Tasty Pairings: 8 BEST Side Dishes for Moussaka

Moussaka is a traditional dish that is found in either Greek or Turkish cuisine.

Moussaka is usually made with ground meat, eggplant, sliced potatoes, and a white sauce.

The distinctive flavor in a Moussaka comes from the cinnamon and nutmeg added to the meat sauce.

Taste can vary depending on what kind of spices are added by each cook.

Some may add more or less cinnamon or nutmeg, making the taste ever so slightly different from one another.

The amount of white sauce or tomato sauce can also affect the taste, but overall a Moussaka will always have a slightly sweet taste from cinnamon and nutmeg.

Many side dishes can be served with moussaka.

A traditional Greek side dish is the country salad (Horiatiki), perfect for summertime dining since it is made of cucumbers, tomatoes, olives, and Feta cheese.

In this article, we will list more of the best side dishes to serve with moussaka.

Why Consider Serving Side Dishes for Moussaka?

Since moussaka is a kind of eggplant casserole, some people think it already contains vegetables and therefore doesn’t need any accompaniment.

However, adding a side dish to moussaka will make the meal more filling and introduce new flavors into your taste buds.

There are many tasty side dishes that, when added to moussaka, will make it even more delicious.

Another thing to consider, especially if you are serving moussaka as the main course, is meat.

Even if the dish isn’t being served as your entire meal, it will be filling enough for anyone with a big appetite.

It is wise to include something light in order not to overload your guests’ stomachs.

It’s important to remember that moussaka is a very rich dish.

While serving a side dish is good, you need to make sure both flavors remain distinct on your plate.

If you choose something too strong or spicy, it could overpower moussaka and ruin the taste altogether.

Also, it is worth mentioning the importance of complementary flavor.

If you serve a strong flavor dish, such as garlic, all your guests will taste this and not much else.

Therefore make sure to choose something milder like potato salad – unless, of course, you want everyone to be able to taste the garlic.

What to Serve with Moussaka? 8 BEST Side Dishes

Without further ado, here are the eight best side dishes to serve with moussaka:

1 – Roasted Vegetables

If you want a side dish that will go perfectly with moussaka, roasted vegetables are the way to go.

They’re really simple to make, and they have a great earthy taste which will compliment your main course incredibly well.

You can use as many different types of vegetables as you like (make sure there is a nice variety), but some that you might want to consider are carrots, parsnips, turnips, cauliflower, and of course, eggplant.

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit before sticking each vegetable on a separate baking tray.

Make sure they don’t overlap, so they get the most exposure to the heat possible.

Cook for around 10 – 15 minutes before flipping over and cooking for another 10 minutes.

This depends on the size of your vegetables, so check frequently to see when they’re cooked through.

If you want them to be crispier than they already are, you can continue cooking for a few more minutes until they get what you want.

2 – Potato Salad

Potato salad is a delicious Greek side dish that will taste amazing with moussaka.

It’s very easy to make and requires little cooking if any at all.

You can use whatever seasonings you like in the potato salad, depending on what your preferences are.

If you want something with a bit more zing, add some mustard or mayonnaise to your potatoes.

This complements moussaka well, as the flavors of both dishes will balance each other out perfectly.

When making potato salad, you can peel and chop your potatoes before adding them to a bowl with some mayo or dressing, like this:

However, if you’re feeling adventurous and want something with a bit more flavor, try making potato salad with yogurt instead.

This is also incredibly easy to make and will taste amazing if you follow simple instructions.

3 – French Fries

Everyone loves fries.

If you’re looking for the perfect side dish to serve with moussaka, then look no further than crispy French fries.

You can make them yourself or buy them frozen and bake them (this is what we would recommend).

Just make sure not to add any salt while cooking, as this can affect how crispy the fries get.

If you want something that will be even crispier, then look into getting a deep fryer.

You can also try coating your French fries in some flour before baking them, but this is more difficult to do by yourself and requires a certain level of skill.

4 – Garlic Knots

If you like garlic, then these garlic knots are for you. They taste amazing with moussaka, and they’re very easy to make.

You can also add some mozzarella cheese on top of the garlic knots before baking them if you want.

Just take a ball of pizza dough (easily found in your local grocery store) and make sure it’s about the same size as your oven.

Slice your dough ball into strips, twist them slightly and then bake for 8 – 10 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Once they’re ready, remove them from the oven and brush some garlic butter on top of the knots.

If you want to skip this step, make sure to let the knots cool down before serving them.

5 – Instant Pot Ratatouille

If you’re looking for a delicious vegan side dish that goes perfectly with moussaka, then Instant Pot ratatouille is just what you need.

Depending on your preferences, it’s incredibly easy to make and tastes amazing when served hot or cold.

To make instant pot ratatouille, chop up all your vegetables similarly and add them to the instant pot with some spices and herbs.

Make sure you chop up your eggplants in a small enough size so they get cooked properly.

After making sure all of your vegetables are chopped up, put the lid on top of the Instant Pot before setting it to 3 minutes on manual mode.

Once finished cooking, remove the lid and stir everything together before serving.

6 – Green Beans with Pesto

Green beans are an amazing side dish to serve with moussaka. They are easy to make and taste great.

The best thing about this is that you can use whatever flavor pesto you like.

Some of our favorite flavors are asparagus and cashew pesto, but you can add whatever flavor pesto you like.

To make green beans with pesto, chop them up and saute them in a pan for about 5 minutes or until they become tender.

Then add your pesto and stir everything together before removing it from heat.

7 – Zucchini Chips

Who doesn’t love zucchini chips? They’re easy to make, have a unique taste, and are even healthy for you.

We recommend slicing the zucchini in thin slices, so they get cooked properly.

Try adding parmesan cheese on top before baking them in the oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 minutes.

Make sure they don’t burn when cooking.

Once they cool down, remove them from the oven and enjoy.

8 – Baked Sweet Potatoes

If you’re looking for a healthy side dish that goes well with moussaka, then baked sweet potatoes are a perfect choice.

They’re easy to make and taste great.

Remember not to add any salt while cooking, as this can affect how crispy the potatoes get.

To make these delicious baked sweet potatoes, chop them into thin slices and add them to a baking dish before sprinkling some salt on top—Bake for around 40 minutes or until they become crisp on the outside.

You can also try adding some butter on top of your baked sweet potatoes if you want.

Just make sure not to add any salt when doing this.

Conclusion

Moussaka is a traditional Greek dish that tastes great when served with the right side dishes.

We recommend giving all of the above dishes a try, but if you want to make this yourself, then go ahead and experiment.

There are no limits when it comes to cooking. Thanks for reading this article. I hope you enjoyed it.

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