfection: the crunch of iceberg lettuce against the creamy, savory blue cheese dressing just makes sense. There’s a reason this salad has been impressing us all for 100 years.
This steamed cauliflower is flavored Mediterranean style, with bright lemon zest, olive oil and savory Italian seasoning. Steamed until crisp tender, it's seriously tasty. As a fresh and healthy option, it's a fantastic contrasting side to go with lasagna. (Or try the Instant Pot Cauliflower version.)
Here’s one of our very favorite green salad recipes: this Mediterranean salad! It’s packed with crunchy fresh vegetables like cucumber and onion, juicy tomatoes, briny olives, and topped with a sprinkle of salty feta, fresh herbs, and a zingy lemony vinaigrette.
Crisp tart apple slices pair with pops of pomegranate seeds, creamy cheese, and crunchy, cinnamon spiced pecans. Toss them all over fresh greens with a zingy maple and apple cider vinegar dressing, and it’s truly salad perfection.
These green beans are a fabulous side to go with lasagna: whip them up on the stovetop while the lasagna bakes! They take only 10 minutes to put together and couldn't be easier. The beans are steamed until crisp tender, and mixed with lemon zest for brightness.
These truly are the best sauteed mushrooms, and the meaty flavor is perfect with lasagna! They're tender and juicy, with a brightness at the finish. Fresh thyme and oregano give an herby punch. Take one bite and you'll exclaim "Wow!"
Another great side to go with lasagna: broccoli! And this one is the best broccoli around. You'll steam it until it's bright green and crisp tender, then mix it with olive oil, red onion and feta crumbles. It's seriously simple to whip up while the lasagna bakes: it takes only 10 minutes! Or, try sauteed broccoli or roasted broccoli.
Last up in our sides and salads to go with lasagna: fennel orange salad! It features beautiful juicy oranges and a famous pairing: sliced raw fennel, which adds a subtle licorice essence. Throw it over greens with a few garnishes and top with a zingy homemade citrus vinaigrette.
Using hearty kale leaves in a Caesar salad has become popular in restaurants: and for good reason. The fluffy, ridged texture of the leaves are ideal for coating in Caesar dressing. This spin on the Kale Caesar is our go-to, with a fresh, creamy homemade dressing and crunchy breadcrumbs in every bite.
Try this vibrant radicchio salad, the perfect side dish! Sweet pears, crunchy almonds, tangy goat cheese, and a bright citrus vinaigrette dress up a colorful bed of greens.
This refreshing romaine salad is a perfect salad to go with lasagna! The electric green of the romaine leaves, pastel dressing and delicate pink radishes have a fresh monochrome effect tastes as good as it looks. The Green Goddess Dressing smothers it all in herbaceous creaminess.
When it comes to quick and impressive side dishes for lasagna, this one is at the top! The elegantly long stems of this green veggie make it look fancy, but you can cook it up in just 5 minutes in a hot skillet. Add a bit of garlic and lemon to make it taste irresistibly good.
These sauteed vegetables are beautifully colored, bursting with flavor and crisp tender in texture: the perfect easy and healthy side dish! It's a fun way to add lots of veggies along with a rich cheesy pasta.
Here’s a simple way to make it into an impressive side to go with lasagna: this Butter Lettuce Salad! These delicate lettuce leaves are irresistible coated in creamy, savory Parmesan Peppercorn dressing and topped with a few simple veggies and Parmesan shavings.
Last up in our sides to go with lasagna, this endive salad recipe is a mix of refreshing, tangy and sweet! Combine this bitter green with orange, Parmesan and red wine vinaigrette. It's a great pair for a cheesy pasta.
Chopped Salad (& Sides for Lasagna!)
This Italian chopped salad is the perfect side to go with lasagna! Homemade Italian dressing, veggies and Parmesan cheese combine into one extraordinary salad.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 8 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: Raw
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
- 1 recipe Homemade Italian Dressing
- 1 Romaine heart (3 cups)
- 5 cups leafy lettuce
- 1 large shallot
- 1 English cucumber (2 cups chopped)
- ½ cup cherry tomatoes
- ½ cup ripe green olives, halved
- ½ cup jarred sliced pepperoncini
- ¼ cup Parmesan shavings or shreds, plus more to serve
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
Instructions
- Make the Homemade Italian Dressing.
- Chop romaine and lettuce. Thinly slice the shallot. Peel and chop cucumber. Slice tomatoes and olives in half.
- Mix together all the ingredients for the salad, including the dressing, and toss to combine. If making in advance, refrigerate the components separately; bring the dressing to room temperature before serving.
Some favorite lasagna recipes
Of course, we couldn’t leave you with only what to serve with lasagna! Let’s talk about our favorite lasagna recipes:
- This vegetarian lasagna A crowd pleaser! The easy spinach and ricotta cheese filling is classic and creamy.
- Our vegan lasagna pleases everyone! With spinach, mushrooms, hummus and marinara sauce, it’s our favorite.
- This kale lasagna is hearty and filling, with a light back-end heat! Cottage cheese stands in as a twist on the classic ricotta filling.
- Our Mexican lasagna is a fun twist: layers of noodles, corn, and black beans are full of zesty flavor.
- For a twist, try these lasagna roll ups.
More sides to go with…
We love helping you find great recipes to pair with main dishes! Here are a few more recipe collections: