Moussaka

Greek Moussaka with eggplant and potato is a simple showstopper. This is the kind of comfort food recipe everyone needs in their back pocket.

What is Moussaka?

Moussaka is a Greek dish consisting of layers of cooked lamb, eggplant and potato. It is traditionally topped with a bechamel sauce and baked until golden and bubbling.

Ingredients

Full Moussaka recipe with amounts can be found in the recipe card below.

• Eggplant. 
• Potatoes. 
• Onion.
• Garlic.
• Ground lamb/lamb mince. Ground beef can be substituted.
• Tomatoes. I used canned chopped tomatoes.
• Tomato paste.
• Red wine. 
• Bay leaf. 
• Cinnamon stick. 
• Olive oil.
• Salt and pepper. 
• Bechamel sauce.
• Parmesan cheese.

How to make Moussaka?

1. Cook the lamb: In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat a splash of olive oil. Brown the lamb in batches. Remove from the pot and set aside. In the same pot, fry the onion, garlic, bay leaf and cinnamon until soft and fragrant. Add the lamb back into the pot then add the tomatoes, tomato paste and red wine. Season with salt and pepper. Reduce the heat and allow to simmer for 30 minutes.
2. Roast the eggplant and tomato: Slice the eggplant and potatoes into ½cm slices. Place in a single layer on sheet pans. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt then roast for 20 minutes until cooked and golden brown. Remove from the oven.
3. Assemble the Moussaka: Place a layer of potatoes in the bottom of a 32cm/12.5in baking dish. Add half of the eggplant then add all of the meat sauce. Top with the remaining eggplant, the bechamel sauce and a generous handful of Parmesan.
4. Bake: Place in the oven and allow to bake for 45-60 minutes until golden brown and bubbling. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

What to serve with Moussaka

Since Moussaka is quite rich, I like serving it with a simple green salad or Greek salad. A crusty loaf of bread is also a good idea to mop up any remaining sauce on your plate.

1. Lemon Parmesan Green Salad
2. Greek salad
3. Easy crusty bread

Greek recipes

1. Greek lemon potatoes
2. Easy Greek Tzatziki
3. Pork souvlaki