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Greek Moussaka
Greece's showstopper layered bake — spiced lamb meat sauce, roasted eggplant, and a thick béchamel top, baked to golden brown.
40 mins
90 mins
8 people
Greek
Eggplant
Sliced 1cm, salted and drained
3 large
Ground lamb (or beef)
800g
Onion
Diced
2
Garlic
5 cloves
Canned crushed tomatoes
400g
Cinnamon
1 tsp
Allspice
1/2 tsp
Oregano
1 tsp
Red wine
150ml
Butter
For béchamel
80g
Plain flour
80g
Whole milk
800ml
Nutmeg
1/2 tsp
Parmesan or kefalotyri
Grated
100g
🍽️ Kefalotyri cheese
→ Parmesan or Pecorino Romano
Similar hard, salty aged cheese profile
Salt eggplant slices, leave 30 minutes, pat dry. Brush with olive oil, roast at 200°C until golden.
💡 Pro Tip: Pre-roasting eggplant removes bitterness and excess water that would make moussaka soggy.
Brown lamb in a pan, add onion and garlic. Add spices, wine, tomatoes. Simmer until thick (20-25 mins).
💡 Pro Tip: Meat sauce must be very thick and almost dry — excess liquid makes the whole dish wet.
Make béchamel: melt butter, whisk in flour, cook 2 mins. Gradually add warm milk, whisk smooth. Add nutmeg and cheese.
💡 Pro Tip: Warm milk prevents lumps. Add a small amount at first while whisking vigorously.
Layer in a deep dish: eggplant → meat sauce → eggplant → pour béchamel over top.
💡 Pro Tip: Béchamel layer must be thick — restaurants use at least 2cm of béchamel on top.
Bake at 180°C for 45 minutes until top is deeply golden. Rest 30 minutes before slicing.
💡 Pro Tip: The rest is crucial — moussaka falls apart if cut when hot. 30 minutes minimum.
- ✓Pre-roast eggplant — essential to remove bitterness
- ✓Meat sauce must be thick and dry, not wet
- ✓Béchamel must be generous
- ✓30-minute rest before cutting
- →With a simple green salad
- →With crusty bread
- →As a main course for a Greek feast