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A serving of baked eggplant moussaka recipe with visible layers of meat sauce, creamy béchamel, and roasted eggplant, topped with golden-brown cheese and fresh herbs on a white plate.

Moussaka Recipe

A classic Greek moussaka recipe featuring layers of eggplant, rich meat sauce, and a creamy béchamel topping that’s baked until golden brown.
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Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Chilling/Resting time 30 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 45 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Greek
Calories: 450
Ingredients Equipment Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Eggplant Layers:
  • 2 Large Eggplants Sliced into ½-inch rounds
  • As needed Coarse salt For salting eggplant
  • As needed Olive oil For roasting
  • As needed To taste Fresh ground pepper
For the Meat Sauce:
  • 1 lb Ground lamb - Can substitute with beef or turkey
  • 1 Yellow onion - Diced
  • 4 Cloves Garlic - Minced
  • 1can 14.5 oz Crushed tomatoes
  • 1can 6 oz Tomato paste
  • ½ cup Red wine - Optional for depth
  • 1 tablespoon Fresh oregano - Chopped
  • 1 teaspoon Ground cinnamon
  • 2 Leaves Bay leaves
  • ¼ cup Fresh parsley - Chopped
For the Béchamel Sauce:
  • ½ teaspoon Salt
  • ¼ teaspoon White pepper
  • ¼ cup Butter
  • ¼ cup All-purpose flour
  • 2 cups Whole milk - Warmed
  • ½ cup Parmesan cheese - Grated
  • ½ cup Kefalotyri cheese - Grated
  • 2 Egg yolks
  • ¼ teaspoon Fresh nutmeg

Equipment

  • 1 Large Baking Dish (9x13 or similar)
  • 1 Heavy-Bottomed Skillet (For meat sauce)
  • 1 Medium saucepan (For béchamel sauce)
  • 1 Sharp chef’s knife (For slicing eggplant)
  • 1 Cutting board (For chopping ingredients)
  • 1 Wire whisk (For making béchamel sauce)
  • 1 Large spoon (For stirring)

Method
 

  1. Slice eggplant, salt, let sit to remove moisture, then roast.
    Sliced eggplant rounds laid out on paper towels, salted to remove moisture. Some slices are brushed with olive oil and arranged on a baking sheet, ready to roast in the oven until golden and tender.
  2. Cook ground meat with onions and garlic until browned.
    Large skillet filled with rich, simmering meat sauce made from browned ground lamb, onions, garlic, tomato paste, and crushed tomatoes, with fresh herbs and spices added. A spoon is stirring in fresh parsley to finish.
  3. Add tomatoes, wine, and spices to meat and simmer for 45 minutes.
    A saucepan on the stove with béchamel sauce being prepared—melted butter whisked with flour, milk being gradually added, and the mixture thickening. Cheese and egg yolks are about to be stirred in, with nutmeg, salt, and pepper for seasoning.
  4. Prepare béchamel sauce by combining butter, flour, milk, cheese, and eggs.
    Casserole dish with layers of roasted eggplant, hearty meat sauce, and creamy béchamel being poured on top. The assembled dish is ready to bake in the oven until golden and bubbling.
  5. Layer eggplant, meat sauce, and béchamel in a baking dish.
    A serving of baked eggplant moussaka recipe with visible layers of meat sauce, creamy béchamel, and roasted eggplant, topped with golden-brown cheese and fresh herbs on a white plate.

Nutrition

Serving: 250gCalories: 450kcalCarbohydrates: 35gProtein: 25gFat: 30gSaturated Fat: 11gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 90mgSodium: 550mgPotassium: 650mgFiber: 5gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 550IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 140mgIron: 3mg

Notes

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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