How to Make Greek Moussaka

Moussaka is an iconic Greek recipe made of layered eggplant, potato, meat sauce and topped with a creamy béchamel. This traditional Greek casserole dish is served all over Greece, and now you can learn how to make Greek moussaka at home.

Growing up in a Greek home, moussaka was a meal that was made pretty regularly. My parents probably made it once a month, and none of us every tired of it! There is something so comforting and nostalgic about this iconic Greek meal. Knowing that the person who prepared it dedicated time and effort in making each layer just right is a very special feeling. As kids, I am not sure that my siblings and I thought about it that way – all we knew is that we loved it!

Why I love this recipe

Welcome to the very first Mia Kouppa post…again!  It is so wonderful that you are here! This recipe will always hold a special place in my heart.

When Billie and I were trying to decide which recipe to launch our website with, the decision was easy.  We chose a meal which typically sends shivers of fear down the backs of Greeks and non-Greeks alike.  The mighty moussaka! Often ridiculed for sounding like the excrement of wild deer, and feared for its many steps and layers, moussaka truly is a celebratory meal, and we have a lot to celebrate!  We hope you do too.

My parents’ moussaka has its own twist, and I am SO happy to share their recipe with you all.  My parents very rarely use butter.  For them, olive oil is gold, and finds itself in most dishes.  So, the béchamel sauce which forms the top layer of their moussaka is made with olive oil (crazy right!?).

My parents also use lactose free milk and at times broil the eggplants instead of frying them.  Both instructions are below. This results in a light meal which does not leave you feeling heavy and bloated. Instead, you will be left feeling incredibly happy.  Their moussaka is, in fact, divine.  So set aside a few hours, put on some Greek music and get ready to send your taste buds to Greece (or at least, to my parents’ kitchen).

Key ingredients

Eggplant This is an essential ingredient in moussaka. I usually use the regular purple globe eggplants – ideally ones that are either small or medium sized.

Potato Any potato will do technically (not sweet potatoes of course) but my preference is to use yellow fleshed or Yukon Gold potatoes. They are creamy, flavourful and perfect in this recipe.

For the meat sauce

Ground meat I like to use a combination of ground veal and ground lamb to make moussaka. A great balance of flavour!

Onion I use a yellow onion which caramelizes really well and has a subtle sweet flavour.

Olive oil I sauté the onion in olive oil for the best flavour. Of course, I only use Greek olive oil.

Tomato sauce I use homemade tomato sauce whenever I can. Otherwise, a good quality passata works well too.

Cinnamon Greeks often add cinnamon to savoury meat dishes. It may sound unusual, but trust me, it is amazing!

Salt & pepper Basic seasonings which make almost everything taste better!

For the béchamel sauce

Olive oil My Greek parents taught me that the best way to make béchamel is to use olive oil – and I agree! The olive oil makes for a delicious and light béchamel. I use Greek olive oil of course!

Milk I have made this béchamel sauce with lactose-free milk, full lactose milk, skim milk, full fat milk and everything in between. Any dairy milk will work well in this sauce.

Flour All purpose flour, also known as plain or regular flour, is used to help thicken up the sauce.

Eggs I use large eggs in this béchamel, and they add richness to the sauce.

Nutmeg A tough of nutmeg goes a long way to adding flavour to the sauce.

Breadcrumbs I like to add a sprinkling of plain breadcrumbs on top of my béchamel sauce before baking it. It adds a lovely texture to the moussaka.

Mizithra cheese This is a hard Greek cheese made of sheep milk or a combination of sheep and goat milk. Mizithra is salty and really quite delicious.

Feta (optional) Sometimes I also add some crumbled feta on top of the eggplant layer. This is a nice addition, but really not necessary.

How to make it

There are many steps to making a moussaka. I have tried to describe things in a way which makes it easier to follow and easier to plan; you can do some of these steps in advance.

Instructions – Meat layer

Step 1
In a medium sized saucepan fry the finely diced onion in the 3/4 cup olive oil until the onion is soft and slightly caramelized. Add your ground meat to the pot, breaking it apart so that you don’t have clumps of meat sticking together.

Step 2
Add the tomato sauce, water, salt, cinnamon and pepper and cook over medium heat, covered, for one hour.

Step 3
Check your pot frequently and stir your meat mixture. If it appears to be drying out, simply add more tomato sauce or water. When the hour is done, taste and adjust seasoning if required. Set aside.

Instructions – Potatoes

Step 1
Peel and slice your potatoes into rounds, about 1/4 inch thick. If you have a mandolin, this would be a good time to use it…otherwise use a knife (and be careful!).

Step 2
Soak your potatoes in cold water for approximately 10 minutes. Drain and salt the potatoes.

Step 3
Place approximately 1 inch of vegetable oil into a frying pan and fry the potato rounds in batches. (You can check if your oil is ready by dropping in one sacrificial potato slice and waiting for it to start frying.)

Step 4
Fry the potatoes until they are golden brown on both sides and then drain them on paper towels.

Instructions – Eggplant

Step 1
Slice eggplants lengthwise (maybe you should get a mandolin) and soak them in cold water for approximately 10 minutes.

Step 2
Drain eggplant slices and salt them evenly using 1 tsp salt.

Step 3
Broiling: Turn your oven on broil. Line your baking tray with parchment paper. Place eggplant slices on tray, being careful not to overlap the slices.

Brush top side with olive oil and broil for 5 – 10 minutes. Flip eggplant slices over, brush top side with olive oil and return to broil for another 5 – 10 minutes.You will have to repeat this step several times (broil in batches) in order to cook all your eggplant. Set aside.

OR

Frying: Heat you oil over medium heat; you can use the same pan you used to fry the potatoes. Fry the eggplant slices until they are golden brown on both sides. Remove and place on a plate lined with paper towels to remove excess oil. Continue until all of your eggplant is fried. You will have to do this in batches.

Instructions – Béchamel sauce

Step 1
Heat 1/2 cup olive oil in a heavy saucepan over medium heat.

Step 2
Add 1 cup flour and mix continuously so that flour does not burn and cook for approximately 2 to 3 minutes.

Step 3
Slowly add the milk and then slowly stream in the beaten eggs. You must stir this mixture constantly with a wooden spoon or whisk. Add 1 tsp salt.

Step 4
Cook béchamel sauce for about 10 minutes, until it has thickened but pours easily. You can tell your sauce is ready if it coats a wooden spoon and you can draw a line across it with your finger.

Instructions – Assembly

Step 1
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Step 2
Pour any juices from the meat mixture into the bottom of a 11 x 14 inch pan. If there are no juices, oil the bottom of the pan slightly with some olive oil.

Step 3
Layer the fried potato slices on the bottom of pan. It is fine if they overlap. On top of potatoes layer the meat mixture using a slotted spoon to drain off any excess liquid. Sprinkle meat with a light dusting of nutmeg.

Step 4
Layer the eggplant slices on top of meat. Add crumbled feta cheese over eggplant (optional)

Step 5
Pour béchamel sauce over eggplant, spreading it evenly so that all eggplant is covered.

Step 6
Sprinkle the béchamel with breadcrumbs and mizithra. Bake for 40 minutes until heated through and top is golden brown. Enjoy.

Recipe substitutions

I use a mixture of ground veal and lamb to make moussaka, but you can use one or the other. You can also use some ground pork.

This recipe calls for aged mizithra which is a hard crumbly cheese made with leftover whey from the production of other cheeses which is then combined with either sheep or goat milk. If you can’t find it, be a little bit sad, and then substitute grated parmesan or romano cheese.

I use lactose free milk in my béchamel sauce the way my parents do. You can use any dairy milk you want to however.

Cooking tips

Although it can appear intimidating, I think you will discover that making moussaka is actually quite straightforward.  With some advance planning you can even whip this together during a weeknight, impressing your family (unless you house teenagers, in which case little you do will impress them) and delighting your co-workers when you pack some up for lunch the next day.

The various layers of moussaka (except for the béchamel ) can be made in advance and kept in the refrigerator for a day or two. This will make baking your dinner a breeze.

You can prepare the meat sauce ahead of time; just make sure you drain it before storing it. Keep about 3 tablespoons of the liquid to line the bottom of your pan when it’s time to assemble your moussaka. You can also prepare the potatoes and eggplant ahead of time as well.

This recipe was made for an 11 x 14 inch baking pan, but moussaka is actually very versatile and very forgiving. If you have a smaller pan, don’t worry. You can easily half the recipe for a pan half the size.  Otherwise,  keep the quantities the same and you’ll either be faced with enough ingredients to make two smaller pans of moussaka, or you can toss any leftovers in the fridge and use them in other recipes. The ground meat can be used to make makaronia me kima (Greek spaghetti with meat sauce), the eggplant can be used in sandwiches or chopped up in a salad, and the fried potatoes can be eaten with ketchup and a smile. As for the béchamel sauce, you can maybe use it to make some macaroni and cheese (this is admittedly not very Greek).

My parents often prepare their eggplant slices by broiling them. If you do decide to broil you eggplant, be careful and keep a close watch. Ovens vary and you don’t want to burn the eggplants. If you’re a baker, not a broiler, no worries. You can also prepare the eggplant in exactly the same way, but instead of setting your oven to broil, bake the eggplant slices in a 350 degree oven. Just note that it will take the eggplant almost twice as long to cook this way. Another option is to fry the eggplant slices.

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