Greek Moussaka Recipe

Introduction

Moussaka is a classic Greek casserole layered with tender potatoes, fried eggplants, and zucchini, topped with a rich meat sauce and creamy béchamel. This comforting dish combines warm spices and savory flavors, perfect for a satisfying family meal.

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 100 grams (1 small) onion, minced
• 500 grams (1.1 pounds) ground beef
• ½ teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 small stick of cinnamon
• 3 loaded teaspoons tomato paste
• 200 grams (7 ounces) ripe tomato, diced (or canned)
• 250 grams (1 cup) tomato sauce (cut in half if using canned diced tomatoes)
• 1 bay leaf
• 1½ tablespoons ground breadcrumbs
• 900 grams (2 pounds) potatoes
• 700 grams (1.5 pounds) eggplants
• 450 grams (1 pound) zucchini
• Vegetable oil for frying (sunflower, canola, etc.)
• 100 grams (3.5 ounces) butter
• 80 grams (8 tablespoons) all-purpose flour
• 1 litre milk (heated until warm)
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 70 grams (⅔ cup) grated Kasseri cheese, Provolone, or Gruyere
• 3 tablespoons grated Greek kefalotyri cheese, Parmesan, or Pecorino cheese (+ extra for topping)
• 3 medium-sized eggs (at room temperature)
• Salt and pepper

Instructions

1. Step 1: Heat olive oil in a medium pot or sauté pan. Sauté minced onion over moderate heat until soft.
2. Step 2: Add ground beef, season with salt and pepper, and break it apart with a wooden spoon. Cook until no lumps remain, about a couple of minutes.
3. Step 3: Stir in ground cloves, allspice, tomato paste, and cinnamon stick. Cook for one minute to release the spices’ aroma.
4. Step 4: Add diced tomatoes and cook for another minute while stirring.
5. Step 5: Pour in tomato sauce and 1½ cups (375 ml) hot water. Add bay leaf, cover partially, and simmer over moderate heat until sauce thickens.
6. Step 6: Remove from heat, stir in ground breadcrumbs, and discard cinnamon stick and bay leaf.
7. Step 7: Slice eggplants lengthwise about ½ cm (¼ inch) thick and soak in cold water with a weighted plate to prevent floating for a few minutes.
8. Step 8: Slice zucchini similarly, then season with salt and pepper.
9. Step 9: Peel and slice potatoes about ⅔ cm (½ inch) thick, seasoning with salt and pepper.
10. Step 10: Heat enough vegetable oil in a sauté pan or deep fryer to cover at least one-third of the pan depth.
11. Step 11: Deep-fry potato slices until golden and softened. Drain on paper towels.
12. Step 12: Deep-fry zucchini slices until lightly colored; drain and set aside on paper towels. Drain eggplants in a strainer, season with salt and pepper, then deep-fry until golden. Drain on paper towels.
13. Step 13: For the béchamel, melt butter in a small pot over moderate heat. Add flour and stir constantly with a whisk until golden and nutty, about 1–2 minutes.
14. Step 14: Slowly pour in warm milk, whisking continuously. Add nutmeg and cook until the sauce thickens slightly, similar to custard consistency. Stir often to prevent sticking. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper.
15. Step 15: Stir in eggs and both grated cheeses until well combined.
16. Step 16: Preheat oven to 200°C (390°F). In a 23 x 33 cm (9 x 13 inch) baking dish at least 5 cm (2 inches) deep, lay a layer of potato slices, pressing lightly to help them stick together.
17. Step 17: Layer eggplants over the potatoes, then add the zucchini slices on top.
18. Step 18: Spread the meat sauce evenly over the vegetables.
19. Step 19: Pour the béchamel cream over the top layer, then sprinkle extra grated hard cheese.
20. Step 20: Bake for about 30 minutes until the top is golden with brown spots and the cream has set.
21. Step 21: Let the moussaka rest for at least 30 minutes, preferably an hour or more, to firm up the layers.
22. Step 22: Cut into 8 pieces, serve, and enjoy!

Tips & Variations

• Use salted water to soak eggplants longer if you want to reduce bitterness.
• For a vegetarian version, replace ground beef with cooked lentils or mushrooms.
• Try different cheeses such as ricotta in the béchamel for a creamier texture.
• Allowing the moussaka to rest before serving helps the layers hold together better when sliced.

Storage

Store leftover moussaka covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in the oven at 160°C (320°F) until warmed through to preserve texture. It can also be frozen for up to 2 months; thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

How to Serve

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I prepare moussaka ahead of time?

Yes, you can assemble the dish a day before baking. Keep it covered in the fridge and bake fresh when ready to serve.

What can I use if I don’t have Kasseri or kefalotyri cheese?

Provolone, Gruyere, Parmesan, or Pecorino cheeses are excellent substitutes, providing a similar flavor and melting quality.

Greek Moussaka Recipe

Print Recipe

★★★★★

4.9 from 767 reviews

Classic Greek Moussaka is a layered casserole featuring tender potatoes, fried eggplants and zucchini, a rich ground beef tomato sauce infused with warm spices, and topped with creamy béchamel sauce and melted cheese. This comforting Mediterranean dish is baked to golden perfection and allowed to set before serving, making it a hearty and flavorful meal perfect for family dinners.

• Author: Tim
• Prep Time: 45 minutes
• Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
• Total Time: 2 hours
• Yield: 8 servings 1x
• Category: Main Course
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: Greek

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Meat Sauce

• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 100 grams (1 small) onion, minced
• 500 grams (1.1 pounds) ground beef
• ½ teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 small stick of cinnamon
• 3 loaded teaspoons tomato paste
• 200 grams (7 ounces) ripe tomato, diced (or canned)
• 250 grams (1 cup) tomato sauce (reduce to half if canned diced tomatoes used)
• 1 bay leaf
• 1½ tablespoons ground breadcrumbs
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Vegetables

• 900 grams (2 pounds) potatoes
• 700 grams (1.5 pounds) eggplants
• 450 grams (1 pound) zucchini
• Vegetable oil for frying (sunflower, canola, etc.)
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Béchamel Sauce

• 100 grams (3.5 ounces) butter
• 80 grams (8 tablespoons) all-purpose flour
• 1 litre milk (heated until warm)
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 70 grams (⅔ cup) grated Kasseri cheese, Provolone, or Gruyere
• 3 tablespoons grated Greek kefalotyri, Parmesan, or Pecorino cheese, plus extra for sprinkling on top
• 3 medium-sized eggs (at room temperature)
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Make The Ground Meat Sauce: Heat the olive oil in a medium-sized pot or sauté pan. Sauté the minced onion over moderate heat until translucent. Add the ground beef, seasoning with salt and pepper, and break it apart with a wooden spoon for a couple of minutes until no lumps remain. Stir in the ground cloves, allspice, tomato paste, and cinnamon stick, cooking for about 1 minute to release their aromas. Add the diced tomatoes and cook, stirring for another minute. Pour in the tomato sauce and 1½ cups (375 ml) hot water, then add the bay leaf. Partly cover and simmer over moderate heat until the sauce thickens. Remove from heat, stir in the ground breadcrumbs, and discard the cinnamon stick and bay leaf.
2. Prepare The Vegetable Layers: Slice the eggplants lengthwise about ½ cm (¼-inch) thick and soak them in cold water with a plate on top to keep them submerged for a few minutes, which helps reduce bitterness. Slice the zucchini similarly and season with salt and pepper. Peel and slice the potatoes about ⅔ cm (½-inch) thick, seasoning with salt and pepper as well.
3. Fry the Vegetables: Heat enough vegetable oil in a sauté pan or deep fryer to cover about one-third of the pan’s depth. Deep-fry the potatoes until golden and softened, then transfer to paper towels to drain excess oil. Next, deep-fry the zucchini slices until lightly colored and drain them on paper towels. Drain the eggplant slices from the soaking water using a strainer, season with salt and pepper, then deep-fry until golden. Transfer the eggplants to paper towels to drain as well.
4. Make The Béchamel Cream: In a small pot over moderate heat, melt the butter. Add the flour and stir constantly with a whisk for 1–2 minutes until the mixture is golden and fragrant. Gradually pour in warm milk, whisking continuously to combine without lumps. Add ground nutmeg and cook until the sauce thickens to a consistency slightly thicker than custard, stirring frequently and scraping the pot walls to prevent burning. Remove from heat, season lightly with salt and pepper, then quickly stir in the eggs and both types of grated cheese until smooth.
5. Assemble The Moussaka: Preheat the oven to 200°C (390°F). In a 23 x 33 cm (9 x 13-inch) baking dish, spread the potato slices evenly, pressing lightly to help them adhere together. Layer the fried eggplant slices over the potatoes, followed by the fried zucchini slices. Spread the ground meat sauce evenly on top, then pour the béchamel cream over everything. Sprinkle extra grated hard cheese over the béchamel.
6. Bake and Serve: Bake the assembled moussaka in the preheated oven for approximately 30 minutes, or until the béchamel has set and the top is golden with brown spots. Remove from the oven and allow to set for at least 30 minutes, preferably an hour or longer, so the cream firms up and slices hold shape. Cut into 8 pieces and serve warm.

Notes

• Soaking eggplants in water helps reduce bitterness and excess oil absorption when frying.
• Using warm milk when making béchamel helps prevent lumps in the sauce.
• Allowing the moussaka to set after baking ensures cleaner slices and better texture.
• You can substitute cheeses based on availability, but a combination of a semi-hard cheese like Kasseri and a hard cheese like kefalotyri or Parmesan gives the best flavor.
• If using canned diced tomatoes, reduce the tomato sauce quantity to avoid excess liquid in the meat sauce.
• Deep frying the vegetables adds traditional flavor, but for a lighter version, you can roast or grill them instead.

Keywords: Greek moussaka, traditional moussaka recipe, baked moussaka, Greek casserole, layered eggplant dish