My Big Fat Greek Moussaka Recipe

4.98 from 47 votes

This Greek moussaka recipe is layered with eggplant, potatoes, a meaty filing, and topped with creamy bachemel sauce.

Prep Time1

Cook Time30

Total Time1 30

Course: dinner, entree, Main Course

Cuisine: Greek

Servings: servings

Calories: 463kcal

Slice the eggplant into ¼" slices. Sprinkle with approximately 1½ teaspoons sea salt on both sides. Layer on a paper towel-lined baking pan. Sweat for 15 to 30 minutes.
Wash and scrub potatoes then slice into ¼" thick rounds. Season on both sides with 1 teaspoon sea salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Heat a few tablespoons of oil in a cast-iron skillet and fry potatoes for a few minutes on each side. Work in batches, and add more oil as needed. Drain on paper towels.
Pat the sliced eggplants with paper towels until dry. Heat a few more tablespoons of oil in the same pan and fry the eggplant on both sides until browned. Drain on paper towels.

Add ground beef or lamb to a large pot or Dutch oven. Cook over medium heat, breaking up the larger pieces with a wooden spoon. Add chopped onion, garlic, and parsley, and continue to cook until browned.
Add tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, wine, and seasoning. Simmer until most of the liquid is gone.

Add a bay leaf to 2 cups of milk then heat milk either in a medium saucepan or a microwave. Melt butter in a saucepan and cook over low heat until golden. Sprinkle flour into the pan and quickly whisk until smooth. Continue to cook the roux for a few minutes until nutty and golden brown.
Pour milk into the pan and whisk continuously until the bechamel sauce is smooth and no lumps remain. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and freshly grated nutmeg, and stir to combine. Don't forget to remove the bay leaf!

Coat a disposable 9x13x4 inch-deep casserole pan with 1 teaspoon of butter or use cooking spray. Layer the potatoes on the bottom of the pan. Top with half of the meat and sauce mixture. Add mozzarella, if using, and half of the eggplant.
Add the remaining meat, using a slotted spoon in case there's still too much liquid in the sauce. Top with the remaining eggplant slices.
Sprinkle the eggplant with shredded Asiago cheese then pour the creamy béchamel sauce over the eggplant.

Preheat oven to 375°F
Carefully place the casserole pan on a foil-lined baking sheet to catch any overflowing juices. Bake, uncovered, for 40 minutes or until hot and bubbly, and the top layer starts to brown.

Allow the moussaka to rest for 20 to 30 minutes so that it doesn't fall apart when you serve it. Slice and serve with creamy Greek pasta salad, tabouli, and pita bread to soak up the juices.

The reason we salt the eggplant slices is that the salt will draw out the bitter flavor and extra moisture from the eggplant.
Eggplants are like sponges and will absorb as much oil as you give them which is why I use the oil sparingly, just enough to get them golden.
The potatoes only need to be cooked for a few minutes because they will continue to cook in the casserole. Another option is to bake them in the oven.
I don't peel the potatoes and eggplant before frying them because they add more flavor and fiber. However, peel away if you'd like!
Another healthier option is to bake the eggplant in the oven instead of frying them. All you have to do is spray them with non-stick cooking spray and bake them for 10 minutes on each side at 400 degrees F.
If you decide to use a cinnamon stick (or part of one) be sure to remove it once the sauce has cooked down and thickened.
The reason you don't want to add too much sauce to the casserole is that unlike lasagna, where the noodles can absorb the sauce, there's only so much that eggplant and potatoes can absorb. This will leave too much liquid in the pan and make the mussaka hard to slice and serve.
Try substituting zucchini for eggplant. Just follow the same procedure to sweat the zucchini slices first to remove the excess moisture.
If you have extra sauce left don't toss it! Enjoy it over pasta instead.
Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days.