Greek Eggplant Moussaka Recipe

Greek moussaka is a classic comfort food of the Mediterranean region. This step by step moussaka recipe will show you how easy and comforting it is to make this delicious eggplant casserole.

We have done some good Mediterranean recipes on Unicorns in the Kitchen. We have traditional recipes such as mujadara and Mediterranean inspired recipes like Mediterranean lentil soup, all of which have received great feedback. And, today, we’re going to make Moussaka together!

This recipe was created in partnership with the dairy farm families of New England.

What is Moussaka?

Moussaka is a traditional Mediterranean eggplant casserole that’s been around for so many years and opened its way into households around the world. It’s mainly made of eggplants, a ground meat sauce and is topped with a delicious creamy sauce.

Moussaka is made of four layers:

• Sliced potatoes briefly cooked in boiling water.
• Sliced roasted eggplants.
• Delicious meat sauce.
• Creamy sauce that could either be bechamel, yogurt or cheese sauce.

But, is eggplant moussaka recipe Turkish or Greek?

Moussaka is a common dish in the Middle East and the Mediterranean so it’s very difficult to call it for a specific country. The preparation of moussaka is different in Turkey, Greece and Lebanon. According to Clifford A. Wright, one of the first moussaka recipes was found in an Arabic cookbook from the 13th century.

Is there potato in moussaka recipe?

It depends on the region and, of course, the recipe. Moussaka can be made with or without potatoes. In the Greek moussaka dishes I’ve had, I’ve always seen potatoes and love it because I think the starch turns this into a full meal and holds the dish together pretty well.

Okay, let’s learn how to make moussaka with potatoes!

Ingredients you need to make moussaka

As mentioned before, there are four layers in moussaka but don’t let this scare you as this is not a complicated recipe. If you can make a casserole, you can totally make this Greek moussaka recipe too. To make the first three layers of Greek moussaka, you need eggplants, potatoes, ground meat (traditionally lamb. However, I used ground beef), onion, garlic, tomato paste, crushed tomatoes and spices. The fourth layer will be the creamy bechamel sauce, made with milk, butter, and parmesan.

Do I need to peel the eggplants? Not entirely. The skin holds the flesh together and makes the transfer and slicing easier.

How to make an easy moussaka recipe

Start with bringing a pot of water to boil and preheat the oven to 400F. Slice the potatoes and eggplants (1/2 inch thickness). Brush olive oil on the eggplants and on the baking sheet.

Roast the eggplants for 20 minutes until they are cooked and golden brown. Boil the potato slices for about five to seven minutes until they are somehow fork tender but are not falling apart.

Can I fry the eggplants? Yes, frying the eggplants for moussaka will work just as fine. I like to roast them because it’s faster, easier and uses way less oil.

While the eggplants are roasting prepare the meat sauce by sauteing onion until golden brown. Add the ground beef or lamb to the onion and garlic and brown completely.

Add in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste and all the spices. The aroma of paprika and cinnamon will make your kitchen smell so good at this point! Now you have the potatoes ready, the eggplants roasted and the meat sauce completely cooked. It’s time to make the bechamel sauce.

How to make bechamel sauce for moussaka

Bechamel sauce is a basic sauce that was brought to Greece by the French and has been used to top moussaka for a long time. The ingredients you need to make bechamel sauce are:

• Butter
• Flour
• Whole milk
• Salt and pepper
• Eggs
• Parmesan cheese

The bechamel sauce really brings this meal together. I love incorporating dairy into many of my dishes not only because it adds delicious flavor, but did you know when you’re purchasing cow’s milk and cheese you’re supporting farm families in your region no matter what time of the year it is? While you might find things like fresh produce locally only at some points of the of the year, the majority of cow’s milk and dairy products we see in our supermarkets do come from our region (in my case New England) year-round!  

New England is home to about 1200 dairy farm families. Milk from their farms typically arrives on local grocery shelves in 48 hours or less. Talk about a product that is consistently fresh!

Now back to the recipe—to make bechamel sauce, melt the butter in a sauce pan over medium heat. Then stir in the flour and mix using a whisk. It should not turn into a hard paste, but rather a loose mixture of butter and flour.

Slowly add the milk in four to five steps to the butter and flour mixture and whisk very well after each addition, making sure no lumps are visible. Bring the mixture to simmer and cook until it thickens, which should take about five to seven minutes. As you can see in the photo below, the sauce is thick enough that it doesn’t run off the wooden spoon.

Turn the heat off and season the bechamel sauce with salt and pepper. Then add eggs and parmesan cheese. Whisk well until the sauce is smooth and no lumps are visible.

How to layer eggplant moussaka

Spread a thin layer of bechamel sauce at the bottom of a large baking dish (10×13) and then layer the potatoes on the sauce. Layer the eggplants on the potatoes and top with the meat sauce. Make sure it covers all the roasted eggplant slices.

Top moussaka with creamy bechamel sauce and sprinkle more parmesan cheese on top. Bake in the oven for about 45 minutes and then enjoy this delicious eggplant casserole aka Greek moussaka.

How to serve eggplant moussaka

If you like the moussaka to have clean and nice slices, make sure you let it cool for about fifteen minutes and then, using a sharp knife, slice the moussaka and serve it with a side salad such as fattoush or cucumber tomato avocado salad.

 

Notes and tips to make an epic Greek moussaka recipe

• I usually do one layer of potatoes, eggplants, meat sauce and bechamel for my homemade moussaka recipe but you can also do several layers by layering potatoes on the bottom and then eggplants, meat sauce, eggplants, meat sauce and then bechamel on top.
• Don’t cook the potatoes too much as they will cook completely in the oven.
• Make sure the eggplant slices are not too thin as they get even thinner while roasting. You can also grill the eggplants.
• For the meat sauce, you can use lamb, beef, or a combination of both. I love using half lamb and half beef.
• The best eggplants for this moussaka recipe are globe eggplants since they have a great texture. Italian eggplants would work pretty well.

FAQs about this moussaka recipe

I don’t eat meat, can I make vegetarian moussaka?

Yes, all you need to do is to leave the meat out and use a combination of veggies like green beans, mushrooms, zucchini and squash in the same recipe.

Can I freeze the leftovers?

Absolutely. Let moussaka cool completely and then slice and freeze. To eat, simply defrost in the fridge and reheat in the oven.

My bechamel sauce got so lumpy and not creamy at all, why?

The main reason could be that you didn’t add the milk in steps. You need to add the milk slowly so every time that it’s added, it’s combined well with the flour mixture. Also, the milk might have been too cold.

Can I make moussaka ahead of time?

Yes! You can make all the layers a day before and assemble later. You can also assemble the layers and refrigerate for a day and cook later.