Greek Moussaka – Eggplant Lasagna

Is there a dish more associated with Greek food than Moussaka? It is one of the most hearty Mediterranean Diet comfort foods the Greek table has to offer. It is not a light fresh dish whatsoever. Greek moussaka is heavy, filling, and incredibly delicious. If you’re going to make this dish, don’t skimp out by baking the eggplant and zucchini instead of frying it. Just go all in. I love the aroma the cinnamon, spices, and red wine gives to the meat mixture as you’re cooking it, it will fill your whole house.

I love this recipe because it uses both eggplant and zucchini instead of just eggplant. The prep time to make Greek moussaka is rewarded when you pull it out of the oven and see the bechamel cream bubbling on top. When I studied in Greece I had a friend who couldn’t get enough Moussaka. He would order it at as many restaurants as he could, eating it almost daily. If there’s one Greek food that many of the Americans would turn to when they didn’t know what to get, it was Moussaka.  This Greek “lasagna” is served at Greek restaurants and Greek pizza places all over the United States. Unfortunately, some restaurants use a frozen version and just warm it up to order. Instead of overpaying for a previously frozen piece of Moussaka at a restaurant, make a huge tray for your family and enjoy it throughout the week.

In the video, I am in my Aunt and Uncle’s village of Polemarxi, Crete. I woke up early with my Thea (Aunt) Vasso because she was going to show me how to make Moussaka. She uses her own potatoes, zucchini, eggplant, onion, olive oil, bay leaves, orange peel, and wine from the village. We enjoy this dish with a Greek salad and a glass of red wine. I want to thank Thea Vasso for showing me the recipe and letting me film her make it.

Here is our delicious recipe for Greek salad to pair with this dish! Almost Traditional Greek Salad

You can find more Mediterranean Recipe Videos on our YouTube Channel here! Med Living’s YouTube Channel

Greek Moussaka - Eggplant Lasagna

Koula Barydakis

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 1 hour hr

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 40 minutes mins

Servings 8

Calories 637 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 pound eggplant, cut in long thin slices
• 1 1/2 pounds zucchini, cut in long thin slices
• salt
• 6 potatoes, sliced thin
• Extra virgin olive oil for frying
• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1 onion, grated
• 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 cup red or white wine
• Salt and Pepper
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 tbsp  tomato paste
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 cup water
• 1/4 tsp allspice
• 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
• Béchamel Cream (See Below)

Béchamel Cream for Moussaka

• 3 cups milk
• 5 tbsp white flour
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 egg
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp pepper
• 1/8 tsp nutmeg

Instructions

 

• Place the eggplant and zucchini in a colander. Sprinkle with salt. Let sit for 20 minutes. Pat dry with paper towel.
• Fry eggplant in one frying pan and zucchini in another, with olive oil in each pan. Fry until soft on the inside and brown on the outside. Remove fried vegetables with a slotted spoon. Let them drain on paper towels.
• Using one of the frying pans, fry potatoes in oil until soft. Drain on paper towels.
• Sauté hamburger and onion in ½ cup olive oil for 10 minutes. Stir in wine, salt and pepper, cinnamon stick, tomato paste, bay leaf, water, and allspice. Simmer for 20 minutes. Take out cinnamon stick and bay leaf. Add the grated cheese. Mix well.
• Preheat oven to 350⁰ F.
• In a large, lightly greased lasagna pan, layer ½ of the potatoes, ½ the eggplant, ½ the zucchini, and all of the meat mixture. Repeat with ½ the potatoes, ½ the eggplant and ½ the zucchini.
• Top with béchamel cream and cook in the oven for 40 minutes. Let it cool for 20 minutes before serving.
• For the Béchamel Cream, in a bowl, mix ½ cup of cool milk with the flour, egg, salt, and pepper.
• Bring 2 ½ cups of milk to a boil. Add the butter and then add the flour/milk mixture. Stir continuously until mixture thickens. Remove from heat and use to top Moussaka.

Nutrition

Calories: 637kcalCarbohydrates: 45gProtein: 23gFat: 39gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 23gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 80mgSodium: 279mgPotassium: 1447mgFiber: 7gSugar: 11gVitamin A: 586IUVitamin C: 50mgCalcium: 216mgIron: 4mg

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