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What to Serve with Pasta Puttanesca – 24 Side Dishes

Pasta puttanesca is a classic Italian dish that pairs perfectly with a variety of dishes. You can serve it with chicken, shrimp, or even with a nice salad. The tangy flavors of the tomato, garlic and anchovy work well with the saltiness of the olives and capers.

What to Serve with Pasta Puttanesca

Turn your pasta puttanesca into a delicious main dish by serving it with these 15 delectable sides. We’ve got everything from creamy sauces to crunchy veggies and more.

Pasta puttanesca is an excellent choice for a meal, especially when you pick a delicious side dish.

Here are some of the best sides to pair with pasta puttanesca. And don’t worry, they’re easy to make!

Read Also: Pasta Puttanesca Wine Pairing – Best Wines for Pasta Puttanesca

What to Serve with Pasta Puttanesca – 24 Side Dishes

Pasta puttanesca is a dish that pairs well with a variety of foods, including chicken, fish, seafood, and even pizza. However, the most classic side dish that goes with puttanesca is potato salad. The creamy taste of the potato salad complements the flavors of the puttanesca and makes for a wonderful pairing.

Olive Tortellini Pasta Salad

Puttanesca is a spicy sauce from the southern Italian region of Campania. It’s a mixture of tomatoes, capers, black olives, anchovies, garlic, and red pepper. The sauce is used to flavor pasta. If you’re new to the sauce, start with a few tablespoons of olive oil. Add the ingredients one by one until you reach the desired flavor. Pasta dishes are a great choice for parties or potlucks. As for me, I’ll have this pasta salad no matter what!

Creamy Garlic Shells

Creamy shells may be my favorite kind of pasta side dish. And the best part is that they’re incredibly easy to make! They’re also a great side dish because they offer so many ways to enhance your main course. They can be served alone, or you can add other ingredients like meatballs, bacon, peppers, or cheese to make it more exciting!

Chili Mac

These macaroni and cheese are not only a party starter, but an excellent appetizer as well. They’re especially good with the pasta puttanesca. The smokiness of the chili and the creamy cheese just makes them irresistible. The only problem? I can never decide which way I want to eat it! I love it straight out of the pan, but it’s also super yummy when I top it with the bread crumbs.

Mac & Cheese

If you’re looking for a different version of mac and cheese, try making it with lobster. You can make it with noodles, but if you want a more fancy alternative, go with macaroni. You can also add seafood or any kind of meat.

Orzo with Mushrooms, Scallions, and Parmesan

Orzo has been used in Italian cuisine for years. It’s often served with meat, fish, or chicken. Orzo is a tiny rice-shaped pasta that can be found in the pasta aisle in the grocery store. You can use whatever type of pasta you want. Just boil water in a pot, add the pasta, and cook until done. Then, add some freshly grated parmesan cheese, some chopped garlic, and let it cool. Serve immediately.

Garlic Parmesan Pasta

You can also make your own garlic Parmesan pasta. Add some garlic cloves to a pan and cook it for a few minutes. Add some olive oil, salt, pepper, and shredded Parmesan cheese to the garlic. Cook the mixture until the garlic is tender. Add more Parmesan cheese if necessary.

Lobster Mac and Cheese

If you have time, you can make lobster mac and cheese. It’s very easy, as well! The trick is to take the pasta, boil it in water, drain it, then combine it with lobster meat and cheese. You can add any kind of pasta that you like, but I recommend a short pasta because the lobster meat is big and needs room to roam.

Cheesy Taco Pasta

A big bowl of noodles in your favorite meat sauce is always a hit! You can make this with any kind of pasta you like. Try penne, ziti, or shells. You can also use a store-bought marinara sauce.

Creamy Beef and Shells

Puttanesca sauce, which is basically red sauce with lots of garlic and anchovies, is the perfect topping for pasta. It’s one of the most popular sauces in Italy, but you don’t have to travel there to enjoy it.

Just add some oil to the bottom of a skillet, then sauté garlic and anchovy paste. Next, stir in crushed tomatoes and red pepper flakes. Cook on medium heat until mixture thickens. Add cooked pasta and simmer for 5 minutes more. Add cheese and salt and pepper to taste.

You can serve this with lots of veggies like mushrooms, asparagus, or broccoli. This is a great way to use up leftovers from your favorite dinner.

Pasta Primavera

A classic Italian dish made of pasta, peas, carrots, and shrimp. So good! It is also a perfect pairing with the red sauce sauce that we used in our cheesy taco pasta.

Mix together the pasta sauce, milk, butter, and cheese. Toss in the peas, carrots, and shrimp and heat it all through. This dish is even better if you let it sit for a few minutes before serving.

Macaroni Salad

Macaroni salad is a classic American side dish. The creamy dressing is a great way to mix up your meal. It’s one of my favorite ways to use up leftover pasta. I like to pair it with a big bowl of chili, too.

Fettuccine Alfredo

A delicious fettuccine dish, or noodles in a white cream sauce. I love how creamy this is, but the fact that it’s low in fat makes it even more decadent. It’s perfect for special occasions, but I’m always thinking about having it as a quick dinner option.

Cook your pasta in plenty of salted water until al dente. Then, add butter and cream, and season with salt and pepper. Turn off the heat and stir in grated Parmesan cheese.

Pasta Carbonara

I love a good carbonara, so I was very excited when I came across this recipe on Pinterest. It’s exactly what you would expect: eggs, bacon, and pasta, all tossed together in a creamy sauce. The only difference? It uses spaghetti instead of fettuccine.

To make, combine spaghetti, butter, eggs, and parsley in a large bowl. Stir in salt and pepper to taste. Next, cook bacon in a skillet until crisp. Drain on paper towels, then chop up the bacon bits into small pieces. Finally, toss in the spaghetti mixture and serve immediately.

Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad

This salad is perfect for summertime! You can have it as a side dish or even as an appetizer. It’s got chicken, macaroni, lettuce, tomatoes, and ranch dressing. The whole thing is topped off with bacon.

Tortellini Pasta Salad

Tortellini are one of my favorite foods. They’re a little on the pricey side, but so worth it! Plus, they’re a great way to get some extra veggies into your diet. I often make a giant batch of them to have on hand and add to salads for the week.

That being said, there is a way to make a pasta salad that isn’t just pasta salad. You can make it creamy and tangy by adding cream cheese and balsamic vinegar. It makes it a lot more filling as well, and tastes amazing.

https://www.pinterest.dk/pin/994943742648745479/

Garlic Butter Mushroom Pasta

This is one of my favorites because it tastes just like you’re eating spaghetti and meatballs! It’s cheesy and delicious. Plus, you can whip up this pasta sauce in about 30 minutes. All you need is fresh garlic, butter, mushrooms, cream cheese, and balsamic vinegar.

https://www.pinterest.dk/pin/515451119858534665/

Italian Pasta Salad

An Italian pasta salad is one of the easiest dishes to put together. It’s chock full of vegetables, peppers, and herbs. It’s light and refreshing, and I love making it when I want to eat a healthy salad without having to add tons of dressing. Plus, it makes a great side dish.

https://www.pinterest.dk/pin/52706258128448684/

Balsalmic Mushroom Pasta

This pasta dish has got all the flavors of a pesto pasta sauce. The mushroom sauce pairs well with the pasta because of its earthy, sweet, and umami flavors. It’s also really good as a dip for crusty bread.

https://www.pinterest.dk/pin/37717715621590927/

Creamy White Sauce Pasta

I love this pasta because it tastes just like Alfredo, but lighter! You can make it with any kind of white pasta. You can add spinach, broccoli, or whatever other veggies you have on hand. Just make sure you cook them until they are tender. It takes about 10 minutes to get the veggies done.

https://www.pinterest.dk/pin/19351473390244379/

Pesto

Yes, I realize that pesto is technically a sauce, but it’s one of my favorites and I make a lot of it at home. It is so versatile and flavorful. I often use it as a dip for bread, a topping for vegetables, or in place of butter and cheese.

https://www.pinterest.dk/pin/792492865690910032/

Tuscan Tortellini Salad

Tortellini pasta salad is one of my favorite ways to get more veggies into my diet. It’s light and refreshing, yet chock full of veggies. Plus, there are some other ingredients that you might not have on hand.

To make, combine spinach with arugula, Parmesan cheese, olives, and red pepper flakes.

Put the tortellini in a bowl, add the spinach mixture, and toss. Sprinkle with lemon juice and garnish with parsley and parmesan cheese.

https://www.pinterest.dk/pin/238550111502809824/

Beer Cheese Mac

Pasta puttanesca is one of my favorite pasta dishes. It’s a delicious mix of flavors – sweet, salty, sour, and umami – that make for an incredible meal. It’s a hearty pasta dish, which makes it perfect for cold days and nights. In fact, it’s the perfect side dish to pair with a hearty meal such as sausages or a chicken casserole.

This recipe, however, is not what you would normally make for a pasta dish. Instead, it’s a simple cheese mac with beer cheese, which is basically beer-braised cheddar cheese. The result is a cheesy sauce that melts over your pasta!

https://www.pinterest.dk/pin/494270127862245119/

Tomato Butter Spaghetti

If you don’t know what I’m talking about, tomato butter spaghetti is spaghetti with a homemade tomato butter sauce. The butter sauce is the star of this pasta dish! The secret to making a delicious tomato butter sauce is to cook tomatoes down until they’re thick, then add garlic, basil, and parsley to it and simmer until everything combines into one magical flavor explosion!

A great thing about tomato butter spaghetti is that it’s very easy to make. All you need are tomatoes, garlic, basil, and a splash of balsamic vinegar. The secret to cooking the tomatoes? Make sure you use ripe tomatoes. They’ll provide you with the best flavor.

https://www.pinterest.dk/pin/5629568264168139/

Strawberry Balsamic Pasta Salad

I just love pasta salad. It’s the perfect way to combine all your favorite veggies in one dish. And strawberry balsamic is just one of my favorite combos. The combination of sweet, tangy, and savory strawberries makes the salad a unique and refreshing experience. So if you’re looking for something to serve with pasta puttanesca, this is it.

Pasta puttanesca is a classic Italian dish that pairs perfectly with a variety of dishes. You can serve it with chicken, shrimp, or even with a nice salad. The tangy flavors of the tomato, garlic and anchovy work well with the saltiness of the olives and capers.

Turn your pasta puttanesca into a delicious main dish by serving it with these 15 delectable sides. We’ve got everything from creamy sauces to crunchy veggies and more.

Pasta puttanesca is an excellent choice for a meal, especially when you pick a delicious side dish.

Here are some of the best sides to pair with pasta puttanesca. And don’t worry, they’re easy to make!

What to Serve with Pasta Puttanesca

What to Serve with Pasta Puttanesca

Pasta puttanesca is a dish that pairs well with a variety of foods, including chicken, fish, seafood, and even pizza. However, the most classic side dish that goes with puttanesca is potato salad. The creamy taste of the potato salad complements the flavors of the puttanesca and makes for a wonderful pairing.
Prep Time 6 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 18 minutes
Course Side Dish
Cuisine Italian
Servings 4 people
Calories 260 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • Olive Tortellini Pasta Salad
  • Creamy Garlic Shells
  • Chili Mac
  • Mac & Cheese
  • Orzo with Mushrooms, Scallions, and Parmesan
  • Garlic Parmesan Pasta
  • Lobster Mac and Cheese
  • Cheesy Taco Pasta
  • Creamy Beef and Shells
  • Pasta Primavera
  • Macaroni Salad
  • Fettuccine Alfredo
  • Pasta Carbonara
  • Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad
  • Tortellini Pasta Salad
  • Garlic Butter Mushroom Pasta
  • Italian Pasta Salad
  • Balsalmic Mushroom Pasta
  • Creamy White Sauce Pasta
  • Pesto
  • Tuscan Tortellini Salad
  • Beer Cheese Mac
  • Tomato Butter Spaghetti
  • Strawberry Balsamic Pasta Salad

Instructions
 

  • Pick any of these Pasta Puttanesca side dishes.
  • Prepare the ingredients according to the recipe.
  • Enjoy your meal in less than 25 minutes!
Keyword What to serve with pasta puttanesca
CEO at Happy Muncher | benjamin@happymuncher.com | Website | + posts

Hi, I'm Benjamin. I love cooking, long walks, and my girlfriend! Here you’ll find simple and delicious recipes that you can make in 30 minutes or less.

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