Moussaka: A Greek-Inspired, Vegetarian Casserole of Eggplant & Potato
Moussaka is a delicious and comforting dish that’s perfect for a weekend dinner. It comes from the Balkans and is similar to lasagna, but it has a layer of eggplant instead of pasta.
The word “moussaka” means “hat” in Turkish (it was originally made with paper-thin slices of eggplant), which gives you an idea of how it’s baked or cooked: The meat mixture on top gets crispy as it bakes in the oven! I love this recipe because it requires no heavy cream or cheese, which makes it lighter than traditional lasagna recipes. If you’re looking for an easy weeknight meal that still feels special enough for company—or just want something delicious to eat while watching Netflix—then moussaka is your friend!
What is Moussaka
This delicious dish is a Greek one of layered eggplant, potatoes, and ground meat. It’s often baked in the oven with a layer of bechamel sauce on top and then sprinkled with cheese. If you’re looking for an easy-to-make dinner that will keep your family full until tomorrow morning, this recipe is perfect for you!
Ingredients
- Eggplant
- Potatoes
- Chicken
- Bechamel sauce (béchamel is a white sauce made with butter, flour, milk and seasonings)
- Cheese (fontina or mozzarella are good options)
- Tomatoes
- Olive oil * Onion * Garlic * Salt & pepper to taste. Oregano and thyme are optional.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Prepare béchamel sauce and set aside.
- Prepare eggplant by salting it, draining, and then cooking in oil until soft and browned on both sides (about 10 minutes each side). Remove eggplant from pan and set aside until ready to assemble moussaka.
- Clean out skillet used for frying eggplant with paper towel or cloth dipped in water (this will help clean off any burnt bits), then place back over medium heat with olive oil and cook potatoes until they’re soft enough to mash easily with a fork (about 30 minutes). Drain well before mashing them with a fork or potato masher until smooth; set aside until ready to assemble moussaka in step 7 below! If you prefer not having chunks of potatoes in your dish (or if you want it smoother), feel free to blend everything together until completely smooth instead!
Scrambled egg
You can use this recipe to make scrambled eggs or even omelettes. It’s a good idea to keep an eye on your eggs and make sure they don’t overcook, as the more you cook them, the drier they become.
Potatoes
Potatoes are a staple in many cuisines, but they’re also versatile enough that they can be cooked in many different ways. You can fry them or make them into a soup; you can even bake them with bacon and cheese! Potatoes are easy to prepare: just chop up the potatoes and pop them in the oven for about an hour, then eat!
Béchamel sauce
Béchamel sauce is a white sauce made from milk, butter, and flour. It’s the base for many other sauces, such as Mornay sauce and Mornay sauce.
Chicken
Chicken is a main ingredient in moussaka, so you should use chicken. You can also use lamb, beef or pork if you want. I usually cook my chicken with the moussaka (if I’m making it on my own) and it comes out delicious! If you don’t want to do this, just cook your chicken separately from the moussaka and then add it on top when everything is done cooking.
Cooking Notes
- Don’t over cook the eggplant, potatoes or chicken.
- Don’t over cook the béchamel sauce. If it becomes too thick, add some milk until you get the consistency you want and continue cooking until it thickens again.
- Don’t over cook your eggs! If they are not soft enough, then leave them in for a few more minutes on low heat until they are ready to serve (or use boiled eggs instead).
- Don’t overcook your moussaka either! Once all ingredients have been mixed together and ready for baking (or frying), place into oven at 220°C/425°F for about 30-40 minutes, depending on how big/small your individual servings are, then turn off oven and let rest inside without opening door/window for another 15-20 minutes before serving hot off grill pan or baking tray with extra slices cut open over top so brown evenly throughout.
Moussaka is best with
To be truly authentic, a moussaka must have all of the following:
- Beef, lamb, or chicken
- Eggplant (aubergine)
- Tomatoes
Whatever you choose to cook with, it’s best to use fresh ingredients whenever possible for optimal taste and flavor. While dried herbs are fine for seasoning dishes if you don’t have any fresh ones on hand, there’s no comparison in taste when using fresh herbs over dried ones. So go ahead: Chop up some rosemary from your garden and throw it into that pot of simmering spaghetti sauce! It’ll taste so much better than if you’d just used dry oregano from the spice rack instead!
We hope you enjoyed this recipe and have a great time making it!
