What to Serve with Falafel (20 Best Sides)

Endlessly scrolling through posts to figure out what to serve with falafel?

Stop the search, all the best options are right here!

From creamy dips to fresh salads to warm pita, I’ve gathered up the best flavor combinations. 

Before we get into the tasty finds, let’s talk falafel for a second. 

Falafel is a popular Middle Eastern food made with chickpeas or fava beans.

They’re the perfect base for a whole smorgasbord of food pairings.

The crunchy dense texture coupled with the bold herbs and spices makes them a favorite for meat eaters and vegans alike. 

So you’ll find a little bit of everything! 

From traditional sides to creative pairings, there are plenty of falafel sides to make your spread as minimal or lavish as you like.

1. Homemade Pita Bread  

Warm, soft pita bread and flavorful falafels are a match made in heaven. 

Obviously, you could pick some up from the store, but they’re so much better made from scratch.

And they store well in the freezer for next time. 

You can use the pita to make a sandwich or snack on it between bites. 

There are a ton of other fresh sides you can toss into the mix to make it a well-rounded meal.

2. Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad

Tabbouleh is one of my favorite sides, especially for falafel.

It’s super fresh, zippy, and light. It’s also gluten-free and packed with protein when you swap out the bulgur for quinoa.

While the quinoa is cooking, you can chop up the herbs, tomatoes, and red onions. Next, prepare the lemon dressing. 

All you have to do then is wait for the quinoa to cool and combine everything.

3. Hummus

There are so many incredible hummus flavors that go great with falafels. 

This one, though, is by far the best. The ultra-creamy consistency and ratio of cumin to lemon to tahini make it flawless.

You can spread it on pita bread, add a few veggies, and toss a few hot falafels inside. Or, simply use it for dipping.

4. Air Fryer Potato Wedges

These air fryer potatoes are such a treat! Crisp, tender, and a little spicy, they’re a crowd-pleasing side everyone will like.

Since you use the air fryer, they’re easier and healthier than regular fries. 

So you can feel good feeding it to your family, too.

5. Tahini Sauce

Don’t feel like making a batch of hummus? Go with this tahini sauce instead. 

Nutty, lemony, and garlicky, this sauce tastes great when you drizzle it all over falafels. 

For a full meal, I like to pair it with a Lebanese salad and a side of pita bread. 

Although, when I’m just in the mood for falafel, this sauce has more than enough to offer.

6. Sauteed Mushrooms with Garlic Butter

Have a bunch of mushrooms? Use them to whip up a quick side. 

These garlicky buttery mushrooms have a ton of flavor and take roughly 15 minutes. 

Speaking of flavor, you have your choice of four different flavorings to complement the falafels.

I like to deglaze the pan with white wine and find balsamic also works.

7. Authentic Greek Tzatziki Sauce

If you could only serve one sauce with falafels, it has to be tzatziki. 

This Greek cucumber and yogurt condiment is an unbelievable match.

It has just the right balance of creamy, garlicky, fresh, and tangy.

To make it the authentic Greek way, you have to grate the cucumber. Chopping simply will not do.

Although it tastes a bit indulgent, it’s so good for you! 

8. Traditional Kimchi

Kimchi and falafel? I know, one is Korean and the other is Middle Eastern. 

And yet together, they’re an incredible fusion dish!

The tangy, spicy, salty, and funky fermented cabbage elevates falafel to another level. 

Making it at home can be rather tedious yet so rewarding.

9. Lebanese Fattoush Salad

As a Lebanese dish, fattoush could not be more fitting. It’s a classic bread salad that is the epitome of refreshing. 

While there are different variations, it typically has tomatoes, cucumbers, radishes, lettuce, and parsley with a bright dressing.

Oh, and the signature ingredient, leftover pita chips!

10. Quick-Pickled Onions

Quick-pickled onions are great for so many things.

They’re great with tacos, sandwiches, salads, kabobs, burgers, and you guessed it, falafel.

Unlike regular pickled veggies, you don’t need to boil the jars in a water bath for preservation. So they’re even easier to make.

The tangy flavor adds a little something extra without overpowering the star.

11. Crispy Roasted Chickpeas

Double up on the plant protein with roasted chickpeas. 

I know falafels have garbanzo beans in them already. But these savory nibbles are too good not to eat. 

They’re far healthier than piling greasy chips on your plate and you can season them with a variety of spices. 

12. Cilantro Lime Sauce

Cilantro lime sauce perks those falafels right up!

This 5-minute sauce is zesty, fresh, and creamy.

One bite and you’ll want to slather it all over falafel along with everything else. 

From fish tacos to vegan burgers, it’s good with just about everything!

13. Pink Pickled Turnips

Make the flavors of falafel pop with pickled turnips and beets. 

These pickled root veggies have a tangy, sweet, and sour flavor that makes a nice addition to falafel as a side. 

Say, you could also toss it all in a pita for a tantalizing sandwich. 

They’re a fun break from roasted or raw veggies. Plus, they’re vegan-friendly, too.

14. Stuffed Grape Leaves (Dolmas)

I could turn dolmas into a meal all by itself. Pair it with falafels and all the better! 

These rice-stuffed grape leaves are another iconic Middle Eastern staple. 

You can make them extra savory with ground beef or skip it altogether to keep them vegetarian-friendly.

If you’re feeling up to it, add baba ganoush, pita bread, hummus, and a side of olives to the list for an epic mezze platter. 

15. Epic Baba Ganoush

If you’re making baba ganoush, there’s no other way to go about it than make it memorable.

And like the name says, this one is epic. 

The smoky and savory dip combines garlic, tahini, parsley, and spice with roasted eggplant for a legendary dip.

Not only is it a traditional Middle Eastern side, but it’s also a vegan dip that makes falafels taste top-notch!

16. Homemade Pita Chips

No store-bought bag can compete with a batch of homemade pita chips.

They’re so easy to make, you’ll want them all the time. 

Simply brush pita bread with olive oil, sprinkle on your spices of choice, cut them into triangles, and bake.

I love using them to gobble up homemade hummus and find they’re a super quick addition to any falafel spread.

17. Lemon Rice

Toss on a pot of lemon rice while you get your falafels going. 

Lemon, parsley, and butter add a touch of panache with very little effort on your part.

Cleanup is next to nothing too because it’s all done in one pot. 

If you have a rice cooker, I highly recommend using it.

It gets the timing just right and the rice turns out perfectly fluffy.

18. Quinoa Stuffed Peppers 

From Middle Eastern spreads to hearty dinners, quinoa stuffed peppers are a fantastic choice. 

Each vibrant pepper gets packed to the brim with a Southwestern-style plant-based quinoa filling and topped with cheese.

Use vegan cheese to omit the dairy or add ground beef to pack in the meat. 

There is plenty of room for customization. So you can tailor them to your taste preference and diet.

19. Best Simple Tossed Green Salad 

When you order a falafel plate, it’s not complete without the salad. So it’s a total must!

There’s no need to get all crazy with it. A simple green salad will do. 

And this recipe does it right.

You take a fresh green mix and toss it with cucumbers, red onions, and a zippy six-ingredient dressing. 

Shake on the bacon bits for a salty bite and sunflower seeds for more texture.

Or, mix and match any other add-ons that you like.

20. Best Lentil Soup

Need something hearty and satiating? Plop those falafels into a warm bowl of lentil soup.

Warm and comforting, this plant-based soup uses up a bunch of pantry staples and it’s vegan too. 

The fragrant spices, dense veggies, aromatics, and tomatoey base have a ton of flavor.

Add falafels and this is one incredibly gratifying dish!