Name: What To Serve With Meatloaf
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 1 portion meatloaf

Table of Contents

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

In this article, I list 45 of the most popular side dishes for meatloaf.

In a rush? Here’s the short answer.

The best side dishes to serve with meatloaf are gruyere potato au gratin, honey butter peas, garlic dinner rolls, and brown-sugar glazed carrots. For lighter options, try lemon garlic broccolini or broccoli slaw. Other tasty sides include creamy tomato pasta and zucchini tots.

Ready? Let’s jump right in.

Lemon garlic broccolini

In a rush?

Look no further than this lemon garlic broccolini – it’s sweeter than broccoli, plus you don’t have to spend any time chopping it.

And most importantly, this dish has a bright, clean flavor that won’t overpower your meatloaf.

Why we love this recipe: you can get this dish on the table in just 15 minutes.

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Lemon garlic broccolini
Skip the stovetop
Crispy roasted broccolini
Change the flavor
Chili sesame sauteed broccolini

Gruyere potato au gratin

Elevate your humble meatloaf with a serving of this indulgent potato au gratin.

The dish features tender potato slices drenched with a rich two-cheese sauce (gruyere and parmesan) and then topped with even more cheese!

Psst… you’ll probably need an after-dinner nap.

Why we love this recipe: it’s a rich, decadent dish that’s a guaranteed crowd pleaser.

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Gruyere potato au gratin
Make it dairy-free
Vegan scalloped potatoes
Make it low-carb
Cheesy baked turnips

Broccoli slaw

Instead of the standard mayo dressing, this slaw features a finger-lickingly good, zippy honey-mustard dressing that will taste superb with your meatloaf.

You get a fresh, crisp slaw with fewer calories!

Pro-tip: use broccoli stems for this or buy a broccoli slaw mix.

Why we love this recipe: it can be made a day in advance – the flavors get better the longer they sit.

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Broccoli slaw
Make it heartier
Broccoli salad
Fire up the oven
Roasted dijon broccoli

Zucchini tots

These are a great alternative to the usual tater tots.

Zucchinis have fewer calories than the standard potato, and they have a mild grassy taste that complements the savoriness of a meatloaf nicely.

Serve these with your meatloaf for a tasty meal that every kid (and adult) can enjoy.

Why we love this recipe: they’re baked instead of fried, making them even healthier.

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Zucchini tater tots
Skip the zucchini
Cauliflower tots
Make it easy
Air fryer zucchini fries

Honey butter peas

Make your sauteed peas more special by adding some cream cheese, honey, and parmesan cheese to the mix.

The resulting dish?

Lightly sweet and luscious peas with a delectable salty note – they’ll be simply irresistible next to your meatloaf.

Pro-Tip: use fresh or frozen peas, not canned!

Why we love this recipe: it’s creamy without being too heavy.

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Honey butter peas
Make a mash
Mashed peas
Make it cheesy
Cheesy creamed peas and potatoes

Okra succotash

This okra succotash is chock-full of fresh veggies that are loaded with nutrients – and it’s pretty colorful too.

The corn is nice and sweet, while the okra has a touch of earthiness, and the cajun seasoning brings the spice.

Put them together and you have a great side for a meatloaf potluck.

Why we love this recipe: it’s really summery but has substance too.

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Creole okra succotash
Make it French
French-style succotash
Make a salad
Corn and green bean salad

Greek lemon rice pilaf

This lemon rice pilaf is an excellent starchy base for your meatloaf.

It’s bright and flavorful, with a prominent citrusy note that will cut through any fattiness in your meatloaf.

Psst… for super fluffy rice, soak the grains for at least 15 minutes before cooking.

Why we love this recipe: it’s bright yellow (thanks to the turmeric!)

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Greek lemon rice pilaf
Make it quick
Instant pot lemon rice pilaf
Change the flavor
Mushroom rice pilaf

Sourdough dinner rolls

These dinner rolls are the perfect accompaniment if you’re serving your meatloaf with gravy.

They’re soft and fluffy – which means they’re great for soaking up any leftover sauce. And the best part?

You can make extra and have meatloaf sandwiches the next day.

Why we love this recipe: they’re brushed with a herby garlic butter for extra flavor.

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Sourdough dinner rolls
Make them keto-friendly
Keto dinner rolls
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No-knead rosemary bread

Creamy garlic parmesan mushrooms

Ditch the traditional glaze for your meatloaf and use this sauce instead.

Just scoop a spoonful of these luscious, umami-loaded creamy mushrooms over your meatloaf, and you’ve got a winning meal.

Psst… you can use any kind of mushrooms you want.

Why we love this recipe: it’s a great low-carb addition to any meal.

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Creamy garlic parmesan mushrooms
Lose the sauce
Balsamic sauteed mushrooms
Make a starter
Stuffed mushrooms

Chopped Thai salad

Have you ever had an Asian-style meatloaf?

If you fancy trying something a little different – I recommend it!

And if you do try it, you can pair it with this Thai-inspired chopped salad.

The salad is full of crisp and crunchy vegetables, which are the perfect summer partners for a spicy meatloaf.

Why we love this recipe: it’s definitely insta-worthy.

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Chopped Thai salad with peanut sauce
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Kale apple salad with honey mustard vinaigrette
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Classic chopped salad

Creamy tomato pasta

Mac and cheese is a classic side for meatloaf, but loads of pasta dishes will work.

I think creamy is best, and the addition of tomatoes to this recipe adds a nice tanginess that contrasts with the meatiness of your meatloaf.

I also like to add in some veggies such as spinach or mushrooms too.

Why we love this recipe: it’s a ‘less guilty’ creamy pasta, because you don’t actually need cream.

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Creamy tomato pasta
Go classic
3-Ingredient mac and cheese
Make it low-carb
Creamy garlic zoodles

Picante sauce

A good, tasty sauce, like this picante sauce, is a life-saver if you accidentally overcook your meatloaf and it comes out slightly dry.

Made with ingredients like chipotle peppers and apple cider vinegar, expect this sauce to add a hot and spicy kick to your meatloaf.

But don’t worry – you can easily customize this sauce to your preferred spice level.

Why we love this recipe: this sauce is not just for meatloaf – you can also use it for nachos, chicken, and more.

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Picante sauce
Make it different
Chunky green tomato picante sauce
Back to basics
Homemade barbecue sauce

Loaded green bean casserole

Aside from green beans, this dish is packed with cheese, crispy bacon, and fried onions – sounds heavenly, right?

It’s great for the holiday season, and a fantastic way to spruce up some boring green beans!

Why we love this recipe: it can be made ahead of time, so all you need to do on the day is bake it.

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Loaded green bean casserole
Free up the oven
Slow cooker green bean casserole
Make it simple
Cheesy roasted green beans

Scrambled eggs

Got some leftover meatloaf you’re not sure what to do with?

One suggestion is meatloaf sandwiches, but my favorite option is a meatloaf scramble.

Chunks of meatloaf, egg, potatoes, cheese, and whatever veggies you want to add in are mixed together to make a hearty breakfast (or dinner).

Psst… it goes great with some baked beans.

Why we love this recipe: it’s a super tasty way to start your day.

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Meatloaf scramble
Make it simple
Poached eggs
What about an omelet?
The perfect omelet

Brown-sugar glazed carrots

Carrots are a classic side for a meaty main, and these carrots are made sweeter with the help of a sticky brown sugar glaze.

I like using baby carrots to make this, but you can also use whole carrots – just make sure to slice them uniformly so they cook evenly.

Why we love this recipe: it can bring a taste of the holidays to any meal.

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Brown-sugar glazed carrots
Make it fun
Bourbon-glazed carrots
Fire up the grill
Grilled maple dijon carrots

What salads go well with meatloaf?

A simple leafy green salad is great to serve with meatloaf. But if you want something different, go for a shaved brussel sprout salad or a honey crisp apple salad. During winter, I like to serve kale and quinoa salad.

Best salads to serve with meatloaf

What sauces go well with meatloaf?

Honey barbecue sauce and ketchup are the usual sauces to pair with meatloaf. For a spicy bite, I like to serve it with Picante or chimichurri. And if you want to go for gravy, I recommend an earthy mushroom gravy.

Best sauces to serve with meatloaf