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Home » Side Dish Recipes

What to Serve with Eggplant Parmesan

Published: Feb 14, 2023 Last Updated: Feb 14, 2023 by Marye 926 words. | About 5 minutes to read this article.

A collage of images with title text for Pinterest.

Wondering what to serve with eggplant parmesan? You've come to the right place—this post has over 75 awesome recipe ideas to tantalize your taste buds for weeks!

The classic Italian dish is best known for its tender pieces of breaded eggplant smothered with hearty marinara sauce and finished with a gooey layer of mozzarella and parmesan cheese. Garnished with some fresh basil, it's a hearty meal the whole family enjoys.

A collage of images from this post.
Jump to:
  • ❤️ Why we love it
  • 🥦 Vegetables and Sides
  • 🍝 Pasta
  • 🥖 Breads
  • 🍰 Desserts
  • 🍷 Wine and cocktails
  • 🍇 Garnish
  • 💭 Things to know
  • These side dishes also go with...
  • These side dishes DO NOT go with...

❤️ Why we love it

  • Serve as a main dish or a side (don't you love options?!)
  • Crisp bread crumbs with melty mozzarella cheese is the best combo
  • A great option for meat lovers or vegetarians—just swap the sauce accordingly

One of the best things about eggplant parmesan is that it's just so versatile. You can use leftover sauce or homemade, bake the eggplant for a healthier option, make it gluten-free, sneak in some extra veggies, and even take time-saving shortcuts—and it'll still be delish!

A serving of eggplant parmesan being removed from the dish.

🥦 Vegetables and Sides

Don't count out veggies when deciding what to serve with eggplant parmesan. After all, my favorite eggplant parmesan recipe is so rich and tasty, you'll forget you're even eating a vegetable!

  1. Pan-roasted broccolini
  2. Italian green beans salad
  3. Antipasto salad
  4. Italian sausage-stuffed bell peppers
  5. Maple roasted carrots
  6. Caprese salad
  7. Grilled zucchini
  8. Spinach salad with lemon vinaigrette
  9. Green beans and potatoes
  10. Sauteed spinach
  11. Garden fresh salad with balsamic vinegar dressing
  12. Steakhouse creamed spinach
  13. Steamed broccoli
  14. Spicy roasted cauliflower
  15. Wedge salad
  16. Sauteed green beans and peppers
  17. Spaghetti squash
  18. Mashed potatoes
  19. Broccoli cauliflower salad
  20. Asparagus spears
Pasta salad on a plate.

🍝 Pasta

It's not a true Italian meal without a pasta dish on the dinner table! Serve these the next time you make eggplant parmesan for a five-star feast.

  1. Pasta Fresca
  2. Ravioli
  3. Spaghetti and meatballs
  4. Homemade pasta noodles
  5. Angel hair with olive oil and garlic powder
  6. Mom's noodles Romanoff
  7. Buttered spaghetti noodles
  8. Orzo with parmesan cheese
  9. Italian pasta salad (with 20 easy variations!)
  10. Penne, rigatoni, or ziti pasta
  11. Gluten-free noodles
  12. Agnolotti
  13. Pasta con broccoli
  14. Pan-fried gnocchi
  15. Baked macaroni and cheese
  16. Tortellini pasta salad
  17. Stuffed shells
Feature image for this post - a close up of the finished recipe.

🥖 Breads

Bread is one of the best side dishes—probably ever. It's especially great served with eggplant parmesan, so you can scoop up every last bit of fresh tomato sauce.

  1. Garlic breadsticks (shown above!)
  2. Whole wheat rolls
  3. Frozen garlic toast slices
  4. Kalamata olive bread
  5. Rustic bread made in a cloche (or use a dutch oven)
  6. Cheesy garlic bread
  7. Homemade baguettes
  8. Focaccia with Italian seasoning
  9. Grocery store sourdough slices
  10. Buttered Ciabatta slices
  11. Easy 30-minute dinner rolls
  12. Homemade garlic bread
  13. Cheese and bacon fougasse
  14. Don't forget garlic butter for serving!
Three glasses filled with chocolate pudding on a white table.

🍰 Desserts

When considering what to serve with eggplant parmesan, don't you dare forget about dessert! A little something sweet perfectly complements a hearty meal.

  1. Tiramisu
  2. Lemon bars with gingersnap crust
  3. Panna cotta
  4. Pizzelles
  5. Italian butter cookies
  6. Old-fashioned fudge
  7. Biscotti
  8. Cinnamon cream cheese crowns
  9. Chocolate cherry cupcakes
  10. Frozen custard
  11. Pistachio cannoli
  12. Strawberry angel food cake
  13. Gelato
  14. Italian Easter bread

🍷 Wine and cocktails

My favorite way to make any meal feel special is by pouring something fun into a fancy glass! Serve these beverages for a perfectly-paired eggplant parmesan dinner.

  1. Sangiovese wine
  2. Easy red sangria
  3. Cabernet Sauvignon
  4. Malbec
  5. Barbera wine
  6. Jameson Irish Redhead cocktail
  7. Negroni cocktail
  8. Cranberry Moscow Mule
  9. Pinot Noir
  10. Barolo wine
  11. Aperol Spritz
  12. Old Fashioned with muddled fig
  13. Prosecco Bellini cocktail
  14. Sparkling red grape juice (a great non-alcoholic option)

🍇 Garnish

Garnish doesn't just add some pizzazz, but it really brings extra flavor to your dish, too. Serving these garnishes with eggplant parmesan will earn you the title of "best hostess ever!"

  • Fresh parsley
  • Extra parmesan cheese (serve freshly grated for bonus points!)
  • Red pepper flakes
  • Chiffonade-cut basil
  • Fresh-cracked black peppercorn
  • Gremolata (a green Italian condiment made from fresh herbs)

💭 Things to know

These tips will help you to have the best eggplant parmesan, or eggplant parmigiana, as some like to call it. (Though, its name on a menu in Italy will read "melanzane alla parmigiana!")

  • Buy fresh mozzarella and shred it yourself. The texture is so much better than prepackaged cheese.
  • If the mozzarella is too soft to shred easily, pop it in the freezer for a bit.
  • Salt the eggplant slices to draw out the moisture, then dab them with a kitchen towel. This is a great way to ensure your dish isn't watery!
  • A beaten egg (or egg wash) helps the breadcrumb mixture stick to the eggplant, but you can also use melted butter or olive oil.
  • You can use an air fryer to quickly and easily "fry" the eggplant slices—air fryer eggplant tastes just as good as the original, but healthier!
  • Opting for the traditional fried route? Be sure to set the fried eggplant slices on a paper towel to drain, otherwise, your meal might taste oily.
  • If the eggplant is tender and cooked, but the cheese isn't melted enough yet, pop it under the broiler for a few minutes.
  • Eggplant parmesan is a tasty freezer meal. Feel free to cover the leftovers tightly and consume within three months of freezing!

These side dishes also go with...

Too many easy side dishes to choose from? Try them with one of these meals, instead!

  • Baked Ricotta Chicken is a half-hour recipe full of creamy cheese and so much saucy flavor.
  • Crunchy and crisp, Baked Garlic Parmesan Chicken is also juicy, tender, and goes great with your favorite Italian pasta side dishes.
  • Alfredo Chicken with Ravioli tastes straight out of an Italian kitchen—no flight to Europe necessary!
  • So satisfying after a long, chilly day, Herbed Baked Chicken with Cream Gravy fills you up and tastes great with pasta, rice, or veggies!

These side dishes DO NOT go with...

Tasty dishes, but not with these sides. Save 'em for a meal all on their own!

  • This Cheesy Mexican Lasagna is easy to make, affordable, and a full meal on its own! Add some guac, if you want, and you're good to go.
  • A Cracker Barrel copycat-favorite, Broccoli Cheddar Chicken Casserole is easy to make ahead and store for another time!
  • Spicy and delicious, Tamale Pie Casserole with Cornmeal is a Tex-Mex staple that doesn't really need any sides at all.

More Legendary Southern Side Dish Recipes

  • Best Pineapple Fluff Recipe
  • Loaded Green Bean Casserole
  • 23 Southern Easter Side Dishes
  • Mom's Homemade Potato Salad
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About Marye

With a 40 year focus on the importance of family and a passion for southern comfort food, Marye Audet-White is an expert in melding the two together effortlessly. Marye's a NY Times Bestselling author with 10 cookbooks under her belt and her recipes have been featured in Good Housekeeping, Country Living, Today, House Beautiful, Texas Living, Food & Wine, and many more.

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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.

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