BEST Recipe For Greek Moussaka

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

• What Is Moussaka?
• Moussaka Ingredients
• The Ground Meat Sauce
• The Bechamel Cream
• How To Make
• Pan Size and Portions
• Storing Leftovers
• FAQS
• Recipe

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