What to Serve with Crepes for Dinner: Salads, Soups and Sides

A savory crepe is a complete little meal on its own: a thin pancake, a filling of cheese, ham, eggs or vegetables, and often a sauce. What it needs on the side is not more of the same. The best partners are fresh, sharp or crunchy, something that cuts through melted cheese and butter and makes the plate feel balanced.

That’s why the classic answer in France is so simple: a green salad with a mustardy vinaigrette. Below is that salad, plus soups, vegetable sides and a quick guide to what goes with each kind of savory crepe.

The rule of thumb

Think about what the crepe already has, then add what’s missing.

• Rich, cheesy or creamy crepes need acid: a vinaigrette, lemon, pickles or tomatoes.
• Soft crepes like contrast in texture: crisp lettuce, raw fennel, green beans with a little snap.
• Crepes are already the starch. Skip bread, rice and potatoes for dinner. A soup or salad is enough.
• Keep sides cold or quick. You’ll be at the stove cooking crepes, so pick sides you can make ahead or put together in five minutes.

The classic: French green salad with Dijon vinaigrette

This is what you’ll find next to a galette in almost any crêperie in France. The leaves are soft (butter lettuce, Little Gem or a tender mix), and the dressing is the usual French ratio of one part vinegar to three parts oil, emulsified with a spoonful of Dijon. Make the dressing first, cook the crepes, and toss the salad at the very last minute.

Other salads that go with crepes

• Grated carrot salad (carottes râpées). A French bistro staple. Grate 1 pound (450 g) of carrots, toss with 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 3 tablespoons olive oil, a pinch of salt and some chopped parsley. It keeps for a day in the fridge and gets better as it sits.
• Shaved fennel and apple. Thinly slice a fennel bulb and a crisp apple, dress with lemon juice and olive oil, and add a handful of walnuts. Very good with ham and cheese or chicken crepes.
• Cucumber and dill. Thin cucumber slices with a spoonful of plain yogurt or crème fraîche, lemon and dill. The natural partner for smoked salmon crepes.
• Tomato salad. In summer, sliced ripe tomatoes with salt, olive oil, a little red wine vinegar and torn basil. Perfect with spinach and ricotta or any cheese-heavy crepe.
• Arugula with lemon and Parmesan. Peppery leaves stand up to a creamy sauce like the Mornay on chicken and mushroom crepes.

Soups for a crepe dinner

A small bowl of soup turns crepes into a proper sit-down meal, and most soups can be made a day or two ahead.

• Tomato soup. Bright and acidic, it works with almost any cheese crepe. Think of it as a grown-up grilled cheese and tomato soup.
• Leek and potato soup. Serve it hot in winter or chilled as vichyssoise in summer. Go easy on the cream if the crepes have a sauce.
• Carrot or butternut squash soup. Lightly sweet and smooth, good with ham, Gruyère or mushroom fillings in the fall.
• Green pea and mint soup. Fast, fresh and a good match for smoked salmon or egg crepes.

Keep portions small, about 1 cup per person, so there’s room for the crepes.

Vegetable sides

• Green beans (haricots verts) blanched for 3 to 4 minutes, then tossed with butter, chopped shallot and salt.
• Roasted asparagus at 425°F (220°C) for 10 to 12 minutes with olive oil and salt, finished with lemon.
• Roasted cherry tomatoes at 400°F (200°C) for 15 minutes until they burst, spooned next to the crepes.
• Cornichons and pickled red onions. Not a side so much as a garnish, but a few on the plate do the same job as a salad: they cut the richness.

What to serve with each type of crepe

Crepe	Serve with
Buckwheat galette complète (ham, cheese, egg)	Green salad with Dijon vinaigrette, cornichons, dry cider
Chicken and mushroom crepes with Mornay	Arugula with lemon, or green beans with shallot
Spinach crepes with ricotta and feta	Tomato salad or roasted cherry tomatoes
Smoked salmon crepes	Cucumber and dill salad, roasted asparagus
Savory breakfast crepes (eggs, bacon, cheese)	Green salad and fruit, for a breakfast-for-dinner night
Ham and cheese, or mushroom and Gruyère	Shaved fennel and apple salad, or carrot salad

For buckwheat galettes you’ll want proper buckwheat flour; its earthy flavor is why the sharp salad and the dry cider work so well alongside.

Finish with a sweet crepe

The easiest dessert after a crepe dinner is one more crepe. Keep a little plain batter back, and once the savory plates are cleared, make Lemon Sugar Crepes in the same pan. For more ways to fill both kinds, see Crepe Filling Ideas.