Moussaka is one of the best and most popular Greek foods. Because it's so loaded with flavor, it's both saucy and creamy with delicious fried vegetables. This dish is truly one of a kind!

And here's the best Moussaka recipe just like we make it in Greece. With layers of fried potatoes, eggplant, and zucchini, topped with ground meat and bechamel sauce.
Table Of Contents
There are a few variations of a traditional Greek Moussaka recipe. For example, it can be made only with eggplants (no potatoes, or zucchini), or with just potatoes and eggplant (no zucchini). All versions are so good, but the most common one you'll find in Greek restaurants is the one that includes it all!
What Is Moussaka?
Moussaka or Mousakas (in Greek) is a traditional dish made with various layers of deep-fried vegetables, ground meat and tomato sauce, and bechamel cream with cheese on top, that gets baked in the oven. Some describe Moussaka as a Greek Lasagna.

Moussaka Ingredients
- Potatoes
- Eggplants
- Zucchini
- Ground Meat (mostly using ground beef but see meat alternatives below).
- Diced Tomatoes (either fresh or canned) to add texture to the sauce.
- Tomato Paste for depth of flavor.
- Tomato Sauce (Passata/Tomato Puree).
- Spices (cloves, allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg).
- Bay Leaf
- Butter
- Flour
- Milk
- Eggs
- Cheese (I'm using two types a hard cheese and a semi-hard one, more on this below)

The Ground Meat Sauce
The Moussaka sauce is made with ground beef and tomato. It's a thick, hearty sauce, spiced, and delicious.
You can also make it using half and half of ground beef and pork. Or even ground lamb. The flavor is phenomenal if you go for the latter, but it will be a heavier dish.
To make the ground meat sauce for Moussaka, saute onion in olive oil and add the meat. And here's the important step to break and brown the meat properly. Do this stirring with a wooden spoon and break all meat lumps.
Once done add the spices (allspice, cloves, cinnamon), and the tomato paste. Next the diced tomatoes (use fresh if they're in season, otherwise canned), and the tomato sauce (Passata). Pour in some hot water and simmer until sauce thickens.

After the sauce has thickened mix in some ground breadcrumbs. These will fluff up the sauce while it bakes and absorb excess liquid.
The Bechamel Cream
The cream for the Moussaka is made like a Bechamel cream. First, make a roux of melted butter combined with flour, and then add milk. To make this classic Moussaka recipe we're also mixing eggs, cheese, and ground nutmeg into the cream (once it has thickened and is removed from the heat).

Don't expect a very thick cream. The cream will be slightly thicker than an egg custard once finished cooking on the stovetop. We don't want it to get thicker than this at this point because it's going to get baked as well.
And it will set even further when you bake it and after it cools.
Types Of Cheese To Add
Authentic Greek Moussaka is made with any of the following Greek cheeses, Kefalotyri, Kefalograviera, or Kaseri. The first two are hard salty cheeses while the third (Kaseri) is a semi-hard cheese. I like to use two types of cheese. A hard salty one for a really intense savory flavor and a semi-hard to help the cream set and give a nice cheesy flavor.
No worries if you can't find these types of cheeses where you live. You can substitute the hard cheeses with either Parmesan or Pecorino and the Kasseri cheese with either Provolone or Gruyere. It won't make any notable difference to the final flavor of the dish!

How To Make
Here's a quick overview of how to make Moussaka...
First, prepare the ground meat sauce (see how to make the sauce above).
Second, prepare the vegetables (potatoes, eggplant, zucchini). Slice, season with salt and pepper, and deep-fry in plenty of oil. Do this while the ground meat sauce is simmering to save some time. Lay the vegetables on paper towels to drain excess oil and cool.

Thirdly, make the bechamel cream.
Lastly, put together. Begin with a layer of potatoes, continue with a layer of eggplants, then a layer of zucchini, the ground meat sauce, and finally the bechamel cream.


Pan Size and Portions
For this recipe, I'm using a standard 9 x 13-inch (23 x 33cm) pan. You can also use a baking dish of the same size. This pan size yields 8 portions. Moussaka is a very filling food but it's so yummy you may want more than one piece. So it's a good amount of portions for a family of 4 to 6 people.

Plus, if you go into all that trouble of making this delicious Moussaka dish you may want to end up with some leftovers to enjoy later on. Or is it just me who thinks it's a pity when the food you spend plenty of time making disappears in just a few minutes?
If you want to make Moussaka for two people, cut the recipe in half and use an 8 x 8-inch square pan.

Storing Leftovers
You can keep Greek Eggplant Moussaka in airtight food containers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Or you can freeze individual portions in plastic or microwave food containers. Thaw in the fridge overnight, reheat in the microwave for about 5 minutes.
If you want to freeze multiple portions together, place them in aluminum food pans in the freezer. Again thaw in the refrigerator overnight and reheat in the oven covered with foil at a temperature of 180°C / 356°F for at least 15 to 20 minutes.
Moussaka will keep for up to 2 months in the freezer.

FAQS
- Q: Why was my Moussaka watery?
- A: This happens if the vegetables aren't fried and drained properly. Let them fry until golden and then lay them on paper towels to drain until they cool down to room temperature.
- Q: How to prevent eggplant from being mushy?
- A: You can coat eggplant in flour like it's done in this Fried Eggplant Recipe.
- Q: How long does it take to make Moussaka?
- A: It takes about 1 and a half hours. The ground meat sauce takes about 50 minutes to an hour to cook. While the sauce cooks prepare and fry the vegetables. Then make the bechamel cream which takes about 15-20 minutes.
- Q: How many calories in one piece of Moussaka?
- A: There are roughly 588 kcal in one piece.
- Q: Can I make Moussaka ahead of time?
- A: Sure! You can make it one day ahead and bake on the next day.

Recipe

Recipe For Greek Moussaka
Ingredients
For The Ground 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 use canned instead
- 250 grams (1 cup) tomato sauce cut in half if using canned diced tomatoes
- 1 bay leaf
- 1½ tablespoons ground breadcrumbs
For The Vegetable Layers:
- 900 grams (2 pounds) potatoes
- 700 grams (1.5 pounds) eggplants
- 450 grams (1 pound) zucchini
- vegetable oil for frying sunflower, canola, etc.
For The Bechamel Cream:
- 100 grams (3.5 ounce) 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 + a little bit extra to sprinkle on top
- 3 medium-sized eggs at room temperature
- salt and pepper
Instructions
Make The Ground Meat Sauce:
- Heat olive oil in a medium-sized cooking pot or saute pan.
- Saute onion over moderate heat.
- Add the ground meat, season 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. Cook for a minute.
- Add the diced tomatoes, cook, and stir for a minute more.
- Pour the tomato sauce and 1½ cups (375 ml) hot water.
- Add the bay leaf, partly cover, and simmer over moderate heat until sauce thickens.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the ground breadcrumbs. Remove the cinnamon stick and bay leaf.
Prepare The Vegetable Layers:
- Slice the eggplants lengthwise ½cm (¼-inch) thick. Add them to a bowl with cold water to soak for a few minutes with a plate on top to weigh them down and submerge them underwater.
- Slice the zucchini the same way you did the eggplants. Season with salt and pepper.
- Peel and cut the potatoes into slices about ⅔ cm (½-inch) thick. Season with salt and pepper.
- Heat plenty of vegetable or frying oil in a saute pan (it should cover the pan by at least ⅓) or use a deep fryer.
- Deep-fry the potatoes until golden and softened. Transfer them to paper towels to drain excess oil.
- Deep-fry the zucchini until lightly colored. (Meanwhile, drain eggplant slices in a strainer and season them with salt and pepper.) Lay the fried zucchini on paper towels.
- Deep-fry the eggplants until golden in color then transfer to paper towels as well.
Make The Bechamel Cream:
- Melt butter in a small cooking pot over moderate heat.
- Add the flour and stir with a whisk. Cook for a minute or two (stirring constantly) until it looks golden and starts to smell nutty.
- Pour in the milk and stir to combine.
- Add the nutmeg. Cook the cream until it thickens. It won't get too thick, it will be slightly thicker than the consistency of custard. Make sure to stir often with the whisk and pay extra attention to the walls of the pot. Take the cream off the heat and season lightly with salt and pepper.
- Stir in the eggs and both types of cheese.
Put Together:
- Preheat oven to 200°C / 390°F.
- Lay the potato slices in a 23 x 33 cm (9 x 13-inch) pan or use a baking dish of about the same size. It should be at least 5 cm (2 inches tall). Press the potatoes lightly with your hands to make them stick together a bit.
- Layer the eggplant slices on top of the potatoes.
- Add the zucchini slices on top in the same fashion.
- Spread the ground meat sauce on top and then top with the bechamel cream.
- Bake. Sprinkle some extra grated hard cheese on top and place the pan in the oven. Bake for approximately 30 minutes or until the cream has set and looks golden on top with brown spots all over its surface.
- Allow to set for at least 30 minutes. Ideally for an hour or longer. The cream will become firmer as it cools.
- Cut into 8 pieces, serve, and enjoy!





An easy recipe to follow and turned out absolutely delish and beautiful. I used the parmesan and gruyer cheeses and it still was great. 10/10.
Your Moussaka is truly delicious Fotini! It’s my favourite recipe, easy to put together, and the flavour of warm spices is out of this world! I tried Moussaka in a Greek restaurant and the béchamel was softer, though it be looked exactly like yours It was gooey and stretchy, scooped with a spoon. I think Mozzarella. How can I achieve that same consistency?
Thank you very much! I think there was definitely more cheese in there can't say what type as I haven't tried it. But yes Mozzarella could work! As for a softer cream, you can cut down on the flour a bit depending on how much cheese you add (which thickens the cream also).
If I wanted a cream that's gooey and stretchy I wouldn't bother making a bechamel cream though. Because it will set as it cools because of the flour. I would simply mix cooking cream with eggs and a type of stringy cheese and bake until it sets.
I'm not a big fan of moussaka myself (I probably have only had this dish a handful of times) but I will definitely try this recipe, it looks so good! Do you have any suggestions for how to make this a vegetarian dish (how to replace the meat layer)? Some versions call for scattering a tomato sauce over some boiled carrots for where you would put the meat sauce while others substitute with a tomato-based lentil layer....I was curious to see what you suggest from your experience!
Hi Maria, I'll tell you how we make a Vegetarian Moussaka in Greece. We mostly cook it in Greek restaurants this way and it's really delicious. Simply add a layer of fried zucchinis as well and top all the veggies with a spiced tomato sauce. Like the one in this recipe without the meat. The aubergines are more than enough to substitute for the 'meaty' flavor so I wouldn't add lentils.
Eufaristo Fotini, (and Xristos Anesti!) that is exactly the advice I was looking for, that sounds delicious, I will let you know how it turns out!
You're welcome, Maria. Xristos Anesti!
Cauliflower rice? I use It for stuffing yemasta (stuffed peppers).
I love mousaka, we prepare it here in Romania, too. The flavor is amazing, I just wish it had less calories so I could make it and eat it more often. 🙂 Anyway, a small piece once in a while is great! I eat this dish every time I visit Greece. I've already been to your lovely country 5 times. It's truly beautiful!
Thank you. Didn't know you made mousaka in Romania too. We have lots of people that come from Romania in the summer. We have very similar tastes I may say.