Traditional Greek Moussaka Recipe
This traditional Greek moussaka recipe layers golden potatoes, fried eggplant, rich ground beef in tomato sauce, and a creamy béchamel topping for the ultimate comfort food.
Ingredients
- 5 potatoes thinly sliced into ½ cm (1/5 inch) rounds
- 6 eggplants thinly sliced into ½ cm (1/5 inch) rounds
- sunflower oil for frying
- breadcrumbs for sprinkling
- (For a lighter option, see Chef’s Tip below.)
Meat Sauce:
- 800 g ground beef
- 60 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 1 onion finely diced
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 2 all-spiced berries
- 100 ml red wine
- 400 g canned tomato
- 2 tsp honey
- salt
- pepper
Bechamel Sauce:
- 100 g butter at room temperature
- 100 g all-purpose flour
- 900 l full-fat milk
- 100 g grated graviera cheese (or Gruyère/Parmesan as substitutes)
- freshly grated nutmeg
- 1 egg
- salt
- pepper
Instructions
Prepare the Vegetables:
- Heat a generous amount of sunflower oil in a large pan over medium-high heat.
- Fry the potato slices until golden, then transfer to a plate lined with paper towels.
- Repeat with the eggplant slices until lightly golden, then drain on paper towels.
Cook the Meat Sauce:
- Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and sauté until softened and lightly caramelized.
- Stir in the ground beef, breaking it up with a spoon. Cook until browned. Add tomato paste, bay leaf, cinnamon sticks, and allspice berries. Stir well.
- Pour in the red wine, add salt and pepper, then cook for 2 minutes until the alcohol evaporates.
- Add canned tomatoes, reduce the heat to medium, and simmer for about 30 minutes, until thickened.
- Then remove the bay leaf, the allspice berries and the cinnamon stick. Add honey, stir and set the meat aside.
For the bechamel:
- Place a saucepan over medium heat and add the butter. Once melted, add flour and stir using a whisk and wait until the mixture is slightly cooked.
- Gradually add the milk, whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Cook until the sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon.
- Remove from the heat, then stir in half of the grated cheese, nutmeg, salt, and pepper.
- Beat in the egg until smooth and creamy.
Assemble the Moussaka
- Preheat the oven to grill/broil setting.
- Grease a 32×25 cm (12.5" × 10") baking dish and sprinkle the bottom with breadcrumbs. Layer the fried potatoes, followed by the eggplants.
- Spread the meat sauce evenly over the vegetables. Pour the béchamel on top and smooth the surface. Sprinkle with the remaining grated cheese.
- Place under the broiler (grill) for about 20 minutes, until the béchamel is golden brown.
- Once the moussaka is ready, let it cool for 30 minutes, then slice into serving-sized pieces and serve.
Notes
Chef's Tip: To make this moussaka lighter, you can cook the vegetables in the oven in 200°C/ 320°F for about 10 to 15 minutes, until they soften.
If you prefer the more traditional finish, bake the assembled moussaka at 180°C / 350°F for 30–40 minutes, which allows the layers to set more firmly and the flavors to meld deeply.
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