Meatloaf makes an iconic dinner, and one that is loved by so many families! Make it a well-rounded meal with the BEST meatloaf sides. Find all the dinner inspiration you need in this complete recipe guide.

From healthy salads and roasted veggies to classic mashed potatoes and more, you’re sure to find the perfect side dishes here!

Crispy brussel sprouts on a white plate with a blue linen napkin and serving spoon to the side.
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Meatloaf is such a classic dinner- it’s hearty, filling and protein-packed! What’s not to love? However, even if you’ve got the best meatloaf recipe ever (hopefully it’s your grandmother’s) you can’t leave the side dishes as an afterthought.

If you’re looking for the best meatloaf sides, you’re in the perfect spot! These 25 meatloaf sides are easy to make and require very little hands-on time. But they don’t skimp on all the delicious flavors you crave!

From easy green salads to a variety of potato dishes, there’s sure to be a new family favorite in this complete guide.

Use the drop down Table of Contents menu to navigate this post with ease, and don’t forget to pin and save for later! Let’s get started.

caramelized onion mashed potatoes served as one of the best meatloaf sides

Meatloaf Sides

I love creating these recipe guides for you! I hope they make your life easier when you’re searching for the easiest, fastest side dishes around.

This iconic side dish is often paired with mashed potatoes, of course. But there are so many incredible side dishes that go beyond that basic option!

First, here’s a few of my best tips and tricks and then the answers to your frequently asked questions.

Tips

  • No matter the entrée, a veggie side dish or salad can help bring a wholesome meal together in just minutes. It’s all about the balance!
  • Serve a delicious and clean side salad alongside your salmon! It’s low in carbs and calories, created a healthy wholesome meal.
  • Feeding a group with a variety of dietary needs? Choose 2-3 sides from this round-up to cover all your bases.
  • Many our favorite vegetable recipes are so versatile! Try one of our incredible homemade seasoning blends to make them uniquely your own.
  • Looking for more beef dinner inspiration? Don’t miss my best beef recipes with everything from steak to tacos and burgers and all the in-betweens!

Frequently Asked Questions

What are some healthy sides for meatloaf?

Choose one of the leafy green salads on this list, or a delicious roasted vegetable option! Roasting your veggies brings out a fabulous caramelized sweetness that makes even the healthiest choices taste delicious.

What wine goes with meatloaf?

Much like a rich, hearty steak, you can go bold with a wine pairing for your meatloaf dinner. Try a Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot or a blend for something that can stand up to the flavors of this classic dinner.

A graphic with a variety of side dish images, including mashed potatoes, green beans, a green salad and a corn dish. Title reads "25+ Easy Meatloaf Sides"

25 Easy Meatloaf Sides

Each recipe link below will take you to a full post, answering your questions and giving you all my best tips and tricks. Or, head straight to the free printable recipe card for all the details you need.

Caramelized Shallot Mashed Potatoes

Mix up your mashed potatoes with a fresh spin and try this Caramelized Shallot Mashed Potatoes recipe! They’re so flavorful you’ll never want basic mashed potatoes again!

caramelized onion mashed potatoes

Crispy Parmesan Roasted Potatoes

Take your dinner up a few notches with these incredible crispy parmesan roasted potatoes. Perfectly crispy and salty on the outside, with a creamy, tender interior, you’re going to want them every night of the week.

Customize with your favorite seasonings to allow these parmesan roasted potatoes to work with virtually any entrée.

A white ruffled plate full of parmesan potatoes, with a small bowl of sour cream dip.

Grilled Baked Potatoes

These grilled baked potatoes are such an incredible side dish for all your summer grilling adventures! Baked potatoes on the grill are so much better than your oven – they have a perfectly moist, soft and fluffy interior but are incredibly crispy and salty on the outside.

A single grilled baked potato on a white plate, topped with butter and sour cream.

Grilled Sweet Potatoes

These quick and easy grilled sweet potatoes in foil make an excellent side dish for all your favorite savory main dishes! They are healthy, savory and so easy to customize to every individual’s tastes.

bbq-sweet-potatoes

Healthy Sweet Potato Fries

Skip the deep fryer with these Healthy Sweet Potato Fries, ready in less than 30 minutes. If you love sweet potatoes, these Gourmet Fries will blow you away!

healthy sweet potato fries

Loaded Smashed Red Potatoes 

Smashed Red Potatoes make the perfect burger side dish or party appetizer to serve a crowd. These pretty little potatoes are so good, and perfect for entertaining, any time of year! Don’t skip these classic garlic smashed potatoes, too!

loaded smashed red potatoes

Gratin Dauphinois

Gratin Dauphinois is a traditional French casserole made with thinly sliced potatoes, cream and gruyere. It’s an incredibly luxurious and indulgent potato bake side dish!

Sure to impress your dinner guests, this potatoes dauphinois recipe is easy enough for a weeknight but delightfully special for an upscale dinner.

Gratin Dauphinois

Easy Oven Baked Gourmet Fries

These gourmet fries are so good, you’ll make them again and again! Dip them in this easy Truffle Aioli and your life will change for the better.

gourmet fries with Parmesan and parsley on a sheet pan

Potato Gratin Stacks

Potatoes Au Gratin in easy to serve stacks! This recipe is everything you love about potato gratin made with thinly sliced potatoes, cream and gruyere – plus it’s delicious little individual servings.

Individual stacks of potatoes au gratin on a white platter with touches of fresh thyme for garnish.

Low Carb Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes

An easy Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes recipe is all you need to replace carbs with veggies. It’s so simple and absolutely delicious. With a few tips and tricks (shh…it’s cream cheese!) along the way, no one will ever know it’s mashed cauliflower!

cauliflower mashed potatoes with rosemary in a white platter with gold spoon

Crispy Brussel Sprouts 

This Crispy Brussel Sprouts Recipe is bursting with flavor! Brussel Sprouts with pancetta and shallots are sautéed into a fragrant, textural side dish that make them one of the BEST side dishes for steak!

White bowl with sauteed brussel sprouts, blue linen napkin to the side.

Roasted Cauliflower

This effortless Roasted Cauliflower is the ultimate healthy side dish. If you think you don’t love cauliflower, this Easy Baked Cauliflower is sure to change your mind!

A white plate full of roasted cauliflower, gold spoon to the side, as a meatloaf side

Firehouse Green Beans

Step aside green bean casserole, green beans with bacon are an easy, last-minute side dish with the best blend of garlic, parmesan and bacon. They will have green bean haters begging for the recipe!

Made in less than 10 minutes with just a handful of ingredients.

Firehouse Green Beans With Bacon

Roasted Mushrooms

These are a low carb, low fat side dish that also double as a great topping for your meatloaf, chicken or steak entrees.

roasted mushrooms in a white baking dish

Italian Vegetables

Served alongside any of your favorite dinner entrees, Italian Vegetables are seasoned and oven-roasted to perfection. Italian Roasted Vegetables are rustic, simple and so beautiful to serve! Of course, they make one of the best Italian Side Dishes too.

Ivory oval ceramic bowl filled with roasted Italian vegetables, gold serving spoon to the side.

Cheesy Corn

Creamy corn casserole made with cream cheese – this cheesy corn doubles as a dip! It’s a classic side dish that is perfect for parties as a dip or a family-friendly side dish.

corn casserole in casserole dish

Grilled Corn on the Cob

Indoors our out, this grilled sweet corn is the ultimate side dish. Cooked in a skillet for stove top corn on the cob, or grilled more traditionally, it’s made with just two ingredients.

Even better? It’s ready to serve in less than 10 minutes. It’s delightfully smoky, juicy and full of flavor whether it’s cooked on the grill no matter how you cook it!

grilled corn on the cob on a white plate

Baked Artichokes

Baked Artichoke is one of the easiest side dishes and ways to get your veggies in! These roasted artichoke are so delicious on it’s own or tossed into a salad. It’s not only delicious, but a good source of fiber, Vitamin C and Vitamin K!

roasted artichokes on a white plate, topped with parmedan, resting on a blue linen napkin

Seasoned Green Beans

Learn about the best seasonings for green beans, and how to make the most incredible seasoned green beans as the ultimate side dish!

A white bowl full of seasoned green beans, gold fork for serving.

Seven Layer Salad

This Seven Layer Salad is full of vivid, bold color and bright flavors. There’s a reason this classic 7 layer salad has been so popular over the years, and you’ll remember it with every crunchy bite!

Layer it in a pretty glass bowl for a pretty addition to any brunch, lunch or dinner spread. It’s as iconic as the meatloaf you’re serving for dinner!

A 7 layer salad mixed up in a glass serving dish

Arugula Salad With Lemon Vinaigrette

This is an easy and refreshing recipe for an arugula salad with lemon vinaigrette. This simple salad is so perfect for the warmer weather, and is perfect to serve as a simple side or appetizer.

arugula salad recipe with parmesan shavings on white plate

Roasted Beet Salad With Balsamic Vinaigrette

This roasted beet salad is not only gorgeous to serve, it’s more delicious with each and every bite! Loaded with incredibly tender roasted root veggies, it’s a restaurant level salad you’re going to absolutely crave!

A white plate full of an easy beet salad recipe, topped with sliced jicama, dried figs, and roasted golden beets.

Amazing Italian Salad With Italian Dressing

A simple Italian Salad recipe, St. Louis style. Mix up this delicious, memorable salad with fresh and flavorful Italian Dressing in less than 10 minutes!

This Italian Salad is filled with crisp lettuce, red onion, artichokes, pimentos and grated parmesan to ensure each bite is perfectly covered in Italian Salad Dressing.

italian salad mixed up and topped with parmesan in a white bowl, with wooden serving spoons.

Insalata Mista

A light and refreshing classic Insalata Mista with shaved parmesan, grape tomatoes, and pine nuts tossed in a delcious balsamic vinaigrette. This mixed salad goes great with just about every entree!

Marble countertop with a white salad plate filled with a green salad, cherry tomatoes, parmesan and more.

30 Minute Dinner Rolls

A classic meatloaf dinner isn’t complete without soft fluffy dinner rolls! These homemade dinner rolls are soft, fluffy, buttery and quite simply irresistible.

This homemade dinner roll recipe is truly ready in around 30 minutes, start to finish.

Easy meatloaf sides: soft, fluffy dinner rolls in a white baking dish, with a small bowl full of melted butter and a brush in the foregound

Homemade Cornbread

Or, try these cornbread muffins for another easy bread side dish for meatloaf.

It’s a side dish that everyone will love! Simple to make, it’s on the table in just 30 minutes and serves beautifully with any classic dinner!

A cornbread muffin on a white plate, cut in half and buttered, with a tray of cornbread muffins in the background

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