When it comes to Greek comfort food, Moussaka is up there at the top of my list. With its layers of eggplant, potatoes, saucy beef ragu, and a creamy bechamel topping, moussaka checks all the boxes!
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A great dish to make with summer eggplant
In the summer, when eggplant is abundant, I’m always looking for ways to use it in recipes, from my ratatouille to caponata, and from my miso eggplant to eggplant parm, this amazing vegetable doesn’t disappoint.
As great as those recipes are, my moussaka recipe is now at the top of my list of favorite eggplant recipes, and for good reason! The combination of the perfectly seasoned beef, the layers of potatoes and eggplants, and the bechamel topping cannot be beat!
Moussaka has always been a dish I would order from my favorite Greek restaurant, Akropolis in Nesconset, NY, and I’m happy to say my version is pretty close to theirs. I hope you love it as much as I do!
Recipe Ingredients
All ingredients for this recipe are shown in the pic below and special notes are made in this bulleted list to assist you.
- Meat. I’m using 90/10 ground sirloin beef for my moussaka recipe, but you can also use all lamb, or half lamb and half beef. I don’t recommend using ground chuck (80/20) since there is enough fat in the dish when you factor in the olive oil for the eggplant and the butter and milk in the bechamel.
- Eggplant. Look for firm and shiny eggplants. I’m using Italian eggplants, though you could use other varieties.
- Potatoes. I put potatoes in my moussaka, but many Greek recipes do not include potatoes. Opt for waxy potatoes, like Yukon golds, over more floury potatoes, like russets.
- Herbs and spices. I’m using a combination of dried oregano, dried dill, dried bay leaves, ground cloves, and ground cinnamon. I also use nutmeg in the bechamel.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
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How to make moussaka
Each number corresponds to the numbered written steps below.
- Slice and salt the eggplant and place in a colander topped with a plate and a can (for weight) so the eggplant releases its liquid, then rinse and dry thoroughly.
- Roast the eggplant and potatoes in a 425°F oven for 30-35 minutes.
- Brown the beef in a large pan or pot, using a spoon or meat masher to break it up.
- Add the onions, then the garlic, then tomato paste, and red wine using a wooden spoon to dislodge any brown bits from the pan, then add the herbs and spices.
- Remove the potatoes and eggplant from the oven.
- Melt the butter in a large sauce pot over low heat and add the flour, whisking to combine.
- Add the milk slowly and bring to a simmer. Once thickened, remove the pot from the heat.
- Whisk the eggs in a separate bowl, then slowly add some of the bechamel sauce to the eggs to temper, then add the egg mixture back to the pot and stir to combine. Add the nutmeg and cheese.
- Layer the potatoes then eggplant in a baking dish and sprinkle with some parmesan cheese.
- Remove the bay leaves from the sauce and spoon a layer on top of the eggplant.
- Layer the remaining eggplant on top of the sauce and top with the bechamel and parmesan cheese.
- Bake for 1 hour and wait at least 30 minutes, but preferably 1 hour, before slicing into and serving the moussaka.
Top tips
- Fry or bake? Many moussaka recipes call for frying the eggplant, and while that will yield delicious results, I’ve found that roasting the eggplant is easier and way less messy. Just be sure to salt the eggplant to remove as much water as you can, rinse afterwards to remove excess salt, and dry with paper towels.
- Roasting the eggplant. You may need to flip the eggplant to ensure it roasts properly. You may also need to add additional olive oil to the eggplant during the roasting process. Using a pastry brush works great, as would an olive oil spray.
- Let it sit. As tempting as it may be to dive right into the moussaka, it’s best to let it sit, similar to lasagna. Allowing it to sit for at least 30 minutes, but ideally 1 hour, will allow it to settle and not fall apart when slicing.
More Greek favorites
If Moussaka and Greek food are right up your alley, check out my other Greek recipes!
- Easy Greek lemon chicken and potatoes
- One-Pan Greek meatballs and potatoes
- Greek beans and sausage
- Spanakorizo
If you’ve enjoyed this Moussaka recipe, give it a 5-star rating.
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Moussaka
With its layers of eggplant, potatoes, saucy beef ragu, and a creamy bechamel topping, Greek Moussaka is the ultimate comfort food!
Ingredients
Base ingredients
- 3 large eggplant 1/2" slices
- 2 pounds (908g) Yukon Gold Potatoes peeled, 1/4" slices
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1 cup (90g) grated parmesan cheese
For the meat sauce
- 1/4 cup (60ml) extra virgin olive oil
- 2 pounds (908g) ground sirloin (90/10)
- 1 large onion finely diced
- 5 cloves garlic
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1/2 cup dry red wine
- 1 14-ounce can plum tomatoes blender pulsed
- 1 tablespoon (22g) honey
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried dill
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 large bay leaves
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
For the bechamel sauce
- 1 stick (113g) unsalted butter
- 3/4 cup (100g) all-purpose flour
- 5 cups (1.2L) whole milk warm
- 2 large eggs
- 1 egg yolk
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 3/4 cup (68g) grated parmesan
- salt and pepper to taste
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Instructions
Roast the eggplant and potatoes
- Preheat oven to 425°F.
- Salt the eggplant sliced and place into a collander. Place a plate over the top of and weigh it down with a few cans of tomatoes. Let the eggplant release its liquid for at least 30 minutes. Rinse the eggplant to remove the excess salt and dry thoroughly with paper towels. Place the eggplant pieces on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and brush or spray with olive oil. Season with salt, pepper, and oregano. Roast for 30-35 minutes or until golden, flipping the pieces a few times to achieve even cooking and adding more oil if required.
- Place the potatoes onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet and drizzle with the remaining olive oil. Season with salt, pepper, and oregano. Roast for 30 minutes.
For the meat sauce
- Heat a large pan or pot to medium heat with the olive oil and add the beef. Cook until brown while breaking it up with a spoon. Make some room in the pot and add the onions. Season the meat and the onions with a bit of salt. Once the onions begin to soften, add the garlic and cook until fragrant.
- Add the tomato paste and cook for another 5 minutes. Add a splash of water if the paste starts to burn.
- Add the red wine and turn the heat to high while scraping with a wooden spoon to dislodge the brown bits. Once the wine evaporates add the plum tomatoes, oregano, dill, honey, bay leaves, cloves, and cinnamon and bring to a lively simmer. Let the sauce cook until it thickens into a thick meat sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste then keep on low heat while moving onto the bechamel sauce.
For the bechamel sauce
- In a large sauce pot melt the butter over low heat. Add the flour and whisk to combine. Pour the warm milk in a slow stream into the pot and whisk to combine and prevent lumps. Turn the heat up and bring to a simmer.
- If the bechamel is not thick and coating the back of a wooden spoon, turn the heat up a bit more. Once thickened, remove the pot from the heat.
- Whisk the eggs in a bowl and add 2 tablespoons at a time of the bechamel to temper the eggs. Once the eggs have been warmed up, pour it back into the pot with the bechamel and stir to combine. Add the nutmeg and parmesan cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Assemble and bake
- Turn the oven to 350°F and set the rack to the middle level.
- Grease a 9×13" baking dish. Spread the potatoes out in the dish in an even layer. Layer half of the eggplant and sprinkle with half of the parmesan cheese.
- Remove the bay leaves from the sauce then pour the sauce on top of the eggplant. Layer the remaining eggplant on top of the sauce then top with the bechamel. Spread the bechamel out in an even layer then top with remaining parmesan cheese.
- Bake for 1 hour. Wait at least 30 minutes but preferably 1 hour before cutting into the moussaka so that the slices hold together.
Notes
- Salting the eggplant. Salting the eggplant will remove some of the excess water in the eggplant. Make sure to rinse the eggplant of the salt and dry thoroughly before frying or roasting.
- Fry or bake. Traditionally the eggplant discs are fried but roasting in the oven is easier and less messy.
- Type of beef. Most of my recipes use ground chuck but because of the amount of oil used for the eggplant and the richness of the bechamel, ground sirloin (90/10) beef is recommended instead.
- Lamb. Ground lamb can be used or a mix of 50/50 lamb and beef.
- Leftovers. Moussaka can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and can be reheated in the oven or microwave.
Nutrition
Calories: 826kcal | Carbohydrates: 45.8g | Protein: 44.8g | Fat: 53g | Saturated Fat: 19.6g | Cholesterol: 223mg | Sodium: 445mg | Fiber: 8.5g | Sugar: 17.2g | Calcium: 382mg | Iron: 5mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Dear James,
I love your recipes, and enjoy your videos, too!
Is there a video for Moussaka? Please let me know!
many thanks,
Binnie
Hi Binnie, thanks for the comment. We don’t have a video yet for the mouossaka but we may film one very soon. So happy you’re enjoying the recipes!
How an I alter the sauce (flour) for diabetic concerns?
Hi Larry, we haven’t tested a bechamel without flour, so can’t advise on how to do that, however, you could make more of the meat ragu and use that to top the eggplant instead of the bechamel if you’re concerned about using the flour. We are not nutritionists so can’t weigh in on much more than that.
I thought that I saw tomato paste in the photo, but didn’t see it in the recipe.
Hi Sean, the tomato paste is in the recipe – please see the ingredient list in the recipe card under “For the meat sauce”. It’s the 5th ingredient down.
Hi James! Great Recipe but was wondering if I can possibly use Turkey meat as my husband cannot eat beef of any kind. Many Thanks and I do not know what I would do without your outstanding recipes, Lisa
Hi Lisa, you can definitely use ground turkey. Hope you and your husband enjoy!
Looks Wonderful BLESSED*
So happy to hear that!