What to Serve with Vodka Pasta? 7 BEST Side Dishes

Vodka pasta slaps hard on any dinner table. We’re here dishing out the Ultimate Guide to what parks next to this saucy sensation.

First off, pasta’s cool cousin? Garlic bread. It’s a no-brainer. Adds crunch, soaks up sauce. A hero move. And greens? Yes, please. A simple arugula salad throws in that peppery bite, balancing the rich, creamy pasta vibes.

We’ve tried. We’ve tested. Sharing our wins and “mehs” makes us your pasta party co-pilots. Lean in for the scoop on side dishes that never ghost on flavor.

Got a sweet spot for sweets? Fruit salad with a citrus zing wraps it up fresh.

Real talk? These pairings make your plate a happy dance of textures and tastes. Promise, your pasta night just leveled up.

Why Consider Serving Side Dishes with Vodka Pasta?

Pasta dishes are usually rich and filling, and they’re a complete meal by themselves.

Vodka pasta shares the same characteristics.

If you’re alone and don’t feel like cooking, you can have it all alone.

However, if you’re serving vodka pasta to family or guests, only one dish will not be enough.

At the same time, it can also become boring to eat only one dish.

It also adds freshness when you can have various items to eat.

The flavors and textures also balance perfectly when there are several dishes to enjoy simultaneously.

What to Serve with Vodka Pasta? 7 BEST Side Dishes

Pasta is versatile, so you can serve it with many other items.

If you’re wondering what to have along with penne alla pasta, here is a list of the best seven dishes.

1 – Sauteed Spinach with Garlic

Spinach is pretty underrated, but it’s delicious, and it pairs well with pasta.

It’s also an easy dish to make, and you don’t need many ingredients.

The green leaves are full of nutrients and have a very low-calorie count, and they can be beneficial for your health in many ways.

Easy sauteed spinach needs olive oil, salt, garlic, and pepper.

You can also add some lemon juice, onions, and dried chile flakes if you want some kick.

You can serve the dish warm with the pasta.

You will have a freshness and crunch that works nicely with the softness and juiciness of the pasta.

2 – Bean Stew

Bean soup or stew is a thick and hearty soup but low in fat and high in nutrients.

You can team it up nicely with vodka pasta and have a complete meal.

The stew or soup usually has beans, broth, and other veggies.

You can make the soup with different beans like white, kidney, lentils, black, pinto, garbanzo, and green.

While you can eat the soup cold, it’s best to eat it warm when serving with the pasta dish.

You can use canned, dried, or fresh beans to make the stew.

3 – Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Pasta is compatible with most veggies, so why not try roasted Brussels sprouts for a change? They look like miniature versions of cabbage and contain plenty of nutrients too.

Adding veggie to your diet can be beneficial as it also has high fiber content and can promote gut health.

It also adds some crunch to your meal that complements the tender pasta.

You can make the dish with bacon if you want some animal protein, but you can omit it if you want it to be purely vegan.

You will also need olive oil, balsamic vinegar, pecans, and seasoning.

4 – Arugula Salad

Salads can never go out of fashion as they bring the element of freshness to any meal.

Arugula salad is something that you can serve with vodka pasta.

The greens, called rockets, have a slightly bitter, peppery flavor.

You must pick them when the leaves are young, or the dish may not taste that good.

Like other salads, making arugula salad is easy, and you need only a handful of ingredients.

You need the leaves, shallots, honey, red wine vinegar, and olive oil for the dressing.

5 – Caesar Salad

It’s yet another salad dish but something which you can serve with vodka pasta.

You can make Caesar salad in different ways, but you can stick to the classic variety.

It’s simply lettuce with croutons and a suitable dressing with parmesan, anchovies, egg, lemon juice, garlic, black pepper, Worcestershire sauce, and Dijon mustard.

Chicken is also a common ingredient in Caesar salad, but it’s optional, especially if you don’t want any meat in the dish.

The fresh and crunchy texture of the salad blends nicely with the soft and juicy pasta dish allowing you to enjoy various flavors at once.

6 – Bruschetta

Who says appetizers can’t pair with vodka pasta? They do, and one of our favorites is bruschetta.

It’s an “antipasto” (Italian traditional first course) in which you usually rub garlic on bread and top it with salt and olive oil.

However, though tasty, it may be too simple, so you can add plenty of other items to the bread.

Tomatoes, cheese, cured meat, veggies, and beans are other ingredients you can use to top bruschetta.

The crunchy bread and the fresh veggies will cleanse the palate, and you can enjoy the pasta dish without feeling overwhelmed.

7 – Classic Caprese Salad

Have you tasted that white, red, and green salad? It’s Caprese salad, and it represents the Italian flag.

It’s pretty refreshing, juicy, and crunchy, and it can pair exceptionally well with vodka pasta.

You only need red tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, and fresh basil leaves to make the salad.

Sprinkle some black pepper, sea salt, and some olive oil and behold, you have a summery salad.

It’s served as an appetizer, so it will work nicely as a side dish with the pasta.

It’s also easy to make the dish as you only have to slice the tomatoes and cheese and arrange them in a circle alternatively and add the basil leaves on top.