Name: What To Serve With Pastrami Sandwiches
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 1 portion pastrami

If you’re wondering what to serve with your pastrami sandwich, you’ve come to the right place.

In this article, I list 17 of the most popular side dishes for pastrami sandwiches.

In a rush? Here’s the short answer.

The best dishes to serve with pastrami sandwiches are coleslaw, a farmers market salad, potato chips, air fryer pickles, and macaroni salad. You can also serve sweet potato wedges, baked tomatoes, or onion rings. For more deli-inspired dishes, try sweet cheese blintzes or latkes.

Ready? Let’s jump right in.

Coleslaw

If you’re not already adding coleslaw into your pastrami sandwich, serve some on the side.

Creamy, full-fat mayo is the way to go with pastrami – the salty meat needs the mayo to mellow it out.

And the best part? Coleslaw is a breeze to make – especially if you’re skipping all the chopping and using a bagged veggie mix (no one has to know)!

Potato chips

It’s easy to open a bag of chips, but if you have extra time, why not make them yourself?

Using an air fryer, you get that satisfying crunchy texture in just 15 minutes.

And you have complete freedom to season the chips however you want.

Keep it simple with salt and pepper…

Or make them spicy with chili powder and a spritz of lime juice.

Enjoy your crispy air fryer potato chips with a hefty pastrami sandwich and a can of ice-cold beer.

Macaroni salad

Not a fan of coleslaw? This macaroni salad is just as creamy and will satisfy your carb cravings.

The dressing has some extra tang, courtesy of the cider vinegar and sour cream. And the chopped-up veggies add some crunch.

Plus, you can whip up this delicious easy creamy macaroni salad in just 10 minutes – so it’s perfect for when you’re in a rush.

Psst… want to be really indulgent? Serve a mac and cheese.

Air fryer pickles

Pickles are a classic pairing for pastrami sandwiches.

But why not shake things up with these crispy fried pickles?

Imagine getting that sweet-but-sharp goodness with the added bonus of a crunchy coating? And don’t forget a pot of yummy ranch for dipping.

You’ll be making a lot of these air fryer pickles – one batch won’t be enough.

Shaved brussels sprouts salad

This brussels sprouts salad will transform your opinion of brussel sprouts!

They can be bitter when they’re raw, but if you shave them finely enough, the red wine vinaigrette will infuse into them and remove any bitterness.

For best results, prepare this shaved brussels sprouts salad a few hours in advance to ensure everything melds and develops nicely.

Baked beans

A pastrami sandwich with a side of saucy baked beans is one of my guilty pleasures.

The smoky flavors of baked beans match perfectly with the tangy flavors of mustard and pastrami.

And if you don’t want to have more meat, these BBQ baked beans are totally vegetarian.

They use fire-roasted tomatoes, smoky paprika, and a homemade bourbon BBQ sauce to bring you all the smokiness you could want!

Olive cheese balls

A side of plain olives would add some sophistication to your pastrami lunch.

But sometimes you don’t want sophistication, you want something super yummy!

And that’s where these jazzed-up olives come in.

Salty pimento stuffed olives are wrapped in an addictive cheese crust… it may sound strange but it’s so moreish.

Say goodbye to boring side dishes with these olive cheese balls.

Beer-battered onion rings

All onion rings are good, but nothing comes close to the beer-battered version.

The batter is light, airy, and has undertones of caramel flavor.

And with this recipe, the onion rings will stay extra crispy for at least an hour because of a special flour blend they use.

Head to Spoon For Bacon for the complete recipe, and check out more things to serve with onion rings here.

Cheese blintzes

Cheese blintzes are a quintessential Jewish snack.

They consist of thin pancakes with a cheese filling.

Traditional recipes call for Farmer’s cheese, but this recipe uses a mixture of ricotta cheese and cream cheese because they’re easier to find.

The filling is sweet and they’re usually served with fresh fruit, so consider these a kind of dessert to have after your pastrami brunch.

Herb-lovers lemony orzo salad

Want something light, healthy, and filling to serve with your pastrami sandwich?

This lemony orzo salad fits the bill.

It’s packed to the brim with spinach, chickpeas, fresh cucumber, and red onions, bringing some much-needed nutrients to your meal.

And the fresh basil and mint add a refreshing sweetness to the dish, which balances out the zesty lemon dressing.

This herb-lovers lemony orzo salad is perfect for a light and quick meal.

Tomato and basil soup

After a warm and cozy dish to go with your pastrami sandwich?

You can’t go wrong with a fresh, piping hot bowl of tomato basil soup.

And this soup has a secret ingredient that turns it silky smooth and adds an extra burst of flavor.

Curious?

Check out Little Spice Jar’s recipe.

Psst… dip your sandwich into the soup to really make the most of this pairing.

Roasted sweet potato wedges

Potato chips are great, but they don’t have much substance.

That’s where these sweet potato wedges come in.

Their natural sweetness goes well with the savory and meaty pastrami, and they work well with a mustard-y dipping sauce (a classic with pastrami sandwiches).

These roasted sweet potato wedges are my favorite.

Baked tomatoes

Make your tomatoes more interesting by topping them with mozzarella and parmesan cheese and baking them until the cheese gets gooey and melty.

The result is like a mini pizza! Without all the carbs.

Baking the tomatoes makes them extra juicy and draws out their natural sweetness. Delicious.

Psst… can you sense a theme here – just add cheese!

Latkes

Pastrami sandwiches and latkes are a traditional combination in Jewish delis.

What is a latke?

It’s a potato and onion pancake – kind of like a hash brown, but thinner so you get more of that satisfying crisp.

These potato latkes are usually accompanied by sour cream, but give applesauce a try (it’s great).

If you like this idea, try potato knishes too.

Garlic fried corn

Looking for a simple side for a middle-of-the-week meal?

Check out this garlic-fried corn.

It’s a delicious summertime side dish, that’s sweet from the corn and rich from the butter (plus there’s loads of garlicky goodness).

All you need are 5 ingredients and 15 minutes. It’s that easy.

Psst… sometimes I add peas in as well.

Greek potato salad

Go on a culinary adventure and use tatziki for your potato salad instead of a mayo-based dressing.

The tzatziki dressing is predominantly made up of Greek yogurt, making it a lighter alternative.

And the salad is loaded with herbs and lemon, making for a zesty flavor that helps cut through the rich pastrami.

This Greek potato salad might just replace your traditional potato salad recipe.

Farmers market salad

The name farmers market salad, refers to how to make the salad. Take a trip to your local farmers market and pick whatever takes your fancy.

Then throw it all together in a bowl when you get home – how fun is that!

You’ll have a light, bright, and tasty side for your sandwiches.

The best side dishes for pastrami sandwiches

Coleslaw
Potato chips
Macaroni salad
Air fryer pickles
Shaved brussels sprouts salad
Baked beans
Olive cheese balls
Beer-battered onion rings
Cheese blintzes
Herb-lovers lemony orzo salad
Tomato and basil soup
Roasted sweet potato wedges
Baked tomatoes
Latkes
Garlic fried corn
Greek potato salad
Farmers market salad