Traditional Greek Moussaka
A classic Greek casserole featuring layers of tender roasted eggplant, thinly sliced potatoes, a rich cinnamon-spiced meat sauce, and a luxuriously thick and creamy béchamel topping baked to golden perfection.
Equipment
- 9x13-inch baking dish
- 2 baking sheets
- Large skillet or Dutch oven
- Medium saucepan
- Whisk
- Pastry brush
Ingredients
Vegetable Layers
- 3 medium Eggplants — cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch slices
- 3 medium Russet potatoes — peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch rounds
- 0.5 cup Olive oil — for brushing
- 1 teaspoon Salt — to taste
Meat Sauce
- 2 tablespoons Olive oil
- 1 large Yellow onion — finely chopped
- 3 whole Garlic cloves — minced
- 1.5 pounds Ground lamb or beef — 80/20 blend preferred
- 14 ounces Crushed tomatoes — canned
- 0.5 cup Dry red wine
- 2 tablespoons Tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon Ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon Dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 0.5 teaspoon Black pepper — freshly ground
Béchamel Sauce
- 0.5 cup Unsalted butter — (1 stick)
- 0.5 cup All-purpose flour
- 4 cups Whole milk — warmed
- 3 large Egg yolks — beaten slightly
- 0.75 cup Grated Parmesan or Kefalotyri cheese — divided
- 0.5 teaspoon Ground nutmeg
- 0.5 teaspoon Salt
Vegetable Layers
| 3 medium | Eggplants | cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch slices |
| 3 medium | Russet potatoes | peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch rounds |
| 0.5 cup | Olive oil | for brushing |
| 1 teaspoon | Salt | to taste |
Meat Sauce
| 2 tablespoons | Olive oil | |
| 1 large | Yellow onion | finely chopped |
| 3 whole | Garlic cloves | minced |
| 1.5 pounds | Ground lamb or beef | 80/20 blend preferred |
| 14 ounces | Crushed tomatoes | canned |
| 0.5 cup | Dry red wine | |
| 2 tablespoons | Tomato paste | |
| 1 teaspoon | Ground cinnamon | |
| 1 teaspoon | Dried oregano | |
| 1 teaspoon | Salt | |
| 0.5 teaspoon | Black pepper | freshly ground |
Béchamel Sauce
| 0.5 cup | Unsalted butter | (1 stick) |
| 0.5 cup | All-purpose flour | |
| 4 cups | Whole milk | warmed |
| 3 large | Egg yolks | beaten slightly |
| 0.75 cup | Grated Parmesan or Kefalotyri cheese | divided |
| 0.5 teaspoon | Ground nutmeg | |
| 0.5 teaspoon | Salt |
Instructions
-
Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
~5 min -
Arrange the eggplant and potato slices in a single layer on the prepared baking sheets. Brush both sides liberally with olive oil and season with salt. Roast for 20-25 minutes until tender and lightly browned. Remove and set aside. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F (175°C).
~25 minRoasting instead of traditional frying makes the dish lighter and prevents it from becoming overly greasy. -
While vegetables roast, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
~6 min -
Add the ground lamb or beef to the skillet. Cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned and cooked through. Drain any excess fat.
~8 min -
Stir in the tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, red wine, cinnamon, oregano, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low. Let it simmer uncovered for 15-20 minutes until the sauce has thickened and most of the liquid has evaporated. Remove from heat.
~20 minThe meat sauce needs to be quite thick so the moussaka holds its shape when sliced. -
To make the béchamel, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook constantly for 1-2 minutes until it forms a smooth paste (roux) and smells slightly nutty.
~3 min -
Gradually pour in the warm milk, whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Continue cooking and whisking until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat.
~7 min -
Temper the egg yolks: whisk a few tablespoons of the hot béchamel mixture into the beaten egg yolks, then pour the egg yolk mixture back into the saucepan, whisking vigorously. Stir in 1/2 cup of the cheese, nutmeg, and salt.
~3 minTempering the eggs prevents them from scrambling in the hot sauce. -
Assemble the moussaka: Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish. Place an even layer of potato slices on the bottom. Top with an even layer of half the eggplant slices.
~3 min -
Spread the meat sauce evenly over the eggplant layer. Top with the remaining eggplant slices.
~2 min -
Pour the béchamel sauce evenly over the top, smoothing it with a spatula. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup of cheese over the béchamel.
~2 min -
Bake uncovered at 350°F (175°C) for 45-50 minutes, or until the top is puffed and golden brown.
~50 min -
Remove from the oven and let the moussaka rest for at least 30 minutes before slicing and serving. This allows the layers to set.
~30 minDo not skip the resting time; if you cut it too soon, the moussaka will fall apart.
Tips & Storage
- Sweating the eggplants with salt for 30 minutes before roasting can draw out excess moisture and bitterness, though modern eggplants usually don't require this.
- Moussaka is often better the next day after the flavors have had time to meld.
- Make sure your meat sauce is reduced well; a watery meat sauce will result in a soggy casserole.
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Moussaka can also be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.