AUTHENTIC GREEK MOUSSAKA RECIPE

Jump to:

• Why this is an authentic moussaka recipe
• The recipe's history
• Ingredients for moussaka
• How to make Greek moussaka
• Moussaka variations
• How to store and freeze moussaka
• What to serve with Greek moussaka
• Recipe

Why this is an authentic moussaka recipe

The authentic recipe comes from a master home cook. My mother is beyond a shadow of a doubt the ultimate moussaka master chef. Verified by multiple people (friends and family) who were lucky enough to taste her moussaka. Potatoes and eggplant are sweet and soft, the ground meat is perfectly seasoned and extra juicy, and the (kind of) béchamel sauce is … pure magic.

She is particularly proud of her version of this sauce because in quest of the perfect béchamel sauce after decades she came down to the most tasteful and light version of it. Delicious and gluten-free too which is so important for many people. So stay tuned and off we go!

The recipe's history

Not interested in food history and stories? No problem Jump to Recipe

Otherwise, keep on reading.

Eggplants were introduced to Greece during the Ottoman occupation, and until the independence from the Ottoman Empire, they were cooked in olive oil, mixed with many seasonal vegetables (check out this recipe called Briami, and this eggplant casserole and eggplant salad/dip), and flavored with fresh herbs and some spices if available.

The famous chef Nikolaos Tselementes introduced new elements from French cuisine to the simplicity of Greek dishes, creating a whole new culinary chapter to modern Greek cuisine.

Throughout the twentieth century, his cookbook was so popular among the middle-class that it is still in print. Its influence was huge and resulted in the creation of a new urban cuisine that combined traditional Greek cooking with French sauces like béchamel and ingredients like butter, broth, cream, etc. That’s how dishes like moussaka, pastitsio, and stuffed eggplant (papoutsakia) are part of Greek cuisine.      

No more history stuff. Let’s jump into the details of the recipe.

Ingredients for moussaka

Potatoes and eggplant

The authentic recipe calls for potatoes and eggplant.

Eggplant: The first step is optional. It is better to sprinkle salt and set aside for about 30 minutes (preferably 1 hour but well …) to draw out the bitterness and some of the moisture. This way eggplant is sweeter and keeps a perfect shape.

Additionally, pre-salting allows the eggplant to soak up less oil, resulting in a lighter version without sacrificing flavor. This is optional but highly recommended for a perfect moussaka.

Potatoes: No surprises here. Slice the potatoes into rounds.

Fry or bake the veggies: You have two options. Either you fry the veggies or you bake them. In terms of taste, I don’t find a huge difference between those methods. Nevertheless, my sensible stomach appreciates the lightness of the baked vegetables. It’s up to you what to choose.

The meat

The authentic recipe calls for ground lamb simply because Mediterranean livestock consisted of sheep and goats grazed on hillsides, and that was the meat of choice.

Take my word for it: the perfect meat for this recipe is ground lamb. Easy to say but difficult to purchase. I know. So, make your moussaka with ground beef instead. It will be amazing too.

Our vegan and vegetarian friends will find some variations below.

The kind of béchamel sauce

Let's not beat around the bush, here. The classic béchamel sauce calls for flour, butter, and milk (do you know that it is called mother sauce in French cooking? Impressive name). It is a delicious, luscious cream sauce and an important component of the authentic moussaka recipe.

Nevertheless, I will recommend an alternative to béchamel sauce, and I assure you it will be heavenly delicious. Once you taste it, you will make it over and over again and won't go back to béchamel sauce again.     

My mother’s (kind of) béchamel sauce calls for cornstarch instead of flour. Using cornstarch instead of plain flour you get the lightest and finest cream sauce you can make at home.

Its texture is silky-smooth and the taste is slightly nutty and creamy and it doesn’t taste like raw flour, which can ruin the whole moussaka experience. At least, this is my vision for the perfect moussaka.

Additionally, cornstarch is totally gluten-free so it can be a substitute for those with celiac disease or another form of gluten intolerance.

Finally, if you don't want to make either the classic béchamel sauce or my mother’s cornstarch sauce, I’ve got you covered. Go for a lighter version, which is a yogurt sauce. It is super easy to make and all you need is yogurt and eggs. Jump to the recipe and check out the notes.

The spices

This is an extra aromatic recipe. It contains nutmeg, allspice, and cinnamon. This spice combo is necessary for the authentic traditional moussaka.

However, the first time you taste those spices, I suggest you skip nutmeg in béchamel sauce and keep it only in the meat sauce. If you don’t add allspice won’t make such a huge difference to someone who doesn't know the taste. However, I strongly (strongly) recommend going for cinnamon, especially if you use ground lamb. It will add an exotic dimension to your plate that you will highly appreciate.

How to make Greek moussaka

Let's make moussaka together. This is a useful step-by-step tutorial.

Prepare the veggies

You may use a large, deep, ovenproof pan/dish, rectangular or round. I used a deep round 15.5-inch (40-cm) baking pan. It doesn’t matter if your pan is slightly smaller or bigger. This pan size yields 8-10 portions and serves 5-6 people.

Place the eggplant slices in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush with olive oil. Season and bake for about 20 minutes. Place them on a paper towel to dry them.

Repeat the same procedure with the potatoes.

Make the meat sauce

While the veggies are in the oven, make the meat sauce.

In a large pan or heavy-bottomed pot, over medium to high heat, brown the ground meat until the pink color disappears for about 10 minutes. Add onion and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice and cook for a further couple of minutes until the mixture is quite dry.

Add the tomato paste and sauté for a couple of minutes until incorporated. Stir in the tomato, bring to a simmer, then turn the heat down low and cook for 30–40 minutes until most of the liquid has evaporated. Season to taste.

Make the kind of béchamel sauce

To make this excellent cream sauce, heat the milk in a large pot over medium heat, then add the butter and let it melt.

In a separate pot, mix some of the warmed milk with cornstarch until smooth. Pour the cornstarch mixture into the main pot and simmer over low-medium heat, whisking constantly until slightly thickened. Remove from heat and stir in the beaten eggs, cheese, and a pinch of nutmeg if using. Mix well, return to the heat briefly, and stir until the sauce thickens a bit more, but not too much. Set aside.

Assemble

Preheat the oven and lightly grease a large, deep baking dish. Layer the potatoes on the bottom, season them, and then add a layer of eggplants.

Sprinkle with grated cheese and spread the ground meat mixture over the vegetables.

Then add another layer of eggplant.

Top with béchamel sauce, smoothing it out evenly, and optionally sprinkle more cheese on top.

Bake

Bake in the center of the oven until golden brown. If the surface darkens too much, cover it with parchment paper. Let it rest before slicing and serving.

Moussaka variations

Now that you know about the traditional Greek moussaka let's see the most popular variations. Truth be told, I wouldn't change a thing from my mother's recipe, but you keep asking me about vegetarian and vegan variations. So here they are!

Vegan moussaka

The Mediterranean way of eating isn’t 100% vegetarian-vegan, but the traditional Greek cuisine contains countless vegan and/or vegetarian dishes born out of the almost 200 days of fasting periods in the Orthodox Church year. Greeks cook excellent vegan and vegetarian dishes, and this blog is proof.

There are a lot of delicious ideas out there on the web that use lentils and chickpeas mixed with tomatoes. However, my favorite is with mushrooms. In a nutshell, skip the meat and make an easy and super quick sauce with finely chopped mushrooms that I usually sauté with (a lot of) garlic and onions and simmer in tomato sauce and white wine (optional).

While researching for vegan alternatives to the classic béchamel sauce, I found a quite interesting option. Béchamel with cashews and tahini caught my attention, though. I am so tempted to make it. 

Vegetarian moussaka

Skip the meat again and replace it with the mushroom sauce. The rest of the recipe will be perfect for you.

A lighter moussaka version

To begin with, bake the veggies. Frying is out of the question here. Then, replace the béchamel sauce with a super delicious yogurt sauce. You will find it below on the recipe card (notes).

How to store and freeze moussaka

STORING
Once your moussaka has cooled to room temperature, cover the baking dish tightly with plastic wrap or transfer slices to an airtight food container. It will keep well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

FREEZING (before or after baking)
Moussaka freezes beautifully!

Before baking: Assemble the dish in a freezer-safe tray (without baking), cover tightly with plastic wrap and foil, and freeze for up to 2 months. When ready to cook, thaw in the fridge overnight and bake as usual.

After baking: Let it cool completely, then wrap individual slices or the entire dish tightly. Freeze for up to 3 months.

REHEATING

From the fridge: Cover with parchment paper and warm in a preheated 350°F (175°C) oven for 20–30 minutes or until heated through.

From frozen: If reheating a frozen piece, let it thaw overnight in the fridge first for best texture, then reheat as above.

What to serve with Greek moussaka

Moussaka is a dish that rewards patience. Once it's out of the oven, give it time to rest and set—this makes all the difference. Cutting into it while it’s too hot will cause the layers to fall apart, and after all the love and effort that goes into making it, that would be a shame. Let it cool slightly so you can serve beautiful, well-defined slices that do the dish justice.

Greek moussaka is rich and filling, so it pairs wonderfully with light, fresh sides. Here are some ideas to complete your meal:

A refreshing Greek salad (horiatiki) with moussaka as a main dish is the best combo for the summer. On the contrary, I propose a crisp lettuce salad for winter.

The cool tzatziki dip balances the warm spices of the moussaka, and a fluffy pita bread or a rustic village bread is necessary for soaking up the sauce.

Finish off this delicious meal with a glass of fruity Merlot, which pairs beautifully with the rich layers of moussaka. For an authentic Greek touch, try a glass of Xinomavro—a bold, earthy red wine that complements the dish’s depth and brings the whole experience full circle.

Wait! Have we forgotten something? The dessert! Keep it classic with syrupy galaktoboureko (Greek custard pie) or a generous piece of luscious ekmek kataifi.

I would love to hear your feedback. It keeps my kitchen alive and my spirits high. Save this recipe and leave your rate and comment below, or take a photo of your Greek moussaka recipe and tag me on Instagram with #30daysofgreekfood and Facebook with @30daysofgreekfood.

Recipe