What To Serve With Falafel Pitas

Falafel Pitas are easy to make and flavorful enough to please any crowd. If you’re looking for the best sides to add to the dish, here are 16 of my favorite suggestions.

Bowl of falafel pitas with chopped cherry tomatoes and parsley garnishes.

Falafel Pitas are delicious fried patties of ground chickpeas (or garbanzo beans), flavored with fresh parsley and cilantro, garlic and spices. These scrumptious patties are stuffed into a soft, warm pita to make a falafel pita sandwich and topped with plenty of fresh veggies and a heaping helping of your favorite creamy tahini, tzatziki or hummus. It’s the perfect on-the-go meal and a popular street food option.

Falafel pitas are also possibly the best fast food ever. They are delicious, flavorful, customizable and much healthier than a burger and fries.

But falafel pitas don’t have to just be enjoyed as a street food. They are satisfying on their own, but if you’re making them at home and want to add to your meal, there are plenty of delicious sides that pair well with this delicious recipe.

FAQs

How Can I Reduce the Oil in my Falafel?

Falafel can be cooked in several different ways. The most authentic and popular is to deep fry your falafel patties in hot oil. This creates a perfectly fluffy texture on the inside and leaves the falafel deliciously crispy on the outside.

Unfortunately, deep frying requires a lot of oil and grease that many people try to avoid. There are several alternative ways to reduce the amount of oil you use, but it’s important to note that less oil may make your falafel less crispy.

Pan Fry

You can cook falafel in just a few tablespoons of oil in a pan. This will require turning the falafel often to cook the interior and it may be difficult to get it consistently crispy all the way around.

Air Fry

Air frying is a great way to achieve crispy falafel without a lot of oil. Lightly coat your falafel with oil and place them in your air fryer in a single layer. Cook until they are golden brown.

Bake

You can lightly spray your falafel with oil and bake it in the oven. You could even omit the oil all together if you decide to bake, but your falafel will not crisp up on the exterior.

How Should I Form my Falafel?

If you are making your falafel at home, you have the choice to form it into small balls or patties. If your plan is to make it into a falafel pita sandwich, I recommend forming them into patties.

To do this, wet your hands and roll about three tablespoons of your falafel mixture into a ball. Flatten the balls slightly before frying. Don’t make them too thin or they will fall apart easily.

Are Falafel Pitas a Quick Meal?

You can buy premade falafel patties in some specialty grocery stores. Of course, nothing beats freshly made at home! If you plan to make them at home, I recommend making your dough and waiting until you are ready to eat to fry them. If you just have to fry and assemble your pita sandwich, it makes the meal much easier to make and go.

My Favorite Falafel recipes

Middle Eastern falafel balls in a bowl with a side of hummus in a small container in the center of the bowl.

This Middle Eastern Falafel Pita is a traditional recipe and oh so delicious.
If you want to try a unique falafel recipe, try these curried carrot falafels.
If you really want to put together a platter that will impress your guests, try making these rainbow falafels.

Expert Tips

If your pita pocket is falling apart as you try to stuff it, try warming it up in the microwave for about ten seconds before breaking it open.
Not sure which toppings to add to your falafel pita? Try them all! Tahini, tzatziki and hummus all work so well together. You could even add a little chili pepper for a little kick of spice. You won’t know the perfect accompaniment for your favorite falafel until you try. Be adventurous!

Sauces: Homemade hummus, tahini paste, tzatziki sauce, lemon juice, Greek yogurt, lime juice

Fresh Vegetables: Red peppers, yellow bell peppers, eggplant, cucumbers, tomato, red onion, green onion

Lettuce: Butter lettuce, romaine lettuce, arugula, mixed greens, fresh herbs, grape leaves, leafy greens

Sides: French fries, lemon rice, Greek salad, Israeli salad, baba ganoush, dill pickles, pita chips, sweet potato fries, roast potatoes, olive salad

Recipe to Serve with Falafel Pitas

Easy Tzatziki Sauce

Tzatziki sauce in a small bowl, surrounded by pita bread and topped with olive oil and dill.

Whether you’re serving it on gyros, eating it with pita, or enjoying it with veggies, you’ll love this Greek dip! Made with greek yogurt, cucumbers, and garlic, Greek Tzatziki Sauce is light, fresh, and versatile.

Dolma is an Azerbaijani dish made by stuffing grape leaves with lamb meat, rice, onion, and herbs like mint, dill, and cilantro! They are perfect served alone or with a delicious and authentic garlic yogurt dipping sauce. These dolma are almost guaranteed to be a family favorite!

Belgian Frites are soft on the inside, impossibly crispy on the outside, and so crunchy you can hear each bite from across the room. There’s a secret to making fries this delicious!

Pomegranate seeds topping baba ganoush with slice of pita bread dipping into it.

Baba Ganoush is a dish made by pureeing eggplant with herbs and spices to create a unique dip or spread. Similar to hummus, baba ganoush is delicious on sandwiches, eggs, or with vegetables.

Sweet potato fritters being dipped into a honey mayonnaise dip.

This recipe for sweet potato fritters can be serve with Lemon Tahini Sauce or with a Cinnamon Honey Dip. Either way, making this recipe is a great way to experience the culture and flavor of Chad!

Fried feta in a cast iron skillet topped with honey next to pita chips.

This 5-Minute appetizer is the BEST way to enjoy a quick taste of Greece! This feta cheese wrapped in phyllo dough, cooked in olive oil, and then drizzled with honey and sesame seeds will impress anyone you serve it to. Enjoy it with pita chips, tomatoes, or even by itself.

Quinoa salad in a glass bowl mixed with red onions, cheese, and chickpeas.

This Quinoa Salad with Sun Dried Tomatoes and Feta Cheese is a blend of pure deliciousness. This superfood makes an awesome base to a salad topped with a tangy lemon vinaigrette. It is healthy and perfect as either a side dish or a main course!

Top view of a bowl of vermicelli rice with a serving spoon resting in it.

This Armenian dish with Vermicelli rice can be thrown together with ingredients that I almost guarantee are already in your pantry. Rice and pasta are browned in butter then covered in chicken stock and left to simmer for 15 minutes. A taste of Armenia has never been so easy!

Bowl of freshly prepared green goddess salad.

This Green Goddess Salad Recipe is light and fresh and chock full of healthy produce. The fresh olive oil and vinegar drizzled over the top forms a healthy dressing that goes so well with the crunchy pistachios.

Instant Pot Pasta Salad with rotini noodles, feta cheese, cherry tomatoes, salami, and bell peppers.

This Instant Pot Easy Pasta Salad Recipe is delightful! It has so much built-in flavor from the rotini being cooked in Italian Dressing. The pasta salad is then stocked full of salami, feta cheese, tomatoes, and bell peppers. Did someone say picnic?!

This Avocado Salad Recipe with Peanuts is absolutely delicious! The contrasting flavors ignite your tastebuds and keep your mouth craving more! Plus, those peanuts add a little crunch. Try this recipe on its own, with chips, or as a side for fish.

Ezme in a bowl with whole jalapenos surrounding the bowl.

This authentic Turkish Ezme (Acili Ezme) (from Always Use Butter) takes just 15 minutes to make and is super healthy loaded with veggies and not much else. It’s a delicious spicy sauce, salad, dip and meze that you will want to have with everything. This recipe uses common ingredients you can find at your regular supermarket.

Lemon hummus without garlic in a bowl, garnished with chickpeas and sliced cucumbers and a halved lemon laying next to it.

This delicious hummus without garlic (from Love from the Table) is a weekly staple. Lots of lemon makes it fresh and flavorful, and boiling the chickpeas gives it a creamy texture without the fuss of removing the chickpea skins. Perfect for little ones (or anyone!) who don’t like the bite of fresh garlic.

These roasted onions (from A Sweet Alternative) are an easy, flavorful, budget-friendly side dish that can be prepared in advance. They’re perfect for the holidays or whenever you’re craving some sweet, caramelized oniony goodness.

Fresh and easy, this Fattoush Salad (from The Honour System) is delicious as a side dish or a light lunch. This healthy salad recipe is anything but boring with a ton of veggies and a tasty lemony, mint dressing.

Air Fryer pita chips in a bowl sitting on a cutting board with a side of dipping sauce.

Air Fryer Pita Chips (from Yellow Thyme) – Crunchy , Airy & Light Chips made with leftover pita pockets. I could eat this with anything!! It’s sooo good!

What To Serve with Falafel Pitas

FAQs

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My Favorite Falafel recipes

Expert Tips