What To Serve With Soup: 70+ Easy Soup Side Dishes

Soup is the perfect winter warmer dinner and an easy dinner idea. Soup is even better with side dishes! Find new ideas for what to serve with soup, with loads of inspiration for delicious soup side dishes. These soup accompaniments will turn your meal into a family favourite in no time!

Take your favourite soup recipe from a light snack to a complete meal with the perfect sides.

And if you’re looking for more side dish ideas, check out these ideas for what to serve with fish, tacos, pizza, chicken wings, ham or with pulled pork too.

What To Serve With Soup: Choosing The Perfect Side Dishes

Choosing the perfect soup side dishes may depend on the type of soup you are serving. You want your side dishes to compliment the flavours of your soup and also to balance out the ingredients.

Whether it’s chicken noodle soup to chase away a winter cold or loaded vegetable soup, comforting potato soup or our family favourite pumpkin soup, you can easily find the perfect companions.

It doesn’t matter if you are making your soup from scratch or keeping it quick and easy with a can of soup from the supermarket.

Whether you are serving soup for dinner as part of your family meal plan or if you are feeding a crowd and serving soup at a party or event, you can easily find side dishes to compliment the flavours, textures and style of your soups.

Here are some simple tips for choosing what to serve with your favourite soup recipe:

• If you are serving a spicy soup, pair it with a simple side dish that does not compete with the flavours. You may even want to pair it with something creamy or fresh to take some heat from the spice.
• For a really chunky soup, choose a lighter side dish such as a side salad.
• Not all soup side dishes need to be eaten together. You can serve your soup or side as an appetiser first.
• For a broth style soup, bread-based sides are perfect for mopping up the liquid.
• For a veggie-loaded soup, try adding a protein-based side dish.
• And yes, you can have more than one side dish with your soup!

Bread Side Dishes For Soup

There is no doubt about it, nothing pairs with soup quite like bread does and you can certainly up-level your soup side dishes from plain bread to something extra delicious with these yummy bread recipes.

These comforting sides work great on a cold evening as your main course.

Check out these alternatives to simple bread:

• Cheese and Garlic Pull-Apart Bread – This Cheese and Garlic Pull-Apart Bread is loaded with butter, herbs and loads of cheese. Crunchy and cheesy this pull-apart bread is a crowd-pleaser and a perfect side dish with any kind of soup.
• Garlic Bread – You can’t go past a classic garlic bread for serving with soup. The crispy texture of the bread paired with the melted garlic butter is made even better when dipping into your soup. Try this air fryer garlic bread for a quick option.
• Grilled Cheese Rollup – Go for something a little different from the typical bread side dish with these grilled cheese roll-ups. Great for dipping into soup or just enjoying on the side.
• Dinner Rolls – These small Batch Dinner Rolls are fluffy homemade yeast rolls for when you only need a couple of dinner rolls and want that homemade, freshly baked result.
• Soft Pretzels – Delicious and soft buttery pretzels to add a little sweetness to your main meal.
• Ham and Cheese Biscuits – These ham and cheese buttery biscuits are easy to make and no rolling of the dough required! Just scoop the dough onto a baking sheet and you have an amazingly easy and delicious.
• Cheesy Bread with Herbed Butter – Comfort food comes in many forms. Soft warm bread with melted cheese being one of the best forms, especially when it comes to having something to dip into a delicious bowl of homemade soup. This family-style Cheesy Bread with Herbed Butter is truly a dreamy side dish!
• Homemade No Knead Ciabatta Bread – This easy homemade no-knead ciabatta bread recipe is a tasty version of the classic Italian bread. Your family will adore this freshly baked loaf to dip into their favourite soup recipe.
• Copycat Olive Garden Breadsticks – Copycat Olive Garden breadsticks are our spot-on version of the classic dish. These soft, buttery breadsticks are as delicious as the ones they serve in the restaurant in the comfort of your home. Pair them with your favourite soup and salad for a treat you and your family will love!
• Small Loaf Sourdough – This small loaf sourdough boule is the perfect side for your soup! It’s the sturdy crust and tender crumb that makes it awesome for dipping.
• Rosemary Garlic Sourdough Bread – This no-knead rosemary garlic sourdough bread is a beginner-friendly artisan loaf that’s seasoned with dried herbs, garlic and (optionally) nutritional yeast. Proof overnight and then bake in a Dutch oven!
• Homemade Pretzel Bread – This is the best Homemade Pretzel Bread or Pretzel Rolls recipe that pairs great with soup. It is dense, soft, chewy, buttery, salty and irresistibly delicious.
• Cloud Bread – This Cloud Bread is like an everything bagel but without the calories! Light, fluffy and super easy to make, it’s a great side to soup, salad or on its own or as a snack.
• Bread Machine Italian Bread Sticks – These Italian Breadsticks are made in your bread machine and easily cut with a pizza cutter and baked to perfection in 15 minutes! They are the great side to soup or salad and make an excellent snack when you dip them in oil and balsamic vinegar or your favourite pizza sauce! These would be the perfect pair for tomato soup, minestrone or Italian soups.
• Focaccia made with Sourdough Starter – What could be better with a bowl of minestrone soup than this classic sourdough focaccia laced with olive oil and honey.
• Goat’s Cheese and Red Pepper Tartine – Looking for something extra to go with your soup? These French tartines can be made with a variety of toppings and provide a perfect side dish to make your soup into a substantial meal. Goat’s cheese will also balance the flavours of a spicy soup.
• One Hour Rosemary Focaccia Bread – One Hour Rosemary Focaccia Bread is classic focaccia bread made in a cast-iron skillet in only one hour. It’s thick, fluffy and perfect every time!
• Brioche Buns – Step by step recipe for soft, buttery brioche buns! You can make large or regular buns or even sliders with the same recipe.
• Biscuit Muffins – These warm, buttery biscuit muffins need just 5 ingredients to make! They are perfect for dipping and scooping in your favourite soup.
• Savoury Cheddar Cheese And Onion Muffins – These over-the-top Cheddar Cheese Muffins are like a drop biscuit in muffin form. Quick and easy to make. They disappear in a flash! A great alternative to bread. Perfect any time of day.
• Easy No-Knead Beer Bread – Easy and crusty no-knead 5-ingredient beer bread recipe. Sweet, delicious, healthy and nutritious bread that works well with any soup recipe.
• Irish Soda Bread With Jalapenos & Cheddar – Transform soda bread into muffins and then give them a Tex-Mex kick with cheddar and onions. A perfect side for your favourite soup! 
• Cheddar Corn Biscuits – These Cheddar Corn Biscuits are the perfect combination of flaky and soft! Packed with flavour and the sweetness of the corn. Plus, they can be made ahead of time & frozen too!
• Cheese & Bacon Scrolls – These simple 4 ingredient cheese and bacon scrolls use Greek yogurt and flour to make the easiest dough, with your favourite toppings through the centre. Try these Hawaiian Pizza Scrolls for some sweet pineapple flavours.
• Sage Brown Butter Skillet Cornbread – Sage and brown butter give this cornbread so much flavour. It’s a fantastic side dish for nearly anything, and it takes almost no time at all to make!
• Carrot, Ham & Cheese Muffins – These savoury muffins are loaded with some hidden veggies and yummy cheese for a filling side or bread alternative.
• Cheese Stuffed Pretzel Rolls – When the softest pretzels rolls are stuffed with cheddar cheese, it’s impossible to turn them down! These Cheese Stuffed Pretzel Rolls are the perfect side dish for soup, salads, or all kinds of bbq!
• Homemade Mini Garlic Parmesan Monkey Bread – This Homemade Mini Garlic Parmesan Monkey Bread recipe is super simple, yet makes the most delicious little garlic breads!
• Focaccia Bread – This focaccia bread has a lot of flavours, thanks to the herbed olive oil it’s bathed in prior to baking, and once baked the bread bakes up beautifully with a soft interior and slightly crisp exterior.
• Jalapeño Cheddar Bread made with Beer – This jalapeño cheddar bread is deliciously savoury and loaded with the strong flavours of cheese and piquant chillis. It’s great with soups and stews.
• Cheesy Zucchini Loaf – A deliciously easy to make Zucchini Bread that is loaded with cheese- it is the perfect accompaniment to a hearty soup or pasta.
• Spinach Bread – Green bread with spinach and pepitas, a fluffy, savoury bread perfect for breakfast, lunch or dinner.
• Sourdough Cheese Scones – These herby Sourdough Cheese Scones (also known as Sourdough Biscuits) are a perfect way to use sourdough discard. Golden and crunchy but with a soft crumb inside and ideal for serving with a big bowl of soup.
• Lemon Herb Foccacia – A sunny Lemon Herb Focaccia that is perfect with any Mediterranean soup. The recipe uses the whole lemon slices, peels and all, that are baked right into the dough for a zesty flavour.

Side Dishes For Soup That Aren’t Bread

Sometimes you want something aside from the comfort food that is bread and soup, and these ideas for what to serve with soup that isn’t bread are sure to inspire you to try something new.

These non-bread side dishes for soup will give you plenty of ideas for your meal planning.

From healthy side salads to veggie sides and everything in between, you are sure to find a favourite side dish on this list:

• Spinach Salad With Orzo – Spinach and orzo salad is a great compliment to a bowl of soup. This simple green salad adds freshness, flavour and texture!
• Air Fryer Grilled Cheese Sandwich – This is a fail-proof method to make the best Air Fryer Grilled Cheese ever! It’s perfect for picky eaters and for turning your soup into a cold winter night family meal.
• Vegetable Panini – This grilled Vegetable Panini is loaded with zucchini, bell peppers and red onion and topped with mozzarella, with an Italian herb olive oil spread. This is a quick vegetarian side dish for soup.
• Rotisserie Chicken – If you want a simple meat side dish for any soup recipe, you can’t go past the ease of a rotisserie chicken already cooked and ready to enjoy.
• Mashed Potato Puffs – This mashed potato puffs recipe is a great way to repurpose leftover mashed potato into a new recipe and pair it with tomorrow night’s soup dinner.
• Sweet Potato Fries – Make the perfect sweet potato fries in the air fryer to serve with your soup. This is a healthier alternative to potato fries, lightly seasoned and good for sipping in a creamy soup too.
• Tortilla Chips – Crunchy tortilla chips or nachos pair great with Mexican soups or spicy soups. You can make your own homemade flour tortilla chips in the air fryer.
• Butternut Squash Salad – This butternut pumpkin salad is a great Autumn side salad recipe! It’s filled with spiced squash, pomegranates, goat cheese with a flavoursome cumin-date dressing.
• Crispy Chicken Tenders – Enjoy some Crispy Chicken Tenders for a crunchy southern side dish for anyone who prefers adding something a little more hearty to their favourite soup dinner.
• Brussels Sprouts – Add a healthy side dish with Brussels sprouts for something different the next time you are considering what to serve with soup.
• Oyster Crackers – Quick, easy and delicious ranch crackers that add some crunch to the side of your soup bowl or sprinkle them on top as an alternative to croutons.
• Garbanzo Bean Salad – This easy side dish salad goes well with soup or a sandwich for lunch. You can also add it on top of salad greens or baby spinach for a more filling salad. Best of all, this salad is naturally vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, and dairy-free.
• Asparagus Salad – This Asparagus Salad with tomatoes and basil is the light and bright dish you need for spring! This salad makes a great appetiser salad before serving soup or as a side to add more greens to your meal.
• Cornbread Casserole – This hearty cornbread pairs well with soups, chilis and stews. Just 5 ingredients and minimal prep time make for an easy side dish.
• Air Fryer Onion Rings – Enjoy crispy and simple air fryer onion rings with your favourite homemade soup to add some crunch to your meal.
• Instant Pot Coconut Rice – You only need 4 ingredients and a few minutes to make this fragrant Instant Pot Coconut Rice. It is the perfect side dish for Asian soups and dishes, curries and great for weekly meal prep.
• Freekeh Salad – This Really Good Freekeh Salad is a filling grain salad with arugula, tomatoes, goat cheese, and pickled red onion.
• Lemon Garlic Prawns – If you want a healthy side of seafood, these lemon garlic prawns are so easy to make in a skillet and ready in under 15 minutes.
• Crispy Rosemary Potato Fritters – You can make potato fritters with any type of potatoes you have on hand, including sweet potatoes, and they’re even better with fresh rosemary sprinkled in.
• Taco Salad With Doritos – This delicious Doritos Taco Salad is the perfect dish for any day of the year! With crunchy chips, ground beef, cheese and more, this yummy side would pair perfectly with Mexican soup recipes and is great for leftovers! Give your taco Tuesday a new twist!
• Crispy Asparagus Fries – These Crispy Asparagus Fries are the perfect finger food to go along with your meal! Flavorful and delicious, you won’t want to stop eating them!
• Air Fried Stuff Sweet Potato – Load up a sweet potato with cheese, bacon and sour cream or any other toppings of your choice for an easy air fryer version of your favourite baked potato.
• Brie and Fig Grilled Cheese Sandwich – Perfectly crispy grilled artisan bread, melted brie and a touch of sweet fig jam. This grilled cheese sandwich is perfect to enjoy after a bowl of warm soup or for dipping instead.
• Vegan Zucchini Corn Fritters – These are the most amazing vegan zucchini corn fritters you’ll ever have. Crispy and delicious, they’re perfect as a side to a nice fresh salad, or dipped into your favourite dip! If you’re craving some good vegan fried food, then look no further.
• Air Fryer Crispy Shrimp – Enjoy crispy salt and pepper air-fried calamari rings as a seafood side to go with clam chowder or other seafood soup recipes.
• Butter Lettuce Salad with Lemon Dijon Dressing – Butter Lettuce Salad is tender butter lettuce, creamy avocado and crisp radish tossed in a tangy lemon dijon dressing. It’s clean eating at its best!
• Garlic Chicken Balls – These mini chicken kiev balls are an easy side dish for soup if you want to add some extra protein to your meal. Make them in the air fryer or shallow fry.
• Mexican Potato Bake – For a hearty side dish loaded with potato, this Mexican potato casserole hits all the right spots with ground mince, taco seasoning, potatoes and cheese.
• Parmesan Tulle – A delicious, dunk-able side dish for soups! That only takes 2 ingredients and minimal skill but makes a BIG impression! Full of delicious cheesy flavour that is sure to impress!
• Simple Garden Spring Rolls – These beautifully healthy veg spring rolls are addictive! Whether they are dipped in peanut sauce or chilli sauce, they are crunchy flavorful masterpieces. They even pair perfectly as a side for soup.
• Avocado Black Bean Salad – Avocado Black Bean Corn Salad ~ fast, easy, fresh and colourful! No cooking required – just chop the veggies and toss with a zesty Cilantro Lime Dressing.
• Cheesy Sweet Potato Waffles – Cheesy Sweet Potato Waffles are made using just three ingredients and ready in under 20 minutes! Serve these savoury waffles for breakfast, brunch, or an appetiser.
• Spicy roasted chickpeas – These roasted chickpeas are a crunchy snack or side alongside your soup to add texture to your meal.
• Puff Pastry Cheese Straws – These puff pastry cheese straws are a great side dish to a soup. Easy and quick to make, they will be gone in a couple of minutes. You only need 4 ingredients!

With so many ideas for what to serve with soup, you will have no trouble creating a delicious family dinner or filling main meal when entertaining. These soup side dishes include something for everyone and every type of soup recipe so that you can try something new on soup night each week throughout winter!

There is no need for a boring meal plan when you can jazz up any meal with a fun side dish or appetiser!

Got leftovers to use up? Check out these recipe ideas:

• Leftover rotisserie chicken recipes
• Leftover ham recipes
• Leftover turkey recipes
• Leftover taco meat recipes

Pin For Later