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Traditional Outrageously Delicious Greek Moussaka Recipe

Traditional Outrageously Delicious Greek Moussaka Recipe to Impress

Discover the joy of making this Traditional Outrageously Delicious Greek Moussaka Recipe, a rich, layered dish that brings comfort and delight to your table.
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Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 50 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Dinner Recipes
Cuisine: Greek
Calories: 571
Ingredients Equipment Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients
  

Meat Sauce
  • 1 tbsp Olive Oil
  • 1 large White Onion, finely diced
  • 2 cloves Garlic, finely diced
  • 1.6 lb Ground/Minced Beef
  • 2 heaped tbsp Tomato Paste
  • 0.5 cup Dry Red Wine
  • 1 cup Tomato Passata
  • 1 cup Beef Stock
  • 0.25 cup Fresh Parsley, finely diced
  • 1 tbsp Fresh Thyme Leaves, finely diced
  • 2 small Bay Leaf
  • 0.75 tsp Salt
  • 0.5 tsp Sugar
  • 0.5 tsp Cinnamon
  • 0.25 tsp Black Pepper
B?chamel Sauce
  • 4 oz Unsalted Butter
  • 4 oz Plain Flour
  • 4 cups Milk, at room temp
  • 0.5 tsp Salt
  • 0.5 small Nutmeg, grated
  • 0.25 tsp White Pepper
  • 1 cup Pecorino Romano, freshly grated
Vegetable Layer
  • 2 cups Vegetable or Olive Oil
  • 1.6 lb Baking Potatoes, peeled & sliced
  • 1 lb Zucchini/Courgettes, sliced
  • 2 lb Eggplants/Aubergine, sliced
  • Salt & Pepper, as needed

Equipment

  • Large pan
  • medium pot
  • Baking Dish

Method
 

Preparation
  1. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large pan or pot over medium heat. Add the onion and fry until soft and golden. Add the garlic and fry for an additional minute.
  2. Add the beef and fry until browned, breaking it up with a wooden spoon. Stir in the tomato paste and fry for a couple of minutes.
  3. Pour in the wine and deglaze the pan if needed. Add the passata and beef stock. Stir in parsley, thyme, cinnamon, salt, sugar, pepper, and bay leaf. Simmer for around 30 minutes, stirring occasionally until thickened.
  4. Prepare the vegetable layer by placing sheets of paper towel on a flat surface. Lay the eggplant slices, rub with salt, and cover with more paper towels. Repeat with zucchini and potato slices. Press down to soak up moisture.
  5. Heat enough oil to cover the veg in a pan, aiming for around 150C/300F. Slide in the potato slices and fry until lightly golden and fork-tender. Remove and place on fresh paper towels. Increase oil temperature to around 170C/340F and fry the zucchini until softened. Finish with the eggplant slices.
  6. Melt the butter in a medium pot over medium heat. Stir in the flour to create a roux, then slowly pour in the milk while whisking to avoid lumps. Stir in salt, white pepper, and nutmeg. If the sauce is thin, simmer until it thickens.
  7. Remove from heat and stir in the pecorino until smooth. Whisk in the egg yolks. Mix 1/2 cup of this sauce into the beef mixture.
  8. To stack the moussaka, add a layer of potato to the baking dish and sprinkle with parsley, pecorino, salt, and pepper. Follow with zucchini, parsley, pecorino, salt, and pepper, then half of the eggplant. Spread the beef layer, top with remaining eggplant, and cover with B?chamel sauce.
  9. Sprinkle with pecorino and bake in the oven at 180C/350F for 35-45 minutes until golden. Let sit for at least 15 minutes before serving.

Nutrition

Serving: 1sliceCalories: 571kcalCarbohydrates: 42.95gProtein: 34.11gFat: 29.22gSodium: 746mgFiber: 6.2gSugar: 14.52g

Notes

Using salt on the eggplant helps draw out moisture and bitterness?don't skip this step. Choose high-quality olive oil for frying to enhance flavor. Lastly, let the moussaka rest for at least 15 minutes before serving to allow the layers to set beautifully.

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