What To Serve With Penne Alla Vodka (Side Dishes & Proteins)

When pasta night calls for something extra cozy, penne alla vodka always delivers. But the real question is—what to serve with penne alla vodka? This creamy, tomato-based pasta pairs beautifully with a variety of sides, from crisp salads and garlicky bread to hearty proteins that round out the meal. In this roundup, you’ll find the best side dish ideas to turn your pasta into a complete dinner spread.

My Penne Alla Vodka with Chicken recipe is perfect for a cozy night in or an impressive dinner for guests. This recipe levels up the classic with crispy breaded chicken served right on top. Toss the penne in a luscious, velvety sauce and top it all off with more cheese.

Protein

Overhead image of baked chicken cutlets with garnish.

Crispy Baked Chicken Cutlets in Oven

These Baked Chicken Cutlets are incredibly crispy, giving you all the crunch without the hassle of frying. By using a combination of panko breadcrumbs and parmesan, these cutlets come out of the oven golden and crunchy, with minimal effort.

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Overhead image of grilled shrimp skewers with garnish on white dish.

Easy Grilled Shrimp Skewers

These easy Grilled Shrimp Skewers are packed with zesty lemon and bold spices that make every bite a delight. Perfectly grilled and smoky, they’re great as an appetizer or a light main course. Pair them with your favorite summer sides for a delicious meal!

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Overhead image of chicken rocotta meatballs with spaghetti on white and blue plate.

Chicken Ricotta Meatballs

My Chicken Ricotta Meatballs are tender, juicy, and flavorful with a light, creamy texture—baked in just 15 minutes for an easy meal.

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Meatball Parmigiana

Meatball Parmigiana features juicy meatballs in marinara, topped with melted mozzarella. A hearty, cheesy dish perfect over pasta, in a sub, or on its own!

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Salad

Kale Brussel Sprouts Salad with Honey Mustard Dressing

This Kale, Brussels, and Cranberry Salad is simply delightful. It boasts a lemony honey mustard dressing, drizzled over crispy greens and almonds.

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Overhead image of Italian chopped salad in brown bowl.

Next-Level Italian Chopped Salad

Looking for a delicious and customizable salad? Try this Next-Level Italian Chopped Salad. It’s quick, easy to make, and always a crowd-pleaser.

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Marry Me Chickpea Salad

This Marry Me Chickpea Salad is a vegetarian take on the viral Marry Me Chicken recipe! An easy dish made with sun-dried tomatoes and thyme.

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Overhead image of kale crunch salad in white bowl.

Kale Crunch Salad (Chick-Fil-A Copycat)

This Kale Crunch Salad is an easy copycat recipe of the best side salads at Chick-Fil-A. Topped with apple dijon vinaigrette.

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Bread

Sourdough Breadsticks (Olive Garden Copycat)

These soft Sourdough Breadsticks are a copycat of the Olive Garden favorites! The easy-to-make homemade breadsticks are brushed with melted butter and garlic.

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Homemade Garlic Knots

30 Minute Garlic Knots are an easy recipe! These garlic knots are made from scratch – start to finish – in just 30 minutes!

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Overhead image of pull-apart garlic bread on white dish.

Cheesy Pull-Apart Garlic Bread

This Cheesy, buttery, pull-apart bread is loaded with garlic, herbs, butter and loads of cheese! This is the ultimate side dish or perfect party appetizer!

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Veggies

Garlic Parmesan Green Beans

These Garlic Parmesan Green Beans are boiled to crisp-tender, sautéed with a delicious garlic butter seasoning, and finished with a sprinkle of Parmesan.

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Up close image of prosciutto wrapped asparagus with cheese.

Easy Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus With Cheese

These Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus Bundles are a tasty, easy and elegant side dish to any meal. With just a few pantry staples and minimal prep time, you’ll have a delicious dish ready in under 30 minutes!

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Overhead image of brussels sprouts with balsamic glaze in white bowl.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Balsamic Glaze

Roasted Brussels sprouts with balsamic glaze are the perfect side dish to any meal. The raspberry-balsamic glaze really takes the brussels sprouts to a new level of flavor!

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Roasted Zucchini with Parmesan

This Roasted Zucchini Recipe is so delicious and so easy to make. Ready in about 20 minutes, fresh zucchini squash is tossed with olive oil, simple seasonings, and grated parmesan cheese then roasted in the oven until tender.

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No matter which side you choose, these dishes are the perfect answer to what to serve with penne alla vodka. Mix and match a few favorites, and you’ll have a dinner spread that’s both comforting and impressive.