This article was updated on 28/7/2023 for clarity and to improve text readability.
If you’re wondering what to serve with your cioppino, you’ve come to the right place. In this article, I list 33 of the most popular side dishes for cioppino.
In a rush? Here’s the short answer.
The best side dishes for cioppino include mashed potato, gnocchi, and garlic bread. These are great for soaking up the broth. For a lighter option, try roasted asparagus, corn on the cob, or a rocket and fennel salad. Fries, or zucchini fries, are another classic option.
Ready? Let’s jump right in.
Garlic bread
A crusty loaf of bread is the ideal side dish for a piping hot bowl of cioppino.
It’s a simple side dish that allows you to soak up the broth as you chow down on the seafood. But if you want to take your loaf to the next level, why not transform it into garlic bread?
Jocelyn from Grandbaby Cakes uses garlic powder and freshly minced garlic (make sure it’s fresh and none of that pre-minced stuff) so you’re guaranteed garlicky goodness in every bite.
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Garlic bread
Make it Italian
Focaccia
Make a copycat
Olive Garden breadsticks
Pan grilled radicchio
Looking for a unique side dish? Radicchio fits the bill.
Raw radicchio has a natural sharp and bitter flavor, but don’t worry – this mellows when you grill it. In fact, the leafy vegetable even develops some sweet flavors to complement the bitterness.
Grilled radicchio pairs well with cioppino alone. But for that extra briny flavor, try topping your radicchio with some caper salsa.
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Pan-grilled radicchio with olive-caper salsa
Make it simple
Sautéed radicchio
Keep it fresh
Radicchio salad
Lemon broccoli pasta
What’s more Italian than pasta, right?
Aside from sharing culinary roots, pasta is the perfect dish to serve with a bowl of cioppino because it will fill you right up.
This tasty combination will make you feel warm and cozy, and the broccoli adds a nice pop of color. Plus, the pasta’s zesty, citrusy notes is just what you need to cut through the richness of your stew.
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Lemon broccoli pasta
Make a classic
Spaghetti aglio e olio
Make it low-carb
Roasted spaghetti squash
Oven-roasted asparagus
Looking for a veggie side that you can whip up in a flash and requires little hands-on cooking? You can’t go wrong with roasted asparagus!
It’s easy without being boring and will add some crunch to the plate. Plus, roasting the asparagus spears gives them an incredible smoky flavor similar to the taste you get from grilling, but without the extra work.
The lemon and garlic seasoning The Busy Baker used may seem plain, but they’re just enough to complement your cioppino’s rich, briny flavor.
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Roasted asparagus
Fire up the grill
Lemon and feta grilled asparagus
Make it surf-and-turf
Bacon-wrapped asparagus
Gnocchi
These potato dumplings are like pasta, but better. They’re made with ridges, which are the perfect vehicle for your cioppino’s tasty broth.
You can stick with ready-to-eat frozen gnocchi if you’re in a hurry, but making it from scratch is easier than you think.
Traditional recipes call for a gnocchi board to make these potato dumplings, but Giadzy uses the back of the fork instead. Pretty genius, huh?
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Fresh potato gnocchi
Make it low-carb
Ricotta gnocchi
Make it autumnal
Pumpkin gnocchi
Quinoa salad
Need something healthy and filling with your cioppino? Whip up a batch of this quinoa salad.
The sweet potatoes bring the carbs, but the addition of quinoa and spinach loads up this side dish with more protein, making it hearty and healthy at the same time. Everything is tied together with a tangy lemon vinaigrette that will make the seafood sing!
Pro-tip: planning on making this in advance? Only toss when you’re ready to serve.
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Sweet potato quinoa salad
Ditch the sweet potatoes
Moroccan carrot and quinoa salad
Skip the quinoa
Apple spinach salad
Healthy zucchini fries
Potato fries are a go-to side dish for most meals. The only problem? They’re not so great for the waistline. And that’s where these zucchini fries come in!
Not only do they have less calories than potatoes, but these zucchini fries are cooked in an air-fryer. They use far less oil than usual, but they still have perfectly crisp exteriors and tender interiors.
Enjoy them alongside your cioppino or try dipping them into the rich, flavorful stew. Yum!
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Air fryer zucchini fries
Another low-carb alternative
Baked jicama fries
Back to basics
Twice-fried French fries
Corn on the cob
Pairing corn on the cob with a bowl of cioppino sounds a little weird. But its natural sweetness goes so well with the salty seafood flavor of cioppino.
And the best part is that you don’t have to fire up your grill or oven to achieve flavorful corn on the cob, thanks to The Kitchn’s five easy butter bath corn recipes.
I think the herb-and-garlic combo works best with the flavors of cioppino, but you can also stick with the classic version if you want to play it safe.
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Butter bath corn
Make it fun
Corn ribs
Make it different
Zucchini and corn fritters
Rocket and fennel salad
In the mood for a lighter salad? Stick with leafy greens and crunchy veg like this vibrant salad.
This may seem plain but the crunch and peppery kick from the veggies, combined with the tangy dressing are an excellent contrast to your hearty cioppino.
Lazy Cat Kitchen also used pickled onions for an added tang, but you can also swap it for raw onions in a pinch.
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Fennel salad with walnut dressing
Add a fruity twist
Arugula pear salad
Skip the leafy greens
Fennel slaw with mint vinaigrette
Garlic mashed potatoes
Mashed potatoes are an incredibly versatile dish that works well with anything – from fried chicken to hearty stews like cioppino.
Imagine that smooth, creamy mash soaking up all the goodness from your seafood stew? It’s heaven in one bite!
I opted for a classic creamy mash with Fox and Briar’s recipe. But if you’re in the mood for something even more indulgent, try these cream cheese mashed potatoes
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Roasted garlic mashed potatoes
Make it fancy
Duchess potatoes
Make it low-carb
Mashed cauliflower
Creamy mushroom risotto
Risotto is a classic Italian dish that’s normally the main attraction.
But recently, I’ve started using it as a replacement for plain rice when I want something a little more flavorful.
I love a good mushroom risotto (did someone say umami?!), but if you’re not a fan, don’t worry! You can cook up a nice fresh pea risotto instead.
Any of these will be able to hold their own against a mighty cioppino.
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Mushroom risotto
Make it spring-inspired
Spring pea risotto
Make a classic
Risotto alla milanese
What To Serve With Cioppino – 33 Side Dishes
Ingredients
- 1 portion mushroom risotto
- 1 portion corn on the cob
- 1 portion garlic mashed potatoes
- 1 portion zucchini fries
- 1 portion garlic bread
- 1 portion gnocchi
- … and more
Instructions
- Prepare your cioppino according to your favorite recipe.
- In the meantime, choose one of the following sides to serve alongside it.
- Sides include: garlic bread, mashed potato, gnocchi, corn on the cob, mushroom risotto, asparagus, radicchio and pasta.
- Serve immediately and enjoy.
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