Updated on September 26, 2018
Moussaka recipe is a great dish for dinner! Mediterranean food recipes are always tasty and full of flavor.
If you love lasagna and casseroles, this moussaka is definitely one of dinner ideas to try!
What Greek moussaka is
Moussaka is a traditional Greek food, served in almost every restaurant in Greece. Every chef has his own touch of this dish. If I remember well, I first tried moussaka in this beautiful country.
And I was so delighted!
Wow, such and easy combination of beef or lamb with tomatoes, eggplant and the white sauce. But it is full of flavor, filling and great for enjoying for dinner. It’s impossible to try moussaka only once! Or is it just Mediterranean air and local products?..
Moussaka vs lasagna
To my mind, moussaka is a more healthy version of lasagna, as the pasta is substituted with eggplants.
I actually love baking lasagna (and of course eating it, who doesn’t?). But when I tried moussaka recipe, I thought is was much more tastier! Well first of all, to my mind, eggplant gives this dish more flavor. Moreover, eggplant makes it “juicier”, which is great. This eggplant dish melts in your mouth!
If you love eggplant recipes, you should also try our Stuffed Eggplant boats, which is a great snack.
Gluten free moussaka recipe
However, if you want a gluten free version of moussaka, you can easily use cornstarch instead of regular flour in Bechamel sauce (or Mornay sauce)! Mornay sauce uses Bechamel as a base, but when you add cheese and egg yolks, it actually changes the name!
So, the classic Bechamel sauce is made with flour, but if you are using cornstarch, you will need about 4-5 tbsp.
You can regulate the thickness of the sauce by adding more milk, if you want it lighter. Add more flour (or cornstarch), if it looks too runny, however, keep in mind, that it will thicken more, when you cook it longer.
By the way, if you don’t have the nutmeg, you can add few cloves and a bay leaf instead.
Traditional Greek moussaka
What’s more, you can grill or fry eggplant slices instead of baking them. However, my method will save your time (and calories) and get the great flavor in final dish
Oh, and traditionally Greek moussaka recipe has a layer of thinly slice potatoes. It will be much more filling with more vegetables, however, my version is much lighter and easier to prepare.
I think your guests and family will be grateful for this eggplant lasagna and will ask to prepare it once more (or not once). It is totally worth of extra work, comparing to making traditional lasagna. If you want to serve something easier, check our Zucchini lasagna with chicken.
If you like easy Greek recipes, you should check our Greek salad, which is perfect dish to serve with this moussaka!
Moreover, I love using Greek yogurt in desserts. So if you want delicious and healthy treat, we have Strawberry appetizers, Easy strawberry desserts, Mini Blackberry desserts and Chia seed pudding with mango on our blog.
Moussaka recipe – Greek recipes - Mediterranean food
- 1 baking dish 7 x 10 inch / 18 x 25 cm
- 1 baking tray with parchment paper
- 1 pot with a lid
- 1-2 spatula or spoon
- 1 large pan with a lid
- Oven
- 3 eggplants medium
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 kg beef mince
- 2 onions small
- 4 cloves garlic
- 400 g tomatoes in juice canned
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tsp pepper
- 1 tsp thyme
- 100 g butter
- 100 g flour
- 800 ml milk
- 3 egg yolks
- 60 g cheese + extra for topping
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- Preheat oven to 390 F / 200 C
- Slice eggplants in round shape.3 eggplants
- Layer them on a parchment paper in one layer, drizzle with olive oil.2 tbsp olive oil
- Bake eggplant slices 20 minutes until soft.
- In a pot on a low heat melt butter, add flour, stir and heat few minutes.100 g butter, 100 g flour
- Slowly add 300 ml or one cup milk, work in batches, stirring well, so no lumps form.800 ml milk
- Add leftover milk and stir well.
- Heat the sauce until boiling, stirring from time to time.
- Cook 5 minutes, then add egg yolks, cheese, salt, pepper, nutmeg.3 egg yolks, 60 g cheese, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp nutmeg, 1/2 tsp pepper
- Stir, cover with the lid and set aside.
- Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large pan.2 tbsp olive oil
- Chop the onions and cook on a high heat until translucent.2 onions
- Add chopped garlic cloves to onions. Mix and cook, until slightly browned.4 cloves garlic
- Add ground beef. Cook, stirring, until ready, about 15 minutes.1 kg beef mince
- Add tomatoes in juice in a pan. Crush the tomatoes, stir well.400 g tomatoes in juice
- Cook on a low heat, lid on 20 minutes.
- Add thyme, salt and pepper, stir well. Remove from heat.1 tsp salt, 2 tsp pepper, 1 tsp thyme
- Brush baking dish with oil.2 tbsp olive oil
- Add 2-3 tbsp of Bechamel sauce to cover the bottom of the baking dish.
- Put eggplant slices in one layer.
- Cover with 1/3 cooked beef mince.
- Cover with 3-4 tbsp Bechamel sauce.
- Repeat the layers 2 times more: eggplant, Bechamel, Bolognese. Last layer – Bechamel sauce. You can add extra cheese on top.
- Bake about 50 minutes 350 F / 180 C or until golden and ready.
- Let it cool a little, so it is easier to cut. Serve and enjoy!
I love love love moussaka! Looking forward to trying your recipe – it looks super yummy!
Give it a try for your next family or friend gathering, I’m sure everyone will love it!
It doesn’t get any better than this. Perfect for satisfying a comfort food craving.
Hahah, you’re absolutely right, Demeter. Every slice of moussaka make your more happy and satisfied. But it ends fast!
Really loved this recipe! It has so much flavor!
Absolutely! Flavor and cheese makes this moussaka perfect for family dinner!
It’s been so long since I had moussaka I had forgotten all about it. This sounds delicious!
This is a great dinner idea, I think, this is a great alternative to lasagna 🙂
I love mousakka but we make the Arabic one which comes with no cheese so it’s lighter, but the Greek/Cypriot version is also amazing!!
Meat, tomatoes and eggplant – yes, you can make it lighter and it will taste delicious, too!