Make this outrageously delicious moussaka recipe with layers of perfectly seasoned beef, veggies, and creamy, fluffy baked béchamel. The crispy fried veggies add a little crunch which is perfect alongside the rich, meaty layer and pillowy béchamel top! Drooling yet? Let’s dive in!
If you like this dish, then be sure to check out my pastitsio recipe! But before we go, don’t miss these other meaty recipes: Greek lemon chicken and slow roast Greek lemon lamb with potatoes (you’ll never recover, it’s that good).
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Why you’ll love this dish
There are are so many reasons to make moussaka on REPEAT, here are mine:
- Rich layers of flavour: I’m obsessed with the layers of tender eggplant, yummy ground meat (usually beef or lamb), and a creamy béchamel sauce.
- Cosy comfort food: It is the ultimate comfort food. You’ll be dipping and diving into the casserole dish, spoon first. It is great for chilly days or when you're craving something satisfying and wholesome.
- Great for gatherings: It’s usually made in a large baking dish so it’s ideal for a crowd.
- Pretty presentation: The golden topping of baked béchamel sauce makes this dish look absolutely crave worthy.
- Leftovers are delicious: Moussaka reheats really well – a lot of people (myself included) feel this dish is even more delicious the next day.
How To Make Moussaka - Short Video
Moussaka Vs Pastitsio: What is the difference
Moussaka is mainly a beef and veggie-based (with eggplant, zucchini and potatoes – like in this recipe) while pastitsio is beef and pasta-based.
They are similar because they both involve layering and baking with a béchamel sauce, but moussaka features layers of fried vegetables, while pastitsio includes pasta mixed with meat sauce.
Moussaka has a combination of tender vegetables and creamy sauce, offering a rich, layered texture, while pastitsio has a dense, pasta-based texture with a similar creamy topping.
Ingredients
Here are some of the ingredients to gather for this recipe – please check out the recipe card for a full list:
Vegetable base
- Olive oil for frying: The amount varies depending on the size of your pan. Make sure you have enough oil to fry the vegetables until golden brown.
- Veggies: I’ve used medium-sized potatoes, medium-sized zucchinis and medium-sized eggplants.
- Kefalograviera cheese, finely shredded: This cheese adds a rich, savory flavor. If unavailable, you can substitute with parmesan, kasseri, or pecorino.
Meat sauce
- Red onion and garlic: These add an aromatic and savoury base for the meat sauce.
- Beef mince meat: Use high-quality ground beef for a rich meat sauce. I like one with a good fat to meat ratio.
- Red wine: Adds depth and complexity to the sauce. Choose a dry red wine. (Don't waste money on an expensive bottle! Unless your having a drink as well *wink*)
- Crushed canned tomatoes: These form the base of the sauce. Choose high-quality canned tomatoes and balance with a little sugar if you need to.
- Spices and herbs: Ground cinnamon, nutmeg, thyme, bay leaves, fresh parsley, and dried oregano provide the classic Greek flavours to this meat sauce.
Béchamel sauce
- Unsalted butter: Forms the base of the béchamel.
- Plain flour: Thickens the sauce.
- Milk: Provides the liquid component. Make sure it is at room temperature, or you can even warm the milk slightly if you like!
- Egg yolks (keep whites for breakfast!): These add richness and help thicken the sauce.
- Kefalograviera cheese, finely shredded: Parmesan, kasseri, or pecorino are great swaps.
Top Tips
- Creamy béchamel sauce: Make sure the sauce is smooth and velvety. Cook the butter and flour to form a thickening base before gradually adding the milk. Stir continuously so you don’t get a lumpy sauce.
- Bake to golden brown: You want the topping to be golden brown and bubbly. Make sure you get the sauce evenly spread out before baking.
- Rest before serving: Allow the moussaka to cool and set for about 30 minutes after baking.
- Season as you go: While the cheese adds seasoning, remember to season each layer with salt and pepper. Tasting before assembling is key!
Instructions
Prepare the Vegetable Base
Slice the potatoes, zucchini, and eggplants into disks. Fry them until golden brown.
- Hint: Use paper towels to drain excess oil for a less greasy dish. Even using a wire rack works well!
- I filter this olive oil and then keep it for future frying (don't throw it away)
Make the Meat Sauce
Sauté onion and garlic in olive oil until soft. Add beef mince and cook until browned. Add red wine and reduce. Stir in tomatoes, herbs, and spices. Simmer for 10 minutes and then discard the bay leaves.
- Hint: Browning the meat thoroughly enhances the sauce's flavour.
Assemble the Moussaka
Layer potatoes, eggplant, and zucchini in a baking dish, seasoning and adding cheese between layers. Pour meat sauce over the vegetables, then top with bechamel sauce.
Prepare the Bechamel Sauce
Melt butter, stir in flour to make a paste, and slowly add milk. Once thickened, stir in egg yolks, nutmeg, and cheese. Cook until bubbly.
- Hint: Constant stirring prevents lumps in your bechamel.
Bake and Serve
Bake in a preheated oven at 165°C for 40 minutes until golden brown. Let it rest for at least 30 minutes before serving.
- Hint: Allowing it to cool makes slicing cleaner and prevents it from being too sloppy.
Equipment
These are the three main pieces of equipment I use when making this dish. I know it's a bit of extra dishes, but trust me, the taste is worth the mess!
- Baking Dish: I use a 36cm x 24cm dish. Adjust the size based on the volume of ingredients.
- Saucepan: For making the bechamel sauce.
- Large Frying Pan: For frying the vegetables. A large, non-stick frying pan helps cook the vegetables perfectly!
Variations
There are so many directions to take moussaka in, here are a few:
- Individual portions: Make mini servings in ramekins or muffin tins for a different presentation at parties or gatherings.
- Middle Eastern moussaka: Add spices like sumac, cumin, and coriander in the meat sauce. So good!
- Eggplant-less moussaka: Replace eggplant with thinly sliced sweet potatoes or roasted cauliflower.
- Gluten-free moussaka: Use gluten-free flour (such as rice flour or corn-starch) to make the béchamel sauce.
- Vegetarian moussaka: Instead of ground meat, use cooked lentils or sautéed mushrooms to make a veggie version. Add layers of thinly sliced bell peppers, spinach, or sweet potatoes alongside or instead of eggplant, zucchini, and potatoes. The choices are endless!
What to serve with
A classic accompaniment is a simple Greek salad or a side of my easy artisanal crunchy bread or a few pieces of pita to mop up the leftover juices or sauce. So good!
Storage
Let your moussaka cool at room temperature for no more than 2 hours after cooking.
If you have large quantities of leftovers, divide them into smaller portions. This makes reheating easier and faster.
Place the leftover moussaka in airtight containers or wrap tightly with plastic wrap or aluminium foil. Refrigerate promptly within 2 hours of cooking. Stored this way, moussaka will typically keep well in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
Freezing
If you want to store moussaka for longer than a few days, it freezes well. Wrap the moussaka tightly in plastic wrap, foil, or place it in freezer-safe containers. Label with the date to track its freshness. Frozen moussaka can maintain quality for up to 2-3 months.
You can even make the bechamel when your ready to eat! Freeze all the other layers and make a fresh batch for the top when your planning to serve!
When ready to eat, thaw frozen moussaka overnight in the refrigerator. Reheat in the oven at 160°C until heated through.
FAQ
Just skimming through? I got you, mate! Don’t miss these takeaways:
Why is my moussaka sloppy?
Make sure the meat sauce is thick and let the dish rest before slicing and portioning it. I always let it sit for a minimum of 30 minutes.
How do you make it less watery?
Drain excess oil from fried vegetables and let the meat sauce reduce properly. Make use of wire racks and paper towels.
Can you assemble it the day before?
Yes, assemble and refrigerate. Bake fresh the next day.
📖 Recipe
Greek Moussaka Recipe
Ingredients
Vegetable Base
- 2 cups olive oil for frying varies depending on pan size
- 4 potatoes
- 4 zucchini
- 4 eggplants
- 200 grams Kefalograviera cheese finely shredded substitutes parmesan, kasseri or peceroni
- 1 tablespoon Salt
- ½ tablespoon pepper
Meat Sauce
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large red onion finely chopped
- 1 medium-sized garlic bulb minced
- 1 kg beef mince meat
- 1 cup red wine
- 800 grams crushed canned tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon salt
- ½ teaspoon white pepper
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 teaspoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon thyme
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 bunch fresh parsley finely chopped
Bechamel
- 150 grams unsalted butter
- 1 cup plain flour
- 1 litre milk
- 2 egg yolks keep whites for breakfast 😛
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- 250 grams Kefalograviera cheese finely shredded substitutes parmesan, kasseri or peceroni
Instructions
Vegetable Base
- Slice the potatoes, zucchini, and eggplants into circular disks.
- Heat the olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat and fry the vegetable slices until they are cooked and golden brown.
- Remove the fried vegetables from the pan and place them on paper towels to drain excess oil. When draining make sure to spread out your vegetables so they drain as much as possible. If needed, you can also use a wire rack.
Meat Sauce
- In a large pot over high heat, add the olive oil, finely chopped onion, and minced garlic. Cook for a few minutes until the onion and garlic are soft and translucent.
- Add the beef mince and cook until it turns from red to brown, breaking it up as it cooks.
- Pour in the red wine and let it simmer until the liquid has mostly evaporated (about 3 minutes).
- Stir in the crushed tomatoes.
- Add the salt, white pepper, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, sugar, thyme, oregano, bay leaves, and chopped parsley. Mix well and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat and let it simmer for about 10 minutes.
- Remove from the heat, and discard the bay leaves.
Bechamel
- In another saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Gradually add the flour while continuously stirring until a smooth paste forms.
- Slowly add the milk while stirring constantly to prevent lumps, continuing until a thick, creamy texture is achieved.
- Stir in the egg yolks, nutmeg, and shredded Kefalograviera cheese until well combined.
- Continue to cook, stirring constantly, until the bechamel sauce thickens and begins to bubble. Remove from the heat.
Assembly and Cooking
- Preheat the oven to 165°C (fan-forced).
- Arrange the potato slices in a single layer at the bottom of a baking dish, season with salt and pepper, and sprinkle a handful of cheese on top.
- Add a layer of eggplant slices, season, and sprinkle with cheese.
- Layer the zucchini slices evenly, season, and sprinkle with cheese.
- Add a second layer of eggplant slices, season, and sprinkle with the remaining cheese.
- Pour the meat sauce evenly over the layered vegetables, spreading it out to cover the entire surface.
- Top with the bechamel sauce, spreading it evenly over the meat sauce.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes or until the top is golden brown. Check from 30 minutes onwards to avoid overcooking.
- Let the moussaka rest and cool for a minimum of 30 minutes before slicing.
- Cut into portions, serve, and enjoy!
Video
Ann says
How thick do you slice the zucchini, potatoes and eggplant
Nikolopaa says
They are about 1cm thick 🙂
Greg Firoglanis says
Καλή όρεξη! Good appetite! The zucchini was a nice touch. A little different from my mom’s but, certainly a welcomed change! It was delicious and everyone enjoyed this mousaka. Χαιρετίσματα & thank you Niko!
Nikolopaa says
Ευχαριστώ πάρα πολύ! Χαίρομαι που σας άρεσε το μουςακά με το κολοκυθάκι - No problems Greg 🙂