Vegan Eggplant Moussaka

This simple yet delicious Vegan Eggplant Moussaka is made with roasted aubergine (eggplant) slices and a delicious chickpea & tomato filling. Just like traditional Turkish Moussaka, this healthy eggplant dish is packed with Mediterranean flavors and doesn't contain any béchamel sauce.

Jump to:

• Why This Recipe Works?
• Ingredients and Substitutes
• Step-by-Step Instructions
• Top Tip From the Chef
• Recipe FAQs
• Related Recipes
• Vegan Eggplant Moussaka

This Vegan Eggplant Moussaka isn't the quickest recipe on the blog, but it is packed with flavor and nutrition. The end result is definitely worth the effort! It is incredibly tasty and is an absolute crowd-pleaser, a perfect dish to serve to both vegans and meat lovers.

Why This Recipe Works?

• You can prep this healthy yet delicious aubergine dish a few days ahead and bake it when needed.

• This Vegan Moussaka recipe is dairy-free, gluten-free, as well as vegan.

• It is a perfect dish if you are on a low-calorie diet, one portion of this Eggplant Moussaka recipe has only 251 kcal!

• The leftovers will keep for up to a week when refrigerated in an airtight container. You can also keep them in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Ingredients and Substitutes

• Aubergine/Eggplant - Pick slightly firm but not hard aubergines when buying them. Peel them in stripes like a zebra pattern and slice them 1 cm thick.

• Pine nuts - They are great for adding some texture and nutty flavor to dishes such as Rice Stuffed Chicken. Omit them if you have nut allergies or replace them with walnuts if you don't have them in hand.

• Currants - They are small dried raisins and a popular ingredient in Mediterranean cuisine. Although they are typically used for baked goods, it is common to use them in cooking Turkish Cuisine, such as Maqluba (Makloubeh) or Biber Dolmasi - Turkish Stuffed Peppers.

• Tomatoes - Red & juicy summer tomatoes are always the best option but you can also use tinned tomatoes.

• Chickpeas - Chickpeas add an extra texture to the dish and also goes perfectly with aubergine. You can use dried or tinned chickpeas.

• Tomato paste - It is the staple of Turkish cooking. It adds an umami flavor to the dishes as well as a bright red color. You can find it in Turkish or Middle Eastern shops. You can also buy it online from Amazon.

• Stock - I prefer using Basic Homemade Vegetable Stock but you can use water instead. You can also use stock cubes if you don't have any stock in hand. Make sure you don't add too much salt as ready-made stocks and stock cubes contain salt already.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Although the preparation takes a bit of time, making Vegan Moussaka is straightforward. However, you need to follow a few simple steps to achieve the best results:

Prepare the Aubergines/Eggplants

Preheat the oven to 200° C / 392° F. Line a large baking sheet with silicone paper. Peel the aubergines in stripes and slice them 1 cm ( ½ ") thick. Brush them with 2 tablespoon of olive oil using a silicone pastry brush and place them on the baking sheet.

Bake them for 25 to 30 minutes or until they are slightly softened and brown. Remove the aubergines from the oven and set them aside until the tomatoey filling is ready. Lower the oven temperature to 180° C (356° F).

Prepare the Filling

While roasting the aubergines, start making the tomato & chickpea filling. Place a wok or a large pan on medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. When the pan is hot, add the onions and sauté for a few minutes, until soft. Add the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds, and then add the pine nuts. 

Sauté the pine nuts for a few more minutes, until lightly browned. Stir in the tomato paste and then add the currants, salt, sugar, and cinnamon, and give it a good stir.

Add the chopped tomatoes, and stir well. Add the stock along with the chickpeas, give them a good stir and cook on low heat for 10 minutes. 

Remove the pan from the heat, add chopped parsley and start building the moussaka.

Assemble the Moussaka

To assemble the moussaka, layer half of the aubergines on the bottom of your oven dish.

Sprinkle some salt on the aubergines, spoon half of the tomatoey filling, and spread it evenly on top.

Layer the rest of the aubergines on tomatoey filling and then sprinkle some more salt.

Top the aubergines up with the rest of the filling. Cover the dish with tin foil or a lid and then put it in the 180° C (356° F) oven. Cook for 45 minutes and then remove the lid/tin foil. Cook for another 20 minutes or until the aubergines are softened and the sauce has thickened.

Your delicious Vegan Moussaka is ready to serve!

Top Tip From the Chef

You can cook this vegan Moussaka dish with green lentils instead of chickpeas. Place the lentils in a pan with plenty of cold water and cook them on medium heat for 30 minutes before adding them to the tomatoey filling.

Recipe FAQs

Related Recipes

For other great vegan recipes why not try:

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 healthy Vegan Eggplant Moussaka dish as much as you enjoy eating it! 🙂

Bon appétit! / Afiyet Olsun! 

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