What To Serve with Stuffed Shells for Dinner (20 Easy Sides)

If you’re making a pan of cheesy, saucy baked shells for dinner, you might be wondering what to serve with baked shells to round out the meal. While this classic pasta dish is rich, comforting, and packed with flavor, the right sides can take it from good to so much better.

Whether you’re planning a cozy weeknight dinner or feeding a crowd, pairing baked shells with fresh, crunchy, or lighter sides helps balance out all that cheesy goodness. In this post, I’ll be sharing some delicious side dish recipes. Think crisp salads, roasted veggies, warm breads, and simple sides that don’t compete with the main dish, but complement it perfectly!

A 6 photo collage showing side dish recipes with text overlay that says what to serve with stuffed shells for dinner.

I have two stuffed shells recipes on the blog, and you can’t go wrong with either one! My Baked Stuffed Shells with Meat Sauce is an easy, family-friendly dinner classic. It is perfect for busy weeknights, family dinners, or a comforting Sunday supper.

My Philly Cheesesteak Stuffed Shells is a blog favorite! This dish is creamy, decadent, spicy, and relatively hands-off once the dish is in the oven.

Salad

Caesar Salad Dressing without Anchovies

This Caesar Salad Dressing Without Anchovies recipe allows you to enjoy Caesar salads as a vegetarian. Made with pantry staples like mayo, garlic, lemon juice, and Worcestershire, this recipe always creates a flavorful dressing. I’ve also included instructions for making homemade croutons and salad.

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Overhead up close image of Italian chopped salad.

Best Italian Chopped Salad

Enjoy the best Italian Chopped Salad you’ve ever had loaded with salami, cheese, roasted pepper, veggies & an oregano oil & vinegar dressing.

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Apple Walnut Salad

My spectacularly seasonal Apple Walnut Salad tastes as bright and crisp as a sunny fall day. Candied nuts, crunchy pepitas, juicy apples, sweet-tart dried cranberries, sharp red onions, and salty feta are piled on a bed of mixed greens and drizzled with a zippy apple cider vinaigrette for a salad even my first grader enjoys!

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Chopped Greek Salad

This Chopped Greek Salad is refreshingly crisp and delicious. You can make it ahead of time, as it stays crispy longer than other salads.

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Arugula Pear Salad with Candied Pecans

This easy arugula salad with pears and candied pecans is a show-stopping salad that’s perfect for entertaining. The delicious combination of peppery greens, sweet fruit, creamy cheese, crunchy nuts and a zesty homemade vinaigrette that ties it all together. It’s a salad that feels special enough for the holidays but simple enough for a weeknight dinner.

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Side Salad

This Side Salad is loaded with crisp veggies, crispy bacon, and tossed with a creamy, flavorful homemade ranch dressing. It’s fresh and easy and the perfect side salad for any meal.

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Appetizer

Italian Cowboy Caviar

Need a quick, fresh, and reliable snack? This Italian Cowboy Caviar comes together in minutes with no cooking needed! It’s perfect for last-minute hosting, meal prep, or when you want something to snack on without the stress.

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Burrata Caprese

Burrata caprese is bright, fresh, and full of flavor. Made with creamy burrata instead of mozzarella, it’s a tasty twist on classic caprese.

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Bruschetta with Marinated Feta

A delicious easy after school bruschetta with marinated feta spread.

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Bread

Garlic Bread Rolls (Homemade)

These homemade Garlic Bread Rolls are soft, buttery, and infused with rosemary and garlic. Perfectly golden on the outside and tender on the inside, they are filled and finished with savory garlic parsley butter. Ideal for any dinner table, these rolls are sure to impress your family and guests.

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Garlic Breadsticks

Garlic breadsticks can be made from scratch in just an hour! These soft garlic breadsticks taste like the ones from Olive Garden or Fazoli’s.

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Stuffed Garlic Bread

A Stuffed Garlic Bread recipe that is so easy, cheesy, and beautiful, you’ll want to have it as the centerpiece for every pasta night, holiday potluck, and dinner party!

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Up close image of garlic knots with garnish.

Homemade Garlic Knots

Homemade garlic knots covered in butter, garlic and parmesan cheese are perfect dipped in marinara sauce or as a side dish all on their own.

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Herby Garlic Dinner Rolls

With just basic pantry ingredients, you’ll be making these on repeat.

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Overhead image of Italian bread cut into small pieces.

The Secret to Bakery-Style Italian Bread at Home

What’s the secret to bakery-style Italian bread at home? Hint: it only takes one rise, a splash of olive oil, and a hot oven.

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Veggies

Up close image of crispy brussels sprouts.

The Crispiest Brussels Sprouts Ever

These are hands-down the best, crispiest brussels sprouts ever. They’re delicious straight off the pan, but a perfect veggie side dish for any main course.

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Garlic Parmesan Green Beans

These Garlic Parmesan Green Beans are the perfect side dish for a weeknight meal or a special holiday dinner. Ready in minutes, these green beans are boiled to crisp-tender, sautéed with a delicious garlic butter seasoning, and finished with a sprinkle of Parmesan. Can’t get your kids to eat green beans? Try this garlicky-buttery-salty-cheesy recipe for green beans for a new family favorite!

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Roasted Garlic Parmesan Carrots

Roasted Garlic Parmesan Carrots are an easy and flavorful side dish!

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Up close image of wrapped asparagus with proscuitto and 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 roasted rainbow carrots with whipped feta and garnish.

Roasted Carrots With Whipped Feta

Roasted Carrots With Whipped Feta is a simple yet elegant side dish that combines sweet roasted carrots and lemony whipped feta and comes together in 20 minutes!

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Whether you go with something fresh and light or warm and comforting, the right side makes all the difference. Save this list for the next time you’re planning dinner and need easy, delicious ideas for what to serve with baked shells.