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Moussaka is a recipe of epic proportions. Layer upon layer of richly spiced meat and tomato sauce; soft, olive oil-drenched potato slices; silky eggplant; and topped off with a smooth and creamy béchamel sauce. Serving 12, this colossal dish is an occasion-worthy wonder that will satisfy an army.
Equally impressive, but more economical and lower in fat, is my meat-free vegetarian moussaka. Made with green lentils instead of lamb, it is earthy, nutty and wholesome. And, marginally faster to make!
Moussaka with potatoes
When we think ‘moussaka’, we think ‘Greece’. It is seen as the national dish after all! However, the widely recognized recipe was only popularized and adapted to more European tastes in Greece as recently as the 1920s.
But Moussaka is actually ancient! The first version was recorded in a 13th century cookery book from Baghdad.
This version of moussaka can still be found all around the Levant. In these warmer regions though, the recipe is pared back consisting only of the trademark eggplant slices and aromatic, meaty, tomatoe-y sauce (and most often eaten cold!). No potatoes and no béchamel sauce.
Greek moussaka is a cozier recipe more suited to cooler climes. In the early 20th century, the hearty and filling potato layer was added, plus the comfort blanket bechamel topping. Now more familiar and palatable to Western tastes, moussaka was on the menu.
Living in a country where the average summer temperature rarely strays beyond 21C (69F) and winter hovers around 5C (41F), I have only ever made Greek moussaka. It’s warming blend of cinnamon and allspice infused meat sauce, thick and creamy béchamel and satisfying potato and aubergine (eggplant) slices that heat you up from the inside out.
Recipe Tips and Notes
- Be warned, this adventurous recipe is not for the faint-hearted! It is a multi-staged epic that requires time and a fair bit of washing up. But, it is hard to mess up and your efforts will certainly be rewarded.
- I save making it for a weekend when I have nothing on (it’s a fabulous alternative to a roast!), or a special family occasion.
- Read through the entire recipe before embarking on the journey. You’ll gain an overview of the components and an idea of the timeframe. Then you can decide if you want to spread the process over a couple of days.
- The low-pressure approach is to prepare the eggplant and potatoes the day before.
- You can even make the meat and béchamel a day in advance too, leaving assembly and baking for the day of.
- Traditionally, lamb is used in moussaka, but you can substitute with beef if that’s your preference.
- Choose eggplants that are not too large for your moussaka and slice them lengthways to mimic the shape of lasagna sheets. Try to slice them evenly, so they cook evenly.
- I use This is an affiliate link.cooking spray to lightly coat the potatoes and eggplant in oil, or you could brush them with a This is an affiliate link.pastry brush. Add a sprinkling of salt before putting under the grill or broiler.
- When the cooking time is up, the béchamel layer should be set like a supple custard.
- Allow the baked moussaka 20 minutes to cool slightly and set before slicing and serving. This rest will encourage tidy portions of neatly layered slabs of moussaka that stack on the plate, as opposed to a deluge of merging meaty and creamy sauces with tiny potato and eggplant rafts.
Serving suggestions
A Titanic meal of meat, vegetables and potatoes in one, leaves little room for accompaniments! But I will always serve this rich lamb moussaka with a green and leafy side salad.
However, what better way to impress dinner party guests than with a table laden with a variety of temptations? If you are pulling out all the stops, add a pot of cool, creamy Greek tzatziki, flappy flatbreads, and a platter of feta and zucchini fritters.
Storage and leftovers
Greek moussaka is a gift from the gods themselves! Attempting the cooking task as a whole can seem like a Heraclean feat, but, for the time-short or anxious, this is a flexible wonder. All the components can be staggered in preparation; it’s a good freezer; and it can even be enjoyed cold!
Hosting a dinner for more than 6 is a lot of work! And I don’t just mean in the kitchen. So, you can buy yourself time my making this lamb moussaka well ahead. Either the day before, just cover the assembled, unbaked dish and keep refrigerated.
Or up to a month in advance; you can freeze the assembled moussaka either baked or unbaked. Then thaw in the fridge overnight and cook as per the original instructions.
More recipes to try
- Truffle Aioli
- Muhammara
- Hot Crab and Roasted Corn Dip
- Whipped Feta Dip with Everything Bagel Seasoning
Moussaka Recipe
Equipment
- This is an affiliate link.9×13 baking dish
Ingredients
- 3 eggplants, medium
- 3 potatoes, medium
- 5 tbsp olive oil or cooking spray, divided
- Salt
For the meat sauce
For the Béchamel sauce
- 60g / 1/4 cup butter
- 60g / 1/2 cup flour
- 600ml / 2 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1/4 tsp This is an affiliate link.nutmeg
- 50g / 1/2 cup Parmesan, finely grated
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 egg plus 1 egg yolk
Instructions
- To prepare the eggplant, cut into ¼ inch slices and arrange them on a baking sheet in a single layer. Season with salt and brush with olive oil or spray with a cooking spray. Broil/grill in the oven for 7 minutes, then flip the slices, season with salt and brush with more olive oil and finish broiling for 3-5 minutes longer until they are cooked all the way through. You might need to use 2-3 baking trays to fit all eggplant slices. (This step could be done a day ahead.)
- Preheat the oven to 220C/425F. To prepare the potatoes, peel them and slice thickly (¼ inch), then arrange the slices on a rimmed baking sheet, drizzle with 2 tbsp of the olive oil, then sprinkle with the salt. Roast in the oven for 15 minutes or until golden on the outside and cooked all the way through. (This step could also be done a day ahead).
- Now prepare the meat sauce. Heat the olive oil in a large pan and add the chopped onions, saute over low heat for 5-7 minutes, then add the minced garlic and cook for approximately 30 seconds. Add the ground beef or lamb if using, start cooking it while breaking up with a wooden spoon until no longer pink inside.
- To the beef add the cinnamon stick, one bay leaf, allspice, dried thyme and dried oregano with a good pinch of salt, stir to combine, then add the tomato passata or crushed tomatoes and beef stock, bring to a boil, then lower the heat and let it simmer for 15 minutes.
- While the beef sauce is simmering make the béchamel sauce. Melt the butter in a saucepan, then add the flour. Stir to combine, then continue cooking the mixture while stirring until it smells slightly nutty. Gradually pour in milk while whisking to avoid lumps, season with salt, pepper and grated nutmeg. Cook the sauce over low heat until thickens for about 5 minutes, then stir in freshly grated Parmesan cheese and allow to thicken. Take off the heat and whisk in one beaten egg, then one egg yolk. Work quickly to avoid scrambled eggs instead of smooth sauce. Set aside till needed.
- Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. To assemble the moussaka, spread ⅓ of the meat sauce sauce over the bottom of a rectangular 9X13 inch (23cm by 33cm) baking pan, then top with half of the eggplant slices and potato slices. Add another third of the meat sauce on top of that and cover with the remaining half of the eggplant slices and potatoes. Finish with the remaining meat sauce. The layer the Béchamel sauce on top and level with a spatula. Bake in the preheated oven for 50-55 minutes until the layers are hot and bubbly and the top is set and golden.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
