These delicious side dishes for gnocchi are the perfect way to round out your Italian inspired meal!
You may be wondering what to serve with gnocchi, and we’ve got you covered with these fabulous side dishes.
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Gnocchi are delicious Italian dumplings, and they’re absolutely heavenly.
Most often made with potatoes, you can also find ricotta gnocchi that’s made with ricotta instead of potatoes.
Tender and delicious, they are most commonly served as a main dish, though you can also utilize gnocchi as an easy side dish.
Gnocchi serves as an amazing vehicle for simple tomato sauce or red wine marinara sauce. It’s delicious with a cream sauce and sun-dried tomatoes.
It’s also great to enjoy with a simple drizzle of good quality olive oil, spritz of fresh lemon juice, and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.
Tender gnocchi is also amazing sauteed in garlic butter, with a dash of ground black pepper and some chopped fresh basil.
Whether you’re making homemade gnocchi or boiling a package of potato gnocchi purchased from the grocery store, if you’re serving it as a main course, you may be wondering what the perfect side dish would be to accompany your gnocchi.
We’re sharing some of the best side dishes for gnocchi, with everything from brussels sprouts to fresh broccoli to simple salad options and more.
Enjoy an easy dinner on a busy weeknight or design an Italian feast for your family during the holidays by creating a meal with gnocchi and a simple side dish or two!
Is Gnocchi Served with Side Dishes in Italy?
In America, we typically serve these small dumplings as a main course, paired with side dishes.
However, it’s important to note that in Italy, gnocchi is typically is not served with side dishes.
Traditionally, gnocchi is served as a “primo piatto,” which is a lighter, starchy course that follows antipasto. It usually is served before the “secondo piatto,” which is the part of the meal that features the main protein.
Sometimes, gnocchi is served as a side dish along with the protein of the “secondo piatto.”
But in other parts of the world, we commonly see fluffy gnocchi served as a main dish, served along with favorite sides.
Tasty Side Dishes to Serve with Gnocchi
You can create a traditional Italian dish by topping your little potato dumplings with tomato marinara sauce. You can also get a little more creative!
Either way, serve a simple dish or two to round out your meal.
Here are some of our favorites! Although they aren’t all traditional Italian side dishes, the best part is there’s plenty of variety!
From vegetable sides to a simple green salad to garlic parmesan green beans, these are all fabulous options. Choose one or two to serve alongside your pillowy gnocchi to create a great meal for the whole family.
And of course, you can’t go wrong adding some crusty bread to any Italian cuisine. It instantly brings pure comfort food to your table.
So choose an easy recipe or two to add to your meal plan!
Delicious Side Dishes for Gnocchi
If you're wondering what to serve with gnocchi, you'll love these delicious side dishes!
Tender green beans are smothered in a garlic cream sauce and topped with crispy bacon for even more flavor!
These mushrooms are sauteed with garlic butter, giving them loads of flavor and making them a fabulous pairing for gnocchi.
This asparagus is topped with toasted seasoned bread crumbs. Of course, if you can't find white asparagus, you can use regular green asparagus.
A classic caesar salad is always a good choice for any Italian dinner!
Roasted artichokes pair with fresh mozzarella cheese, juicy tomatoes, and fresh basil for a delicious side dish.
Shaved Brussels sprouts are sauteed with bacon and onions for a super flavorful dish, and a great way to get in some veggies!
You can't go wrong with a crowd-pleasing chopped salad topped with Italian vinaigrette dressing!
Skip the traditional crostini used in bruschetta and make this healthy option instead! Asiago cheese is one of my favorites, and this delicious side would be heavenly next to some gnocchi.
These zucchini rollatini are stuffed with a flavorful cheese mixture and topped with marinara sauce. Perfection!
This caprese salad is made with cherry tomatoes, mozzarella, basil, and if course--balsamic vinegar. So good!
For a cool and creamy side dish, this grape salad with walnuts is a sweet pairing for your savory gnocchi.
Use frozen green peas as an easy shortcut with this creamy pea salad recipe!
Kale salad with apples is a delicious option for fall, served with an apple cider dressing.
If you have an air fryer, you know how handy it can be! Roast your brussels sprouts to golden brown perfection, caramelizing the sugars along the way.
Who can resist a crusty loaf of bread? This artisan bread doesn't even require any kneading!
This Italian celery salad comes together in less than 10 minutes! Tossed with parmesan and a light lemon dressing, it's a refreshing and crispy salad option.
Broccoli rabe, or rapini, is prepared with garlic, making a delicious Italian side dish.
Honey, garlic, and carrots? What a fabulous combination in this easy side dish.
Smothered cabbage is such a classic comfort food, coming together in less than 25 minutes.
For a refreshing side dish, this salad made with cucumbers and heirloom tomatoes is an example of summer's glory.
Sweet oranges and tangy grapefruit, tossed in a simple vinaigrette over salad greens, make this delicious citrus salad a lovely all-season salad. It's so pretty, too!
Cheesy garlic pul-apart muffins are a crowd-pleasing bread option for Italian dinners.
Blood oranges, a citrus vinaigrette, and pistachios bring this fennel salad to the next level!
Tender on the inside and crusty on the outside, ciabatta is a beloved Italian bread. Make your own at home!
This salad combines green beans and tomatoes with parmesan cheese and a dijon and balsamic vinaigrette. Add slivered almonds or pine nuts for crunch!
Roasting carrots brings out their natural sweetness, and pairing them with maple syrup and balsamic vinegar is a match made in heaven.
This cheery salad puts cucumbers, red onions, and tomatoes to use, tossing with a lemon dressing that is so refreshing.
Fresh tomatoes, diced red onion, basil and balsamic create the perfect marriage of flavors.
Anyone who says they don't like broccoli probably hasn't tried roasting it and serving it with bacon!
Homemade garlic bread is full of so much amazing flavor, and it's easier than you think to make!
This roasted beet salad features a delicious vinaigrette and crispy goat cheese, making it a beautiful side dish.
Although this pea puree could be eaten as a simple side dish, I think it would also be delicious tossed with some freshly cooked gnocchi.
If you bake with sourdough, you have to try this focaccia bread! Fresh rosemary gives the herbaceous flavor we all love.
These soft and tender green beans simmer with bacon, so they're full of flavor. They can cook quickly in the Instant Pot or low and slow in the Crock Pot.
Adding fresh herbs to traditional buttermilk biscuits automatically makes them worthy for your Italian inspired meal.
This arugula salad features a bright lemon dressing and shavings of parmesan for a simple yet tasty side dish.
This white bean dip is a Northern Italian side dish perfect for dipping bread in.
Ultimate Winter Green Salad with Pomegranate, Pears, and Pecans
If you're serving your gnocchi during the winter, consider this delicious salad as an accompaniment! It features pears, pecans, and pomegranate, making it a festive choice.
You've probably enjoyed roasted asparagus before, but did you know you can shave it and include it in a salad? Give it a try with this recipe!
Roasted eggplant is a flavorful, low-carb side dish. Roasting helps the inside to stay tender but the outside stays crispy.
If a classic "house salad" is more your style, give this easy option a try!
Garlic, roasted broccoli, and parmesan cheese are the trifecta of flavors in this easy recipe.
Crisp-tender asparagus and zippy radishes combine in this simple salad, tossed with honey-mustard dressing.
Soft and fluffy crescent rolls may not be an Italian bread, but they're perfect with any cuisine, if you ask us!
A fruit salad is a fabulous side dish option for pairing with a carb-heavy dish, like gnocchi. This one uses a honey lime dressing for even more flavor.
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