Pastitsio Recipe - Greek Lasagna

This Pastitsio recipe, also known as Greek Lasagna, is my favorite dish for feeding a hungry crowd. Instead of flat sheets, it layers long tube pasta with rich meat sauce and a thick blanket of golden béchamel.

Every family has its own version. This one is mine. It is also much easier to put together than it looks. This traditional Greek dish freezes beautifully and is ideal for making ahead.

Jump to:

• What is Pastitsio?
• Why This Recipe Works
• Ingredients You'll Need
• How to Make Pastitsio (Greek Lasagna)
• Recipe Tips From the Chef
• Variations
• Serving Suggestions
• Storage Instructions
• Make Ahead
• Recipe FAQs
• Related Recipes
• Pair it With
• Pastitsio Recipe (Greek Lasagna)

Pastitsio, or Pastichio, shares similarities with my Moussaka Recipe (Musaka) but is slightly less popular beyond Greece. We love them both equally, and they each bring their own delicious taste to the table.

This delightful Greek pasta bake pairs beautifully with Greek Lettuce Salad (Maroulosalata) and a piece of crusty Greek Bread - Horiatiko Psomi to mop up the juices!

What is Pastitsio?

Pastitsio is Greece's famous baked pasta dish, made with layers of tube pasta, cinnamon-scented meat sauce, and creamy béchamel. The name comes from the Italian word pasticcio, which roughly means a mess or a hodgepodge. In 16th-century Italy, a pasticcio was an elaborate celebration pie filled with pasta and meat, made to impress guests.

The dish reached Greece in the 17th century through the Ionian islands, which were ruled by Venice at the time. Some islands still make their own versions today. Corfu has Pastitsio tsi Nonas, a grandmother's version with sweet pastry, mixed meats, and boiled eggs that traditionally took two days to make. Kythira's venetsianiko version, with chicken livers and spices, was a festive Carnival dish.

The modern version we all know is credited to Nikolaos Tselementes, Greece's most famous chef, in the first half of the 20th century. He removed the pastry, kept the pasta, and paired a cinnamon-spiced meat sauce with a nutmeg béchamel. That trio became the classic we know today. As for the béchamel itself, the story goes that it takes its name from the Marquis de Béchamel, a steward at the court of Louis XIV.

Why This Recipe Works

• A spoonful of Greek yogurt in the béchamel gives it a slight tang and an extra creamy texture. It is my little twist that makes all the difference.
• The meat sauce simmers until almost dry, so the layers stay separate and every slice comes out clean.
• Egg whites and feta bind the pasta layer, while the yolks enrich the béchamel. Nothing is wasted.
• Cinnamon and nutmeg give it that unmistakable Greek flavor that sets it apart from Italian lasagna.
• One tray serves 8 people with ease, so it is ideal for gatherings and family dinners.

Ingredients You'll Need

Please scroll down to the recipe card below for the full ingredients list with measurements, complete recipe method, recipe notes, and nutritional information.

Ingredients for Meat Sauce

• Ground beef - I prefer using high-fat ground beef for better flavor. It also provides enough fat to cook onions and vegetables, so you don't need extra olive oil. You will need 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil if you prefer using lean meat.

• Canned tomatoes - In the summertime, when ripe and juicy tomatoes are in abundance, feel free to use fresh ones instead.

• Tomato paste - It brings a rich umami flavor and vibrant red hue to dishes. You can find it at Middle Eastern shops, or conveniently order it online.

• Red wine - While it's a traditional ingredient for the meat sauce, you can omit it when cooking for kids. Opt for a high-quality wine that you'd enjoy drinking yourself.

• Onions - You can use white, brown, or yellow onions.

• Nutmeg - It's perfect for enhancing the flavor of the béchamel sauce. I prefer to grate fresh nutmeg using a Microplane Zester Grater for a more intense flavor and freshness.

• Garlic - Fresh garlic is a great flavor enhancer that brings sweetness and nuttiness to dishes.

Ingredients for Bechamel Sauce and Pastitsio Pasta

• Pasta - While bucatini is the traditional choice for making Pastitsio (Greek Lasagna), you can substitute it with ziti or penne.

• Feta and egg whites - The feta cheese brings a delicious tang, while the egg whites help keep the pastitsio together when it's cut!

• Milk - I use either whole or low-fat milk for the béchamel sauce. Add it gradually, a little at a time, to the butter and flour mixture to achieve a smooth sauce.

• Yogurt - For this recipe, you'll need plain, unsweetened natural or Greek yogurt. It adds a slight tanginess to the sauce.

• Butter - Choose good quality unsalted butter. When making the béchamel, make sure it is completely melted before adding the flour.

• All-Purpose Flour - Also known as plain flour in the UK, it's ideal for baking cakes, cookies, pastries, and thickening sauces.

• Egg yolk - Enhances the flavor and richness of the béchamel sauce.

• Parmesan - While pastitsio typically uses Greek cheese such as Kefalotiri or Kaseri, freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano (Parmesan) or Romano cheese can be great substitutes.

How to Make Pastitsio (Greek Lasagna)

Prepare the Meat Sauce

To make the meat sauce, heat a large pan or a Dutch oven on medium heat and put the ground beef in. Cook the meat until it releases its fat and is nicely browned. Break it down into small pieces with a wooden spoon while cooking. 

Add the onions and garlic to the pan and sauté them until they become translucent in the fat released by the meat. If the meat doesn't release enough fat, you can add some olive oil to help cook the onions and garlic.

Pour in red wine, allowing it to simmer until reduced by half.

Next, add the freshly ground black pepper, tomato paste, cinnamon, nutmeg, sugar, stock cube, bay leaves, and salt. Sauté everything for about 30 seconds.

Stir in the chopped tomatoes, and simmer uncovered over low heat for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens. 

Remove bay leaves and let the meat sauce cool down while preparing the bechamel sauce and cooking the pasta.

Prepare the Bechamel Sauce

To make the béchamel sauce, in a separate saucepan, melt unsalted butter over medium heat.

Add flour to the melted butter, stirring constantly to form a smooth paste. Cook for about 1-2 minutes. Don't let it brown; it needs to stay pale in color.

Gradually pour in milk, whisking constantly to avoid lumps, until the mixture thickens and becomes smooth.

The sauce can stick to the bottom of the pan and burn easily, so be sure to keep stirring it constantly.

Season the sauce with salt and nutmeg, then remove from heat. Let the sauce cool down for 5 minutes, then stir in yogurt, egg yolks, and half of the grated parmesan cheese until well combined. Set aside.

Prepare the Pastitsio Pasta

Preheat the oven to 180°C (356°F). Cook the bucatini (or penne, or ziti) pasta for 3-4 minutes less than the package instructions. 

Drain and place the pasta in a large mixing bowl, toss with egg whites and crumbled feta cheese until well coated.

Lightly grease a rectangular dish approximately size of 33 cm x 22 cm (13" x 9") with a minimum of 9 cm (3.5") depth. Layer the prepared pasta in your prepared baking dish.

Top the pasta with the meat sauce, and spread it out evenly.

Pour the prepared béchamel sauce neatly over the meat sauce, then use a spatula to smooth it out. Sprinkle the remaining half of the grated Parmesan cheese on top.

Bake the Pastitsio in the preheated oven for 35-45 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and bubbly.

Allow the pastitsio to cool for 15-20 minutes before slicing it into squares and serving.

Recipe Tips From the Chef

• Use full-fat Greek yogurt for a creamier texture in the béchamel sauce.
• Cook the pasta 2 to 3 minutes less than the package says. It finishes cooking in the oven and keeps its bite.
• Simmer the meat sauce until almost all the liquid has evaporated. A wet sauce seeps through the layers and makes the slices collapse.
• Give the meat sauce time to cool before assembling. Cool sauce stays put, so the layers come out sharp and defined.
• Spread a thin layer of béchamel over the pasta before the meat sauce goes on. It binds the pasta together, so the pastitsio slices cleanly instead of falling apart.
• Lay the pasta in one direction in the dish. When you cut the pastitsio, the little tubes show like a honeycomb.
• Remove the bay leaves before building your Greek Lasagne dish.
• Don't skip the nutmeg in the béchamel sauce. It adds a unique flavor that complements the dish.
• Patience pays off at the end. If you can rest the baked dish closer to an hour before slicing, the pieces come out even neater.
• If the top isn't golden enough at the end of baking, slide the dish under a hot broiler for a minute or two. Watch it closely, as it colors fast.

Variations

Without wine: Replace the red wine with the same amount of beef stock. The wine adds depth, but the long simmer with tomatoes and spices still gives the sauce plenty of flavor without it.

Egg-free: Skip the egg whites in the pasta layer and rely on the cheese to bind it. For the béchamel, simmer it a little longer so it thickens well without the yolks. The dish will be slightly less set but every bit as tasty.

Vegetarian: Swap the ground beef for a plant-based ground meat and cook the sauce exactly the same way. Vegetable stock stands in for the beef stock cube. The béchamel and pasta layers stay just as they are.

Serving Suggestions

I typically serve this Greek Macaroni dish with a bowl of Greek Cucumber Salad, Mango Salad with Avocado and Cucumber, or Feta Cheese Watermelon Salad on the side.
Alternatively, you can serve this delicious pasta dish with some Briam - Greek Roasted Vegetables, and a slice of crusty Sourdough Focaccia on the side.

Storage Instructions

Allow the leftover Pastitsio to cool completely after baking and store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Alternatively, you can freeze individual portions of Pastitsio in freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months.

To reheat refrigerated pastitsio, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Place it in an oven-safe dish and cover it with foil to prevent drying out. Bake for about 20-25 minutes, or until heated through.

Alternatively, you can reheat individual portions in the microwave on medium power, stirring occasionally, until heated to your liking.

If reheating from frozen, allow the pastitsio to thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating following the same instructions as above.

Make Ahead

Pastitsio is a dream to prepare in advance. The meat sauce actually tastes even better the next day, once the spices have settled in overnight.

You can cook the meat sauce and the béchamel a day or two ahead and keep them covered in the fridge, then boil the pasta, assemble, and bake on the day.

You can also put the whole dish together the night before, keep it unbaked in the fridge, and bake it fresh the next day. Add about 10 extra minutes to the baking time if it goes in fridge-cold.

Recipe FAQs

Related Recipes

Looking for other Greek recipes? Try these:

Pair it With

These are my favorite dishes to serve with Pastitsio:

Did you make this recipe? Please let me know how it turned out! Leave a comment below and tag @cookingorgeous on Instagram and hashtag it #cookingorgeous.

I hope you enjoy the process of making this delicious Pastitsio Recipe (Greek Lasagna) as much as you enjoy eating it! 🙂