What To Serve With Mac and Cheese (25 Best Sides)
Wondering what to serve with mac and cheese tonight? Take a peek at our handpicked list of 25 incredible sides! From cozy classics to vibrant, wholesome alternatives, there’s something here to elevate your mac and cheese game tonight!
Includes recipes suitable for gluten free, vegan, and vegetarian diets. Weight Watchers points provided in some recipes.
Are you scratching your head over what to serve with mac and cheese? Well you don’t need to anymore! I’ve gathered 25 of the best sides that range from classics to light nutritious selections. I’ve even included a few sides that will spice up your meal.
Whether you’re craving some soul-warming comfort or a lighter side dish for your mac and cheese, I’ve got your sides nailed down.
And, if you’re on the hunt for some mac and cheese variations, why not give these a try – Instant Pot Chicken Mac and Cheese or this Baked Mac and Cheese. Are you preparing for fall? Then you need to try this unique Instant Pot Pumpkin Mac and Cheese? I even have these fun child friendly Air Fried Mac and Cheese Balls that are such a hit with fussy eaters.
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For those busy nights or meal prep plans, I’ve also included tips below on How to Make Mac and Cheese Ahead of Time. And, even tips on How to Reheat Mac and Cheese so it stays creamy and delicious. So, if you’ve ever been puzzled about what pairs well with mac and cheese, now you’re all set!
Tips For Great Mac And Cheese
- Opt for a good melting cheese like cheddar, Gouda, or Monterey Jack for creaminess and flavor.
- Aim for al dente pasta as it continues to cook in the cheese sauce, which helps prevent mushy mac and cheese.
- Don’t forget to season your water with salt and your sauce with seasoning to enhance flavors. Change it up with Easy Italian Seasoning.
- For a smooth sauce, cook it slowly and don’t let it boil once you’ve added the cheese.
- If you like a crispy topping, sprinkle some breadcrumbs mixed with a bit of melted butter over your mac and cheese before baking.
- To make mac and cheese ahead of time, prepare your dish but stop before baking. Cool it rapidly, cover, and refrigerate. It’s best used within two days.
- Reheat it in the oven, covered with foil, at 350 degress F / 175 degress C until warmed through, about 20 minutes. If it’s too thick, stir in a splash of milk before heating to bring back the creaminess.
- Properly stored, cooked mac and cheese will last for 3 to 5 days in the refrigerator. Freeze it for longer storage, but note that the texture may change upon thawing.
Handy Tip: Use Good Kitchen Tools!
For the best tools to help make your recipe even easier and more successful, check out my collection of the Best Kitchen Tools on Amazon.
What Goes With Mac And Cheese
Meatloaf lovers, this moist Air Fryer Meatloaf is the ultimate comfort food. Making meatloaf air fryer style is so easy and it turns out perfect every time! It's a perfect hearty meal to serve with macaroni and cheese.
Get ready to make the Best Air Fryer Fried Chicken ever. Air fryer fried chicken breast is a healthier version of the classic Southern fried food favorite and is truly finger-licking good! It's a classic dish to pair with mac and cheese.
Veggie lovers, this low carb Green Beans Almondine is a super easy and elegant side dish that combines crisp green beans with fried almonds with an garlicky lemon butter sauce.
These Air Fryer Green Beans are the perfect mix of easy, quick and oh so tasty vegetable treat. The beans are cooked in very little low-calorie cooking oil making them a healthier treat. Whip up a batch or two for a snack, dinner side for your mac and cheese or a lunch bowl filler.
Making Frozen Garlic Bread in Air Fryer is so quick and easy! The perfect side dish for all your favorite meals, it goes from frozen to table in less than 10 minutes and turns out perfectly cooked every time.
Baked turkey meatballs are so easy and flavorful! This ground turkey meatballs recipe is perfect for meal prep and when you need a quick dinner on those busy weeknights. They also pair deliciously with mac and cheese!
This Easy Southern Coleslaw Recipe is tangy and crunchy with just a hint of sweet. The perfect dish for all your summertime parties, picnics and BBQs. It also goes perfectly with other classic side dishes like macaroni and cheese!
This tossed salad is so colorful and flavorful. It’s loaded with crunchy vegetables, topped with a delicious dressing, and easily customizable. It truly is the best tossed salad!
Elevate your holiday table with our tasty Broccoli Cranberry Salad. This easy side dish can be made ahead for your convenience, featuring smoky bacon, sweet cranberries, and crunchy walnuts. It's a nice light side to pair with mac and cheese.
Grilled Steak is quick and easy to make with just 4 simple ingredients. This post includes an easy foolproof guide with grilling times and tips for delicious crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside steak that everyone will love. Let’s get grilling!
It’s easy to learn how to cook artichokes! Whether you prefer the stovetop or Instant Pot method, these steps will show you how to steam artichokes that turn our perfect every time. Serve them up with your favorite dipping sauce for tasty appetizers or with your favorite mac and cheese dish!
Asian Grilled Chicken Tenders are flavorful and cook fast so they are perfect for serving as a weeknight dinner. Serve these grilled chicken strips with mac and cheese or on a salad to make it a complete, family-friendly meal.
This Cucumber Tomato Salad recipe is a flavourful low carb side dish that is perfect for quick and easy midweek meals. This salad is suitable for pairing with a delicious mac and cheese dish.
Delicious and crispy Air Fryer Brussel Sprouts make the perfect side dish or snack without the use of the oven. With just 4 ingredients, it’s quick and easy to make these tasty Brussel sprouts in air fryer in just a few minutes.
These Smoky Air Fryer Ribs are super tender, so flavorful, and ready to serve in less than 30 minutes! The air fryer makes it easy to enjoy the classic taste of summer barbecue all year round. Mac and cheese is always the perfect dish to serve with BBQ.
Slow Cooker Short Ribs are deliciously fall-off-the-bone tender that take less than 5 mins of prep work. These Korean Beef Short Ribs are a great option for elegant suppers, homemade takeaways and easy lunches too.
This Ground Chicken Chili recipe is flavorful, satisfying, and quick and easy to make using everyday pantry staples. Perfect for busy weeknight dinners and as a delicious dish to serve with mac and cheese!
Cinnamon Honey Glaze Picnic Ham is juicy, smoky, fragrant, and full of amazing flavor. Versatile and economical, picnic ham is ideal for serving at family holidays and gatherings. It's a holiday staple that's perfect with mac and cheese on the side!
You will love this simple Grilled Broccoli recipe that is healthy, quick, tender and deliciously charred. It is a great side dish for grilling but also weeknight suppers. It's great healthy side to serve with macaroni and cheese.
This flavorful and comforting Green Bean Casserole Recipe is easy to make in less than 30 minutes. It’s the perfect side dish for a serving of mac and cheese!
Nashville Hot Chicken is a mouth-watering dish that will tantalize your taste buds. It is a unique blend of spicy and savory flavors that will have you hooked from the very first bite!
This refreshing and easy cucumber salad is whipped with the lightest chilli lime salad dressing. A great side salad for BBQ, Picnics, Potlucks, and more. Suitable for serving with mac and cheese!
This is seriously the best Dutch Oven Pulled Pork ever! You can make this easily in the dutch oven with minimal prep using everyday pantry staples to get juicy, tender pulled meat every time. This easy barbecue recipe is perfect with a classic dish like mac and cheese!
This ground chicken meatloaf recipe is a healthy alternative to the classic. This moist and flavorful chicken meatloaf recipe includes aromatics, herbs, spices, and parmesan cheese for a taste you won’t believe.
Banana Cream Pie is a classic dessert that’s equally perfect for bringing potlucks, serving on special occasions, or for your holiday table. You’ll love how surprisingly easy it is to make this delicious banana cream pie recipe from scratch. It's a delicious dessert to follow your favorite mac and cheese!
Tips For Success
- Cook once, eat all week: Batch cooking and storing your meals in airtight containers to use throughout the week can help save both time and money.
- Invest in flavor: keeping your pantry stocked with good quality spices and seasonings makes it easy to add amazing flavor and color to all sorts of recipes.
- Make your appliances do the work: Use countertop appliances like an air fryer, slow cooker, and Instant Pot to reduce the amount of hands-on cooking time needed.
Recommended Tools
- An easy to use air fryer for even and quick cooking.
- Spices to add flavor to your food.
- A set of sharp knives makes prepping food a breeze.
- For the best tools to help make your recipe even easier and more successful, check out my collection of the Best Kitchen Tools on Amazon!
Thank you for reading my Mac n Cheese sides recipes post. And please come visit again as I continue to slice, dice, and dream up affordable Air Fryer recipes, Instant Pot Recipes, Southern Recipes, and more. Thanks for supporting Recipes from a Pantry, food blog.
Get The Easy Sides For What To Eat With Mac and Cheese
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What to Serve with Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
- Classic Air Fryer Meatloaf
- Air Fryer Fried Chicken
- Green Beans Almondine Recipe
- Easy Air Fryer Green Beans
- Frozen Garlic Bread In Air Fryer
- Baked Turkey Meatballs
- Easy Southern Coleslaw Recipe (GF)
- Tossed Salad
- Broccoli Cranberry Salad
- Easy Grilled Steak – How To Grill Steak (Griddle, BBQ, Instant Pot, Air Fryer)
- How To Cook Artichokes
- Grilled Chicken Tenders
- Easy Cucumber Tomato Salad
- Crispy Air Fryer Brussel Sprouts
- Smoky Air Fryer Ribs
- Easy Korean Slow Cooker Short Ribs (GF)
- Ground Chicken Chili (GF)
- Cinnamon Honey Glazed Baked Picnic Ham (GF)
- Grilled Broccoli
- Green Bean Casserole Recipe
- Nashville Hot Chicken
- Easy Cucumber Salad Recipe
- Dutch Oven Pulled Pork
- Chicken Meatloaf
- Banana Cream Pie
Instructions
- Choose your favorite dish to pair with mac and cheese.
- Get the ingredients list and head to the grocery store.
- Make your recipe and eat it with your mac and cheese.
