What to Serve with Gnudi? 10 BEST Side Dishes

Gnudi, aka “naked dumplings,” is a traditional dish from Italy that quickly became a go-to dish among foodies.

These light and ethereal dumplings are the lovechild of flour and ricotta rubbish and are popularly served as a type of pasta dish.

The dish itself is a star, but every star needs a stellar support system to shine even brighter.

In this case, this support system refers to side dishes.

So, if you’ve ever thought about spicing up gnudi, pairing it with an excellent side is the way to go.

However, picking a suitable dish is not easy.

Fortunately, we have listed the 10 best side dishes to serve with gnudi.

Continue reading to know more.

Why Consider Serving Side Dishes with Gnudi?

Serving items like gnudi, including side dishes, can help elevate the dining experience, making the meal much more enjoyable.

Since gnudi is a delicate and light dish, a suitable side dish can instantly balance such meals and deliver a more compact meal.

Side dishes can further texturize the dish, thus, making it more enjoyable, creative, and interesting.

Plus, it’ll definitely enhance the versatile set of flavors found in gnudi.

This is definitely a great way to enjoy your meal fully.

Lastly, including a side can increase the nutritional benefits of your meal.

For instance, a side of sautéed veggies can bring minerals and vitamins essential for good health to the table.

What to Serve with Gnudi? 10 BEST Side Dishes

Gnudi is not exactly a picky dish, and it can pair well with numerous sides.

So, let’s explore the 10 best side dishes to serve with gnudi.

1. Simple Sauces

The great thing about gnudi that people often forget is its similarity to a blank canvas.

This allows people to create various dishes, making simple sauces an ideal candidate as a side dish.

Consider a simple sauce made using sage, Parmesan cheese, and butter.

This creates such a classic pairing for a dish like a gnudi.

The sage and butter combo delivers a savory and rich kick, while the parmesan provides a salty and nutty taste.

Another simple sauce you can choose is the classic tomato sauce created using garlic, fresh tomatoes, and basil.

The sweet and acidic tones of this sauce easily complement the fluffy and light texture of gnudi.

2. Meat and Seafood

Gnudi has a delicate texture, allowing the dish to pair well with heavy items like seafood or meat.

So, if your go-to daily food items are shrimp, bacon, sausage, etc.

, we suggest going with a side of seafood or meat.

Since meats like bacon, prosciutto, or sausage contain such savory and rich flavor, it contrasts nicely with gnudi’s taste.

The same goes for seafood, in the sense that it really complements and balances the flavor of gnudi pretty well.

Take, for instance, seafood like scallops, crabmeat, or shrimp, and these sides can add a hint of saltiness and sweetness to our beloved gnudi.

You may consider dishes such as garlic lemon sauce or sautéed shrimp to go with the main star.

3. Vegetables

Vegetables are an excellent side dish.

They work well with almost everything, and yes, they complement gnudi excellently as well.

But, the trick is to get the type of veggie right.

In this case, vegetables such as asparagus, spinach, or mushrooms make the best confidant.

You can either roast or sauté these veggies and serve them alongside gnudi.

Serving gnudi alongside sautéed mushrooms with a drizzle of truffle oil creates the perfect blend of nutty and earthy flavors.

The taste notes offered by the side of veggies are rich yet light enough to allow gnudi’s own flavor to shine.

4. Pesto

What can be better than pairing gnudi with a regular side dish? The answer is another traditional Italian dish, i.e., pesto.

It’s a famous Italian sauce made using parmesan cheese, pine nuts, olive oil, and basil.

The sauce offers such a fresh and bright flavor that blends in perfectly with the smooth, fluffy, and light texture of gnudi.

And the best part about this side is you can make it with different types of nuts or cheese.

The best thing about this side dish is that the sauce is potent yet subtle.

Thus, allowing the entire dish to come full circle without overpowering your plate of gnudi.

5. Salad

If you’re looking for a light meal to satisfy your tummy, consider pairing a salad bowl with gnudi.

This is a great way to refresh your appetite without reducing your nutrient intake.

You can always consider a simple salad with simple ingredients such as cucumbers, tomatoes, and mixed greens.

The crisp and fresh bowl of greens will melt together with the delicate plate of gnudi.

If you want a bit of kick, you can also consider adding some vinaigrette to bring out an acidic and tangy aftertaste.

Moreover, you can pair this side dish with gnudi for any occasion.

6. Grilled bread

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You may have never thought of pairing gnudi with bread but trust us, it works.

More specifically, grilled bread is the side dish you should be eyeing to serve with gnudi.

The crispness and lightness of the bread complement the gnudi pretty well by creating a textural contrast while also soaking up the dish well.

For those looking to level up the bread, you can add a dash of herbs and garlic and sprinkle some olive oil for extra flavor.

Now, this is entirely optional, and if you want a simpler option, you can stick with the original plan of plain grilled bread.

7. Grilled Eggplant Rollatini

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This is a unique and elegant side dish that resonates well with the taste and flavor of gnudi.

This side dish uses thin and sliced eggplant, which is rolled with herbs and cheese.

These rolls are baked and garnished with tomato sauce.

Although this side dish may seem like a dish of its own, it still serves as a great option to pair with gnudi.

The dish is filling, yet the flavors are subtle enough to push the taste of gnudi into the limelight.

Let’s just say the creamy cheese and smoky eggplant combo delivers just the right kick needed to enjoy gnudi to the fullest.

8. Sautéed Brussels Sprouts

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Looking for a flavorful and creative punch to have with your plate of gnudi? Try sautéed Brussels sprouts with garlic and pancetta.

Yes, it seems like a handful, but it’ll create a wholesome meal when combined with the main star, i.e., gnudi.

And the dish is pretty easy to make as well.

You can simply sauté some brussels sprouts with garlic and pancetta until they turn tender and crispy.

You can finish off the dish with some parmesan and lemon zest.

The slightly bitter and salty flavor combined with the nuttiness of the cheese helps create an excellent contrast to the pillowy and light texture of our main start, the gnudi.

9. Roasted Beet & Goat Cheese Salad

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The roasted beet with goat cheese salad is a definite keeper for veggie lovers.

This is a pretty simple dish that doesn’t overwhelm the delicate flow of the gnudi.

It’s perfect to create a light and refreshing side dish for gnudi.

Make sure to combine the roasted beets with crumbled goat cheese, mixed greens, lemon juice, herbs, and more.

The sweet and earthy flavor coming from the dish is enough to complement the delicate and delicious flavor of the gnudi.

10. Grilled Squash & Zucchini Ribbons

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This is a simple yet delicious side dish that pairs exceptionally well with gnudi.

And all you need is simple veggies like zucchini and squash with easy cooking methods like grilling.

Once the zucchini and squash are grilled, you can finish off the dish with olive oil, lemon zest, herbs, etc.

The sweet, zesty, light and slightly smoky flavor of this dish complements a hearty and fluffy meal such as the Nguni quite well.

Conclusion

Gnudi is a highly versatile dish, and several side dishes can be paired with it.

However, it’s essential to understand the delicate palate of the dish to find the right sides.

That said, if you’re looking for an excellent side dish for your plate of gnudi, you can go through the list of side dishes we’ve mentioned above.