What to Serve with Stuffed Grape Leaves? 7 BEST Side Dishes

Stuffed grape leaves, a dish adored across many cultures, often leaves us wondering what side should accompany it. Finding the perfect pairing isn’t as tough as you might think.

We’ve all been there, scratching our heads, menu in hand, trying to decide the best mates for these little rolls of joy.

Through trial and error, we’ve discovered some amazing side dishes that elevate the entire meal. You’re going to want to read on.

From our kitchen mishaps to undisputed successes, trust that we’re guiding you from experience. These aren’t your average sides.

Prepare for your dinner table to transform.

Why Consider Serving Side Dishes with Stuffed Grape Leaves?

The nutrition in stuffed grape leaves varies depending on how you prepare them.

If you add meat, you’ll need to target some fiber in your sides.

Whereas stuffing the leaves with rice or vegetables calls for some protein-rich side dishes.

Grape leaves are not without their share of health benefits.

They are rich in a variety of vitamins and minerals, and the presence of anthocyanins is one significant reason which makes these leaves so helpful.

Adding grape leaves to your diet will make your goodbyes to diseases easier because they are rich in flavonoids.

So, stuffed grape leaves don’t sound bad for your next meal prep, does it?

What to Serve with Stuffed Grape Leaves? 7 BEST Side Dishes

No matter how you prepare the stuffed grape leaves, you’ll find a side dish that works perfectly.

That’s because we don’t want your newfound love of grape leaves to go to waste.

1 – Cheesy Beef Croquettes

Now, who doesn’t like biting into some juicy, tender, and cheesy meat patties? We all love them, unless you’re a vegan, of course.

To make the perfectly flavored meat patties, cook the minced meat in rich beef stock and add aromatics like garlic and black pepper.

And the way to make it give it the final touch is by breading them with bread crumbs and deep-frying.

Serve this as your first side dish with stuffed grape leaves, and you’ll not have a moment’s rest without compliments.

Beef croquette goes best with any stuffed grape leaves recipe featuring rice or veggies.

2 – Fondant Potatoes

If you ever find that you’re in a cooking rut and need something fancy-looking but effortless to cook, you have a winner here.

Well, the French always have some fancy food to impress us with.

You need only butter and chicken stock to bake your browned potatoes in.

And the trick to getting the best tender fondant potatoes is to roast them slowly for a long time.

Since you’ll need to shape the potatoes into cylinders, larger varieties of potatoes are your best bet to impress guests.

Just make sure that you have a fresh herb for a touch of refreshing aroma.

3 – Cucumber and Avocado Salad

Refreshing salads are never a bore to eat nor a hassle to make.

With a few chilled cucumbers and avocadoes, you can assemble the most crunchy and juicy salad with a buttery aftertaste.

A plus point about this salad is that you’ll have a lot of vibrant colors on your dinner table.

It’s a summer favorite among salads and healthy too.

You will be guaranteed all the health benefits of cucumbers while enriching your body with all the healthy fats of an avocado.

You shouldn’t skip out on this side dish if you want something to cool you off on a hot summer day.

4 – Apple Pie

If you didn’t expect a pie to be on the list, you must have underestimated the power of pies.

Apple pies make the best option for serving alongside a meaty stuffed grape leaf meal.

The sweet and tart flavor of this pie is the reason why it enhances everything you serve with it.

But if you were to be strict enough, savory, meaty meals are the best choices.

Among the many types of apples, Granny Smith apples make the best apple pies because they have a decent balance of sweet and tart flavors.

Try an apple pie as a side dish the next time you have some extra apples in your kitchen.

Kids will love it, and the adults will find it oddly satisfying too.

5 – Cobb Salad

Adding meat to salad isn’t bad, especially when it includes lean protein sources such as boneless chicken breast.

A cobb salad has everything you need to achieve a balanced meal.

The crisp bacon and chicken give you enough carbs, fat, and protein.

Meanwhile, veggies are a source of fiber, vitamins, and minerals.

The list doesn’t end there; hard-boiled eggs are also a commonly used ingredient in cobb salads.

Just imagine how much nutrition you’ll receive from one bowl of salad.

Since it has almost everything you need for a balanced diet, you can serve it with veg-based or meat-stuffed grape leaves.

6 – Fish Soup

Comforting food should be on any meal menu, especially after a long, tiresome day.

So we have the perfect one for you– a soothing and healthy fish soup.

Although the name says ‘fish’ soup, you can use any seafood, add some vegetables, and cook them in a rich broth.

You’ll never regret choosing to serve this soup with stuffed grape leaves, and they make an excellent combo.

The best thing about a fish soup is how you can easily customize it to fit your needs.

You can make it creamy, spicy, savory, or sweet and have a soup ready for just about any day.

7 – Salmon Avocado Salad

You can never fail when you have salmon as the star ingredient in your side dishes.

But have you tried it with avocadoes?

Since salmon doesn’t have a fishy taste like most fish, it is an exceptional favorite even among people who dislike eating fish.

They also rank high on the scale of health benefits.

You’ll have to pan-sear the salmon until they are tender and golden brown.

Then, you can add it to a salad bowl with a generous amount of avocado slices.

And for the best part, you’ll be left with a salad that is equally healthy, visually appealing, and full of varying textures.

Conclusion

So now you know you shouldn’t be discarding the leaves after you obtain the grapes.

Dry the leaves or prepare them fresh; you’ll be glad you didn’t throw them away.

Remember to consider your guest’s food preferences before proceeding with any side dish.

But you also have the option to take on the challenge of persuading them to like something they don’t with your exceptional cooking.

As long as your side dishes are healthy and complement the flavor of the stuffed grape leaves, you’ll be guaranteed an enjoyable meal.