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    What to Serve with Paella (20 BEST Sides)

    If you’re wondering what to serve with Paella, you’ve come to the right place!

    Paella is a delicious and versatile dish that’s sure to please, but it can be difficult to know what other dishes to serve along with it.

    Fortunately, there are lots of great options for making the perfect accompaniments that will bring out the best in this traditional Spanish classic and wow your guests!

    From traditional Spanish tapas to some great salad and veggie dishes, you’ll find plenty of great options to round out your paella night!

    what to serve with paella pin

    What to Serve with Paella:

    1. Gambas al Ajillo (Spanish Garlic Shrimp)

    gambas al ajillo

    Let’s start the this tapas list with one of the most popular and beloved small plates out of Spain. How does a sizzling platter of garlicky, seafoody goodness sound?

    Grab some crusty bread for sopping and whip up this famous Spanish tapa, Gambas al Ajillo in your very own kitchen!

    Get the Recipe


    2. Spanish Summer Salad (Pipirrana)

    pipirrana

    Here to celebrate tomato season this summer is a tribute to all those luscious summer tomatoes, ripening on the vines in warm sunshine.

    Mixed with just a few more cool crunchies, and you have yet another colorful popular traditional dish, pipirrana, all the way from the south of Spain.

    Get the Recipe


    3. Espinacas con Garbanzos (Spanish Spinach with Chick Peas)

    espinacas con garbanzos

    This classic Spanish tapas is a great addition to your appetizer spread. Hearty chick peas and fresh spinach are cooked in a cozy sauce of tomatoes, onions and exotic spices.

    One of our very favorite sides for paella!

    Get the Recipe


    4. Spanish Meatballs

    These meatballs are one of the most popular tapas out of all Spanish tapas bars.

    Learn to roll meatballs the Spanish way and make them a center piece of your next tapas party.

    Get the Recipe


    5. Pisto

    pisto

    Pisto is a hearty rustic vegetable stew with eggplant, zucchini, bell peppers, onion and tomatoes with tons of olive oil.

    You can serve it in small individual cazuelas along with some crusty bread or crostini. It’s very popular in Spain!

    Get the Recipe


    6. Pan con Jamón

    pan con jamon

    Get ready to meet my new favorite appetizer, all the way from Spain… Pan con Jamón!

    This one is as easy as it gets, but it’s so, so addictive. You only need three ingredients. But please don’t cut corners here, Pan con Jamón is all about the quality. We’ll teach you all…

    Get the Recipe


    7. Grilled Zucchini

    grilled zucchini

    It’s summer, that means it’s time to fire up the grill. And have we found the perfect side dish for the season, Grilled Zucchini!

    Your favorite summer squash has never been more delicious. A little bit of seasoning is all it takes, then let your grill work its magic.

    Once you try it, we bet you’ll be pairing it with just about everything!

    Get the Recipe


    8. Green Beans Almondine

    green beans almondine

    Green Beans Almondine!! Doesn’t it sound fancy?

    Vibrant French style green beans tossed with brown butter, toasty almonds (that’s where almondine comes from), shallots, garlic and a squeeze of lemon to brighten it in the end.

    It’s one of our favorite sides for paella.

    Get the Recipe


    9. Spanish Clams with White Beans and Chorizo

    spanish clams

    This Spanish clams with white beans and chorizo recipe is delightful. Everything is simmered with fresh herbs and olive oil.

    It’s a wonderful accompaniment to paella.

    Get the Recipe


    10. Greek Salad

    greek salad

    This traditional Greek Salad recipe, known to the locals as Horiatiki, is one of our summertime favorites!

    Crisp cucumbers, sweet cherry tomatoes, red onions, briny olives and capers, creamy feta, and a simple herb dressing. That’s all it takes. And the results are top notch.

    The next time those fresh salad cravings hit, go the Greek way… the Horiatiki way!

    Get the Recipe


    11. Portuguese Mussels

    portuguese mussels

    This is as good as it gets. A big bowl of mussels drenched in one amazing, out of this world sauce.

    It doesn’t have to happen in a fancy restaurant with this easy recipe!

    Get the Recipe


    12. Wedge Salad

    wedge salad

    This Wedge Salad recipe is a real classic, and for good reason!

    Bright, crispy lettuce, homemade blue cheese dressing, sweet cherry tomatoes, and don’t you dare forget the bacon!

    It’s the perfect side dish for a huge variety of mains, and it’s one of the easiest salads you’ll ever make.

    Get the Recipe


    13. No Knead Bread

    miracle no-knead bread, sliced

    Here’s one of our favorites, which is baked often in our home… this No Knead Bread!!

    This artisan quality bread can happen very fast and is super duper simple. You end up with a thick crispy crust and a chewy center with big fat holes like sourdough!

    It’s very forgiving and only takes 3 minutes of active effort. Now that sounds unbelievable, right? Not so. Try it yourself today.

    Get the Recipe


    14. Ratatouille

    caesar salad

    Ratatouille sounds fancy, but at its core it’s just a simple, hearty and rustic dish out of the South of France.

    This classic Provencal dish is a medley of summer vegetables accentuating all the Mediterranean flavors.

    Melt in your mouth chunks of beautifully cooked eggplant, zucchini and yellow squash in a tomato sauce spiked with fresh herbs with a good dose of olive oil. That’s Ratatouille for you!!

    Get the Recipe


    15. Caesar Salad

    caesar salad

    No salad can get as simple as Caesar!! You can make homemade croutons and make it tad bit more special. The good dressing is the key for a good Caesar.

    One of the all time classic salad recipes!

    Get the Recipe


    16. Roasted Asparagus

    roasted asparagus

    These easy Roasted Asparagus are an essential veggie side dish you need in your repertoire. They’re the perfect accompaniment to your grilled or roasted meats, and they’re so easy!

    While asparagus are great any way, be it steamed, blanched or sautéed, something special happens when you roast them. That caramelization adds a whole extra layer of umami flavor.

    Get the Recipe


    17. Tabbouleh

    tabbouleh

    If you’re looking for a new salad recipe, we have just the one… Tabbouleh!

    This famous Levantine salad is bursting with herby flavors from plenty of fresh parsley, veggie power from tomatoes and cucumber, and it has a hearty bite from bulgur wheat.

    And once you drizzle on that easy homemade dressing… perfection!

    Get the Recipe


    18. Cucumber Avocado Tomato Salad with Pesto

    cucumber salad

    Spring and summer demand colorful, light, refreshing salads.

    So here it is our Cucumber Avocado Tomato Salad, but with major flavor bender… delicious basil pesto dressing.

    Get the Recipe


    19. Roasted Broccoli

    roasted broccoli

    This easy oven Roasted Broccoli recipe is going to boost your side dish game big time! It’s tender and perfectly seasoned, and that little bit of caramelization takes it over the top.

    Just fresh broccoli, a little olive oil, and some simple seasonings are all you need. And it’s super versatile, and can go with just about anything.

    It will be one of your top sides for paella!

    Get the Recipe


    20. Balela Salad

    balela salad

    Let me present you Balela deliciousness!! So colorful, so easy, so refreshing…

    This hearty colorful salad is bursting with flavors and textures. Chickpeas, black beans, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, bell peppers, parsley, mint… what’s not to like!!

    Get the Recipe


    So many sides for paella to choose from. Which one will you try first?

    Pin or bookmark this collection of great recipes so you always know where to find it. And be sure to subscribe to GypsyPlate, we’re always cooking up new easy recipes for you!

    Check out these other great recipe collections!
    Tapas Recipes
    Sides for Pulled Pork
    Sides for Burgers
    Sides for Steak
    Sides for Barbecue
    Sides for Fried Chicken
    Side Dishes for Salmon
    Sides for Sloppy Joes
    Sides for Prime Rib
    Sides for Tacos

    featured image for what to serve with paella

    What to Serve with Paella (20 BEST Sides)

    If you're wondering what to serve with Paella, you've come to the right place! This collection of sides will round out your Spanish night perfectly!

    Ingredients

    • 2 15.5 oz can garbanzos (chick peas)
    • 5 cups fresh spinach
    • 1 onion
    • 1/4 cup raisins
    • 1/2 cup tomato sauce
    • 4 garlic cloves
    • 3 strips bacon
    • 1 tsp smoked paprika
    • 1 tsp cumin powder
    • Salt and pepper to taste
    • Extra virgin olive oil for drizzling

    Instructions

    1. Cut bacon into 1 inch pieces and fry in skillet over medium high heat. When brown and crisp, remove from skillet and set aside. While bacon is cooking, slice onions and garlic.
    2. Add onions and sauté in bacon fat. Cook until soft and translucent.
    3. Stir in garlic, smoked paprika and cumin powder. Sauté one minute.
    4. Mix in tomato sauce and then garbanzos. Sauté for a minute, then add in raisins.
    5. Stir in spinach and cook a few minutes until wilted. If your skillet cannot accommodate all raw spinach at once, you can add it in batches.
    6. Stir in bacon, serve in a dish, drizzle with a generous portion of olive oil and garnish with slivered almonds.

    Did you make this recipe?

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    Picture of Alpana, blogger and recipe developer at GypsyPlate

    Welcome to GypsyPlate! I'm Alpana, former wordwide tour manager and professional caterer, now full time blogger. I love exploring cuisines from around the world, and my recipes have been featured on sites such as MSN, Parade, Brit + Co, CNET and AOL. You can explore my entire collection of sortable recipes in my Recipe Index or learn more about me here.

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