Servings
Font
Back
4.8 from 48 votes

Healthy Moussaka

Love Greek Moussaka but find it a little heavy? Try my slimmed down Moussaka Recipe which is lighter in calories, incredibly delicious and still tastes authentic.

Prep Time
45 mins
Cook Time
45 mins
Total Time
1 hr 30 mins
Servings: 12 slices
Calories: 301 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Greek

Ingredients

For the meat sauce
  • olive oil cooking spray
  • 1 large white or red onion
  • 3 garlic cloves , minced
  • 750 g | 1lb 6.5oz extra lean beef mince
  • 2 tbsp sweetener (Sukrin Gold)
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp salt
  • pinch ground cloves
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce 
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
  • 1 tsp fish sauce (optional)
  • 100 g | 3 1/2 oz tomato paste (purée)
  • 400 g | 14oz Passata (preferably passata rustica)
  • 300 ml | 1 1/4 cups hot beef stock made with 2 stock cubes
For the aubergine layer
  • 3 large aubergines (eggplants) or 4 smaller ones
  • olive oil cooking spray
  • salt
For the topping
  • 1 tbsp low fat spread
  • 2 tbsp flour
  • 450 g | 1 lb fat free Greek yogurt
  • 200 g | 14oz Greek feta , crumbled (sub with fat free cottage cheese)
  • 3 eggs , lightly beaten
  • salt and pepper
  • Pinch freshly ground nutmeg
  • 2 tbsp grated parmesan (optional)

Instructions

Make the meat sauce
    Cup of Yum
  1. Lightly spray a pan or casserole with olive oil or low calorie cooking spray. Add the onions and garlic for cook over low heat, stirring, for five minutes.
  2. Add the minced beef, breaking it up with the back of a wooden spoon. Brown the meat for a few minutes until nicely coloured.
  3. Stir in the salt, sweetener (I used Sukrin Gold), thyme, cinnamon, cloves and bay leaf.
  4. Add the tomato puree (paste), passata, soy, fish and Worcestershire sauces.
  5. Stir in the beef stock and bring to a simmer. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes or until the sauce is thick and all the liquid has cooked down.
  6. Discard the bay leaf. Taste the sauce and season with salt (if needed) and pepper.
Prepare the aubergine (eggplant)
  1. While the meat sauce is bubbling away, slice the aubergine either widthways as I have done or in rounds. The slices need to be about 1 cm thick or a little thinner. Season with salt and spray with a little olive oil or low calorie cooking spray such as Fry light.
  2. Pan fry the aubergine on a griddle pan for 3-4 minutes per side. Alternatively heat the grill (broiler) to high. Place the slices on a baking tray and cook for 8-10 minutes per side until soft – watch they don’t burn! Set the aubergine aside on paper towels while you make the topping.
Make the topping
  1. Heat the low calorie spread (such a s Flora Light) in a pan and then add the flour to make a paste (roux).
  2. Stir in the Greek yoghurt and feta cheese. Mix until the sauce is well blended and smooth.
  3. Take the pan off the heat and add the beaten eggs, mixing quickly so they don’t scrabble. Season well with salt, pepper and a pinch freshly grated nutmeg.
Assemble the moussaka
  1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350. Add a layer of meat sauce over an ovenproof baking dish (measuring at least 30x19cm /10 cup capacity) and pack it down.
  2. Add a little of the sauce and layer with the aubergine slices.
  3. Repeat with another layer of meat, a little sauce and more aubergine.
  4. Top with the remaining cheese sauce and scatter with the grated Parmesan.
  5. Bake for 45 minutes then leave the moussaka to rest for at least 15 minutes or longer.
  6. Cut into slices and serve with a green salad on the side.

Notes

  • Tips for the Best Moussaka ever!
  • You can prepare the meat sauce up to a day in advance. Make sure the sauce is thick - you don’t want a watery sauce to ruin your moussaka.
  • Season the cheese sauce. Even though feta cheese can add plenty of flavour you still need to season the sauce with a little salt and pepper and some freshly grated nutmeg.
  • Make sure the aubergine slices (or any vegetable you use) are soft before layering into the dish. 
  • If you want to use potatoes or squash instead of/with aubergines then spray with olive oil, season well with salt and pepper, spread in a single layer on a baking sheets and cook in a 180c /350F oven for 30 minutes or until they are soft if pricked with a fork.
  • Always rest the cooked moussaka for 15-20 minutes before slicing. It needs this time to cool down slightly and be firm enough to slice.
  • Moussaka keeps for 3-4 days in the fridge and tastes even better as leftovers! Reheat in the microwave until hot all the way through before serving.
  • Weight Watchers Info
  • You could also replace the feta cheese with fat free cottage cheese which is FREE. Make sure to season the sauce well as cottage cheese won’t add the flavour feta cheese will.
  • You could also replace the feta cheese with fat free cottage cheese which is FREE. Make sure to season the sauce well as cottage cheese won’t add the flavour feta cheese will.
  • There’s 9 SmartPoints per slice for those following Weight Watchers, less if you use cottage cheese instead of feta.
  • There’s 9 SmartPoints per slice for those following Weight Watchers, less if you use cottage cheese instead of feta.
  • You can prepare the meat sauce up to a day in advance. Make sure the sauce is thick - you don’t want a watery sauce to ruin your moussaka.
  • Season the cheese sauce. Even though feta cheese can add plenty of flavour you still need to season the sauce with a little salt and pepper and some freshly grated nutmeg.
  • Make sure the aubergine slices (or any vegetable you use) are soft before layering into the dish. 
  • If you want to use potatoes or squash instead of/with aubergines then spray with olive oil, season well with salt and pepper, spread in a single layer on a baking sheets and cook in a 180c /350F oven for 30 minutes or until they are soft if pricked with a fork.
  • Always rest the cooked moussaka for 15-20 minutes before slicing. It needs this time to cool down slightly and be firm enough to slice.
  • Moussaka keeps for 3-4 days in the fridge and tastes even better as leftovers! Reheat in the microwave until hot all the way through before serving.

Nutrition Information

Calories 301kcal (15%) Carbohydrates 23g (8%) Protein 27g (54%) Fat 13g (20%) Saturated Fat 6g (30%) Cholesterol 100mg (33%) Sodium 6776mg (282%) Potassium 918mg (26%) Fiber 5g (20%) Sugar 13g (26%) Vitamin A 460IU (9%) Vitamin C 9mg (10%) Calcium 191mg (19%) Iron 4mg (22%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 12slices

Amount Per Serving

Calories 301

% Daily Value*

Calories 301kcal 15%
Carbohydrates 23g 8%
Protein 27g 54%
Fat 13g 20%
Saturated Fat 6g 30%
Cholesterol 100mg 33%
Sodium 6776mg 282%
Potassium 918mg 20%
Fiber 5g 20%
Sugar 13g 26%
Vitamin A 460IU 9%
Vitamin C 9mg 10%
Calcium 191mg 19%
Iron 4mg 22%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.