29 Italian Side Dishes to Make Tonight

These must-try Italian side dishes are essential for when you want to bring a taste of Italy to your dinner table.

1 / 29

Garlic Bread

Ever wonder how to make garlic bread? This homemade garlic bread is the answer! Minced fresh garlic is key to these flavor-packed crusty slices, which our big family would snap up before they even had a chance to cool. —Grace Yaskovic, Branchville, New Jersey
2 / 29

Italian Mushrooms

Only four ingredients create a rich and flavorful side dish that goes well with beef and mashed potatoes. —Kim Reichert, Fargo, North Dakota
3 / 29

Spinach-Parm Casserole

For those who ignore Popeye and won’t eat their spinach, I find that spinach with garlicky butter and Parmesan helps change their minds. —Judy Batson, Tampa, Florida
4 / 29

Pumpkin Gnocchi in Sage Butter

For a delicious autumn spin on an Italian classic, try this hearty, seasonal gnocchi. Sage and garlic butter sauce complements the pumpkin wonderfully. —Donna Mosca Kahler, Jupiter, Florida
5 / 29

Italian Sausage-Stuffed Zucchini

I've always had to be creative when getting my family to eat vegetables, so I decided to make stuffed zucchini using the pizza flavors that everyone loves. It worked! We like to include sausage for a main dish but it could be a meatless side too. —Donna Marie Ryan, Topsfield, Massachusetts
6 / 29

Italian Meatball Buns

These soft little rolls come with a pleasant surprise inside—savory Italian meatballs. The apps are wonderful dipped in marinara sauce, which makes them fun for my grandkids—and adults too. I love how easy they are to put together. —Trina Linder-Mobley, Clover, South Carolina
7 / 29

Italian Zucchini Casserole

Compliments crop up as fast as vines when folks sample this zucchini casserole. Even those who generally don't like zucchini find they enjoy it in this savory side dish. —Kimberly Speta, Kennedy, New York
8 / 29

White Beans and Spinach

This skillet side is a variation of a recipe I received from my Italian mother. I've prepared spinach this way for years—because my children eat it happily! —Lucia Johnson, Massena, New York
9 / 29
10 / 29

Linguine with Fresh Tomatoes

This garlic and basil linguine is a perfect way to use up your late-summer tomato harvest. It makes a great light supper when paired with a salad, or you can make it heartier with some chopped chicken. —Susan Jones, Downers Grove, Illinois
11 / 29

Best Ever Stuffed Mushrooms

At party time, I bring out a platter of my easy stuffed mushrooms. I like to make mine with reduced-fat sausage, but you can use regular for an indulgent treat. —Debby Beard, Eagle, Colorado
12 / 29
13 / 29

Two-Bean Tomato Bake

Parmesan cheese, basil and garlic spice up this mouthwatering medley of beans, mushrooms, onion and tomatoes. It's even more flavorful when you use your garden harvest. We love the cheesy crumb topping because it adds a fantastic crunch.—Dorothy Rieke, Julian, Nebraska
14 / 29

Parmesan Risotto

Risotto is a creamy Italian rice dish. In this version, the rice is briefly sauteed, then slowly cooked in wine and seasonings. Watch for that magic moment when the risotto transforms from just rice in liquid to creamy, tender deliciousness. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
15 / 29

Cherry Tomato Mozzarella Saute

This side dish is full of flavor and so quick to put together. The cherry tomatoes and mozzarella are perfect alongside almost any main dish you can think of. —Summer Jones, Pleasant Grove, Utah
16 / 29

Sun-Dried Tomato Scalloped Potatoes

My family was tired of my traditional scalloped potatoes. So when I came across this recipe featuring a pesto and sun-dried tomato sauce, I knew I had to try it. I'm so glad I did, and so is my family! —Jamie Milligan, Kimberley, British Columbia
17 / 29

Italian Spaghetti Squash

This is a unique and easy way to cook spaghetti squash. Be sure the squash is on the small or medium side so that it fits into the slow cooker after being cut in half. —Melissa Brooks, Sparta, Wisconsin
18 / 29

Five-Cheese Rigatoni

Who can resist cheesy pasta hot from the oven? This ooey-gooey rigatoni mac and cheese boasts a homemade white sauce. —Shirley Foltz, Dexter, Kansas
19 / 29

Oven-Roasted Tomatoes

I love tomatoes, as they're both healthy and versatile. You can use these roasted ones in sandwiches or omelets, or to top broiled chicken. —Julie Tilney (Gomez), Downey, California
20 / 29

Sicilian Steamed Leeks

I love the challenge of developing recipes for my garden leeks, a delicious underused vegetable. This Italian-flavored dish is a family favorite. —Roxanne Chan, Albany, California
21 / 29

Zucchini Parmesan

You'll knock their socks off with this easy-to-prep side dish that's absolutely delicious. My favorite time to make it is when the zucchini is fresh out of the garden. —Sandi Guettler, Bay City, Michigan
22 / 29

Roasted Balsamic Red Potatoes

When I found a potato recipe that called for vinegar, I was intrigued. But without all the ingredients on hand, I had to improvise and gave it a whirl using Italian seasoning and balsamic vinegar. It was fantastic! —Lisa M. Varner, El Paso, TX
23 / 29
24 / 29

Garden Orzo Risotto

No one will believe this rich, creamy dish was prepared in less than 30 minutes! I developed the recipe when my garden tomatoes, zucchini and basil were coming on strong. Using orzo instead of Arborio rice makes the risotto so much easier to prepare. —Cindy Beberman, Orland Park, Illinois
25 / 29

Creamy Roasted Garlic & Spinach Orzo

This side dish brings instant comfort. I first made it without spinach so my husband and daughter would like it. The next time, I added spinach for the extra health benefits. They still devoured it, so in my book that's a win-win. —Dawn Moore, Warren, Pennsylvania
26 / 29
27 / 29

Cranberry Ricotta Gnocchi with Brown Butter Sauce

To make light and airy gnocchi, work quickly and handle the dough as little as possible. You'll be pleased with the resulting pillowy dumplings. —Sally Sibthorpe, Shelby Township, Michigan
28 / 29

Butternut Squash Oven Risotto

Squash and beer make my risotto different and delicious. Plus, cooking it in the oven cuts down on hands-on time making it. Win-win. —Katie Ferrier Gage, Houston, TX
29 / 29

Camille Berry
With nearly a decade of freelancing under her belt (six with Taste of Home), Camille regularly taps into her background to write about about all things food and drink. Part of the third generation in a family of restaurateurs, Camille was born with a passion for cooking and food. She embarked on a career in hospitality where she excelled as a sommelier and wine director. This hospitality experience has given her a wealth of first-hand knowledge about how to pair all manner of drinks with food—plus some serious kitchen skills. These days, she's hung up her wine key in favor of a keyboard and covers all aspects of food and drink.
Emily Racette Parulski
Emily has spent the last decade writing and editing food and lifestyle content. As a senior editor at Taste of Home, she leads the newsletter team sharing delicious recipes and helpful cooking tips to more than 2 million loyal email subscribers. Since joining TMB seven years ago as an associate editor, she has worked on special interest publications, launched TMB’s first cross-branded newsletter, supported the launch of the brand's affiliate strategy, orchestrated holiday countdowns, participated in taste tests and was selected for a task force to enhance the Taste of Home community. Emily was first mentioned by name in Taste of Home magazine in 1994, when her mother won a contest. When she’s not editing, Emily can be found in her kitchen baking something sweet, taking a wine class with her husband, or making lasagnas for neighbors through Lasagna Love.