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Greek Moussaka Recipe

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★★★★★

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.

Ingredients

Scale

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

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