What Can Go With Mac and Cheese Dinner Night
Craving a creamy serving of your favorite pasta but wondering what to serve with mac and cheese for your lunch or dinner today?? I have all of the best sides and main dishes to serve with your stovetop or baked mac & cheese!
Meaty mains and lighter fare all pair well with creamy, cheesy mac!
Mac and cheese is classic comfort food that can be as simple or gourmet as you want it to be. Sharp cheddar, brie, asiago…There are endless ways to make this delightful dish and almost zero ways to go wrong!
Regardless of your process, the end result is always spectacular.
Jump to:
- 1. BBQ Chicken Quarters
- 2. Shake and Bake Pork
- 3. Meatloaf
- 4. Sloppy Joes
- 5. Smoked Brats
- 6. BBQ Beef Ribs
- 7. Smoked Country Style Ribs
- 8. Hot Dogs
- 9. Steamed Broccoli
- 10. Chef Salad
- 11. Green Beans
- 12. Steamed Carrots
- 13. Tater Tots
- 14. Roasted Vegetable Medley
- 15. Coleslaw
- 16. Hello Dolly Bars
- 🧀 More Awesome Mac & Cheeses
- 📋 Recipe
- 💬 Comments
Creamy, cheesy noodles go well with tons of things.Will they be your tasty side dish or the star of the show? Do you want a vegetable to lighten up the meal or a rich addition to double down on your southern theme? Maybe you want something to combine with your pasta?
Check out my favorite options below. There is something for everyone from meat lovers to vegetarians, bird-like appetites to ravenous teens. Try them all!
1. BBQ Chicken Quarters
BBQ chicken is always the first thing that comes to mind when I consider pairing options. It's a traditional southern meal that we can all enjoy - and another classic dish to serve with mac n cheese!
So whip up some of that finger-licking sweet and spicy BBQ sauce and enjoy this easy dinner! It's a family favorite combo!
Baked BBQ Chicken Leg Quarters
This tasty Baked BBQ Chicken Leg Quarters with honey bourbon chipotle barbecue sauce will be a hit for dinner any night of the week! There's no reason to wait for summer and grilling season to enjoy these perfectly roasted chicken quarters!
Check out this recipe
2. Shake and Bake Pork
If you grew up in the second half of the last century, you've probably had Shake 'n' Bake pork chops more than a few times. With my recipe, you can make your own!
Get nostalgic with that super flavorful, crunchy crust on tender pork chops! It's a pairing made in heaven when served with macaroni & cheese!!
Shake And Bake Pork Chops
Easy homemade Shake And Bake Pork Chops are just minutes away with my tasty breadcrumb coating that will beat Shake N Bake any day! Your crispy breaded pork chop dinner will be on the table in just 30 minutes for a quick weeknight dinner that everyone loves!
Check out this recipe
3. Meatloaf
Meatloaf is another complementary main--or side, depending on how you like your mac and cheese. They're great for the tinkering chef because you can adjust your ingredients any way you want, and it's likely to still come out delicious.
Everyone has a slightly different way to do it whether they have a well-loved recipe or cook from memory and smell! I love a variety of meatloaf flavors - that's why there are so many to choose from on Bake It With Love!
Stove Top Meatloaf
This wonderfully tasty Stove Top Meatloaf combines ground beef with classic Stove Top Stuffing to make a super easy, moist meatloaf dinner! Add a few herbs, some Worcestershire sauce for flavor, and top it off with ketchup, tomato sauce, or your favorite BBQ sauce for a family-favorite meal!
Check out this recipe
4. Sloppy Joes
With its origin stemming from the turn of the 20th century, Sloppy Joes have a long history of filling up happy eaters. In the early days, they were a way to stretch the small amount of meat a family had.
I always had them at school, but they're way more than just cafeteria food. Grilled onions and peppers with beef and a tomato-y sauce make my mouth water just thinking about it.Even picky eaters will be excited for dinner with these and mac and cheese!
Sloppy Joe
This super easy Sloppy Joe recipe is one that has been handed down through generations and features a hearty taste of classic 1940's diner food! The meaty mixture is combined with tomato sauce and seasoning to make a perfectly messy, tasty filling for your sandwiches!
Check out this recipe
5. Smoked Brats
Continuing with our meat options, have you considered smoked brats?Smoking is an easy way to change things up. Use a variety of different woods to put your own unique spin on things.
Just heat up the smoker, and put them in. An hour and a half later, you'll have fantastic, juicy sausages to eat with--or sliced and mixed in--your cheesy noodles!
Smoked Brats
These easy Smoked Brats are packed with a wonderful flavor that's made even more amazing once your bratwursts are smoked! They're practically effortless to make but taste like you worked all day at getting everything just right!
Check out this recipe
6. BBQ Beef Ribs
If you're ready for a cookout but don't have a grill, throw a rack or two of ribs in the oven! Grab your favorite BBQ sauce and get ready to have a party, even in the winter.
These tender pieces of meat practically fall off the bones and only take a little over an hour. It'll feel like summer year-round when you eat like it's 90℉ outside!
Baked Beef Back Ribs
These juicy Baked Beef Back Ribs are slathered with a flavorful rib seasoning and sticky BBQ sauce before cooking up to perfection! They are quite simply the easiest way to satisfy your summertime barbecue cravings at any time of the year!
Check out this recipe
7. Smoked Country Style Ribs
Looking for that slow-cooked, smoked flavor? Four hours in the smoker with my dry pork rub, and these country-style ribs might even overshadow your mac and cheese.
Add your favorite BBQ sauce, and your taste buds won't know what hit them.So much smoky flavor goodness!
Smoked Country Style Ribs
Rich and flavorful Smoked Country Style Ribs are a hearty main coated with a tasty dry pork rub and slathered in BBQ sauce for fork-tender pork ribs! These perfectly tender country-style ribs smoke to perfection in about 4 hours, making them a dinner worth waiting for!!
Check out this recipe
8. Hot Dogs
Hot dogs have been around forever, but have you tried making them in an air fryer? It's so quick and easy, you'll wonder why you ever did it any other way!
And they taste freshly grilled! We've even argued whether or not air fryer dogs are better than grilled (gasp!). Perfect for a post-ball game evening or just a nice summer afternoon treat.
Air Fryer Hot Dogs
The whole family is hooked on these crazy easy Air Fryer Hot Dogs! The air fried hot dogs come out wonderfully, and taste much better than many other methods! I would even go so far as to say that they rival freshly grilled hot dogs!!
Check out this recipe
9. Steamed Broccoli
Want something a little lighter with your mac and cheese? Try this perfectly steamed broccoli! You can do it in the microwave, making it an incredibly fast and easy side dish!
No more waiting for water to boil. Toss in a little Parmesan and garlic powder if you want to add to the cheesy theme. Or go overboard and add my cheese sauce for broccoli too!
Steam Broccoli in the Microwave
There is simply no easier cooking method than to Steam Broccoli in the Microwave for perfectly cooked broccoli in a flash! It's a great go-to side dish when you need to get something on the table quickly! Plus, the broccoli turns out wonderfully!
Check out this recipe
10. Chef Salad
This turkey and bacon chef salad has all the toppings you could want in a great salad: croutons, fresh tomatoes, and eggs. Healthy and filling, this goes great with your cheesy pasta.
Fresh, crispy lettuce with the added vegetables balances out the cheese. And you can always get a little creative with your toppings.
Turkey Chef Salad
This delightful Turkey Chef Salad is a post-holiday take on the classic Chef Salad! Layers of leftover turkey, bacon, cheddar and monterey jack cheeses, hard boiled eggs, cherry tomatoes, and croutons are set on a generous bed of fresh lettuce! It's the perfect light lunch or dinner meal after all of the rich foods from the holidays!
Check out this recipe
11. Green Beans
You can never get too many green beans, especially these! I love the garlic butter and bacon flavors, both things that blend seamlessly with mac and cheese.
You could even mix the beans with the noodles for a new creation! If you want to bring some fiber to your plate without adding loads more carbs, this is the way to go.
Garlic Green Beans with Bacon
A tasty vegetable side dish that goes well with a variety of main dish entrees, these buttery pan-fried Garlic Green Beans with Bacon are also extremely easy and fast to make!
Check out this recipe
12. Steamed Carrots
Carrots are nutritious and delicious. Better yet, they go well with pretty much anything. This simple recipe highlights their natural sweetness and only takes ten minutes to make.
Who knew the microwave could cook carrots, too?Pair this with your mac and cheese and tell me it's not amazing!
Microwave Carrots
The easiest, simplest, and fastest Microwave Carrots ever are also some of the tastiest steamed carrots you'll ever enjoy! With only a splash of water and a few minutes of cooking time, this has to be the best way to get a veggie side dish on the table in no time at all!
Check out this recipe
13. Tater Tots
Pull out the air fryer again for these golden, crunchy tots! Tater tots are an easy crowd-pleaser that can be dipped in anything from ketchup to barbecue sauce, honey mustard to ranch.
It's always fun to have finger food at the table. You can season these with anything you like, too! Some of my favorites are Cajun or taco seasoning, onion and garlic powder, and Lawry's.
Air Fryer Tater Tots
These easy Air Fryer Tater Tots are the quickest way to get perfectly crisp tater tots when using frozen tater tots! No matter the air fryer model you use, your air fried tater tots are sure to become a favorite!
Check out this recipe
14. Roasted Vegetable Medley
This colorful side dish is as visually attractive as it is tasty. Roasting vegetables brings out all kinds of savory flavors you don't get by cooking any other way.
You can caramelize them for a sweet, crispy outside or cook them just until they're tender. Either way, you're going to need a bigger bowl.
Roasted Vegetable Medley
This flavorful and easy to make Roasted Vegetable Medley is the perfect vegetable side dish for your chicken, pork, or beef dinners! The colorful assortment of veggies can be cooked until tender, or crispy and caramelized. Whichever way you like them best!
Check out this recipe
15. Coleslaw
Coleslaw: The dividing factor at every barbecue. Some people love this, and others hate it. I say, since there are so many ways to make this, there's a coleslaw for everyone if they keep trying.
Mayonnaise or vinaigrette, creamy or vinegar-based.Find the one that's right for you and serve it alongside your mac and cheese for some seriously happy eaters.
16. Hello Dolly Bars
Don't forget some amazing dessert bars to serve up after your mac and cheese dinner! These easy 7 layer bars are full of amazing flavor in each and every bite!
Hello Dolly Bars
These heavenly Hello Dolly Bars are an all-around favorite for everyone with layers of tasty ingredients that magically turn into fabulous cookie bars! Also known as 7 layer bars, miracle bars, magic cookie bars, coconut dream bars, or magic bars. Whatever you may call them they are fantastic, incredibly easy, with no special equipment needed!
Check out this recipe
🧀 More Awesome Mac & Cheeses
- White Cheddar Mac & Cheese
- Smoked Mac & Cheese
- Southern Baked Macaroni & Cheese
- Oven Baked Macaroni and Cheese
📋 Recipe
Best Simple Green Salad To Serve With Mac & Cheese (+ More Great Ideas!)
Craving a creamy serving of your favorite pasta but wondering what to serve with mac and cheese for your lunch or dinner today?? I have all of the best sides and main dishes to serve with your stovetop or baked mac & cheese!
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 175 kcal
Prep 5 minutes
Cooking 0 minutes
0 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
- 1 tablespoon shallot (finely minced)
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon honey
- ⅓ cup olive oil (extra virgin)
- each, salt & pepper (to taste)
- 1 head butter lettuce (aka Boston or bibb lettuce)
- 1 heart romaine lettuce
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In a small bowl, mix the shallot, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, honey, salt, and pepper until well combined. Whisk in the olive oil.
1 tablespoon shallot, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon honey, ⅓ cup olive oil, each, salt & pepper
-
Toss with hand torn butter lettuce and romaine heart, then serve.
1 head butter lettuce, 1 heart romaine lettuce
Calories: 175 kcal (9%) | Carbohydrates: 3 g (1%) | Protein: 1 g (2%) | Fat: 18 g (28%) | Saturated Fat: 3 g (19%) | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2 g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13 g | Sodium: 45 mg (2%) | Potassium: 116 mg (3%) | Fiber: 1 g (4%) | Sugar: 2 g (2%) | Vitamin A: 1374 IU (27%) | Vitamin C: 3 mg (4%) | Calcium: 18 mg (2%) | Iron: 1 mg (6%)
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American
Angela is an at home chef that developed a passion for all things cooking and baking at a young age in her Grandma's kitchen. After many years in the food service industry, she now enjoys sharing all of her family favorite recipes and creating tasty dinner and amazing dessert recipes here at Bake It With Love!
What Can Go With Mac and Cheese Dinner Night
Source: https://bakeitwithlove.com/what-to-serve-with-mac-and-cheese/