Pizza will likely forever be known as one of our favorite foods on the planet, but it’s often far from healthy. Unless you get your pizza without cheese or toppings, you will be packing on some calories. But that’s okay! The point is that you balance your meal with a healthy and pleasant side dish. Today, we’ll be talking about some of the healthy sides for pizza that you should try the next time you put a pie in the oven with your family and friends.
1. Healthy Biscuits
- 99 Calories per Serving
- 15 g Carbs
- 3 g Fat
- 2g Protein
Many people consider biscuits to be the ultimate side dish for all things Italian, including pizza. The problem is that most biscuits are far from healthy. We’re here to save you. This healthy biscuit recipe uses a fraction of the ingredients, and it uses 1% fat buttermilk. The serving size is one biscuit, so eat in moderation.
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2. Cauliflower Rice
- 44 Calories per Serving
- 5g Carbs
- 3g Fat
- 2g Protein
A great pallet-cleansing pizza side dish is a basic but delicious bowl of cauliflower rice. This is a tasty recipe that provides a mild and slightly sweet flavor profile that has great earthy tones. While cauliflower rice is nice as a component in larger dishes, it’s also good by itself. This recipe uses only cauliflower, olive oil, and salt and pepper, but put them together, and you have a great side dish.
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3. Spaghetti Squash
- 84 Calories per Serving
- 8g Carbs
- 6g Fat
- 1g Protein
Stick with the Italian theme and make a very healthy side dish in the form of spaghetti squash. This side is essentially a large dish of vegetables, and so it’s very healthy. You just need to preheat your oven, scoop out the squash, and put it on a baking sheet. Then, drag a fork along it and make noodles out of it. Bake it for about 40 minutes until tender. You can really kick the side up a notch by adding garlic to the equation and creating a new family favorite.
4. Zucchini Spaghetti
- 91 Calories per Serving
- 8g Carbs
- 5g Fat
- 6g Protein
Similar to spaghetti squash, zucchini spaghetti is a delicious bowl of vegetable noodles that you can modify with your own choice of toppings. This recipe is as simple as taking a zucchini, using a vegetable peeler to make thin strips, and then cooking it in the oven. It’s the perfect Italian-inspired treat and one of the healthy sides for pizza.
5. Carrot Fries
- 51 Calories per Serving
- 9g Carbs
- 2g Fat
- 1g Protein
Pizza goes great with french fries, so meet in the middle and try a healthier version of the classic side dish. All you need is carrots, oil, and salt for seasoning and you’re set. Other fun seasonings, like garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and roasted vegetable seasoning can bring the dish to the next level.
6. Classic Caesar Salad
- 343 Calories per Serving
- 12g Carbs
- 28.2g Fat
- 11.9 Protein
There’s a reason why many pizza joints around the world sell Caesar salad. It’s the perfect palette cleanser, and when made right, it’s also quite tasty. A good Caesar salad will have romaine leaves, a clove of garlic, an egg, and lemon juice, among other tasty additions. Add croutons, and it can increase the calorie count, but there’s no doubt that this is one of the tastiest healthy sides for pizza.
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7. Cucumbers and Ranch
- 145 Calories per Serving
- 2g Carbs
- 15g Fat
- 0.3 Protein
You may not equate ranch with healthy foods, but it’s all about moderation. If you only have one serving of ranch with your favorite vegetable, then it’s not too bad. A serving is about 30 grams, so measure it out if this side is appealing to you. The vegetable you decide to pair will add a few calories to the meal. A medium-sized carrot has about 25 calories. A cucumber has about 16 calories. Celery has about 15. In addition to being healthy, many of these vegetables also have other benefits, including being packed with vitamins and protecting the cells in your body.
8. Guacamole
- 45 Calories per Serving
- 2.6g Carbs
- 4.1g Fat
- 0.6g Protein
You can also pair your favorite vegetables with a serving size of guacamole, which is about one cup. People love guacamole, so it’s a great side for yourself if you’re having a party. Some healthy treats to dip into your guacamole include celery sticks, baby carrots, julienne bell peppers, and grape tomatoes. You might even dip your pizza in there!
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9. Cabbage Fried Rice
- 131 Calories per Serving
- 13g Carbs
- 6g Fat
- 5g Protein
Another simple dish is cabbage fried rice, which you can make by combining fried rice with cabbage or kick it up a notch and add extra protein with chicken, pork, or shrimp. You can also make it spicy by adding sriracha or serrano peppers. It’s a tasty side dish that you can make in less than 20 minutes.
10. Fruit Salad
- 93 Calories per Serving
- 24.2g Carbs
- 0.3g Fat
- 1g Protein
One of the best healthy sides for pizza is a refreshing fruit salad. The fruit you choose is up to you, but often, people go with apples, bananas, grapes, and pears. To add the extra flavor and make it a cohesive dish, add cinnamon, nutmeg, apple cider, and some almonds for the extra crunch. Some people even try to be adventurous by adding raisins or walnuts. A fruit salad will be a great contrast to the pizza.
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11. Brussels Sprouts
- 38 Calories per Serving
- 8g Carbs
- 0.3g Fat
- 3g Protein
A side of vegetables is a great addition to your pizza, and Brussels sprouts are about as healthy as you can get. For this particular recipe, use about eight ounces of Brussels sprouts, a bit of olive oil, salt, black pepper, grated orange rind, and two tablespoons of orange juice. Then, bake them in the oven for seven minutes or until tender. Brussels sprouts are great on their own, or you can use them as a topping on the pizza!
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12. Israeli Chopped Salad
- 56 Calories per Serving
- 6g Carbs
- 3g Fat
- 1g Protein
Another great salad side is this Israeli chopped salad that’s loaded with healthy treats, including cucumbers, tomatoes, and fresh herbs. It’s all topped with an unbelievable lemon dressing. There are several ways to kick this dish up another notch, including with feta cheese, bell peppers, or baked pita chips that can act as croutons. If you want to add a little protein, then dried chickpeas or grilled chicken can do the trick.
13. Sautéed Green Beans
- 64 Calories per Serving
- 8g Carbs
- 4g Fat
- 1.8 g Protein
Many people remember pizza day at their school, and many times, that delicious slice was served with a side of green beans. Now, you can relive those days with this tastier sauteed recipe. To prepare, saute the onion until golden. Then, cut the green beans into one-inch pieces and add vegetable oil, onion, salt, pepper, and parsley. Serve alongside pizza for a tasty, complete meal.
14. Coleslaw
- 140 Calories per Serving
- 12g Carbs
- 10g Fat
- 1.8 g Protein
It may not be for everyone, but if you love coleslaw, then this recipe makes for the perfect healthy side for your pizza. This recipe includes shredded cabbage, carrots, peppers, onions, and other great flavors. It’s also as easy as shredding the cabbage, adding the ingredients, boiling, and then refrigerating. In addition to being moderately low in calories, coleslaw is also healthy for you in other ways. It’s loaded with fiber that is necessary for gut health and your digestive system. Plus, it’s packed with vitamin C, which supports a properly-functioning immune system.
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Conclusion
These are some of our favorite healthy sides for pizza. Try one if you’re eating lunch on your own, or make several if you’re having a party. Remember to eat your pizza and sides in moderation, and you’ll remain in good health and stick to your diet plans.
Recipe Card
Now that you have the sides picked out, what about the pizza? If you're looking to do homemade, we have some great recipes to help you out. Try one of our favorites. Enjoy!
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Spicy White Pizza
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Ingredients
- 1 unbaked pizza crust
- 2 Tablespoons butter, melted
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 3 Tablespoons minced garlic
- 2 Tablespoons sun-dried tomato pesto
- 1 teaspoon dried basil leaves
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 Tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tomato, sliced
- 1 bunch fresh spinach, torn
- 1 sweet onion, sliced
- 1 fresh jalapeno pepper, chopped
- 1 (6 ounce) package feta cheese, crumbled
Instructions
- Preheat the oven according to the pizza crust package directions.
- In a small bowl, combine butter, olive oil, garlic, pesto, basil, oregano, and Parmesan cheese.
- Spread the mixture evenly on the pizza crust.
- Arrange tomato, spinach, onion, and jalapeno on pizza.
- Top with crumbled feta cheese.
- Bake according to the pizza crust package directions.
The image featured at the top of this post is ©New Africa/Shutterstock.com.