Description
Moussaka is a classic Greek casserole layered with tender baked eggplants, zucchini, and potatoes, rich ground beef tomato sauce, and topped with a creamy Parmesan béchamel. This hearty, comforting dish is baked until golden and bubbling, perfect for a satisfying family meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables
- 2 large eggplants, sliced into 1-cm rounds
- 3 medium zucchini, sliced into 1-cm rounds
- 6 medium potatoes, sliced into 1-cm rounds
- 3 tbsp olive oil (for vegetables)
- Salt, to season
Meat Sauce
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 onions, chopped
- 800 g ground beef
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 medium tomatoes, diced
- 4 tbsp chopped parsley
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon powder
- 600 g canned diced tomatoes
- 80 ml red wine
- 2 bay leaves
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Béchamel Sauce
- 5 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 120 g all-purpose flour
- 1 liter milk
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 80 g shredded Parmesan cheese
- 1 egg
- 2 egg yolks
Topping
- 40 g shredded Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven: Set your oven to 230°C (445°F) and line three baking sheets with parchment paper to prepare for roasting the vegetables.
- Prepare vegetables: Slice the eggplants, zucchini, and potatoes into 1-cm thick rounds. Season them with salt and drizzle with olive oil. Spread them in a single layer on the prepared baking sheets.
- Bake vegetables: Roast the seasoned vegetables in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until the potatoes are soft and all vegetables are tender. Remove from oven and set aside.
- Make meat sauce: Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Sauté chopped onions until translucent. Add ground beef and cook until browned evenly. Stir in minced garlic, diced fresh tomatoes, parsley, oregano, cinnamon, salt, and pepper. Cook briefly to combine flavors, then add canned diced tomatoes, red wine, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer gently for 45-50 minutes until sauce thickens and flavors meld.
- Make béchamel sauce: In a pot, melt butter with olive oil over medium heat. Add flour and stir continuously for 3-4 minutes to cook the flour. Gradually whisk in milk to avoid lumps, then add bay leaves, ground nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 10 minutes until thickened. Remove bay leaves and stir in Parmesan cheese, then quickly whisk in egg and egg yolks until fully combined and smooth. Remove from heat.
- Assemble moussaka: In a large baking dish, layer half the eggplant slices first, then spread half of the meat sauce over them. Next, add a layer of zucchini, then the remaining meat sauce. Follow with the potatoes and top with the remaining meat sauce. Pour the béchamel sauce evenly over the top and sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan cheese.
- Bake dish: Lower oven temperature to 190°C (375°F). Bake the assembled moussaka for 40-50 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the dish is cooked through and bubbly.
- Serve: Allow the moussaka to cool slightly before slicing and serving to let the layers set beautifully.
Notes
- Salting the eggplants before baking can reduce bitterness and remove excess moisture; let them sit salted for 30 minutes and then pat dry before drizzling oil.
- Using red wine in the meat sauce adds depth of flavor but can be omitted or substituted with beef stock if preferred.
- Béchamel sauce should be stirred constantly to prevent lumps; temper eggs by adding a small amount of the hot sauce before mixing into the main béchamel to avoid curdling.
- The assembled moussaka can be prepared ahead and refrigerated for up to 24 hours before baking.
- Letting the dish rest after baking before serving improves slicing and presentation.
