What to Serve with Yogurt Parfaits? 10 BEST Side Dishes

Parfaits are a classic at every party; they’re the desserts everyone looks forward to after a heavy meal.

While regular parfaits are a delicious treat, the cream is often replaced by yogurt to make it healthier.

Yogurt parfaits are just as fruity and sweet as cream parfaits, but they’re a little more on the tangier end.

So, you’d need a different set of side dishes to suit its flavor.

To make your meal prep easier, we’ve put together everything you need to know about what to serve with yogurt parfaits; you might even find a new favorite dish.

Why Consider Serving Side Dishes for Yogurt Parfaits?

Although the primary flavor will depend on your fruit choice, most yogurt parfaits are predominantly sweet fruits enveloped in a tangy medium (yogurt).

They’re high in fiber, as a parfait’s primary purpose is to help digest other foods in your meal.

So, when serving them as the entrée, you want to choose something filling without overpowering the flavor of parfaits.

Savory and hearty side dishes will help balance the taste profile of your meal, while side dishes with protein and carbs will balance the nutrition.

What to Serve with Yogurt Parfaits? 10 BEST Side Dishes

Desserts don’t have to be boring anymore; here are ten side dishes that impress every palate regardless of the ingredients you add to your yogurt parfait.

1 – Jam-Filled Scones

–

If there’s anything simple and delightful to serve with a parfait, it’s got to be jam-filled scones.

They’re packed with the fruity jam’s sweetness and pastry’s tenderness.

Dietary restrictions and taste buds go a long way in deciding what flavor goes into your scones, so it’s best to consider your guest’s food preferences.

Ensure your jams don’t contain too much sugar to keep your meal healthy.

Since a parfait is usually sweet, you can pump your scones with a lemon-flavored jam or a marmalade.

Or, if the parfait has more tangy fruits, consider filling your scones with a sweet jam.

2 – Smoked Salmon Risoni

–

Risoni is a pasta that looks like grains, and it makes a great base for dishes that require a grainy base.

And its flavor pair well with flaky and flavorful salmon.

Smoking the fatty salmon releases a deeper aroma and gives a golden crust.

Together with the salmon and risoni, this dish provides a decent amount of protein to keep you satiated throughout the day.

Being so easy to cook, this side dish comes together in under 20 minutes, so you have more time to relish your meal than spend time preparing it.

3 – Cucumber Sandwich

–

Cucumber sandwiches make excellent snack options.

They are easy to prepare and use minimal ingredients, yet they do not lack flavor.

The crunchy cucumber slices and fluffy bread combine with mayonnaise to give a light and refreshing side dish that is perfect for a chilled and fruity parfait.

To make the sandwich a tad healthier, consider replacing the mayonnaise with Greek yogurt; it has higher protein and lower sugar and is suitable for many diets.

While choosing a sandwich bread, it is essential to consider its texture to ensure it is suitable for your choice of fillings.

4 – Candied Nuts

–

Nuts keep your heart healthy by lowering bad cholesterol levels.

But they can sometimes be too plain for the palate, especially when you want to serve them with a refreshing dessert.

Coating nuts in caramelized sugar is a quick way to make them more exciting.

Candied nuts are a simple dish with plenty of crunchy elements and a lot of protein.

To add more diversity to the dish, consider combining different nuts; walnuts, almonds, and pecans make great options.

Working with caramelized sugar can be a lot of work as the nuts easily stick to themselves.

So, the trick to never messing up is moving your hands quickly while stirring the nuts.

5 – Deviled Eggs

–

Deviled eggs have a compact size and look visually appealing when placed alongside some vibrant parfaits.

They are rich in carbs and protein and are a fun way to serve eggs.

The filling for deviled eggs usually consists of mashed egg yolk, mayonnaise, and mustard; this adds a rich flavor that complements the sweetness of the yogurt parfaits.

If you want to save time on the preparation, boil the eggs ahead of time and keep them unpeeled; they can last for up to a week.

The filling is best prepared fresh, so you’ll have to make them on the day you’re serving it.

6 – Mushroom Hand Pies

–

Hand pies are a classic dish that can have varying flavors; it all depends on the filling the pastries hold.

They are small, fit in your palm, and make exciting side dishes, especially when having something light like a yogurt parfait.

Since the parfait is essentially sweet and tangy, meaty mushrooms would make a great filling for the hand pies.

They will add a bite to your meal without overpowering the sweet parfait.

You can cook your mushrooms savory or spicy to complement the fruits’ sweetness.

If you’re left with excess filling and have no pastry to hold them, save them to use in an egg dish.

7 – Avocado Salmon Sushi

–

Sushi makes excellent side dishes because of its versatility; you can wrap any ingredients between the rice and seaweed, so they’re perfect for any occasion.

The nutty flavors of avocadoes and the mild sweetness of salmon make them perfect for pairing with sweet and refreshing yogurt parfaits.

This combination introduces a wide variety of flavors to your palate.

In addition, both avocadoes and salmon are packed with healthy fats, including omega-3 fatty acids, so they help make the meal healthier.

8 – Lemon Custard Slice

–

Sweet and tangy custard sandwiched between puff pastry may seem plain, but it gives a satisfying sensation when combined with a refreshing parfait.

The slight crunch from the pastry combines with the creamy custard to give a wholesome treat for the palate.

It is light and hearty and a perfect option for an afternoon snack with parfaits.

While the fruits balance the tanginess of yogurt in the parfait, the lemon custard adds more flavor to the plain pastries.

And when you combine them into a meal, they become a source of irresistible flavors.

9 – Mini Quiches

–

Quiches are a classic dish that combines a wide variety of ingredients by baking them in a crusty pastry.

Since parfaits are essentially light, you want to serve something compact and flavorful, so mini quiches are the ones to go for.

For the stuffing, consider using a mix of ground beef and veggies.

Beef doesn’t contain too much fat, so they’re just perfect to pair with a light dessert.

As regards seasoning, you want to go for warm and comforting ones so they complement the parfait without adding too much spice that overwhelms the palate.

10 – Fish Croquettes

–

Croquettes will make your meal prep so much easier if you’re a seafood lover but have guests who can’t stand the fishy smell of fish.

This side dish is sweet, buttery, and aromatic and perfect to pair with a tangy parfait meal.

After all, mashing your fish with potatoes and sautéing them in a butter and garlic sauce will remove all unpleasant aromas.

The final and most important step is shaping the mixture into patties and breading them before deep-frying.

Low-fat fish like cod and tilapia make the best fish croquettes as they help keep the potato-fish mixture together.

Besides, having too much fat in the fish mixture will make the croquettes unappealing.

Conclusion

There are many occasions to serve yogurt parfaits, so you cannot limit your side dishes to just one category.

It’s best to have a dish or two for light and heavy meals.

If you’re looking for a more filling option, consider serving croquettes, sushi, or risoni.

But if the parfaits are for a light afternoon snack, you have many options, from scones and sandwiches to eggs and nuts.

Parfaits are easy to make, and you’ll likely have them often, so serve our best ten sides on a rotation and see which one appeals to your guests the most.

It’ll help with future meal prep.