Go Back
Greek Moussaka

Greek Moussaka

A layered Greek casserole of eggplant, savory meat sauce, and creamy béchamel, baked until golden and delicious.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 1 minute
Total Time 2 minutes
Course Main
Cuisine Greek, Mediterranean
Servings 8 portions

Equipment

  • Large skillet or frying pan
  • Saucepan (for béchamel)
  • Ovenproof baking dish
  • Whisk
  • Knife & cutting board

Ingredients
  

Vegetables

  • 2 large eggplants, sliced into 1 cm rounds
  • 3 potatoes, peeled and sliced (optional)

Meat Sauce

  • 500 g ground beef or lamb
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 400 g crushed tomatoes or tomato passata
  • ½ cup red wine (optional)
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • ½ tsp ground cinnamon (or a pinch)
  • salt & black pepper, to taste

Béchamel / Topping

  • 60 g butter
  • 60 g all-purpose flour
  • 600 ml milk warmed
  • 1 pinch nutmeg
  • 2 egg yolks for enriching sauce
  • 100 g grated cheese (Parmesan or Kefalotyri)

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 180 °C (350 °F).
  • Salt the eggplant slices and allow to rest for 30 minutes to draw out moisture. Rinse and pat dry.
  • In a skillet, lightly fry or grill the eggplant (and potato slices, if using) until just golden. Set aside.
  • Make the meat sauce: in the same skillet, sauté onion until translucent. Add garlic and meat, cook until browned. Stir in tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, wine (if using), oregano, cinnamon, salt & pepper. Simmer until thickened.
  • In a saucepan, melt butter and stir in flour to make a roux. Gradually whisk in warmed milk until smooth and thickened. Remove from heat, stir in nutmeg, then temper in egg yolks, and finally stir in grated cheese.
  • Assemble the moussaka: layer half the eggplant (and potato, if using) in the bottom of a baking dish. Add the meat sauce over that. Then add the remaining eggplant. Finally pour the béchamel sauce over everything.
  • Bake uncovered for about 45–60 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the sauce is bubbling.
  • Let rest for at least 20–30 minutes before slicing and serving (this helps layers set).

Notes

This recipe is based on traditional Greek moussaka techniques. Many versions include potatoes or zucchini; you can adjust accordingly. The modern Greek variant includes a thick béchamel custard layer and is baked as a layered casserole. :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}
Keyword Béchamel, Casserole, Eggplant