Looking for inspiration for what to serve with your favorite casserole? Check out this ultimate list of 43 delicious sides that will compliment any casserole, from crisp green beans or hearty mashed potatoes and Southern-style biscuits. There’s something for everyone!
Choosing the perfect side dish to serve with a casserole not only elevates the meal but makes it a well-rounded nutritious family dinner. When choosing the right side dish for your casserole, it’s important to consider a couple of things.
First, consider the flavors and ingredients in your main dish. For example if you’re serving a heavy pasta-based casserole, it could be great to serve a light vegetable side dish like Air Fryer Green Beans, Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts, or colorful salads. If you’re serving a Mexican casserole, consider pairing it with a side of rice, beans, or roasted corn salsa.
Second, take into account the timing and occasion. If you’re short on time, choose something you can make really quickly in the Instant Pot, Air Fryer, or even Microwave a couple of sweet potatoes. Similarly, if you’re looking for sides to serve for a special occasion like Christmas brunch or Thanksgiving, consider how much space you’ll have in the oven. For example, if you need something no-bake, go for a fruit salad or a light salad made with simple ingredients.
Side Dish Recipes
1. Simple Roasted Vegetables
1
Simple Roasted Vegetables by Sweet Simple Vegan
These simple roasted vegetables require just a few simple seasonings and a sheet pan, and are a great side dish to serve alongside your casserole dish.
Best Simple Tossed Green Salad by Le Creme de la Crumb
This is the Best Simple Tossed Green Salad! It’s a great addition to virtually any meal or savory casserole and is one of my favorite simple side dish recipes.
Creamy Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes are the perfect side dish for weeknight dinners or special occasions like Thanksgiving, Christmas, or date nights-in. All you need is 5 ingredients!
This EASY Rice Pilaf recipe is flavorful and so versatile it can be served with almost any hearty meal. Once you realize how simple it is, you’ll never buy store-bought rice pilaf again. Swap the unsalted butter for vegan butter to make this side dish plant-based.
These savory Vegan Jalapeño Cornbread Muffins are ready in less than 30 minutes. They're the perfect balance of sweet and spicy and have a tender crumb – even without eggs or milk! Prepare this easy vegan quick bread in just 1 bowl and serve it alongside your favorite chili, soup, or stew!
Southern-Style Vegan Buttermilk Biscuits by Nora Cooks
These plant-based buttermilk biscuits are so tall, flaky, and buttery! They’re the ultimate tasty side dish to serve with a casserole or really any main course.
This vegan garlic bread is made with a soft, Italian loaf spread with homemade vegan garlic butter and fresh parsley that's oven baked until crispy. Make this crispy bread with tons of garlicky goodness in your home kitchen with just 5 ingredients and 15 minutes!
Learning how to microwave a sweet potato is a great skill to have when short on time, low in energy, or simply need a fast, healthy snack. These sweet potatoes are as soft and buttery as oven baked potatoes, yet ready in a fraction of time.
Making Air Fryer Green Beans is one of my favorite healthy weeknight side dishes. They're crisp on the outside, tender in the middle and seasoned to perfection. You'll love this alternative cooking method!
10-Minute Air Fryer Fresh Asparagus by Fork in the Kitchen
Crisp up fresh asparagus in the air fryer for your next vegetable side dish at dinner! It’s ready in under 10 minutes and the whole family will love this one! Flavor with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, plant-based parmesan cheese, or your favorite creamy sauce.
If your garden is bursting with fresh tomatoes, zucchini and squash, make this beautiful ratatouille. It's filled with light, healthy vegetables and is paired with a delicious homemade tomato sauce.
This creamy Vegan Coleslaw is whipped up in just 5 minutes and the perfect easy vegan side salad to serve with BBQ tempeh or topped on Buffalo Cauliflower Tacos. This dairy free slaw tastes just like the fresh summer classic you know and love!
Frozen Hash Browns in Air Fryer (Trader Joe’s Patties) Recipe
Skip the oven this morning and try these Trader Joe's Frozen Hash Browns in Air Fryer! They're perfectly crispy on the outside, yet soft and tender on the inside. Season your hash brown patties with salt and pepper and serve this easy breakfast favorite in just over 10 minutes.
How to Steam Broccoli Perfectly Every Time by Simply Recipes
This steamed broccoli is a great way to get your veggies in! It’s one of the best sides to make when you’re short on time or don’t have tons of ingredients on hand.
These baked beans are filled with delicious flavor. Caramelized onions, bourbon, and brown sugar sweeten this simple recipe into the best fantastic side dish your guests won’t stop raving about.
These Instant Pot "Baked" Potatoes are perfect for your next loaded baked potato bar or simple dinner side. They cook through in a fraction of the time compared to the oven and can be served an infinite number of ways. Have these "baked" potatoes cooking with just 5 minutes of prep.
If you’re struggling with what to serve with a casserole, you can’t go wrong with this simple corn on the cob recipe! It’s quick, easy, and one of those delicious side dishes that doesn’t go out of style.
This classic vegan mac and cheese is ultra cheesy, creamy, and baked topped with breadcrumbs until golden brown! No one will complain when mac and cheese hits the dinner table.
These Vegan Stuffed Mushrooms are a great side dish to serve with a casserole or even to enjoy as a starter. Let your taste buds enjoy the rich flavor and umami-packed mushrooms!
Summer Strawberry Salad with Strawberry Balsamic Dressing
This vegan and gluten free summer Strawberry Salad is made with your choice of spinach or kale, arugula, fresh strawberries, chickpeas, red onion, beetroot and the best, tangy Strawberry Balsamic Dressing! Ideal for healthy meal prep, potlucks, or easy dinners when it's too warm to cook!
Roasted Acorn Squash with Maple Browned Butter by Our Salty Kitchen
This Roasted Acorn Squash recipe is the ultimate sweet and savory side dish to serve with a casserole. Swap the dairy butter for plant-based butter as needed and dig in!
Grilled zucchini is the perfect healthy summer side dish to serve alongside a heartier casserole dish. It’s also the perfect way to use up those garden veggies!
This wild rice is the easiest side dish to serve with a lighter casserole. Follow our simple step by step instructions and learn how to make the best rice at home.
These oven roasted potatoes are unbelievably delicious! They're crispy on the outside with delicious and creamy centers. Perfect for an easy side dish, breakfast, or base for potato nachos.
This Vegan Cauliflower Gratin can be made two different ways and is the best way to enjoy your veggies! You won’t be able to resist this creamy delight.
These crispy air fryer Brussels sprouts are perfectly charred on the outside, yet soft and tender in the middle. They're cooked in half the amount of time as the oven making them the perfect quick and healthy weeknight side. Options for cooking both fresh and frozen included!
Chipotle Cilantro Lime Rice in Rice Cooker (or Instant Pot)
This Cilantro Lime Rice recipe is my favorite copycat Chipotle style rice recipe to make at home! You can make it in the rice cooker or Instant Pot in 30 minutes or less! Perfect staple to stock in the freezer for meal prep!
This roasted chili-corn salsa is a copycat version of the corn salsa served at Chipotle Mexican Grill! Sweet corn, charred poblano peppers, cilantro, red onion, and a healthy squeeze of lime juice are key flavors in preparing this new family favorite. It's the perfect balance of sweet, salty, and tangy and ready in 25 minutes!
These Air Fryer Sweet Potato Wedges are ready to make in just minutes and make for a quick, healthy side dish or snack! With minimal ingredients required and step-by-step instructions down below, you are sure to get a five star rating from your family – even if this is the first run with your new air fryer.
This Chipotle Copy cat black beans recipe is vegan and gluten free and perfect for homemade burrito bowls with cilantro lime rice, enchiladas, soups, and more. All you need is 10 minutes to prep. No soaking required!
10-Minute Air Fryer Broccolini by Fork in the Kitchen
Making broccolini in the air fryer is a go-to method when you need a green veggie side dish and you’re short on time and don’t want to turn on the oven. It takes only 10 minutes and can be flavored in a variety of ways!
What are some vegetarian or vegan casserole options?
It’s true that many of the more popular casserole recipes like a creamy chicken casserole and sweet potato casserole are made with non-vegan ingredients like chicken broth, cream cheese, cheddar cheese, and hearty proteins like tender chicken, turkey sausage or beef.
A great pro for vegetarian and vegan side dishes is they are typically on the healthier side and made with more nutritious ingredients. Here are a few of my favorite vegan casserole options:
Absolutely! Casseroles typically freeze incredibly well and is a great way to meal prep or stock up some freezer meals in preparation for a busy season of life, emergencies, or a new baby.
In general, follow these steps to freeze a casserole:
Allow the casserole to cool completely.
Use a freezer-safe container or freezer bag that is appropriately sized for the casserole. I typically like to use an aluminum 9×13 or 2-cup Souper Cubes to make individual-sized casserole portions.
Label with the name of the casserole and the date it was prepared (don’t skip this! I promise you won’t remember what it is in 3 months).
How do I reheat a casserole?
The best way to reheat a casserole depends on the type of casserole and how many servings you need to reheat. If reheating a large casserole or several portions, use the oven. Cover the casserole with foil and reheat for 20-30 minutes, or until warmed through.
If reheating a single serving, the microwave is my favorite quick reheat method!