Quick Links
Pizza is a tasty and easy meal choice any day of the week, especially for families with children. When you’re craving variety, it can be fun to branch out and experiment with other dishes in addition to your favorite pizza. Green Lantern Pizza is renowned for its classic Detroit-style pizza with a wide variety of toppings and flavors to keep your dinner guests coming back for more.
Here are some of our recommendations on what to serve with pizza the next time you host a pizza dinner or party!
Toppings
What goes with pizza for dinner? Whether you want simple, classic or adventurous, there are dozens of delectable pizza topping combinations to sample. Pepperoni is a long-standing beloved choice of pizza toppings among Americans: one in three people choose pepperoni as their favorite topping! However, numerous other toppings are rising quickly in popularity. A fast-growing new favorite of many is Hawaiian pizza, which features ham and sweet pineapple.
Many pizza enthusiasts also like to try sandwich-inspired toppings, such as BLT or cheeseburger pizzas. Other pizza lovers favor playing with proteins such as fresh seafood, BBQ chicken or a combination of sausage, pepperoni, ham, ground beef, salami and bacon, culminating in the almighty meat lover’s pizza.
There are also numerous meatless options suitable for cheese and vegetable lovers, such as four-cheese pizza and a delicious vegetarian pizza piled high with green peppers, onion, spinach, mushrooms and black olives.
Appetizers
When you’re looking for the best appetizers and sides to go with pizza, you’ll want to find tasty options that will harmonize with your favorite slices. Fortunately, numerous dishes can complement and balance out the star of the meal.
Some good sides for a pizza party include chicken tenders and traditional or boneless wings with an assortment of dipping sauces. Tenders and wings provide great protein sources to balance out the carbohydrate of pizza and are sure to please your dinner and party guests.
Vegetables are also a great addition to a pizza dinner. You can find many recipes for healthy yet rich veggie dishes, such as asparagus, brussels sprouts, coleslaw and broccoli rabe with chickpeas. You might also include a hearty stew, like ratatouille, a traditional French dish made with tomatoes, yellow squash, zucchini, eggplant and mozzarella.
If you’re wondering what to serve with pizza at a party, consider mozzarella sticks, jalapeno poppers, onion rings, garlic bread or spinach and artichoke dip for easy finger-food options. Need something to pass around for dinner? Put together a quick Italian bruschetta platter to offer something that will please all palettes.
Salads
In addition to appetizers, salads can be a fantastic and healthy side when you don’t know what to have with pizza.
Leafy Green Salads
For a salad that embodies classic Italian flavors, you’ll want to try antipasto. Green Lantern Pizza’s antipasto salad contains a blend of iceberg and romaine lettuce, salami, ham, mozzarella, red onion, black olives, egg and pepperoncini.
If you’re feeling adventurous, you can create a healthy and tangy Tuscan kale salad to complete your pizza dinner. A Greek salad offers a blend of feta cheese, beets, olives and onion that will go great with pizza, or you can try a fresh garden salad with a mix of lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, onions, croutons and cheese.
Twists on the Classic Salad
If you’re looking to expand from the regular green salad to go with pizza, you can choose from a wide variety of other dishes! Try a light and easy broccoli salad filled with currants, red onion and almonds, or make a pasta salad with farfalle, prosciutto, tomatoes and loads of herbs.
A homemade potato salad offers your guests a filling and complementary side dish, or you can experiment with an asparagus caesar salad for a playful take on a classic. A fruit-focused berry Caprese salad is another beautiful and fresh summer salad that will impress your guests, whether you’re hosting a formal dinner or a pool party.
Drinks
So, what are the best drinks to serve with pizza? Whether you’re searching for the perfect beer pairing or something for the kids, plenty of drink options go well with pizza.
Alcoholic Beverages
It’s no secret that beer and pizza are a perfect match. For your next night-in, serve some home-brewed or craft beer with dinner to wow your guests and amplify your meal. Try some golden ale to accentuate your slice of Hawaiian or a dark smoked beer to heighten the taste of meat lovers pizza. An American brown ale pairs perfectly with that classic piece of pepperoni, and a Berliner Weiss can bring out the fresh-caught flavors of seafood pizza.
If you prefer wine, consider an authentic Italian pairing that will bring out the pizza’s flavors! You’ll want to find a wine that matches the acidity of the pizza sauce and the richness of the cheese. A fruity red wine can complement a meat lover’s pizza, while a sweet white wine works well with plain cheese. Chianti is a classic pairing for a savory vegetable pizza with fresh herbs, while riesling is a decadent option for sweet pizzas like Hawaiian.
For many, whiskey is another excellent choice of alcohol to balance out the rich cheesy flavors of a pizza. Connoisseurs recommend a bourbon with Hawaiian pizza, blended whisky with veggie pizza and Irish whiskey with meat lovers pizza.
Nonalcoholic Options
Wondering what nonalcoholic drinks to serve with pizza for dinner? You’d be surprised as to how many nonalcoholic drinks pair well with cheese!
Many people consider soda to be the perfect beverage for a pizza party. Its sweetness goes exceptionally well with the savory saltiness of pizza. A fruity lemon-lime soda, a classic cola or a pleasantly fizzy root beer is a treat kids will love to have with pizza. On the other hand, sparkling water provides a healthy alternative to soda that is low in sugar but retains the bubbly kick from carbonation. You can add some fresh lemon and lime juice for extra refreshment and elevation from regular still water.
For those who prefer non-carbonated beverages with their pizza, lemonade is a quality choice. Lemonade complements pizza well due to its sourness and its cold, refreshing and summery taste. Many pizza lovers also appreciate the creamy, cool and soothing characteristics of milk. Dairy milk and other milk alternatives pair well with pizza’s heat and acidity and can also cut the spiciness of pepperoni and sausage toppings. If you’re searching for a child-friendly option, milk is sure to please.
Order From Green Lantern Pizza Today
Deciding upon the perfect options to pair with your pizza will take your dining experience to the next level. With seven locations in the larger Metro Detroit area, Green Lantern Pizza offers the most outstanding quality Italian appetizers, salads, subs and pizza that are sure to satisfy you and your loved ones. If you’re in the larger Metro Detroit area, place your order online for carryout or easy, fast delivery and browse our extensive menu to find something to suit even the most ravenous appetites.
When you’re in the mood for Detroit-style pizza, contact Green Lantern Pizza to try some of the Best Pizza In Town Since 1955!
Leave a Reply