Savoury Macarons - Ideas How to Serve Them

What goes well with savoury macarons? Enjoy plenty of recipe ideas to serve with them. From mini spicy curry macs, beetroot and horseradish, Bloody Mary or mushroom - let's have some delicious fun!

Mad About Savoury Macarons (Hot & Spicy)

Savoury macarons may perhaps sound strange if you haven't tried them. Yet.  So, once you have with a glass of something chilled during the festive season or for a special occasion, the result is pretty mind-blowing. They're surprisingly delicious!

If you've tried any of the savoury macaron recipes from my first book's 'Mad Macs' chapter, you'll discover that many of them are hot and spicy. This makes an interesting tasting sensation: the sweetness of the macaron distinguishes the fire after the first couple of seconds!

Do Savoury Macarons Still Need Sugar?

A Parisian macaron needs sugar in the recipe in order for the macaron shells to work but can we cut down on sugar for making savoury macarons? The cool answer is YES!

While I was developing the recipe for the savoury macaron chapter in my first book, Mad About Macarons, I aimed at cutting down on the sugar as much as I could dare. The result? I couldn't believe that the macarons still worked!

Savoury Macarons - How do you Eat Them?

Savoury macarons are pretty mad. They're fun to try on their own with an apéritif or pre-dinner drinks.
For example, try mushroom and truffle macarons with a chilled glass of wine from the Jura. Alternatively serve spicy curry macarons with a Gin and Tonic. This adds a bit of heat and sparkle to any party.

However, savoury macarons are not just great with drinks.

Serve them with a bowl of soup or on top of a bright and cheerful salad - or even a risotto! The surprise element is taken to the next level and adds a touch of gourmet fun to the table.

What Flavour is a Purple Macaron?

Normally a purple macaron in Paris would be cassis, which is blackcurrant flavour. However, don't be fooled with this savoury purple one - it's beetroot with a spicy kick of horseradish!

Gourmet meals can be given that extra touch of chic with a beetroot macaron with horseradish (recipe on page 103 of my 1st book). Here I've served it with Salar Scottish hot smoked salmon with an apple and horseradish sauce.

On a family visit to my husband's island of Corsica, we tasted a surprising gourmet starter consisting of this Corsican Terre et Mer charcuterie plate. It's so simple yet sophisticated.

It may look and sound unusual but, believe me, the mix of smoked salmon with smoky charcuterie dried hams just works.

Back in my kitchen, I added chiogga beetroot and apple slices (marinated in lemon juice) for an extra healthy crunch. However, adding this spicy macaron adds that je ne sais quoi wow factor.

It totally works.

Why not serve them with a mini portion of beetroot and horseradish risotto, especially designed to accompany your mini savoury macaron on top?

Tikka Curry Macarons (Perfect with Soup!)

Mini tikka curry macarons (on page 100) are brilliant for festive starters or appetizers.

They're a spicy surprise on the side to velvety soups, like this leek, pumpkin and ginger velouté soup.

Dress it up to party during the Christmas season by adding a couple of fried sage leaves with pink peppercorns.

Important: don't serve pink peppercorns to anyone with nut allergies. Read this article by my friend, Christina Conte on her discovery with nut allergies.

Curry Macarons with Cauliflower

Mini Tikka MacSala macarons are that delicious French touch with a cauliflower soup. Did you know that anything referred to as Dubarry in French cuisine refers to a dish made of cauliflower? This Crème Dubarry is probably the most creamy, classic French soup and was created for Madame du Barry, King Louis XV's last and favourite mistress.

For more about the romantic story, see the soup recipe for Crème Dubarry.

Or with an extra dose of curry, mini tikka macs are just as delicious with a Curried Cauliflower Velouté too, with a sunken, seared scallop or two...

Tikka macarons, predominantly with cumin in them for spice, also go well with this Moroccan Chicken & Prune Tagine.

Add some Extra Surprise!

Even better, I found extra mini porcelain tagine dishes in Paris that could hide a mini cumin macaron in them for that extra fun surprise at the table.

Thai Red/Green Curry Macarons

Curry fans can make it hot under the mistletoe with the mini Thai curry macarons. Make them red or green, depending on your mood with a hint of coconut. Again, great with a Gin & Tonic but try them with food to get the party well and truly started.

Ever played a blind-tasting game with your dinner guests or family? They'll love this one: try this Arugula or Rocket Soup with Smoked Garlic. Can't find smoked garlic? Just replace with smoked paprika.  It's incredible how rocket can taste so delicious in a soup - and add a Thai mini curry macaron and we're talking HOT!

Garden Herb Macarons

Inspiration for this warming French watercress soup (soupe au cresson) came after a trip to the beautiful watercress beds in Normandy. Serve with garden herb macarons (recipe on page 97 of the book).

Savoury Macarons (for Adults Only!)

Moreover, serve the above salad with a Bloody Mary macaron. Now this is a surprise with a slightly bigger punch. However, please do ensure that you inform guests that there is a touch of vodka in them.

Serve as an apéritif with crudités: chopped raw carrots or cauliflower florets with dips like broccoli hummus.

Why not serve a few tomato (mini Bloody Mary) Macarons with these roasted tomatoes with mozzarella.

They're ideal as nibbles in the winter, when tomatoes are not usually as tasty out of season. So roasting them slightly in this way concentrates their flavour.

Intersperse Bloody Mary tomato macs on sticks with these party toffee cherry tomatoes - great fun!

They would also be great served with a Seared Scallop and Chorizo Risotto.

We're back to that warming bowl of soup again, though. Serve Bloody Mary Macarons with a smooth  Sweetcorn & Red Pepper Chowder. 

In fact, most of the savoury macarons in my book goes with this, as a touch of spice is sensational wrapped up in a tiny, chic Parisian macaron.

Savoury Macarons - Mushroom for Fun

We love mushrooms! Follow my recipe for mushroom macarons and serve them with a Mushroom Cappuccino with a splash of coffee.

Savoury Macaron - Easiest Filling

Perhaps the easiest filling for a savoury macaron would be to sandwich mini brown or yellow shells together with mustard.  We tried one in a rather chic restaurant on our gourmet trip to Dijon and it was fabulous!

Mad About Savoury Macarons - the Recipes

All of the above mentioned savoury macarons have their very own Mad Macs Chapter in my first book, Mad About Macarons. They're not just fun but utterly delicious and add a fun side to the festive table or special occasions at any time of year.

Not ready to make the plunge to savoury macarons? Then I still have plenty of sweet macaron recipes to choose from in both my books.

This post was originally published on 20 December 2013, but is now updated to include many more recipe links and new images since this was posted.