Description
This Outrageously Delicious Greek Moussaka is a classic layered casserole featuring tender slices of potato, zucchini, and eggplant, layered with a rich, flavorful ground beef sauce and topped with a creamy, cheesy béchamel sauce. Perfectly baked until golden and bubbling, this Mediterranean dish offers a comforting and authentic taste of Greece that’s ideal for sharing with family and friends.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Beef Layer
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 large White Onion, finely diced
- 2 cloves of Garlic, finely diced
- 1.6lb / 750g Ground/Minced Beef (preferably fairly lean)
- 2 heaped tbsp Tomato Paste (Tomato Puree in UK)
- 1/2 cup / 120ml Dry Red Wine (can sub more beef stock)
- 1 cup / 240ml Tomato Passata (pureed/strained tomatoes in US)
- 1 cup / 240ml Beef Stock
- 1/4 cup finely diced Fresh Parsley, plus extra to serve
- 1 tbsp finely diced Fresh Thyme Leaves
- 2 small or 1 large Bay Leaf
- 3/4 tsp Salt, or to taste
- 1/2 tsp Sugar
- 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp Black Pepper, or to taste
Béchamel Sauce
- 4oz / 120g Unsalted Butter
- 4oz / 120g Plain Flour
- 4 cups / 1 litre Milk, at room temp
- 1/2 tsp Salt, or to taste
- 1/2 small Nutmeg, grated (or 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg)
- 1/4 tsp White Pepper
- 1 cup / 80g freshly grated Pecorino Romano, plus extra to serve (Kefalotiri Cheese is traditional, can also sub parmesan)
- 2 Egg Yolks
Vegetable Layers
- 2 cups / 480ml Vegetable or Olive Oil, or enough to cover veg in the pan
- 1.6lb / 750g (approx 2 large) Baking Potatoes, peeled & sliced around 1/4"
- 1lb / 500g (approx 2 medium) Zucchini/Courgettes, sliced into approx 1/3" strips (lengthways preferred)
- 2lb / 1kg (approx 4 smallish) Eggplants/Aubergine, sliced around 1/3" thickness (lengthways or rounds)
- few pinches of Parsley & Pecorino (to sprinkle in between layers)
- Salt & Pepper, as needed
Instructions
- Prepare the Beef Layer: Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large pan or pot over medium heat. Add finely diced onion and fry until soft and golden. Add minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant. Add the ground beef and cook until fully browned, breaking up the meat as it cooks. Stir in tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes. Pour in red wine to deglaze the pan, then add the tomato passata and beef stock. Mix in parsley, thyme, cinnamon, salt, sugar, pepper, and bay leaf. Simmer gently for about 30 minutes until the sauce thickens, stirring occasionally.
- Prepare the Vegetable Layers: Lay slices of eggplant on paper towels and salt both sides to draw out moisture. Stack layers of paper towels with zucchini and potato slices in between, pressing gently to absorb excess moisture. This step helps prevent excess oil absorption when frying.
- Cook the Vegetables: Heat enough oil in a large pan to cover the vegetables, aiming for about 150°C (300°F). Fry the potato slices until golden and fork tender, then remove and drain on paper towels. Increase oil temperature to about 170°C (340°F) and fry zucchini slices until softened and lightly browned. Finally, fry eggplant slices until tender and golden. Drain all cooked vegetables on paper towels to remove excess oil. Alternatively, vegetables can be baked as detailed in the notes.
- Make the Béchamel Sauce: In a pot over medium heat, melt butter and stir in flour to form a roux. Gradually whisk in room temperature milk to prevent lumps. Cook until sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon. Stir in salt, white pepper, and grated nutmeg. Remove from heat, mix in grated Pecorino Romano cheese until smooth, then quickly whisk in the egg yolks. Reserve 1/2 cup of sauce to stir into the cooked beef mixture.
- Assemble the Moussaka: In a baking dish, layer sliced potatoes overlapping as needed, sprinkle with parsley, pecorino, salt, and pepper. Repeat with zucchini slices and seasoning, then add half the eggplant slices with salt and pepper. Press layers together to compact. Spread the beef mixture evenly over the vegetables, then cover with the remaining eggplant slices. Pour béchamel sauce evenly over the top layer.
- Bake the Moussaka: Sprinkle extra pecorino on top and bake at 180°C (350°F) for 35-45 minutes until the top is golden and lightly charred. Let the dish rest for at least 15 minutes after baking to set and maintain shape before serving.
Notes
- You can bake the vegetables instead of frying. Salt and dry the eggplant first, coat all veggies with olive oil, salt, and pepper, then bake at 200°C (400°F). Potatoes take about 30 minutes, eggplant 20 minutes, and zucchini 10-15 minutes depending on thickness.
- The beef sauce can be prepared ahead and refrigerated or frozen. Reheat to room temperature before assembling with béchamel and baking.
- The entire moussaka can be assembled ahead, refrigerated overnight or frozen, then baked when ready. If reheating baked moussaka, cover with foil and bake at 180°C (350°F) for about 30 minutes until hot throughout.
- Use olive oil for frying at moderate temperatures to impart flavor; vegetable oil offers a neutral taste and is better for deep frying larger batches.
- This recipe assumes about 5% fat beef and accounts for oil absorbed by vegetables, divided into 8 servings for calorie estimation.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/8 of the dish
- Calories: 460 kcal
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 420 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 11 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg
