What to eat with falafel - 13 best garnishes

Sometimes the hardest part of creating a delicious meal is choosing the garnishes that can accompany a dish without overpowering it.

Your garnish could easily make or break the meal and you have to choose it wisely or you could end up disappointed.

The key to choosing a good side dish is finding something that accentuates or complements the flavors of the main dish.

You can easily build a meal based on a side of choice, but you can also choose sides based on your main course and be quite successful.

What is the best garnish for falafel?  The best garnish for falafel is hummus, as the flavors and spices used between the two are very similar, and the crunchy texture of the falafel goes well with the creaminess of the hummus. Other accompaniments that can be used with falafel are tzatziki, baba ganoush, kimchi, and mushrooms.

In this guide, we are going to share with you 13 amazing garnishes to eat with falafel. Each of these options is flavorful and pairs perfectly with falafel as a side dish.

Here you will find a good variety of options that mix with different ways of making falafel, as well as different taste preferences and opinions. We hope you find an option here that sounds perfect for you!

Read on for the best garnishes to eat with falafel and much more!

What is falafel?

Falafel is a Middle Eastern dish made with chickpeas or broad beans. Sometimes it is done with a combination of both. The interesting thing about falafel is that it can be served in more than one way.

Although the ingredients used are mainly these two items, they can be rolled into a ball and then deep-fried or shaped into a patty and cooked like a small fritter.

Falafel is usually served with flatbreads or pitas, and is sometimes served inside them.

Falafel is known for being able to be served hot and warm, but it can also be enjoyed cold or at room temperature and still taste great. All of these little factors make it quite a versatile dish, which means that its garnishes can be quite versatile as well.

Starting with your base ingredients of chickpeas or lima beans, you also have the seasonings as part of the mix.

Falafel usually contains some rich spices, such as cumin and coriander. Spices can vary, but these are two prominent and popular options. 

The spices enhance the flavor, giving it a bit of punch with some strong flavors.

Choosing a side dish for the falafel

Choosing the garnish is a difficult task. But ultimately, you want to make sure you choose something that has a flavor that goes well with your dish. We’ve put together some tips for choosing a garnish to go with falafel.

Taste

When you choose your garnish, you’ll want to choose something that goes well with the bold spices of the falafel.

You can use something that really brings out those rich flavors or something that almost nuances them.  The key is to make sure you don’t use an accompaniment that kills the flavor or causes weird combinations in your mouth. 

In the case of falafel, the important thing is the taste. The good news is that you have so many flavor options that really work well, and it’s hard to go wrong.

To serve

When considering your garnish, you should also consider how it’s going to be served.

Will it be fried and served as a ball of goodness or served more like fritters? Will you accompany it with something like pita, flatbread, or a tortilla? 

All of these elements will be part of your garrison decision process and need to be taken into account.

The 13 Best Sides for Falafel

It’s time to get down to business. We’ve rounded up some awesome combinations and we think you’ll be pleased with your choices.

Everything you find here will be unique and different in some way. Also, everything here will go perfectly with the falafel.

No matter what your taste preferences are or how you plan to serve your falafel, you’re sure to find a great option here to help you along the way.

Below, you’ll find our pick of the 13 best side dishes for falafel.

1. Hummus

Hummus can be a great option to accompany falafel, specifically pea hummus.

Falafel is often made with chickpeas, and there’s something about the flavor combination of a well-done green pea hummus that meets the bold flavors of falafel.

You get a colorful dish and a perfect set of flavors with this simple addition. You can use hummus as a complement to your falafel or as a topping inside your flatbread.

You can also use it as a sauce, which can work really well if you serve fried falafel. 

Whatever you do, grab your falafel and top it with some of this delicious hummus for flavors that are likely to rock the world on your palate. It’s tasty and it’s a healthy option that really brings out the best flavors of both worlds.

2.Tzatziki

The tzatziki is a really great option. It’s another dip or dip, so you’ll probably want some pita chips or flatbread to go with it.

Tzatziki is a light but refreshing sauce that is made with European flavors. It is the perfect mix of yogurt, cucumbers, garlic, salt, olive oil and lemon juice. This mixture makes it acid but light and refreshing.

It’s a cold dip and it’s packed with flavors that pair well with falafel. You can dip your falafel in it or top your falafel with tzatziki and you won’t be disappointed.

We recommend some pita chips to make the perfect complete meal. You can also dip the pita chips into the tzatziki for a versatile and flavorful combination every time.

3. Kimchi

If you’ve never tried kimchi, you’re missing out. It comes from a Korean radish and is loaded with a bold flavor that is also a bit spicy. 

Kimchi goes well with falafel as a side dish or dressing. If you use flatbread or tortillas, you can load the tortilla with kimchi and falafel. You can also enjoy the kimchi on its own as a side dish if you prefer. It is quite a versatile option.

Kimchi is made with pickled vegetables, so it has a bit of a sour taste from the pickle.

The most commonly chosen vegetable is the Korean radish, but sometimes it can be something like cabbage. Seasonings and spices are added to it, so the flavors may vary depending on the seasonings used.

4. Lemon rice

Everyone loves a good side of rice with dishes like this and it’s a very popular addition, especially if you want something that fills you up. We recommend the lemon rice. The lemon combined with the falafel will be absolutely perfect for a side dish.

You can serve the lemon rice as a side dish or you can serve it under the falafel and it’s even acceptable to put it in a falafel wrap as well. Lemon rice is a popular choice to accompany falafel and is a wonderful combination.

Lemon rice does not only contain lemon. It also usually has a mixture of things like peanuts and curry leaves, and if you want something extra spicy, you can add chilli to the mix.

Of course, it also has lemon. These bold flavors enhance falafel and bring together the best of each dish for you to enjoy.

You really can’t go wrong in any way.

5. Mushrooms

If you want a simple but healthy garnish to accompany your falafel, try sautéing some mushrooms. They are soft enough, but also tasty enough, to go with falafel.

For this particular garnish, you just have to cut the mushrooms to your liking and sauté them in a little olive oil. You can sprinkle them with a little lemon juice and season them. It also doesn’t hurt to use butter instead of oil if you prefer. 

Honestly, you don’t need any seasoning with this method - just a little butter, olive oil and a skillet.

However, you can add some minced garlic and maybe some fresh parsley for a bit more flavor if you need something that enhances the mushrooms more.

This is easy and the mushrooms are fine, but they won’t cause a reaction against the flavor of the falafel.

6. Avocado Dip

If you are looking for a delicious dip for your falafel, try this recipe that uses creamy avocado, garlic, cilantro and a hint of citrus. This dip is used cold and is another light and refreshing option.

You can also use it to cover your falafel or to accompany everything. It’s another versatile option so you can control how you want to eat it overall.

7. Israeli salad

This Israeli salad option is flavorful and delicious, and will go great with falafel just like the other side dishes we’ve shared.

Although this salad is simple, you should know that you can also adjust it to your preferences and it will most likely work no matter how you prepare it.

You may have enjoyed dishes similar to this one in the past and never realized that it is actually an Israeli salad.

This salad is a classic combination of cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, parsley, olive oil, and vinegar. Some people like to add a hint of pepper as well, but that’s entirely up to you.

It is a slightly acidic side dish, but above all refreshing, and it complements the flavors of the falafel, giving you a combination that will taste really good.

8. Olive salad

Along the same lines as the salad, here is another great option. This salad has a Mediterranean twist and that’s one more reason why it works great with falafel.

This particular salad uses a variety of olives, but also adds other flavors.

If you like olives, this is the perfect option for your falafel. It has garlic and brine in it and is quite tasty.

The combination includes black and green olives, roasted red peppers, cloves, vinegar, red onion, oregano, and dried basil. It is served as a cold salad. 

9. Tabouli

Tabouli is similar to salad, and the bright, citrusy flavors also pair well with falafel. You can make tabouli with bulgur or quinoa. It is then enhanced with the addition of a bit of mint and lemon. 

The result is something cool and refreshing with a bit of substance thanks to the quinoa. It is served as a side dish and the flavors between tabouli and falafel make a wonderfully appetizing combination.

10. Baba Ganoush

If you like the idea of the Mediterranean style, here is another option in that line of inspiration. Baba ganoush is a Mediterranean dish.

It is often served almost like a dip and used with pita or vegetables, making it a nice addition to falafel.

Baba ganoush is made with eggplant, tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, and garlic. If you want to give it a little more flavor, you can also add smoked paprika and cumin. 

11. Dolmas

Dolmas are often called stuffed vine leaves and are another Mediterranean option to accompany falafel.

This dish takes vine leaves and stuffs them with rice, lean meat, herbs, and spices. The spices used are usually cumin and allspice.

The strong, full flavors pair well with falafel, bringing everything together and giving you a satisfying and flattering dish at the same time.

12. Pickled Onions

If you’re looking for something light and nice, pickled onions might be a great option. The hot falafel paired with pickled onions will be a party in your mouth.

The onions are pickled, so they have that salty, citrusy flavor, plus the crunch of the onion. 

The pickled onions and flavors complement the falafel very well and also keep the garnish light and simple.

13. Stuffed peppers or tomatoes

Lastly, we recommend trying a stuffed pepper or even a stuffed tomato. You can do a combination or just use what you prefer.  You will fill it with a simple rice or quinoa flavored and seasoned with some herbs.

The star of the show is the stuffed bell pepper or tomato for the color and then you get the flavor of the rice from inside the item and it all comes together nicely to give you a well rounded and colorful meal.