Moussaka side dish choices include Greek salad, crusty bread, roasted briam, and grilled eggplant. Find out what to serve with moussaka right now.
Moussaka is a rich, layered Greek dish that makes an eye-catching centerpiece for any meal. All of the labor that goes into preparing moussaka is worth it once you take that first mouthful, with rich roasted eggplant, delicious ground beef, and a soft bchamel top.
Choosing the appropriate side dishes helps handmade moussaka to shine and may bring much-needed balance to your table to offset the dish’s richness, but which foods should you serve? These serving suggestions might assist you in planning your next Greek-themed meal.
Contents
- Greek Salad
- Grilled Eggplant
- Lemon Roasted Potatoes
- Crusty Bread and Butter
- Potato Salad
- Briam (Roasted Vegetables)
- Zucchini Chips
- Fresh Tomato and Feta
- Fried Feta with Honey
- Greek Tomato Fritters
- FAQs
- What side dish goes well with moussaka?
- Does moussaka taste better the next day?
- Can you assemble moussaka the day before?
- What Italian dish is moussaka similar to?
- What is a good side to serve with?
- What are examples of side dishes?
- What alcohol goes with moussaka?
- Do you serve red or white wine with moussaka?
- Do you put wine in moussaka?
- What herbs are good in moussaka?
Greek Salad
Greek salad is another famous component of Greek cuisine due to its freshness and delicious ingredients. The vibrant veggies may cut through the richness of the moussaka, which might seem a little heavy if not accompanied by the correct complement.
Greek salad is traditionally made with a foundation of chopped tomatoes, cucumbers, and onions. Feta cheese, olives, and occasionally capers give this meal a salty, delicious kick. To make the dressing, combine olive oil, salt, and oregano, and serve.
Make This Recipe: A simple Greek salad using just seven ingredients. This easy dish, made with cherry tomatoes, kalamata olives, and crumbled feta cheese, is completed with a Greek salad dressing for a wonderful flavor of the Mediterranean. This is light and flavorful, and it goes well with a huge serving of moussaka.
Grilled Eggplant
Grilling is one of the greatest techniques to improve the taste of eggplant, which is a favorite vegetable in the Mediterranean. Traditional moussaka recipes already include eggplant, but grilled eggplant on the side will only enhance the flavors of the casserole’s juicy, baked eggplant.
Grilled eggplant requires just three ingredients: eggplant, salt, and olive oil. Thinly slice the eggplant and sprinkle with olive oil and spices. Grill it for three to four minutes on each side on an outdoor or stovetop grill.
Make This Recipe: Grilled eggplant with chili garlic and coconut sauce for a fast and healthful side that just takes a few minutes to prepare. While not the most apparent option, the coconut adds a subtly sweet taste to the eggplant that is out of this world.
Lemon Roasted Potatoes
Lemon roasted potatoes are a famous side dish in Greek cuisine (so much so that they appear in the iconic romantic comedy My Big Fat Greek Wedding). The potatoes’ tangy, mild taste complements the richness of the moussaka.
You’ll need potatoes, lemon juice, olive oil, spices, and broth to prepare lemon roasted potatoes. Cut the potatoes into wedges and season with olive oil, lemon juice, and salt and pepper. Pour the liquid over the potatoes in a casserole dish. The broth gives these potatoes their soft, melt-in-your-mouth quality while they roast.
Make This Recipe: Lemon juice and fresh parsley provide delightful layers of flavor to roasted potatoes. These herb-infused potatoes are coated with garlic, olive oil, and oregano then baked till golden brown and tender for a tasty and substantial side dish.
Crusty Bread and Butter
Often, the simplest side dishes are the best. Crusty bread and butter are simple to make yet pair well with moussaka for the ideal comfort food dinner. You may also use the bread to sop up any excess sauce.
This side dish requires just crusty bread, such as a French baguette, and butter. To make the bread extra crispy, toast it.
Make This Recipe: Almost every country has their own take on bread, but this Greek horiatiko psomi is among the finest. Its chewy and thick texture rapidly absorbs moisture and fluids (ideal if you don’t mind getting filthy with the meaty filling of moussaka).
Potato Salad
Potatoes complement moussaka because their neutral taste helps to balance out the dish’s richness. Instead of Greek-style potato wedges, serve moussaka with potato salad for a more American variation. The salad’s gentle acidity also serves to balance off the meatiness of the dish.
The majority of potato salad recipes begin with chopped boiling potatoes. Then, combine the chopped herbs and mayonnaise in a mixing bowl. Replace the mayonnaise with Greek yoghurt or add some Greek herbs like dill for a Greek touch.
Make This Recipe: Yukon potatoes are used in this simple potato salad because of their propensity to retain their form after cooking. This results in a gorgeous side that does not get mushy while the other ingredients are combined.
Briam (Roasted Vegetables)
Roasted veggies are a quick and easy method to cook vegetables. They’re a popular Mediterranean side dish, notably in Greece. Roasted veggies are a nutritious side dish that goes well with moussaka (which is fairly oily) and helps to refresh the diner after a heavy dinner.
Roast whatever veggies you choose, including squash, eggplant, and peppers. To make things easier, cut your veggies into little pieces and roast them on a baking sheet. Season with salt, pepper, and oregano for Mediterranean tastes.
Make This Recipe: Greek briam is a Mediterranean take on roasted vegetables that has everything a tray-baked veggie side should have but none of the excess. Briam is made using potato, zucchini, red onion, and chopped tomatoes. This savory side is the ideal way to enjoy a simple vegetable side, placed on a platter, drizzled with tomato sauce (or passata), then oven-roasted till soft.
Zucchini Chips
Zucchini chips are a novel way to obtain your daily vegetable allotment. The crunchy texture and salty taste complement the flavor of moussaka. Plus, if you’re already finely slicing eggplant and potatoes for the moussaka, you can slice the zucchini using the same equipment.
Thinly slice zucchini, season with salt, then bake until crispy to create your own zucchini chips. If you don’t want to manufacture your own, several businesses sell vegetable chips, like zucchini chips. They are available at speciality grocery shops and health food stores.
Make This Recipe: Thinly sliced zucchini (or aubergine, if you like) is coated in olive oil and roasted for 10 minutes to make these zucchini chips. The thinner the slice, the better, hence a mandolin is recommended for the greatest results.
Fresh Tomato and Feta
Tomatoes and feta cheese are a typical combo in Greek cuisine. The rich acidity of the tomato and the saltiness of the feta cheese complement each other beautifully, and the combination may also help balance out the richness of the moussaka.
This recipe is simple to prepare and only takes a few ingredients. To make a simple yet nutritious salad, slice up some fresh tomatoes and combine with crumbled feta cheese. If you want to go fancy, you may add some red onion, balsamic vinegar, or olive oil, which is a Greek staple.
Make This Recipe: This tomato and feta salad demonstrates that the simplest dishes are frequently the finest sides. Toss tomatoes, onion, cucumber, and basil together before sprinkling with balsamic vinegar and olive oil. It’s ideal for when you’ve left things till the last minute.
Fried Feta with Honey
Feta cheese is a popular ingredient in Greek cuisine, and its flexibility makes it a standout in both sweet and savory meals. If you want to offer something sweet after the moussaka that isn’t as heavy as cake or sweets, consider fried feta with honey.
To prepare fried feta with honey, cover little cubes of feta with egg and sesame seeds. The feta is then fried in olive oil. Drizzle with your favorite honey and serve this salty and sweet meal.
Make This Recipe: This feta and peppered honey dish pan fries a whole block of feta cheese to create a crispy coating that is hard to resist. This sweet and salty salad is drizzled with a honey-spiced dressing.
Greek Tomato Fritters
Tomatokeftedes, or Greek tomato fritters, are a Santorinian speciality. This dish may be served with other meze or on its alone to start your meal. This dish’s acidity and saltiness complement the moussaka.
To prepare tomato fritters, begin by cutting and draining fresh tomatoes. To prepare the fritter batter, mix the tomatoes, red onion, crumbled feta cheese, and herbs. As a binding agent, combine flour and baking powder. Form the mixture into little balls and cook in olive oil until crisp and golden. View more at 10 Best Jambalaya Side Dishes
Make This Recipe: To make the fritter mixture for Greek tomato fritters (or tomatokeftedes), combine chopped cherry tomatoes, red onion, and feta cheese before shallow fried for a gorgeous coated finish.
FAQs
What side dish goes well with moussaka?
What sides go well with moussaka? Moussaka pairs well with a classic Greek salad, Greek potatoes, tsatziki sauce, and 2-minute olive oil toasts. It’s the ideal little Greek feast!
Does moussaka taste better the next day?
Moussaka, for example, frequently tastes better the second time around. That’s why cooking a large batch of moussaka and freezing the leftovers makes perfect sense. If you make more moussaka than you can consume in one sitting, just store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Can you assemble moussaka the day before?
Make the beef sauce up to 2 days ahead of time and keep it covered in the fridge. Allow to come to room temperature before assembling. You may alternatively build the moussaka and refrigerate it unbaked for up to 48 hours, or freeze it unbaked for up to 1 month. Defrost completely before baking.
What Italian dish is moussaka similar to?
Moussaka is the Greek equivalent of Lasagna. This classic Greek dish, with a rich tomato meat sauce layered with eggplant instead of spaghetti sheets and covered with a thick coating of béchamel sauce, takes time to create – but it’s definitely worth the effort!
What is a good side to serve with?
Every wonderful dinner must be accompanied with delectable sides! This is a list of delicious side dishes to prepare for your next family supper.
Green beans, fresh from the garden.
Zucchini and squash sautéed.
Salad with fruits.
roasted vegetables.
Salad from the garden.
Potatoes mashed.
Rice that is white.
Corn on the cob from Mexico.
What are examples of side dishes?
Asparagus is a typical vegetable used as a side dish.
Beans that have been baked.
Potatoes baked.
Broccoli.
Cabbage.
Cauliflower.
Coleslaw.
Dinner rolls or different types of bread.
What alcohol goes with moussaka?
MOUSSAKA. Serve the savory, richer wine types with a hearty but delicate moussaka, but not too much. Wine pairing: Tempranillo. Alternatives include Sangiovese, Barbera, and Shiraz.
Do you serve red or white wine with moussaka?
Moussaka wine pairs well with both red and white wines. Greek red wines, such as Xinomavro or Kotsifali, pair well with moussaka, as does Greek white wine, Assyrtiko. Red wines such as Zinfandel, Malbec, and Sangiovese are also excellent accompaniments to moussaka.
Do you put wine in moussaka?
Rich, peppery, and lighter red wines such as Tempranillo, Sangiovese, Barbera, Zinfandel, or a young Greek Xinomavro match well with Greek Moussaka. Middle-Eastern Moussaka often features a hearty tomato sauce, thus acidic red wines are a requirement!
What herbs are good in moussaka?
In the casserole, combine the cinnamon, allspice, diced tomatoes, oregano, bay leaves, and thyme.