What To Serve With Cioppino – 11 Tasty Side Dishes

If you’re wondering what to serve with your cioppino, you’ve come to the right place.

In this article, I list 11 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 go to take your loaf to the next level, why not transform it into garlic bread?

Or you could go a step further and make cheesy garlic bread… YUM.

This recipe 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.

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 cook 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. 

Williams-Sonoma has a great recipe for this!

Lemon Broccoli Pasta

What’s more Italian than pasta, right? 

Aside from sharing Italian 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 will add a nice pop of color. 

This pasta recipe from The Food Charlatan will help you whip up a citrusy dish that balances well with the flavors of seafood stew.

Oven-roasted Asparagus

If you want a veggie side dish that you can whip up in a snap to serve with cioppino, then oven-roasted asparagus is what you’re looking for. 

It’s easy without being boring and will add some crunch to the plate. 

Roasting asparagus gives them an incredible smoky flavor similar to the taste you get from grilling. 

The only difference is you won’t need to stand outside and work on the grill. 

This recipe from The Busy Baker has added flavors of lemon and garlic that complement the cioppino perfectly.

Gnocchi

Gnocchi is traditionally made with a special tool called a gnocchi board, which forms the gnocchi’s ridges. 

These ridges mean sauce can stick to the gnocchi better, making them the perfect vehicle for the cioppino’s tasty seafood sauce.

Homemade gnocchi sounds intimidating, but it’s easier than you think. 

Giadzy has a simple recipe that will turn you into a gnocchi-making pro in no time. 

The best part? 

This recipe will teach you how to get those ridges without buying a gnocchi board.

Quinoa Salad

Quinoa salad is a healthy and filling dish to accompany cioppino.

You can add pretty much anything you want to the quinoa, but Chelsea’s Messy Apron features sweet potato and avocado cubes for an easy-on-the eye salad.

The whole dish is brought together by a tangy lemon vinaigrette that will make the seafood sing. 

Healthy Zucchini Fries

Potato fries are a go-to side dish for most meals. However, they’re not so great for the waistline. 

Zucchini fries are the perfect healthy alternative.

Like your regular fries, zucchini fries are crispy on the outside and tender inside. And you can still dip them in the cioppino’s sauce if you fancy it.

They’re also easy to customize and adaptable to keto or gluten-free diet

Sound exciting? This Gimmedelicious recipe uses an air fryer, so you don’t have to deal with deep frying. 

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. 

The Kitchn provides five easy butter bath corn recipes to choose from. 

I think the herb-and-garlic and classic butter bath corn would work best with cioppino.

Tip: you can also shred the corn and stir it straight into the cioppino.

Rocket and Fennel Salad

Salads are the go-to when you’re looking for a healthy, fresh, and no-cook dish to serve alongside any meal.

But there are so many options. Which ones go well with seafood stew?

Rocket leaves, also known as arugula, are an excellent choice. 

They have a peppery and slightly spicy taste that will bring some heat to your dish. And fennel is a classic pairing with seafood.

The lazycatkitchen features a great rocket and fennel salad with some crunchy walnuts for texture. 

Garlic Mashed Potatoes 

Mashed potatoes are an incredibly versatile dish that works well with anything – from fried chicken to hearty stews. 

A bowl of cioppino served over or alongside mashed potatoes will satisfy your cravings and is guaranteed to warm you up on a cold winter day. 

Opt for a smooth and creamy mash if you’re going for elegance.

Or you can create a more rustic feel with lumpy mash. 

Ready to go to your kitchen? Fox and Briar’s recipe is a step up from your basic mashed potatoes with the addition of roasted garlic.

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 flavorsome. 

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 caprese tomato risotto or a fresh pea risotto instead.

Any of these will be able to hold their own against a mighty cioppino. 

Has this article got you in the mood for cooking?

This risotto recipe from Three Olives Branch is deliciously creamy.

The best cioppino side dishes

• Garlic Bread
• Pan Grilled Radicchio
• Lemon Broccoli Pasta
• Oven-roasted Asparagus
• Gnocchi
• Quinoa Salad
• Healthy Zucchini Fries
• Corn on the Cob
• Rocket and Fennel Salad
• Garlic Mashed Potatoes
• Creamy Mushroom Risotto

What To Serve With Cioppino

In this short recipe, I show exactly what to serve with your cioppino.

5 from 1 vote

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Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: cioppino, cioppino side dishes, what to serve with cioppino

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Servings: 1 person

Calories: 80kcal

Ingredients

• 1 portion cioppino

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.

Nutrition

Serving: 100g | Calories: 80kcal