Moussaka is a Greek classic, and here I’ll show you how to make it in the most delicious way possible!
Moussaka is a labour of love, but once you get in the swing of things, it truly couldn’t be easier to make. There are also a fair few different ways to make Moussaka, but today I’ll show you a tasty and authentic way!
Reader, Bea says: ‘Reminds me of home just like my grandma makes !! I love this recipe thank you for capturing the true essence of Greek cuisine ★★★★★’
Meat Sauce for Moussaka
Beef vs Lamb
There’s a lot of dispute over what the traditional meat to use in Moussaka is. Most commonly, you’d see lamb or beef being used, but I’ve even read that pork or veal have traditional roots! I’ve personally tried this recipe using beef and lamb, and have settled on beef. In my opinion, it takes on the flavour profile of a Moussaka better, but you can use lamb if you want.
Thick Consistency
The meat sauce for a Moussaka is somewhat similar to a classic ragu/bolognese. One of the main differences is the consistency. Moussaka is known for having distinctive layers, and ensuring your meat sauce has reduced down properly will help create those layers.
Cinnamon
Another distinctive part of a Moussaka’s meat sauce is the use of cinnamon. It’s quite subtle, but it really gives that classic Moussaka flavour. You can use a cinnamon stick, or use ground cinnamon as I’ve done here.
Process shots: fry onion and garlic (photo 1), fry beef (photo 2), add tomato paste (photo 3), fry then add red wine (photo 4), pour in stock and passata then add thyme, parsley, bay leaves, cinnamon and seasoning (photo 5), simmer until thick consistency (photo 6).
Vegetables in Moussaka
Eggplant/Aubergine
Eggplant in Moussaka is essential. To prepare it, you’ll need to slice then sprinkle with salt and leave to rest. This will not only draw out unwanted moisture but will also remove the bitter taste from the eggplant.
Potato
You could probably get away with just layering with eggplant and still call it a Moussaka, but potato is very widely used. And of course, me being me and this blog being this blog, I highly recommend adding potato. After you’ve sliced the potatoes, I recommend patting them dry to remove unwanted moisture.
Zucchini/Courgette
Not as widely used, but still an authentic addition. Same as above, just pat the slices dry to remove moisture.
You could pat the veg dry with tea towels, but I like to stack them between sheets of paper towel. That way, you can soak them all at once and just leave them until needed.
Recipe Tip #1
Removing the moisture from the vegetables is important whether you bake or fry them. If there’s too much moisture before you fry the veg, it won’t crisp up as well and the oil will spit. If there’s too much before you bake, it will steam and come out too soft.
Baking vs Frying
Traditionally, you’d fry the veg, but as times have moved on, so has the cooking method. As such, nowadays it’s just as common to bake the veg. Me? You know I’m not shy of oil around here.
I fry the veg mainly because I’ve always got some leftover pot of oil that needs recycling. That and you do get more of a deeper golden ‘crust’, which offers slightly more flavour.
The obvious downside is the absorption of oil, namely in the eggplant (which is like a sponge!). As such, just make sure you thoroughly pat it all dry with paper towels before you stack the Moussaka. But again, you can definitely bake the veg if you’d prefer.
Recipe Tip #2
Because you’re not frying at a super high temerature, you can use olive oil (which adds more flavour to the veg). Alternatively, for a more neutral flavour, just use veg oil.
Béchamel Sauce for Moussaka
Meat Sauce layer – check
Veg layer – check
The third and final main layer is the béchamel sauce. Again, this is similar to a classic béchamel you’d use in an Italian lasagne, just with a few differences:
- Consistency – Just like the meat sauce, this béchamel is MUCH thicker than the classic. Again, just to ensure it creates a defiant layer that doesn’t seep into the meat sauce.
- Egg Yolk – These help thicken the sauce, but also add a gentle, rich flavour.
- Seasoning – nutmeg and white pepper are a must! The béchamel sauce makes up quite a thick layer, so it’s important that it’s properly seasoned.
What Cheese to use?
Traditionally you’d use Kefalotyri, but realistically, most hard cheeses work well. Here I use Pecorino, but Parmesan works nicely.
Process shots: melt butter (photo 1), stir in flour (photo 2), whisk in milk (photo 3), add seasoning (photo 4), add cheese (photo 5), stir in egg yolks (photo 6).
Moussaka Layers
You can stack a Moussaka in various different ways, but you really want to ensure the potatoes are at the bottom, just to create a sturdy base. Then you finish with a nice thick layer of the béchamel. This also ends up going beautifully golden and crispy as it bakes. Here’s how I stack mine:
How to layer a Moussaka
- Potatoes – Sprinkled with cheese, parsley, salt & pepper.
- Zucchini/Courgette – Stacked in the opposite direction to the potatoes. Sprinkled with cheese, parsley, salt & pepper.
- Eggplant/Aubergine – Only use half, sprinkled with salt & pepper.
- Meat Sauce – Ensure this is nice and level/flat.
- Eggplant/Aubergine – Second half stacked in opposite direction to the first layer, seasoned with salt & pepper.
- Béchamel Sauce – Topped with more cheese.
Recipe Tip #3
Overlap the veg as needed, to create a nice, compact moussaka. This will ensure it keeps its shape when you serve, as opposed to spilling over the plate.
Moussaka FAQ
The main thing is to ensure both the meat sauce and bechamel are nice and thick before you stack the moussaka. Resting the moussaka once it’s fresh out of the oven will help it keep its shape too.
If you’ve fried the veg, it’s really important to use paper towels to soak as much excess oil as possible before you stack the moussaka. It’s also important to use lean beef for the meat sauce, otherwise there will be too much excess fat.
I love adding a glug of wine to the meat sauce for a gorgeous depth of flavour. However, you can sub more beef stock if you’d prefer.
How to serve Moussaka
Again, just to reiterate, it’s important to let the moussaka sit before you serve (it’ll stay hot longer than you think). From there, I like to garnish with a good pinch of fresh parsley and carefully slice it into portions.
These days, I actually serve Moussaka at dinner parties, just because it’s such an epic dish. However, it’s perfect to batch and use throughout the week too.
When it comes to what to serve with Moussaka, here are some of my favourites:
- Side salad and crusty bread (or Garlic Bread). Simple and a lighter option.
- Roasted potatoes or boiled baby potatoes if you’re feeling extra carby.
- Go all out and serve with Greek Fries or Greek Roast Potatoes.
- Roasted Broccolini or Garlic Green Beans for some veggie options.
- Plonk a big bowl of Greek Orzo Pasta Salad in the centre of the table.
Alrighty, let’s tuck into the full recipe for this Moussaka shall we?!
How to make Moussaka (Full Recipe & Video)
Outrageously Delicious Greek Moussaka
Equipment
- Sharp Knife & Chopping Board
- Large Pot or Pan & Wooden Spoon (for meat sauce)
- Good Quality Kitchen Roll/Papers Towel (lots of it – for soaking veg)
- Large Pan & Tongs (suitable for shallow frying veg)
- Kitchen Thermometer (for frying)
- Medium/Large Pot & Whisk (for bechamel sauce)
- Jug (for milk)
- Fine Cheese Grater (for parmesan)
- 8" x 12" Baking Dish (or similar size – for stacking the moussaka)
- Serving Spatula/Spoon
Ingredients
Beef Layer
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 large White Onion, finely diced
- 2 cloves of Garlic, finely diced
- 1.6lb / 750g Ground/Minced Beef (preferably fairly lean)
- 2 heaped tbsp Tomato Paste (Tomato Puree in UK)
- 1/2 cup / 120ml Dry Red Wine (can sub more beef stock)
- 1 cup / 240ml Tomato Passata (pureed/strained tomatoes in US)
- 1 cup / 240ml Beef Stock
- 1/4 cup finely diced Fresh Parsley, plus extra to serve
- 1 tbsp finely diced Fresh Thyme Leaves
- 2 small or 1 large Bay Leaf
- 3/4 tsp Salt, or to taste
- 1/2 tsp Sugar
- 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp Black Pepper, or to taste
Béchamel Sauce
- 4oz / 120g Unsalted Butter
- 4oz / 120g Plain Flour
- 4 cups / 1litre Milk, at room temp
- 1/2 tsp Salt, or to taste
- 1/2 small Nutmeg, grated (or 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg)
- 1/4 tsp White Pepper
- 1 cup / 80g freshly grated Pecorino Romano, plus extra to serve (Kefalotiri Cheese is traditional, can also sub parmesan)
- 2 Egg Yolks
Veg Layers (see notes for baking version)
- 2 cups / 480ml Vegetable or Olive Oil, or enough to cover veg in the pan
- 1.6lb / 750g (approx 2 large) Baking Potatoes, peeled & sliced around 1/4"
- 1lb / 500g (approx 2 medium) Zucchini/Courgettes, sliced into approx 1/3" strips (I do lengthways)
- 2lb / 1kg (approx 4 smallish) Eggplants/Aubergine, sliced around 1/3" thickness (I do lengthways but you can make more smaller rounds if you wish)
- few pinches of Parsley & Pecorino (to sprinkle in between layers)
- Salt & Pepper, as needed
Instructions
- Beef Layer: Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large pan or pot over medium heat. Add the onion and fry until soft and golden, then add in the garlic and fry for a minute or so longer. Add in the beef and fry until completely browned, breaking it up with your wooden spoon as you go. Stir in the tomato paste and fry for a couple of mins, then pour in the wine. Deglaze the pan if needed, then pour in the passata and beef stock. Add in the parsley, thyme, cinnamon, salt, sugar, pepper & bay leaf and give it a good stir. Keep on a gentle simmer for around 30mins, stirring occasionally until nice and thick.
- PREP Veg Layer: Rest a few sheets of paper towel in a row on a flat surface and lay on the eggplant slices. Rub a pinch of salt over both sides, then add two layers of paper towels on top. On top of that, add the zucchini slices, followed by another layer of paper towel. Finish with the potato slices and another layer of paper towel on top. Gently press down to soak up the moisture from all of the layers. You can use tea towels instead if you wish.
- COOK Veg Layer: Heat up enough oil to cover the veg in a suitably sized pan until it gently sizzles (you're aiming for around 150C/300F). Carefully start sliding in the potato slices and fry both sides until lightly golden, with the potato fork-tender. Remove the slices, shake off excess oil and place on fresh paper towel. Increase the oil temp slightly to around 170C/340F and fry the zucchini slices until softened & lightly browned, then finish with the eggplant slices. Leave everything to drain on paper towels to soak up as much excess oil as possible (important). You can use two pans to speed things up or bake one or two of the veg (see notes).
- Béchamel Sauce: Melt the butter in a suitably sized pot over medium heat. Stir in the flour to create a roux, then gradually begin pouring in the milk, whisking as you go to avoid lumps forming. Once you've poured in all the milk and the sauce is thick, stir in the salt, white pepper and nutmeg. If it's still looking thin just simmer a little longer until it thickens up – it should comfortably coat the back of your spoon (see video for reference). Take the pot off the heat and stir in the pecorino until the sauce is lump-free, then quickly whisk in the egg yolks. Take 1/2 cup of the sauce and stir it into the beef.
- Stack Moussaka: Add a layer of potato to the baking dish (overlapping as needed) and sprinkle over a hefty pinch of parsley, pecorino, salt & pepper. Follow with zucchini and parsley/pecorino/salt/pepper, then half of the eggplant with a pinch of salt and pepper. Try and close all the gaps and make it all nice and compact. Spread over the beef layer, top with the rest of the eggplant, then top with the Béchamel sauce.
- Cook & Serve Moussaka: Finish with a sprinkling of pecorino, then place in the oven at 180C/350F for 35-45mins, or until golden/lightly charred on top. I highly recommend leaving it to sit for at least 15mins, just to help it keep its shape (it will stay hot longer than you think). Serve up and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Your Private Notes:
Nutrition
Looking for more?
You’ll find plenty more delicious comfort food like this in my Debut Cookbook ‘Comfy’
For more comfort food classics check out these beauties:
Hearty Ground/Minced Beef Dinners
- Spaghetti Bolognese
- Classic Lasagne
- Traditional Cottage Pie (or Shepherd’s Pie!)
- Chilli Con Carne
- Beef Enchiladas
I made this exactly as the recipe said (without the zucchini) and the flavor was spot on! Next time I will try cooking the potatoes and eggplant in the oven or air fryer to save time. I don’t usually cook from recipes and going back and forth reading the recipe while cooking took me forever. I think I spent about 3 hours to make this but next time will be faster.
Great to hear this worked out well, Lisa! This is quite a time-consuming recipe, but you’ll definitely get quicker with time I’m sure 🙂 C.
This was my first time making this recipe and moussaka in general. I got the purée and paste portions mixed up and I accidentally used the egg whites too. It was still a BIG!! Hit at my dinner table!!! I now have a new favorite food. Thank you so much!!
So great to hear it turned out well! Thanks so much for popping back for a review 🙂 C.
I knew all the hard work I was in for, as I have successfully made moussaka using a different recipe before. Today, I decided to use your recipe.
My husband fried all the vegetables, helped me prepare the sauce, and whisked the béchamel sauce. I did all the dicing, cutting, measuring, stacking, etc. A team effort with marvelous results. My neighbor called raving about the outrageously delicious piece I gave him. Labor intensive, but well worth it. The leftovers were frozen, so there are 2 other meals ready to eat.
Thanks so much for the review, Diane! It is indeed a labour of love, but so happy to hear you enjoyed the end product! 🙂 C.
This is the ONLY recipe you’ll need for moussaka. I opted to bake the potatoes and eggplant (subbed eggplant for the zucchini as I had lots of it), and I was very happy with the end product. It is a labour of love, but totally worth the work and dishes it takes to make. I only order moussaka when I go out for Greek, and this is as good, if not better than restaurant quality (from a high end place to boot!). My hubby said it’s as good as ordering from the restaurant. And obviously, it’s just as good reheated as well! Thank you for sharing your recipe!
This is such a lovely review, Dolly. Thank you so much 🙂 C.
Sweet LORD this was amazing. I left out the beef for my veggie loving group, and it was absolutely incredible. The potatoes and eggplant together are a match made in heaven! Will be saving this and making again and again.
Thanks so much for the review, Angie! 🙂 C.
I’m a foodie and I cook at home most nights. Have never left a review on a recipe but I couldn’t skip giving this recipe 5 stars. It was so delicious and I made it exactly as written except I halved the recipe and used the “baked method” as noted for all the veggies. Meat sauce and bechamel were perfect consistency! The only challenge was eating so late. It was a bit much for a Thursday night cooking project and took longer to prepare than expected. Totally worth the effort and our late dining was very Mediterranean style! Next time I will double the meat sauce and freeze half to speed up the making of a future casserole. Thank you Chris!
So lovely to hear this was a success for you!! Thanks so much for the review 🙂 C.
Great moussakka recipe! Made as specified except eliminate zucchini since I was using it in something else being served. I fried the first eggplant and potatoes, and baked the second eggplant to save time. I might have slice the eggplant too thin on my mandolin since it became almost transparent when I cooked it, so in the future will slice a bit thicker. I also used parmesan cheese since that is what I had.
Delicious, with rave reviews from my family! I will make again but perhaps try and roast the veggies and/or sub ground turkey for the beef.
So great to hear this went down well! Thanks so much for stopping by for a review 🙂 C.
I have now made this recipe three times with slight variations in my method. The first time I followed it to the letter and fried everything. The second time I fried the potatoes and baked the zucchini and eggplant. The third time I decided to use a layer of creamed potatoes instead of the slices and went back to frying the zucchini and eggplant. All three times my bechamel sauce never really thickened like I thought it should so I still have to practice with that. All three times it was SO delicious! We grew our own zucchini and eggplant so that is what I used. I will say that this takes HOURS to make. I reserve 6-7 total hours to prep and bake.
So great to hear you’re enjoying the Moussaka, Wendy! Thanks so much for popping back for a review 🙂 C.
Many years ago I decided to make Moussaka from a NY Times recipe.
It took all of eight hours, and endless steps and much patience; but
when all was done it was worth every minute! Your recipe seems to
be very much like the one I used 50 (?) years ago; therefore I will try
it again. It’s a dish that’s unlike any other!!!
It is indeed but I’m confident you’ll love it! 🙂 C.
Had a glorious afternoon in the kitchen this Sunday making this Moussaka!
OMG so delicious and now portioned in the fridge and freezer
Found the meat sauce a little too wet, but might have been the mince was not as lean as it could have been and a splash too much wine 🙂 A little cornflour helped.
Great to hear this went down well, Ali! Thanks so much for popping back for a review 🙂 C.