The Ultimate Guide to Meatloaf Sides: Over 25 Irresistible Recipes

Are you searching for the perfect accompaniments to your classic meatloaf dinner? Look no further! This comprehensive guide features over 25 delicious and easy-to-make side dishes for meatloaf, ranging from comforting classics to fresh, modern twists. Whether you’re planning a weeknight family meal or a special gathering, you’ll find plenty of inspiration to elevate your meatloaf experience.

Elevate Your Meatloaf Dinner Experience

Meatloaf, a humble yet hearty dish, boasts a rich history dating back to medieval Europe, where it was enjoyed as a way to utilize leftover meats. Over centuries, it has evolved into a beloved American comfort food, especially gaining popularity during the Great Depression as an economical and satisfying way to provide protein to families. Early recipes were incredibly versatile, incorporating various meats like veal, ham, and beef, often extended with ingredients like breadcrumbs and crackers to create a satisfying texture and stretch ingredients further.

Its enduring appeal lies in its simplicity and comforting nature. However, a great meatloaf dinner isn’t complete without the right side dishes. The perfect side can complement the rich, savory flavors of meatloaf, adding texture, freshness, and balance to your meal. Our curated list aims to provide you with an array of choices that will make your next meatloaf dinner truly unforgettable, appealing to both kids and adults alike.

Preparing Meatloaf: Tips for Success

Meatloaf is an incredibly forgiving and convenient dish, perfect for meal prepping. Understanding how to prepare and store it can save you time and ensure a delicious meal every time.

Can Meatloaf Be Made Ahead of Time?

Absolutely! Meatloaf is an ideal make-ahead meal, simplifying your dinner routine. Simply mix all the raw ingredients, form your loaf, and then store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two days. When you’re ready to bake, just transfer it from the fridge to the oven. This preparation method is perfect for busy weeknights or when entertaining guests.

Can Meatloaf Be Frozen?

For longer storage, meatloaf freezes beautifully. If you don’t plan to bake your prepared meatloaf within two days, it should be moved from the refrigerator to the freezer. Once shaped and securely wrapped in an airtight container or a freezer-safe bag, raw meatloaf can be stored in the freezer for up to six months. Remember to label it with the date to keep track of freshness.

When cooking from frozen, be aware that it will take significantly longer—sometimes up to twice as long—to bake through compared to thawed meatloaf. For faster cooking and more even results, it’s highly recommended to defrost your meatloaf in the refrigerator overnight before baking. Always use a meat thermometer to ensure your meatloaf reaches an internal temperature of 165°F for food safety.

Should Meatloaf Be Covered in the Oven?

The debate over covering meatloaf during baking often comes down to personal preference. However, covering your meatloaf with a layer of aluminum foil for at least part of the baking time can be beneficial. It helps to lock in moisture, preventing the top from drying out or overcooking while ensuring the inside cooks thoroughly and remains juicy. You can remove the foil for the last 15-20 minutes to allow the top to brown and the glaze to caramelize if desired.

For even more convenience, explore our favorite meatloaf recipes, like our Stovetop Meatloaf for a quick option, or our Slow Cooker Meatloaf for a hands-off approach.

Discover the Perfect Meatloaf Side Dishes

No matter your preference, this comprehensive list of meatloaf sides offers something for everyone. From hearty potato dishes to fresh vegetable creations and delectable breads, these recipes are sure to complement your main course and satisfy every palate. Get ready to transform your meatloaf dinner into a culinary masterpiece!

Looking for even more bread options? We feature over 30 easy bread recipes that pair wonderfully with a savory meatloaf dinner.

Funeral Potatoes

Also known as party potatoes, this cheesy hash brown casserole is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser and an excellent choice for meatloaf night. The addition of sour cream lends a rich, creamy texture, while a crunchy cornflake topping provides a delightful contrast. Loaded with gooey cheddar cheese, these make-ahead potatoes are the ultimate comfort food side, perfect for balancing the savory flavors of your meatloaf.

Crockpot Garlic Potatoes

These incredibly simple slow-cooker potatoes offer a wonderful garlicky flavor that’s pronounced enough to be delicious but subtle enough to let your meatloaf remain the star. You can customize the garlic intensity with powdered, fresh minced, or jarred garlic. For an extra layer of flavor, consider adding grated Parmesan cheese, fresh thyme, or oregano to create an aromatic and cheesy herb-infused side that perfectly complements any main dish.

Crockpot Garlic Mashed Potatoes

For those who truly appreciate the pungent, savory notes of garlic, these Crock Pot Garlic Mashed Potatoes are a must-try. Both Russet and Yukon gold potatoes yield excellent results in this holiday-favorite side dish. It’s incredibly easy to scale the recipe by doubling or tripling ingredients to feed a larger crowd. For an even more intense garlic experience, generously coat your cooked potatoes in garlic powder. If you’re looking for a healthier, lighter alternative to serve alongside your meatloaf, our loaded Crock Pot mashed cauliflower recipe is an excellent choice.

Cracker Barrel Green Beans

These flavorful green beans are not only a holiday staple but also a nutritional powerhouse, packed with vitamin C and the antioxidant beta-carotene. Inspired by the classic Cracker Barrel recipe, this dish features thick-cut bacon chunks cooked throughout, infusing the green beans with an exceptionally savory and smoky flavor. Made easily in a Dutch oven, it’s a comforting and robust side dish that pairs beautifully with meatloaf. For a heartier green bean option, consider our rich and creamy Green Bean Casserole, made with Campbell’s cream of mushroom soup.

Air Fryer Kale Chips

Forget store-bought snacks; create these inexpensive, healthy, and naturally gluten-free kale chips effortlessly in your air fryer. Using just a few pantry staples, these chips are simple to make yet provide an excellent canvas for your favorite seasoning salts or blends. They offer a wonderfully crisp and satisfying alternative to traditional potato chips. For best results and maximum flavor, ensure you season the finished chips generously, locking in those delicious savory notes.

Crock Pot Mashed Cauliflower

Cauliflower is a remarkably nutrient-dense vegetable, rich in vitamin C, fiber, and beneficial phytochemicals known to support overall health. This health-conscious alternative to mashed potatoes delivers so much of that beloved “loaded” flavor that you’ll hardly notice the reduced carbs. We often include bacon for a hearty touch, but you can easily omit it or use a plant-based substitute to make this dish suitable for vegetarian guests, ensuring everyone can enjoy this delicious side with their meatloaf.

Crock Pot Stuffed Tomatoes

Stuffed vegetables offer an adorable and wonderfully satisfying way to enjoy a nutritious meal, especially delightful during warmer months. These vibrant veggies provide essential fiber, vitamins, and other vital nutrients. My husband, John, particularly loves these cheese and breadcrumb-stuffed tomatoes, often requesting them for dinner. Their appealing presentation and delicious filling make them a fantastic and wholesome addition to any meatloaf meal.

Broccoli Slaw

Coleslaw is a universally popular pairing for meat-based dinners, and this flavorful take on classic slaw is an exceptional choice for meatloaf night. It’s chock-full of crisp shredded broccoli slaw, juicy apples, thinly sliced red onions, crunchy almonds, and creamy blue cheese crumbles, all tossed in a delightful sweet and tangy homemade dressing. Prepare your ingredients in a large mixing bowl to ensure ample space for thoroughly combining all the wonderful components, creating a vibrant and refreshing side.

Caprese Pasta Salad

Named after the picturesque Italian island of Capri, a Caprese salad is renowned for its vibrant colors, artfully arranged to mimic the Italian flag. This delightful pasta salad features juicy tomatoes, creamy mozzarella, and fragrant fresh basil leaves, all tossed together to create a light and refreshing side. Its bright, fresh flavors provide a wonderful contrast to the rich, savory meatloaf, making it a perfect addition for a balanced and visually appealing meal.

Crockpot Glazed Carrots

These cinnamon brown sugar-glazed carrots are an absolute hit, traditionally gracing tables alongside Thanksgiving turkey or Easter ham. So why not bring their sweet and tender charm to your meatloaf dinner? We highly recommend using pre-bagged baby carrots for this recipe, as they are already perfectly bite-sized and require no additional prep work, saving you time and effort while delivering a deliciously sweet and savory vegetable side.

Air Fryer Corn on the Cob

While grilled corn fresh off the iron is undeniably delicious, it’s not always a practical option, especially if you lack access to a grill. This air fryer shortcut delivers perfectly roasted corn on the cob, making this summer staple accessible year-round, as long as you have the counter space for your appliance. It’s an ideal easy side dish because it frees up valuable oven space, ensuring it can be ready right when your meatloaf comes out, hot and fresh.

Crockpot Olive Garden Minestrone Soup

If you’re planning an Italian-themed meatloaf night, this hearty Minestrone soup is an absolute must. Bursting with red kidney and white navy beans, it offers a satisfying and filling experience, while a blend of aromatic spices and herbs provides a comforting warmth to your senses. Given the abundance of vegetables required for this recipe, we highly recommend using a vegetable chopper to significantly reduce prep time and effort, making this delicious soup even easier to enjoy.

Stuffed Pepper Soup

Warming soups like this thick and hearty Crock Pot Stuffed Pepper Soup are ideal for cozying up during cooler months, offering a comforting embrace. However, the crisp, grassy flavors of bell peppers are equally delicious when the weather warms up, making this a versatile dish for any season. This easy and filling Crock Pot favorite captures all the beloved flavors of traditional stuffed peppers without the labor-intensive stuffing process, ensuring you can enjoy a delicious meal with minimal effort.

Crockpot French Onion Soup

Thanks to the slow cooker, crafting this exquisite French onion soup is wonderfully effortless. Imagine walking through the door after a long day to the delightful aroma of slowly caramelized onions, rich beef broth, and hints of butter and sugar. Choose sweet onions for a milder, sweeter soup or white onions for a more savory profile. Simmer with a bay leaf and fresh thyme sprigs for an aromatic herbal infusion. For an authentic and decadent finish, we love to shred Gruyère or Swiss cheese on top, creating a rich, cheesy crust.

Crockpot Mushroom Pasta Casserole

Mushroom enthusiasts will rejoice over this pantry-staple pasta casserole, made entirely in your Crock Pot. It’s an excellent choice for those transitional seasons when daytime temperatures are pleasant but evenings still call for a comforting, warming meal. The slow cooking process allows the rich, earthy flavors of the mushrooms to meld beautifully with the pasta, creating a deeply satisfying and effortless side dish that perfectly complements a savory meatloaf.

Creamed Corn Casserole

Just five simple pantry staples are all it takes to create this beloved creamed corn casserole, a dish I frequently include in meal kits for John’s mom and grandmother. It’s equally delicious served alongside meatloaf as it is with a steaming hot bowl of our Crockpot Chicken Chili. Follow the base recipe for a universally pleasing casserole, or add some flair by mixing in crispy bacon, diced jalapeños, and shredded cheese for a kick of flavor and texture that will delight everyone at the table.

Crock Pot Cornbread

Cornbread has a long-standing history as a perfect accompaniment to meatloaf, making it an excellent choice for your dinner table. This slow-cooker cornbread recipe, made with convenient Jiffy Cornbread Mix, is incredibly versatile and works beautifully with any type of corn you have on hand—whether frozen, canned, or fresh. If you prefer a denser, more texture-rich cornbread, feel free to double up on the corn kernels. For those who favor oven baking, our adaptable Jiffy Cornbread with Sour Cream comes together in under 40 minutes and can be customized with a variety of toppings.

Crockpot Dressing

Whether you refer to it as stuffing or dressing, you’ll be delighted by how effortlessly this Crock Pot-style Thanksgiving classic comes together. It’s a perfect accompaniment to meat-based entrees, especially meatloaf. We create ours using a delightful mix of white, sourdough, and wheat bread cubes, which adds both visual contrast and depth of flavor. This recipe is an ideal way to utilize any stray loaves of bread you might have in your kitchen, transforming them into a savory and satisfying side dish.

3 Ingredient Beer Bread

Inspired by our 7-Up biscuit series, this incredibly simple bread recipe uses a trifecta of Bisquick baking mix, sugar, and beer. The choice of beer allows for delightful customization: opt for a lighter lager or ale for a milder-tasting, paler loaf, or select a darker beer like a porter or stout to achieve a deeper color and more robust flavor. In our original recipe post, we successfully used the popular pale lager, Heineken, proving that delicious bread can be incredibly easy to make.

Epic Cheesy Garlic Bread

Elevate a simple loaf of store-bought garlic bread into something truly extraordinary with this recipe. The irresistible pockets of cheesy goodness in this pull-apart bread come from a savory blend of Parmesan and mozzarella. It’s a fantastic way to add a gourmet touch with minimal effort. We’ve achieved excellent results using both olive oil and homemade garlic butter. For the best outcome and easier slicing, start with a fresh loaf of bread, ensuring a perfect texture for those melty, cheesy pockets.

Cheesy Biscuit Bites

These cheesy biscuit bites are one of our go-to appetizers for impromptu gatherings, perfect for when you need to whip up something delicious quickly. Made with a delightful two-cheese blend, these pull-apart biscuit bites are incredibly flavorful on their own and even better when dipped in ranch dressing or our homemade Crock Pot Marinara Sauce. To save time and effort without sacrificing taste, we rely on convenient Pillsbury Grands biscuit dough, making this a truly effortless crowd-pleaser.

Easy Garlic Cheese Muffins

Did you know that meatloaf was historically served for breakfast in some traditions? I vividly recall the moment this recipe for savory garlic cheese muffins caught my eye in a Southern Living magazine, and I knew I had to recreate them in my kitchen. These flavorful muffins offer a delightful bread-based side dish, perfectly suited whether you’re serving meatloaf for a unique breakfast or a comforting dinner, adding a wonderful cheesy, garlicky touch to any meal.

Copy Cat Cheddar Bay Biscuits

You won’t need to venture further than your own kitchen to whip up this spot-on copycat version of Red Lobster’s famously irresistible Cheddar Bay Biscuits. These fluffy, garlic-butter brushed biscuits are incredibly easy to make. Feel free to customize them with additional ingredients like crispy bacon bits, fresh herbs, or extra cheese to truly make them your own. They make an exceptional accompaniment to your meatloaf dinner, adding a buttery, savory touch that everyone will love.

Spicy Southwest Biscuits

I crafted these biscuits with a delightful kick specifically for my husband, who is an absolute spice lover, and they are always devoured quickly in our household. Thanks to Rotel, which comes in mild, medium, and hot varieties, it’s incredibly easy to customize the heat level to perfectly match your family’s tolerance and preference. If you find yourself craving more delicious recipes featuring this versatile canned pantry staple, explore our extensive collection of Rotel recipes to spark your culinary creativity.

Crazy Easy 7-Up Biscuits

In need of a truly simple biscuit recipe for your meatloaf dinner that you can prepare in a flash? These remarkable four-ingredient biscuits achieve their famously airy and fluffy texture from an unexpected ingredient: the popular lemon-lime soda. This is one quirky recipe you absolutely must try to believe. Once you do, it just might become a staple in your home, just as it has in ours, offering a wonderfully light and quick bread option.

Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts

Whether you’re a longtime fan or a reluctant eater, the air fryer makes it incredibly easy to transform Brussels sprouts into perfectly crispy, tender halves. Topped with your favorite seasonings—perhaps a drizzle of balsamic glaze, a sprinkle of Parmesan, or some crispy bacon bits—these delicious sprouts are a versatile and healthy side dish that can easily convert even the most skeptical palates. They add a fresh, slightly bitter counterpoint to the rich meatloaf.

Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries

Sweet potato fries offer the perfect harmony of sweet and savory flavors, making them an irresistible side dish. The convenience of preparing them in the air fryer means we can indulge in these satisfying, flavorful fries and our favorite dipping sauces whenever a craving strikes. They are a much more filling and nutritious option compared to a light snack like popcorn, providing sustained energy and delightful taste. I would happily serve sweet potato fries or even classic air fryer French fries as one of the best sides for almost any main course, including meatloaf.

Kale and Apple Potato Salad

This innovative take on classic potato salad introduces kale, crisp red onions, and sweet apples into the mix, creating a cafe-worthy salad that is as visually appealing as it is utterly delightful to eat! Like many cold salads, its flavors deepen and meld beautifully the longer it rests. For optimal taste, we recommend keeping it refrigerated for at least four hours before serving, allowing all the ingredients to truly harmonize and offer a refreshing contrast to your meatloaf.

Hawaiian Mac Salad

My profound affection for the Big Island dates back to my college days as a marine biology student intern. This Aloha-style macaroni salad is a testament to those memories. For an authentic Hawaiian lunch plate experience, pair this creamy mac salad with our flavorful Crockpot Hawaiian Chicken. To achieve the most genuine island taste, we highly recommend using Best Foods mayonnaise, as it’s a staple in Hawaiian cuisine and truly makes a difference in the flavor profile.

Favorite Kitchen Tools for Easy Cooking

Having the right kitchen tools can make preparing these delicious meatloaf sides even simpler and more enjoyable. Here are some of our favorites:

Parchment Paper: I absolutely love using parchment paper because it makes removing baked goods, like cookies or casseroles, incredibly easy. It also simplifies cleanup, turning a potentially messy task into a breeze. If you’re not using parchment paper, remember to generously spray your baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray to prevent sticking.

Mix n Chop: This versatile tool is a game-changer for breaking up ground meat while it cooks. We use our Mix n Chop constantly for ground beef, turkey, or sausage, and it makes the process so much quicker and more efficient, ensuring perfectly crumbled meat every time.

Microwave Silicone Cover: I swear by these lid covers! They are essential for preventing butter splatters and other food explosions when melting ingredients in the microwave. I’ve experienced far too many messy butter incidents while baking, and these covers have been a lifesaver, keeping ingredients neatly in the bowl and off the interior of my microwave.

Explore More Great Recipe Collections

If you enjoyed this list of meatloaf sides, you’ll love these other popular recipe collections, perfect for expanding your culinary repertoire:

Rotel Recipes: Discover all the very best recipes featuring Rotel, from crowd-pleasing dips to savory chicken spaghetti and creamy cheese dip. This collection covers appetizers, main dishes, and even breads that taste infinitely better with a touch of Rotel’s zesty flavor!

Bisquick Recipes: Unlock the potential of Bisquick with this collection of easy recipes! Find everything from quick breakfasts and delicious snacks to comforting main dishes and much more. All these Bisquick recipes are made with simple ingredients, ensuring they are quick, easy, and satisfying every time.

Ground Beef Crockpot Recipes: Explore a selection of incredibly easy ground beef Crockpot recipes, perfect for any occasion! Whether you’re planning family dinners or preparing dishes for potlucks, these slow cooker ground beef recipes are convenient, flavorful, and always a hit.

Game Day Appetizers: Get ready for your next game day with over 30 appetizers that truly score big on flavor! From hearty slow cooker dips to crispy air fryer delights, we have all the delicious snacks you’ll want to enjoy while cheering on your favorite team.

Sides for Chili: This dedicated roundup features a fantastic array of side dish companions that pair perfectly with a comforting bowl of chili. From various breads and biscuits to fresh salads and more, find the ideal complement to your next chili night.

Sour Cream Recipes: Dive into our collection of recipes that creatively incorporate sour cream, adding a delightful tang and creamy richness to both savory and sweet dishes. Discover new ways to use this versatile ingredient in your cooking.