Moussaka Recipe (Musaka)

A slice of Greek moussaka on a blue plate, layered with mince, potato, and bechamel.

5 from 19 votes

A layered Greek moussaka with potatoes, eggplant, tomatoey lamb sauce, thick béchamel, and a crisp cheese and breadcrumb topping.

Prep Time1

Cook Time1 15

Total Time2 15

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Greek, Mediterranean

Diet: Low Salt

Servings: people

Calories: 533kcal

Author: Ayla Clulee

Ingredients

For the Meat Sauce

1 lb ground lamb (450 grams)
1 tablespoon olive oil (optional)
1 large onion (small diced)
3 cloves garlic (minced)
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ teaspoon paprika
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon sugar
1 can chopped tomatoes (14 oz / 400 g)
½ tablespoon tomato paste
⅓ cup beef, lamb or chicken stock (100 ml)
2 tablespoon parsley (chopped)
6 sprigs fresh thyme (chopped)

For the Bechamel Sauce

3 tablespoon butter (40 grams)
⅓ cup all purpose flour (40 grams)
1 ½ cups warm milk (350 ml)
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
1 egg yolk
½ cup grated parmesan cheese (50 grams)

For the Vegetables

¾ lbs potatoes (approximately 2 large potatoes-350 grams) (peeled and sliced 0.5 cm thick)
1½ lbs eggplant (approximately 3 medium eggplant-700 grams) (peeled in stripes and sliced 1 cm thick)
vegetable oil for frying

For the Topping

¼ cup grated parmesan cheese (25 grams)
¼ cup grated cheddar cheese (25 grams)
¼ cup panko breadcrumbs (25 grams)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Cook the Meat Sauce

Heat a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the ground lamb and cook until browned, breaking it into small pieces with a wooden spoon.
Add the onion and garlic. Cook until the onion softens. Add the black pepper, paprika, cinnamon, and salt. Stir for 30 seconds.
Add the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the chopped tomatoes, stock, sugar, parsley, and thyme.
Simmer on low heat for 15 minutes, until the sauce has thickened. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.

Make the Bechamel Sauce

While the lamb sauce cooks, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the flour and cook for 2 minutes, stirring continuously.
Add the warm milk gradually, whisking after each addition until smooth.
Cook on low heat for a few minutes, stirring often, until the sauce thickens and the flour taste has cooked out.
Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the nutmeg, salt, and Parmesan. Let the sauce cool for 5 minutes, then whisk in the egg yolk.

Fry or Roast the Potatoes and Eggplant

Preheat the oven to 350°F / 180°C.
To fry the vegetables, heat enough vegetable oil in a large skillet to cover the bottom. Fry the potato slices in batches until lightly browned on both sides. Transfer them to a plate.
Fry the eggplant slices in the same skillet until lightly browned and starting to soften. Transfer them to a colander or paper towel-lined plate to drain.
To roast the vegetables instead, arrange the potatoes and eggplant on separate baking sheets. Drizzle with olive oil, season lightly with salt and black pepper, and roast at 400°F / 200°C for about 20-25 minutes, until lightly browned

Assemble and Bake the Moussaka

Arrange half of the eggplant slices in the bottom of an 11 x 7-inch / 27 x 19 cm baking dish or a 10-inch / 25 cm round baking dish.
Spoon over half of the lamb sauce. Add the potatoes in a single layer and season lightly with salt.
Spoon over the remaining lamb sauce, then cover it with the remaining eggplant slices.
Pour the béchamel over the top and spread it evenly. Sprinkle over the Parmesan, cheddar, and panko breadcrumbs.
Bake for about 1 hour, until golden brown and bubbling around the edges.
Let the moussaka rest for 15 to 20 minutes before slicing and serving.

Video

Notes

Use ground lamb with around 20% fat for the best flavor. Ground beef works too, or you can use a half lamb and half beef mixture.
Keep the meat sauce thick. It should be moist but not runny when you assemble the moussaka.
Use low-sodium stock if possible. Ready-made stock and bouillon cubes can already be quite salty, so taste the sauce before adding extra salt at the end.
Use warm milk for the béchamel and add it gradually while whisking.
Let the béchamel cool for about 5 minutes before adding the egg yolk.
Small to medium eggplants work best. They usually have fewer seeds and a milder flavor. I do not salt the eggplant first, but make sure you drain it well after frying.
Fry the potatoes and eggplant in batches. Do not overcrowd the skillet, or the vegetables will steam instead of turning lightly golden.
Eggplant absorbs plenty of oil while frying. Leave the slices in a colander or on paper towels for a few minutes before layering them in the dish. You can gently press them with the back of a spoon to remove a little more oil.
For a lighter moussaka, roast the potatoes and eggplant instead of frying them. Arrange them on separate baking sheets, drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and black pepper, and roast at 400°F / 200°C for about 20 minutes, until lightly browned.
Use an 11 x 7-inch / 27 x 19 cm rectangular baking dish or a 10-inch / 25 cm round baking dish. A much larger dish will make the layers too shallow.
Let the moussaka rest for 15 to 20 minutes after baking before slicing. This gives the béchamel and meat sauce time to settle, so the portions hold together better.
You can make the lamb sauce and prepare the potatoes and eggplant up to 3 days ahead. Store them in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator.
You can also assemble the full moussaka up to 3 days before baking. Cover the dish tightly and keep it in the refrigerator. Bake straight from the refrigerator.
Moussaka freezes well before or after baking. Freeze it for up to 3 months. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator before baking or reheating.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days. Reheat individual portions in the microwave, or cover a larger portion with aluminum foil and warm in a 350°F / 180°C oven until piping hot.

Nutrition