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Home » Side Dish Recipes » What to Serve With

What to Serve with Cabbage Rolls (49 Ideas)

Published: Dec 16, 2022 · Updated: Jan 31, 2025 by Marye

A collage of recipe images that go with cabbage rolls plus a text overlay for Pinterest.

Wondering what to serve with great-grandma's cabbage roll recipe? Well, here are some ideas to get you started!

The best side dishes offer lighter, simpler ingredients to balance out the tomato soup and ground meat mixture stuffed inside the tender cabbage leaves.

Overhead view of cabbage rolls on a serving platter.
Table of Contents
  • What sides go well with cabbage rolls?
  • Vegetable side dishes
  • Bread and rolls
  • Grain-based sides
  • What's for dessert?
  • What side dishes don't go with cabbage rolls?
  • These sides are also great with...
  • 💬 Comments

What sides go well with cabbage rolls?

Cabbage rolls (Galumpki) are a classic, hearty dish that a lot of people grew up eating. Though there are many different versions of cabbage rolls from all over the world, eastern Europe played the largest role in creating the yummy main dish.

However, now that you've chosen your meal's main attraction, it's time to figure out what to serve with the savory cabbage rolls to complement their delicious flavor.

Cut cabbage rolls on a plate showing the filling.

We've divided this list by category so that you can find the perfect side dish to serve with cabbage rolls—and create a hearty meal that is sure to make your taste buds tingle with excitement!

The best part? There are tons of easy side options, so the only thing difficult is choosing which to try first! Let's go!

Vegetable side dishes

The crispy texture of a versatile salad is the perfect accompaniment to tender meat-filled cabbage rolls. However, leafy greens aren't the only quick side dish you can serve with your main course. Root vegetables are a great option when you're craving something comforting yet light!

Closeup of the cucumbers and purple onions in a bowl.
  1. Apple slaw with red onions and caraway seeds
  2. Bacon-wrapped green beans
  3. Cucumber salad (shown above)
  4. Fried apples
  5. Green beans and potatoes
  6. Green bean salad
  7. Maple syrup-glazed baby carrots
  8. Mashed cauliflower
  9. Mashed potatoes
  10. Potato pancakes
  11. Potato salad
  12. Sauteed beets
  13. Sauteed mushrooms and onions
  14. Smashed red potatoes
  15. Sweet potatoes
  16. Three-bean salad

Bread and rolls

Warm, soft bread and tomato-based sauce make a perfect match! Don't even think about serving stuffed cabbage rolls without something to sop up every last drop of the delicious meal.

Decorative image of breadsticks on a plate.
  1. 30-minute homemade baguettes
  2. Cheese and bacon fougasse
  3. Cheesy bread
  4. Dinner rolls in a half-hour
  5. Garlic bread
  6. Garlic herb breadsticks
  7. Homemade Jewish rye bread
  8. Potato rolls
  9. Ready-made bread
  10. Rustic cloche bread loaf
  11. Sweet Hawaiian rolls
  12. Whole wheat dinner rolls

Grain-based sides

Cabbage, meat, a little rice, and sauce—just add a complimentary grain to make it a complete meal! Noodles are a simple side dish that help highlight the flavor of the cabbage rolls, without overpowering them.

Be careful, though. If you use a lot of rice in the cabbage rolls it's best to choose some other type of side dish.

Closeup of finished dish.
  1. Baked macaroni and cheese (or cauliflower mac)
  2. Barley pilaf
  3. Buttered egg noodles
  4. Homemade pasta
  5. Noodles Romanoff (shown above)
  6. Orzo pasta with lemon juice
  7. Pearl couscous with cherry tomatoes and cucumber
  8. Pierogies (with a dollop of sour cream!)
  9. Spaetzle

What's for dessert?

No meal is complete without a bit of something sweet. So, the next time you're wondering what to serve with cabbage rolls, don't forget dessert! With such a traditional dish, choose something simpler to finish off the filling, delicious dinner.

Overhead view of the apple spice bundt cake on a table.
  1. Apple spice bundt cake (shown above)
  2. Brownies
  3. Butter cookies
  4. Chocolate mayonaise cake
  5. Chewy butterscotch cookies
  6. Homemade fudge
  7. Ice cream sundaes
  8. Pineapple upside-down cheesecake
  9. Pudding
  10. Red Hot apple pie
  11. Strawberry rhubarb pie
  12. Vintage buttermilk cake

What side dishes don't go with cabbage rolls?

Choosing a great side dish to serve with cabbage rolls isn't difficult. However, there are a few types of ingredients that don't go as well with the savory, tangy flavors and textures of your main meal. Here are some examples:

  • Brussels sprouts—too similar to cabbage leaves
  • Cabbage roll casserole—for obvious reasons
  • Ground beef-based sides—avoid doubling up on the meats
  • Hearty stew—too heavy to use as a side for cabbage rolls
  • Tomato sauce—already used in the classic dish

These sides are also great with...

Too many great sides to choose just one or two? Well, I have good news! These easy and delicious sides also are great with more of your favorite dinner recipes. Choose a few from this list and you've got dinner planned all week! Way to go, you!

Overhead view of the skillet with a serving removed.
  • Baked eggplant parmesan
  • Cracker Barrel hamburger steak (shown above)
  • Easy deviled chicken
  • French onion chicken bake
  • Homemade meatloaf
  • Old-fashioned stuffed peppers
  • One-pot "lazy" cabbage roll casserole

With all of these delicious options you can choose something different every time you have cabbage rolls for dinner!

More What to Serve With

  • Collage of Texas side dishes including biscuits, cheese grits, beans, and pickled okra.
    Best Texas Side Dishes
  • Overhead view of a skillet of baked beans with a spoon in it.
    29 Best Cookout Side Dishes for 2024
  • Collage of side dishes showing what to serve with quiche.
    What to Serve with Quiche
  • Collage of side dishes that go well with kielbasa and sauerkraut.
    Best Sides for Kielbasa & Sauerkraut

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About Marye

Meet Marye Audet, a wizard in the kitchen and a storyteller at heart. Marye is like your eccentric but fun aunt who knows all the secret recipes and isn't afraid to spill them.

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Marye Audet-White, founder of Restless Chipotle Media

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NY Times bestselling author. 10 cookbooks. Mom of 8 kids. Homeschooling mom for 22 years. Addicted to Hallmark Christmas Movies. Collector of old cookbooks.

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