• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Instagram
  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • YouTube
Search
  • About
    • Contact
    • Press
  • Recipes
    • All Recipes
    • Oatmeal Recipes
    • Smoothie Recipes
    • Salad Recipes
    • 100 Oatmeal Recipes + Whipped Banana Oatmeal
    • The Best Overnight Oats Recipes
    • Smoothie In A Bowl
  • Nutrition
    • Favorite Wellness Products
    • My Wellness Program
    • Top 10 Nutrition Posts
    • Healthy Mindset
    • Real Food
    • Weight Change
    • Becoming A Registered Dietitian
  • Home
    • Home Tour
    • Home Renovation Before And After
    • Renovation
    • Kitchen Organization Accessories
  • Beauty
    • my beauty broadcast
    • Beautycounter Swaps
    • What Happened To Beautycounter?
    • How to Apply Skincare in the Right Order
  • Life
    • Mazen’s Birth Story
    • Birch’s Birth Story
    • Fitness
    • Wedding
    • Charlottesville
    • Travel
  • Courses
    • Digital Clutter Course
    • Bloom Wellness Program
    • Freebies
  • Shop

Kath Eats logo

  • Instagram
  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • YouTube
Search
  • About
    • Contact
    • Press
  • Recipes
    • All Recipes
    • Oatmeal Recipes
    • Smoothie Recipes
    • Salad Recipes
    • 100 Oatmeal Recipes + Whipped Banana Oatmeal
    • The Best Overnight Oats Recipes
    • Smoothie In A Bowl
  • Nutrition
    • Favorite Wellness Products
    • My Wellness Program
    • Top 10 Nutrition Posts
    • Healthy Mindset
    • Real Food
    • Weight Change
    • Becoming A Registered Dietitian
  • Home
    • Home Tour
    • Home Renovation Before And After
    • Renovation
    • Kitchen Organization Accessories
  • Beauty
    • my beauty broadcast
    • Beautycounter Swaps
    • What Happened To Beautycounter?
    • How to Apply Skincare in the Right Order
  • Life
    • Mazen’s Birth Story
    • Birch’s Birth Story
    • Fitness
    • Wedding
    • Charlottesville
    • Travel
  • Courses
    • Digital Clutter Course
    • Bloom Wellness Program
    • Freebies
  • Shop
You are here: Home / Recipes / 12 Best Side Dishes + Toppings for Waffles and Pancakes

October 20, 2023

12 Best Side Dishes + Toppings for Waffles and Pancakes

Looking to elevate your breakfast game? I’m sharing the best side dishes for waffles and pancakes: from fresh berries and whipped cream, to savory bacon and scrambled eggs, find the perfect pairings for a satisfying morning meal. 

this !

My father-in-law’s famous waffles ^^

Are you team waffles or pancakes?

Honestly, it’s hard for me to choose – I love them both! While waffles and pancakes are not a typical weekday breakfast for us, we love to have them on the weekends for something special. My father-in-law is known for his fluffy waffle recipe.

When you do crave pancakes during the week, Whole Wheat Sheet Pan Pancakes can be a weekend breakfast that carries leftovers into the week! There’s also the quick Oatmeal Pancake Recipe that’s ideal if you just need to make one. And this Deep Dish Pancake recipe!

And I love mixes like Kodiak Cakes’ Buttermilk and Great Harvest with oats if you do need to feed the whole house on a Sunday morning. 

In this post, I’m sharing a round up of toppings and side dishes to serve with pancakes and waffles.

How to make a Breakfast Charcuterie Board

10 Best Side Dishes + Toppings for Waffles and Pancakes

What Goes With Waffles For Breakfast

What’s your favorite side to pair with waffles? Is it whipped cream? Or how about chicken and waffles? Personally, I think waffles and pancakes are rather interchangeable, so what goes with waffles goes with pancakes. Wouldn’t you agree? 

What To Serve With Pancakes For Breakfast

While pancakes and waffles are undeniably delicious on their own (with pure maple syrup!), pairing them with the right side dishes can take your breakfast experience to a whole new level. And while many pancake and waffle recipes call for an egg, sometimes you want to improve your carbs to protein ratio at breakfast. Swap around your side dish and topping and you have a whole new meal! 

Whether you prefer sweet or savory, here are some mouthwatering side dishes that will complement your pancakes and waffles perfectly. 

1. Scrambled Eggs

A classic choice to add some protein to your meal. Here is my perfect scrambled egg recipe!

2. Frittata

If you’re really going all out with brunch, this apple cheddar bacon frittata can elevate your meal easily. These mini egg pies with pepper jack would also be great for a brunch spread. 

3. Hash Browns or Skillet Potatoes

Crispy and savory hash browns complement the sweetness of pancakes and waffles. Also great with chicken and waffles as breakfast for dinner.

4. Breakfast Sausages

Sausage links or patties bring a savory and hearty element to your plate. They’re also great for those who need something more substantial to go with the sweet and sticky. 

5. Fried Chicken

For a unique twist, fried chicken can create a delicious sweet and savory combination. Also on my breakfast for dinner list. If you aren’t up for DIYing it, you could easily get some breaded chicken tenders to make a fried chicken and waffles sandwich. 

6. Fruit Salad

Fruit salad always makes for a great side dish. I have round up of 10 delicious fruit salad recipes in this post.

best side dishes for waffles and pancakes

7. Bacon

Crispy bacon is a classic side that balances the sweetness of pancakes and waffles. We bake our bacon in the oven, so it would be a good “all in one” dish to make with the sheet pan pancakes recipe. 

8. Avocado Slices and Poached Eggs

For a trendy and nutritious option, try pairing your pancakes or waffles with ripe avocado slices and perfectly poached eggs. The creaminess of avocado and the richness of poached eggs add a unique touch to your breakfast, making it a satisfying and Instagram-worthy choice.

9. Smoked Salmon

If you’re looking for a luxurious option, smoked salmon is one of my very favorite “special brunch” foods! It must be served with cream cheese. I am imagining a waffle topped with salmon and cream cheese being a pretty delicious option, a la bagel with lox.

10. Sautéed Apples with Cinnamon

Give your pancakes and waffles a seasonal twist with sautéed apples and a sprinkle of cinnamon. Simply cook thinly sliced apples in a pan with a little butter and cinnamon until they are soft and caramelized. This warm and comforting side dish is perfect for fall mornings. For a hands-off method, I love to put apples and cinnamon in the rice cooker!

11. Greek Yogurt

Creamy Greek yogurt with a drizzle of honey can be a balanced and nutritious accompaniment. Remember these stacks I used to make? Frozen waffles make it easy, and blueberries and blueberry syrup with Greek yogurt and peanut butter were a delish combo! 

IMG_6568Blog

12. Cheddar Cheese and Ham

For a savory spin on your breakfast, consider adding some shredded cheddar cheese and thinly sliced ham on top of your pancakes or waffles. Warm them slightly to melt the cheese, creating a delightful blend of flavors that will satisfy your taste buds.

13. Baked Eggs

These eggs baked in a shallow tiny ramekin are a lovely addition to any fancy breakfast menu. 

What To Cook Into Waffles and Pancakes

A few ideas!

  • Chocolate chips or sprinkles (birthday season!)
  • Crumbled bacon
  • Black beans and corn (here’s a time I made these savory pancakes!)
  • Cheese: Shredded cheddar, feta, or Parmesan cheese can be mixed into the batter for a savory and cheesy pancake or waffle
  • Avocado: Mash ripe avocado into the batter for a creamy and slightly nutty pancake or waffle
  • Zucchini: Grated zucchini can add moisture and a mild, earthy flavor to your breakfast creations
  • Matcha powder: For a vibrant green color and a subtle earthy taste, add matcha powder to your batter
  • Peanut butter: Mix in smooth or chunky peanut butter for a nutty and slightly salty twist
  • Hot sauce or Sriracha: A few drops of hot sauce or Sriracha can give your pancakes or waffles a spicy kick
  • Sweet potato or pumpkin puree: Blend cooked and mashed sweet potato or pumpkin into the batter for a fall-inspired breakfast
  • Nuts: bits of walnut, pecan, almond or cashew.
  • Granola: imagine the crunch! 
  • Fresh strawberries, raspberries, or blueberries

Next time you whip up a batch of pancakes or waffles, consider trying one of these delicious side dishes. Whether you crave sweet or savory, these pairings will undoubtedly take your breakfast game to the next level, making it a meal to remember. Happy breakfasting!

best side dishes for waffles and pancakes

Do you have a favorite waffle or pancake recipe? What do you usually serve them with? 

You may also enjoy:

  • Charcuterie Board For Breakfast
  • Oatmeal & Eggs For Breakfast

Filed Under: Recipes

Reader Interactions

Previous Post
12 Unusual Salad Ingredients
Next Post
Home Tour

Comments

  1. Nancy says

    October 20, 2023 at 8:38 am

    I’ll almost always pick waffles over pancakes, although the occasional stack of diner blueberry pancakes can’t be beat. At home I love to make pumpkin pancakes, either the usual round kind or as sheet pan pancakes. Sometimes we’ll do plain sheetpan pancake batter and then make half blueberry and half chocolate chip.

    We love crunchy peanut butter and maple syrup on top, and usually have fruit and/or bacon on the side. Now I’m craving pancakes and waffles! 🙂

    Reply
    • Kath Younger says

      October 20, 2023 at 8:52 am

      Now I’m craving them too! Thanks for the reminder to make some sheet pan pancakes this week. I have leftover pumpkin to add too!

      Reply
  2. Terry says

    October 21, 2023 at 2:57 pm

    These all sound wonderful and love breakfast for dinner, at least weekly!

    Would your father in law share his waffle recipe?

    Thank you!

    Reply
    • Kath Younger says

      October 21, 2023 at 3:44 pm

      I will ask him, but I have a feeling it is from an old cookbook. Let me see if I can figure out which one.

      Reply
      • Kath Younger says

        October 21, 2023 at 3:52 pm

        OK I was right it’s from the Better Homes & Gardens New Cookbook and the recipe title is “everyday waffles”

        Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

Search

Topics to browse >>

Get my exclusive promos –>

    Footer

    hi! Im Kath.

    I'm a Registered Dietitian, healthy eater, and mom of two from Charlottesville, Virginia. Here you’ll find a healthy mix of real-life meals made from whole ingredients balanced with the pleasures of life, including buttercream frosting and good wine. Plus a sprinkle of nutrition, home life, beauty, parenting, and travel.
    about | privacy policy | contact

    Please note: nearly every link I post is an affiliate link. Thank you for supporting my blog.

    Recipes

    • Oatmeal Recipes
    • Salad Recipes
    • Smoothie Recipes
    • All Recipes

    Nutrition

    • Healthy Mindset
    • Real Food
    • My Wellness Program

    Life

    • Home Tour
    • Travel
    • Wedding
    • Charlottesville
    • Digital Clutter Course
    • Instagram
    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube

    Copyright © // 2025 Kath Eats
    Jump to top