Greek Moussaka (Musaka)

Name: Greek Moussaka (Musaka)
Prep time: 1 h
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 2 h
Yield: 4 people
Ingredients: 400 g Minced lamb; 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 large onion; 3 cloves garlic; ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; ½ teaspoon paprika; ¼ teaspoon cinnamon; 1 teaspoon salt; ½ teaspoon sugar; 400 g chopped tomatoes; ½ tablespoon tomato paste; 100 ml stock; 2 tablespoon parsley; 6 prigs fresh thyme; 40 g butter; 40 g all purpose flour; 350 ml milk; ½ teaspoon salt; ¼ teaspoon nutmeg; 1 egg yolk; 50 g Parmesan Cheese; 350 g potatoes (approximately 2 large potatoes); 700 g aubergine (approximately 3 medium aubergine); vegetable oil for frying; 25 g Parmesan Cheese; 25 g cheddar cheese; 25 g panko breadcrumbs

User Reviews

5.0

57 reviews

Excellent

Prep Time
1 hr
Cook Time
1 hr
Total Time
2 hrs
Servings
4 people
Calories
924 kcal
Course
Main Course
Cuisine
Mediterranean, Greek, Turkish

Greek Moussaka (Musaka)

Dana Farley

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This delicious authentic Greek dish is made with layers of aubergines & potatoes, tomatoey meat sauce, and cheesy béchamel.

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Ingredients

Servings

For the Meat Sauce

400 g Minced lamb
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
400 g chopped tomatoes (or tinned tomatoes)
½ tablespoon tomato paste
100 ml stock (beef, lamb or chicken)
2 tablespoon parsley (chopped)
6 prigs fresh thyme (chopped)

For the Bechamel Sauce

40 g butter
40 g all purpose flour
350 ml milk (warm)
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
1 egg yolk
50 g Parmesan Cheese (grated)

For the Vegetables

350 g potatoes (approximately 2 large potatoes) (peeled and sliced 0.5 cm thick)
700 g aubergine (approximately 3 medium aubergine) (peeled in stripes and sliced 1 cm thick)
vegetable oil for frying

For the Topping

25 g Parmesan Cheese (grated)
25 g cheddar cheese (grated)
25 g panko breadcrumbs

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Instructions

Cooking the Meat Sauce

Heat a large pan or dutch oven on medium heat and cook the lamb mince until brown and release its fat. Stir occasionally to break the mince down into small pieces.
Add onions and garlic, saute until translucent then add freshly ground black pepper, paprika, cinnamon, and salt. Sauté for 30 seconds.
Stir in the tomato paste and cook for a minute before adding the tinned tomatoes.
Add the stock, sugar, and herbs. Stir well and cook on low heat for 15 minutes.
Check the seasoning and add some salt if needed.
While the meat sauce is cooking, start the béchamel sauce.

Cooking the Bechamel Sauce

Melt the butter in a saucepan on medium heat and stir in the flour.
Mix well using a wooden spatula or a whisk and cook for 2 minutes stirring all the time.
Whisk in a little of the warm milk at a time stirring continuously until you have a smooth, velvety sauce.
Cook on low heat for a few minutes stirring all the time until the sauce has thickened and the flour taste has disappeared.
Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the nutmeg, salt, and the 50 g grated parmesan cheese.
Let it cool down for five minutes and whisk in the egg yolk, set aside, and start preparing the vegetables.

Preparing the Vegetables and Assembling the Moussaka

Preheat the oven to 180° C (360° C).
Heat a large frying pan on medium heat and add some vegetable oil in just enough to cover the bottom of the pan.
When the oil is hot enough, add the potatoes in batches and fry until lightly brown on both sides, remove from the pan and set aside on a plate.
Fry the aubergines in the same pan until both sides are lightly browned and they started to soften. Remove from the pan and set aside on a colander to drain excess oil.
To assemble the lamb moussaka, layer half of the aubergines on the bottom of an oven dish then top with half of the mince filling and spread nicely all over the eggplants.
Layer the potatoes on top of the filling, sprinkle on some salt then top with the rest of the mince filling.
Nicely cover with the remaining aubergines and pour over the bechamel sauce. Spread evenly using a silicone spatula or a pallet knife.
Sprinkle evenly the 25 g grated parmesan and 25 g grated cheddar then cover with the breadcrumbs.
Cook in the preheated oven for about an hour or until it is golden brown and bubbling away.
Let it cool down for 15 to 20 minutes before serving.

Equipments used:

Notes

Moussaka needs a thicker meat sauce to help create those layers.
Break the mince down into small pieces with a wooden spoon while cooking.
Aubergines absorb lots of oil while frying. Gently pressing on them would help to get rid of some excess oil.
You can prepare moussaka up to three days in advance and bake it when you need it.
Roast the aubergines in the oven if you want a lighter moussaka.
You can freeze moussaka before or after baking.
Let the Moussaka cool down for 15 to 20 minutes before portioning and serving.

Nutrition Information

Show Details

Calories 924kcal (46%) Carbohydrates 49g (16%) Protein 35g (70%) Fat 66g (102%) Saturated Fat 22g (110%) Polyunsaturated Fat 19g Monounsaturated Fat 22g Trans Fat 1g Cholesterol 151mg (50%) Sodium 1495mg (62%) Potassium 1279mg (37%) Fiber 9g (36%) Sugar 15g (30%) Vitamin A 819IU (16%) Vitamin C 31mg (34%) Calcium 463mg (46%) Iron 4mg (22%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4people

Amount Per Serving

Calories 924 kcal

% Daily Value*

Calories	924kcal	46%
Carbohydrates	49g	16%
Protein	35g	70%
Fat	66g	102%
Saturated Fat	22g	110%
Polyunsaturated Fat	19g	112%
Monounsaturated Fat	22g	110%
Trans Fat	1g	50%
Cholesterol	151mg	50%
Sodium	1495mg	62%
Potassium	1279mg	27%
Fiber	9g	36%
Sugar	15g	30%
Vitamin A	819IU	16%
Vitamin C	31mg	34%
Calcium	463mg	46%
Iron	4mg	22%