Moussaka Recipe: Greek Comfort Food
This is a hearty Mediterranean Casserole featuring layers of sautéed eggplant, zucchini, potatoes, savory meat sauce, and a rich, cheesy mornay sauce. This recipe is a labor of love, ideal for a weekend feast, and is guaranteed to impress with its delightful blend of spices and flavors. Although it’s a bit involved, the result is well worth the effort!
Recipe Video
Recipe Ingredients
For the Vegetables:
- 2 large Eggplants, peeled and sliced lengthwise into ¼-inch thick slices
- 2 large Zucchinis, sliced ¼-inch thick
- 2 large Baking Potatoes, sliced about 1/8-inch thick
- ½ cup Garlic Olive Oil, for sautéing vegetables
For the Meat Sauce:
- 1 pound Ground Beef (80/20)
- 1 large Onion, chopped
- 2 tablespoons Tomato Paste
- 1 tablespoon Chopped Garlic
- 1 cup Red Wine
- 1 teaspoon Hot Hungarian Paprika
- ¼ teaspoon Ground Cloves
- ¼ teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
- 2 teaspoon Fresh Thyme, chopped
- 1 teaspoon Dried Oregano
- 1 28 ounce can Crushed Tomatoes
- 6 ounces Beef Stock
- Salt and Black Pepper to taste
For the Béchamel/Mornay Sauce:
- 4 tablespoon Butter
- ½ cup All-Purpose Flour
- Salt and Black Pepper to taste
- 3 cups Whole Milk
- 1 cup Gruyère Cheese, grated
- ½ cup Parmesan Cheese, grated
- ¼ teaspoon Nutmeg
- 2 large Eggs, beaten
Recipe Instructions
- Prepare the eggplant, zucchini, and potato slices by salting them and letting them sit for 45 minutes to draw out moisture on a drying rack or paper towels. Pat them dry, then heat olive oil in a large skillet and sauté each vegetable until golden. Set aside.
- In a sauté pan, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. When hot, add the ground beef and cook until golden brown.
- To make the meat ragout, in a Dutch oven or a large saucepan, heat some olive oil, then add the onion and cook until translucent. Add the tomato paste and caramelize for a couple of minutes. Add the garlic and cook briefly until fragrant. Add the wine and cook until reduced, then add the paprika, cloves, cinnamon, thyme, and oregano.
- Finally, add the tomatoes, stock, and beef, and let the sauce simmer for about 1 hour over very low heat.
Preheat Oven to 350°F (175°C)
- For the béchamel, melt the butter, whisk in the flour, and cook briefly, seasoning with salt and pepper. Gradually add milk, stirring until smooth, then add the cheese and nutmeg, cooking until thickened. Add the eggs by whisking vigorously to prevent scrambling.
- To assemble, layer the eggplant slices in a baking dish, followed by zucchini slices, meat sauce, then potato and Mornay sauce.
- Bake for 45-60 minutes or until golden brown. Allow to set for 20 minutes before serving.
Pro-Tips
Prep Your Vegetables Correctly
One of the key steps in making a great moussaka is prepping your vegetables correctly—especially the eggplant. If you’ve ever made eggplant recipes before, you know it can be a bit tricky because of the water content. After you slice your eggplant, you’ll want to salt the eggplant to draw out the excess water. Let it sit for about 45 minutes, then pat the eggplant dry with a paper towel before cooking. This helps prevent your moussaka from getting soggy and makes sure you get that perfect, tender layer of eggplant without all the moisture. And friends, don’t forget the potatoes! Some people like to skip this layer, but I say keep it in—it adds a nice textural contrast to the eggplant and really rounds out the dish.
Bonus Pro Tip: Preparing The Perfect Meat Sauce
The heart of any good moussaka is the meat sauce. In my version, I use a mix of beef and lamb, but you can also stick with just ground beef if you prefer. The key is to let the meat sauce simmer long enough to develop deep, rich flavors. Don’t rush this step, my friends—good things take time. Adding a bit of cinnamon and nutmeg to the sauce gives it that signature Greek flavor, but be careful not to overdo it. You want those spices to be in the background, adding warmth without overpowering the dish. You can also make the meat sauce ahead of time and store it in the fridge for up to two days, which helps break the cooking process into more manageable steps. And here’s another tip—after cooking the ground beef and lamb, drain off some of the fat. Too much grease will weigh down your moussaka and make it heavy. No one wants that!
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Nutrition
Calories: 703.71kcalCarbohydrates: 54.21gProtein: 35.96gFat: 38.62gSaturated Fat: 19.09gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1.97gMonounsaturated Fat: 12.84gTrans Fat: 1.24gCholesterol: 181.83mgSodium: 606.16mgPotassium: 1778.94mgFiber: 8.52gSugar: 16.85gVitamin A: 1334.22IUVitamin C: 34.39mgCalcium: 539.41mgIron: 4.83mg