Description
This Outrageously Delicious Greek Moussaka Recipe is a classic dish that combines layers of eggplant, potatoes, flavorful meat sauce, and creamy béchamel sauce, baked to perfection. A comforting and hearty meal that’s perfect for gatherings or a cozy family dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Eggplant Layer:
- 2 large eggplants, sliced into 1/4-inch rounds
Potato Layer:
- 2 medium potatoes, sliced thin
Meat Sauce:
- 1 pound ground lamb or beef
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 can (14.5 ounces) crushed tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1/2 cup red wine (optional)
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Béchamel Sauce:
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups milk, warmed
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 egg yolk
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Additional:
- 3 tablespoons olive oil (for sautéing)
- 1/4 cup breadcrumbs
Instructions
- Prep Eggplant and Potatoes: Salt eggplant slices and let sit for 20 minutes. Pat dry and sauté until lightly browned. Boil potato slices until slightly tender.
- Prepare Meat Sauce: Cook ground meat with onion and garlic. Add crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, red wine, oregano, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Simmer until thickened.
- Make Béchamel Sauce: Melt butter, whisk in flour, then slowly add warmed milk. Remove from heat, stir in Parmesan cheese, egg yolk, and nutmeg.
- Assemble and Bake: Layer potatoes, eggplant, and meat sauce in a baking dish. Pour béchamel sauce over the top, sprinkle with breadcrumbs, and bake until golden and bubbling.
- Rest and Serve: Let moussaka rest for 15 minutes before slicing and serving.
Notes
- For a lighter version, grill the eggplant instead of frying.
- Moussaka tastes even better the next day as flavors meld together.
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking, Layering
- Cuisine: Greek
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 480
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 620mg
- Fat: 29g
- Saturated Fat: 11g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 32g
- Fiber: 7g
- Protein: 24g
- Cholesterol: 95mg