Pizza is an almost universally liked food, making it great for everything from family movie night to birthday parties. A plethora of pizza places also makes it a convenient option for takeout when there's no time or energy — or ingredients — to cook something for supper.
As convenient and crowd-pleasing as pizza is, you need to have a great side dish or several side dishes to serve with it. Those tempting cheesy breadsticks offered by the restaurant are just more bread and cheese.
So what side dishes to serve with pizza? Whether you make your pizza from scratch, grab one in the freezer aisle, or order it at the last minute, there are a range of options for sides to go with pizza.
What to Serve with Pizza
The possibilities for pizza sides are as varied as potential topping combinations and range from things you can pull out of the fridge to appetizers that take a bit more forethought. If you have pizza often, you might want to keep the ingredients for some of these on hand to throw together while you wait for takeout to arrive or for your homemade pizza to bake.
1. Caesar salad
Leafy greens are a great option for balancing out the richness of pizza, and Caesar salad is a classic option. Though it may seem like something you'd typically only order at a restaurant, Caesar salad requires very few ingredients and little effort to throw together. All it takes is romaine lettuce, croutons, Caesar salad dressing, and maybe a sprinkle of parmesan.
2. Fresh fruit
Waiting for the pizza delivery to arrive and just want something simple? Slice up a couple apples or set out a bowl of grapes to go with it. Fresh fruit is a quick, healthy side and, like pizza, widely liked. Sliced apples and popcorn go great with pizza for a movie night!
3. Stuffed mushrooms
For a pizza party where you would like to present some nicer sides or appetizers, consider making a batch of stuffed mushrooms. These versatile bites are simultaneously elegant enough for fancier gatherings yet casual enough to pair with pizza. Plus, they're surprisingly easy to make.
4. Buffalo wings
Buffalo wings are a popular side for pizza and an easy one when ordering out, as most pizza places carry wings too. If frozen pizza is more your style, you can also keep a bag of wings in the freezer. And of course, you can always try your hand at making your own buffalo wings!
5. Zucchini chips
For a healthier alternative to a bag of greasy potato chips, bake some crispy and delicious zucchini chips to go with pizza. This is an especially great option in the summer when you begin to fear the growing piles of zucchini might take over the kitchen. And if you have an air fryer, you can try making zucchini curly fries too.
6. Sweet potato fries
Speaking of fries, another simple and delicious yet healthy chip alternative is roasted sweet potato fries. It's easy enough to slice up a few sweet potatoes, toss them in oil, and throw them in the oven. But if you're looking for something even more convenient, this is yet another thing you can find bagged and frozen.
7. Chopped salad
So named for being a mixture of chopped veggies (and maybe a few other ingredients), chopped salad is wonderfully crunchy and flavorful. Follow a specific recipe or take the opportunity to clean out the produce drawer. Either way, you'll end up with a great salad to eat with pizza.
8. Meatballs
Meatballs aren't just for spaghetti! They also make a good appetizer or side. Take a break from wings and try minty Greek meatballs on your next pizza night for something a little different, but still tasty. They're easy to keep warm for a party by placing them in a slow cooker with some beef broth.
9. Spinach dip
What a yummy way to eat your vegetables. Spread some Knorr's Spinach Dip on bread.
What's a party without some dip? Spinach dip is easy to make and delicious with fresh veggies, pretzels, bread, chips, or crackers—the list goes on and on. It's also great for dipping pizza crusts in!
10. Veggie tray
Whether you put it together yourself or grab one at the store, a veggie tray is a super simple and healthy side to go with pizza. You can even just cut up whatever you have in the fridge. Set out some ranch dressing (again, great for dipping crusts!), and you're ready to go.
11. Pickle wraps
If you've never had pickle wraps — or pickle rolls, pickle roll-ups, or Minnesota sushi — these are a fun, light appetizer perfect for pizza parties, especially where kids are involved. Made with just three ingredients, pickle wraps are simply pickles wrapped in deli meat and cream cheese.
Pizza is comforting, fun, versatile, and deliciously crowd-pleasing, and there are so many sides that can go with it. When you get stuck trying to decide what to serve with pizza, return to this list and pick something out that tickles your taste buds and fits the amount of time and energy you have to put into it.
Kathy acquired the blog, Recipe Idea Shop in 2024. She was raised on a farm in Arkansas where having a big garden and good food to eat was the norm. She shares recipes for homemade comfort food and new trending dishes.
Kathy began her blogging journey in 2011 when she founded PetticoatJunktion.com, a home décor blog focused on repurposing and upcycling furniture, and thrift store finds.