What to Serve with Italian Bread
We love to bake, and Italian bread is one of favorites! But you need a great main dish to go with that freshly baked loaf. When you’re wondering what to serve with Italian bread, look no further! We have a list of 19 tasty recipes ranging from pasta all the way to bread dipping oil. You can’t go wrong with any of these options!
1. Sausage and Peppers Pasta
This sausage and peppers pasta is a hearty, savory, easy dinner that’s loved by everyone.
It’s made with the short pasta noodle of your choice, Italian sausage, and bell pepper tossed in a savory tomato sauce.
This pasta recipe is a complete meal all on its own, but is excellent served with a slice of buttery Italian bread. It will go quick—you’ll be lucky if you have leftovers!
See the Recipe: Sausage and Peppers Pasta.
2. Butter Noodles
These butter parmesan noodles are an even tastier take on classic butter noodles.
They’re made with perfectly cooked egg noodles tossed in a delicate sauce made with butter, fresh parmesan, salt, and pepper.
Keep this recipe simple as-is or add in your favorite protein or veggies to make it more of a complete meal.
See the Recipe: Butter Noodles.
3. Feta Pasta
This recipe is made with a whole block of feta cheese that’s drizzled with oil, garlic, and herbs, then roasted with fresh cherry tomatoes to form a creamy, tomato-y sauce.
Serve this pasta fresh and hot, topped with extra feta and basil, and with a slice of homemade Italian bread.
See the Recipe: Feta Pasta.
4. Roasted Garlic and Olive Oil Pasta
This roasted garlic and olive oil pasta is an all time favorite.
It tastes like you got it at the best, most authentic Italian restaurant, except instead of breaking the bank you whipped it up in 10 minutes using just 7 basic ingredients.
This recipe is made with tender spaghetti noodles that are smothered in olive oil, creamy roasted garlic, then finished with a sprinkle of red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper.
See the Recipe: Roasted Garlic and Olive Oil Pasta.
5. Garlic Parmesan Pasta
There is no combination quite as delicious as that of fresh garlic and parmesan.
And this garlic parmesan pasta is one of my favorite ways to enjoy the two flavors.
It’s a 20-minute meal that’s made with your favorite long pasta shape coated in a buttery, creamy, garlicky parmesan cream sauce.
See the Recipe: Garlic Parmesan Pasta.
6. Beef and Tomato Casserole
This beef and tomato casserole is a hearty and comforting dinner you’ll be making over and over.
It’s so easy to make and is packed with flavor and protein.
I love to use ziti in this recipe, but feel free to use any short pasta shape you like.
It’s cooked al dente, then smothered in a savory, slightly spicy, and cheesy tomato sauce.
The pasta is layered into a baking dish, topped with even more cheese, then baked until ooey-gooey and melty. It’s comfort food at its best!
See the Recipe: Beef and Tomato Casserole.
7. Garlic Shrimp Pasta
The flavor of juicy shrimp paired with the bite of fresh garlic is a match made in heaven!
And this garlic shrimp pasta is the perfect way to enjoy garlicky shrimp.
This recipe is made with linguine noodles and pan-seared shrimp tossed together in a deliciously seasoned garlic cream sauce.
It’s so decadent and comes together in no more than 20 minutes.
See the Recipe: Garlic Shrimp Pasta.
8. French Onion Pasta
This French onion pasta is everyone’s favorite soup made into a delicious, hearty meal.
This pasta dinner features mini penne, onion, and portabella mushroom simmered in a savory parmesan cream sauce.
This recipe takes just 15 minutes to prepare and is loved by everyone that tries it.
Enjoy on its own, with a slice of toasted Italian bread, or with your favorite roasted veggie.
See the Recipe: French Onion Pasta
9. Tuscan Chicken Pasta
This Tuscan chicken pasta is the best fresh and delightful summertime meal.
It combines all of your favorite Italian ingredients in one hearty pasta dinner.
This recipe features penne pasta, pan-seared chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, fresh basil, parmesan, and more. It’s quick and easy to make and packed with so much flavor.
See the Recipe: Tuscan Chicken Pasta.
Get Our Free Shrimp Recipes Ebook!
10. Shrimp Scampi
Shrimp scampi is a decadent dish that sounds so much fancier than it is.
It’s really a big old plate of delicious shrimp! It can be enjoyed as an appetizer with bread or as a meal with your favorite pasta.
This recipe for shrimp scampi is made with juicy shrimp simmered on the stove in a tasty mixture of dry white wine, garlic, salt, pepper, and lemon.
See the Recipe: Shrimp Scampi.
11. Roasted Red Pepper Pasta
This roasted red pepper pasta is quick, easy, and loaded with flavor.
It uses fresh bell pepper, onion, garlic, heavy cream, parmesan, and a little bit of pasta water and tender spaghetti, linguine, or angel hair pasta.
The veggies are roasted until perfectly charred, then blended together to form a velvety, creamy sauce.
See the Recipe: Roasted Red Pepper Pasta.
12. Baked Meatballs
These baked meatballs are my favorite meatball recipe.
They’re cooked perfectly every, single time and packed full of flavors.
This recipe is made with a combination of ground beef and Italian sausage that’s seasoned perfectly, formed into balls, then baked until juicy and crisped.
Sprinkle with parmesan cheese or shredded mozzarella cheese for the ultimate gooey meal.
Enjoy smothered in marinara sauce and with a thick slice of Italian bread to sop up the sauce. You’ll be going back for seconds…and probably thirds too!
See the Recipe: Baked Meatballs.
13. Lemon Chicken
This creamy lemon chicken is a restaurant-quality meal that’s impressive to serve, but incredibly simple to make.
It features tender chicken drizzled with a velvety lemon sauce made with chicken broth, heavy cream, fresh lemon juice, and the perfect blend of spices.
This recipe takes a mere 15 minutes to prepare and is perfect served over pasta, veggies, or with a side of bread to soak up the creamy sauce.
See the Recipe: Lemon Chicken.
14. Roasted Garlic Butter
Skip a trip to the grocery store and create your own easy garlic bread recipe!
Slather some of this roasted garlic butter onto a loaf of Italian bread and toast until golden brown for the most amazing homemade garlic bread.
Take it a step further and sprinkle the bread with mozzarella cheese, wrap it in aluminum foil, and heat it in the oven for ooey, gooey garlic cheese bread.
See the Recipe: Roasted Garlic Butter.
15. Olive Oil Bread Dip
Don’t care for crispy garlic bread? How about homemade bread dipping oil instead?
Extra-virgin olive oil gets mixed with balsamic vinegar and Italian seasoning in a small bowl perfect for dipping.
Bread dipping oil is served as an appetizer or side dish in many Italian-style restaurants, and it’s sure to be a family favorite! It pairs perfectly with a loaf of warm bread.
See the Recipe: Bread Dipping Oil.
16. Chicken Mushroom Fettuccine
This chicken mushroom fettuccine is a rich and delicious dish that requires very little effort.
It’s made with tender fettuccine noodles tossed in a homemade parmesan cream sauce, seasoned chicken, and sauteed mushrooms.
Enjoy this pasta as-is or add some Italian bread on the side to soak up all the extra alfredo sauce. It’s practically perfect in every way!
See the Recipe: Chicken Mushroom Fettuccine.
17. Chicken Caprese
This chicken caprese is my version of a classic Italian dish.
It’s kept traditional with chicken breast topped with juicy tomato, gooey mozzarella, and a tangy balsamic glaze—along with a few extra ingredients for the best flavor.
See the Recipe: Chicken Caprese.
18. Mushroom Shrimp Pasta
Mushroom shrimp pasta is a luxurious balance of all the flavors and textures you could want in a pasta dish.
Umami mushrooms, juicy shrimp, sweet white wine, rich cream, salty parmesan, fresh basil…and the list goes on.
This recipe is made with simple ingredients and takes a quick 15 minutes to prepare. It’s an easy dinner you’ll be making at least once a week!
See the Recipe: Mushroom Shrimp Pasta.
19. Prosciutto and Melon
This combo is a delicious mix of sweet and salty flavors. Prosciutto is a fancy Italian ham that adds a salty touch.
When you wrap thin slices of prosciutto around pieces of juicy cantaloupe melon, it creates a mouthwatering mix.
To serve this with Italian bread, simply place a small chunk of melon wrapped in prosciutto on top of a slice of bread and drizzle with a bit of sweet balsamic glaze.
See the Recipe: Prosciutto and Melon.
Looking for Other Side Dish Ideas?
You may find something here:
Don’t forget to save these recipes for later!
