What to Serve with Falafel: 20 Fantastic Sides

Have you ever wondered what to serve with falafel? There are lots of choices out there to make your falafel meal complete!

Falafel can be served in so many different ways. It can be put into a tortilla and enjoyed like a sandwich, or falafel can be fried and handed out with a toothpick and dip.

Falafel is great hot straight out of the fryer, but it is also tasty when eaten cold. Room temperature falafel is just fine, too! You can make falafel with chickpeas, fava bean, and a whole variety of spices. Really, anything goes!

It is super versatile, and that is definitely something to keep in mind when you choose what to serve with falafel. Your side dish choices may change depending on how you plan to eat your falafel!

Try to think about the Mediterranean flavors in falafel when choosing great side dishes. Herby, lemony tastes go great with the thick, hearty falafel balls!

We have covered everything from tasty dips and spread to bigger veggie sides to pair with falafel! Take a look at this great list and see what sides catch your eye. There is definitely something on this list for everyone!

What to Eat with Falafel: Mouthwatering Sides You’ll Love

We have 20 fantastic side dishes to serve with falafel. Which one will be your favorite?

1. Roasted Summer Veggies

Our recipe for roasted summer vegetables is fantastic alongside falafel. It is our favorite recipe to make with falafel in the summer.

Butternut squash, zucchini, eggplant, tomatoes, and roasted red peppers are all tossed with olive oil, garlic, and other herbs. The mix is roasted in the oven until golden brown.

Our recipe has sausage mixed in, which is also a fantastic side with falafel. Skip the sausage for a vegetarian version of this dish.

Try adding chopped sweet potato to the pan in the winter for a heartier version of this dish. Add a sprinkle of chili pepper for a spicier version. It is so flexible and versatile that you can truly make it exactly how you and your family like!

2. Tahini Sauce

Tahini sauce is a classic side dish to pair with falafel. The rich roasted sesame taste is delicious with the taste of roasted chickpeas and fava bean.

We love this tahini sauce recipe from Once Upon a Chef that is easy to make yet full of incredible flavor. Garlic, lemon, salt, tahini paste, and cumin are all you need.

Make the sauce thinner by adding a little more lemon juice. Make the dipping sauce thick using extra tahini.

3. Pita Bread

Falafel is often served inside warm pita bread. Warm falafel inside fresh pita may be the best combination on this list!

Try your hand at making your own pita bread using this recipe from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe. The soft dough puffs perfectly in the oven or sautée pan.

You only need a few ingredients to make a great pita. Once you have homemade flatbread with your falafel, you’ll never want to go back to store-bought!

4. Pickled Onions

Pickled onions are a classic side dish to pair with falafel. The strong vinegar taste goes great with the hearty chickpea or fava bean mash.

Pickled onions can take a long time to make. We love this quick pickled onion recipe from Cookie and Kate, which will help you make pickled onions in just a few minutes.

Onions, vinegar, maple syrup, salt, and red pepper flakes are simmered over medium-high heat. The onions will soften and absorb the flavors of the vinegar wonderfully.

5. Israeli Salad

Israeli salad is a wonderful mixed salad made with tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, red onion, and herbs. Fresh mint, lemon juice, parsley, and olive oil make a simple dressing that coats all the chopped veggies.

Try this recipe from Downshiftology to make an amazing Israeli salad. Your falafel meal will be perfectly themed with this flavor bomb of a salad! Nothing is quite as amazing as a fresh Israeli salad!

6. Stuffed Red Peppers

Stuffed red peppers are a Mediterranean classic. Peppers are stuffed with minced zucchini, chopped black olives, couscous, and feta cheese. The filling mix goes wonderfully with falafel.

Serve your falafel and stuffed peppers cold or hot. Both dishes are great either way! It really is the perfect meal.

Archana’s Kitchen will show you how to make this authentic falafel meal. It is one you will make all the time!

7. Stuffed Grape Leaves

Stuffed grape leaves are also known as dolmas. No matter what you call it, it goes great with falafel!

This recipe from Budget Bytes will help you make wonderful little stuffed grape leaves. Fresh grape leaves are rolled with onion, garlic, olive oil, rice, and lemon juice. A little bit of fresh chopped mint is the perfect finishing touch.

The dolmas are steamed until soft and then served warm or cold. Pack a bunch to bring on a picnic and some fresh, homemade falafel!

8. Greek Salad

This Greek olive salad from Cooking Classy is really flavorful. It is healthy and full of ingredients that pair well with falafel.

Black and green olives are the main part of this tasty olive salad. Roma tomatoes, red onion, bell peppers, fresh parsley, and chopped cucumber make the salad filling and healthy.

A mix of olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, and garlic are blended to make a tasty Greek dressing. Serve this olive cucumber salad when you eat falafel for a perfect meal!

9. Grilled Veggies

Delicious grilled veggies are a perfect side dish to serve with your favorite falafel bowls. This recipe from Gimme Some Oven is flexible and also tasty.

We love the mushrooms, squash, peppers, and tomatoes that this recipe cooks on the grill. However, feel free to switch up the veggies to include your favorites.

Zucchini, eggplant, and large stuffed olives are all great on the grill. Make this meal in the summer when you won’t mind lighting up your outdoor barbecue.

10. Simple Green Salad

Sometimes a fresh, simple green salad is the absolute best side dish to serve with falafel. We especially like this easy kale salad from Spend with Pennies.

Fresh chopped kale is tossed with a homemade lemon dressing. The lemon flavor goes great with falafel. You may even want to make extra dressing to dip your falafel into!

The kale salad also has broccoli, almonds, cheese, carrots, and red onions in the bowl. Try adding pickled vegetables in place of fresh for a classic falafel side dish option.

11. Avocado Dip

Ripe avocados, cilantro, fresh lime juice, and sour cream are blended to make a smooth avocado dip. This bright green dip from Dinner at the Zoo is perfect for scooping onto a falafel bowl or using as a dip for falafel nuggets.

We like to skip the jalapeno in the recipe to make a mild version of the avocado dip. Feel free to add extra spice with more jalapeno if you’d like! Whatever makes your falafel bowl more appealing is what you should do!

12. Baba Ghanoush

Baba ganoush is a traditional Middle Eastern dip. Serve falafel with baba ganoush, and you will be creating a classic meal!

This recipe from Foodie Crush is one of our favorites. The roasted eggplant, tahini, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, and spices are perfectly creamy and rich.

The powerful taste of baba ganoush dip is delicious with hearty falafel. Scoop some of the dip into a falafel bowl as a sauce or spread it on pita bread to wrap around the falafel. It is great either way!

13. Tzatziki

Tzatziki and falafel are like peanut butter and jelly. They are meant to be together! This easy recipe from Tori Avery will help you make this classic duo a reality.

Tzatziki is made using Greek yogurt, cucumbers, olive oil, fresh mint, garlic, lemon juice, and salt and pepper. The yogurt needs to strain for several hours to get nice and thick, so prepare in advance!

We like to add a bit extra dill to give the tzatziki a traditional taste. Scoop some of this sauce over your falafel bowls, and you will be in food heaven!

14. Red Pepper Hummus

Hummus is a traditional Mediterranean dish that is served with almost anything. Hummus and falafel are definitely a great pairing!

Try this roasted red pepper hummus from A Spicy Perspective. It is creamy and smooth, just as any good hummus should be!

Serve the hummus as a dipping sauce for the falafel. You can also serve some grilled veggies or pickled red onions on the side to make a really complete meal.

15. Lemon Rice

Well Plated By Erin will show you how to make beautiful lemon rice. Place your warm falafel on top of the lemon rice, and you have a tasty, cohesive meal.

Fresh lemon juice really makes a big difference to the flavor of the rice. Chop some fresh parsley to sprinkle over the rice for a pretty and delicious finishing touch.

16. Tabouli

Still wondering what to serve with falafel? You may want to give tabouli a try!

Tabouli salad is also knowns as a cucumber salad. It is a Mediterranean salad made from finely chopped vegetables, primarily cucumber.

Bulgar wheat is also mixed into tabouli, making it hearty, healthy, and so delicious. We love this recipe from Mediterranean Dish, which serves the tabouli salad in a simple lime juice and olive oil dressing.

A chopped cucumber salad like this one is delicious in the summer when you want a nice cold side dish to go with your chilled falafel.

17. Baked Feta with Tomatoes

This baked feta recipe from Hungry Healthy Happy is truly incredible. It is also so easy that you can make it in just a few minutes!

A block of feta cheese is baked with cherry tomatoes, olives, minced garlic, and herbs. The result is a creamy, roasted tray of veggies that goes perfectly with any kind of falafel.

This one-pan meal is sure to be a family favorite! It makes serving falafel easy and tasty! Falafel, veggies, and cheese is always a delicious meal idea.

18. Lentil Salad

Lentil salad is a very healthy side to serve with your deep-fried falafel. Red or green lentils can be used to make this salad recipe from Tastes Better From Scratch.

Chopped red onion, diced bell pepper, and fresh herbs are mixed with cooked lentils. A simple light dressing brings the whole meal together.

Try adding some ground cumin, smoked paprika, or extra fava beans to make the lentil salad even more exciting. Get creative, as this recipe is really flexible!

19. Cauliflower Rice

Simple cauliflower rice makes the perfect bed for falafel bowls. Love and Lemons will show you exactly how to make fresh cauliflower rice for perfect side dishes.

This is about the flavors in your falafel when deciding how to season the cauliflower rice. Use lemon juice to add to the bright flavors of the falafel, or go for smoked paprika for a richer, smokier taste. The possibilities are endless!

We also love cauliflower rice since it is very low carb. Brown rice and white rice both have tons of starchy carbohydrates that are not acceptable to many diets. Cauliflower rice is something almost anyone can have!

20. Chimichurri

Chimichurri sauce is bright, bold, and so fresh tasting. It is often served on hearty meats, but we love to pair falafel with this bold-flavored dipping sauce.

Chimichurri sauce is made with lots of garlic, limes, fresh parsley, and cilantro. The ingredients are pureed with cumin, paprika, red pepper flakes, salt, and olive oil. This sauce from The Cookie Rookie will only take you a few minutes to make.

Serve the chimichurri sauce immediately after making it, so the color is a vibrant green. Dip your falafel right into the chimichurri and grab some pita chips or raw veggies if there is an extra sauce. You won’t want to waste a drop!

Absolutely Perfect Side Dishes to Serve with Falafel

There are so many incredible side dishes to serve with your favorite falafel recipes. Take a look at our list and see which recipe you want to try first.

It may be hard to choose just one side with so many different flavors to consider! Enjoy.