Greek moussaka — the layered casserole of eggplant, potato, meat sauce and cheesy béchamel — is about as delicious as Mediterranean comfort food gets. This recipe mixes in zucchini for a denser vegetable base layer. The scent of cinnamon, oregano, ginger and red wine in the tomato-based sauce will spark appetites and memories. Moussaka is traditionally served in large pieces, undoubtedly to reward the cravings that the aromas arouse.
Traditional Moussaka with Zucchini
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 40 minutes
Servings 6
Calories 696 kcal
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. eggplant thinly sliced
- 1-½ lbs. white potato thinly sliced
- 1 lb. zucchini thinly sliced
- Salt
- Olive oil spray
- 1-1/2 lbs. ground beef or lamb
- ½ tsp. cinnamon
- ½ tsp. oregano
- ½ tsp. ginger
- ¼ tsp. allspice
- 1/8 tsp. cayenne
- Salt to taste
- Pepper to taste
- 1 large yellow onion chopped
- 1 red bell pepper chopped
- 1 serrano pepper chopped
- 5 cloves garlic chopped
- 2 Tbsp. tomato paste
- ¾ cup red wine
- 1 cup tomato puree
- ½ tsp. sugar
- 1 tsp. Better than Bouillon Beef Base
- 1 cup water
Béchamel Sauce
- 4 oz. butter
- 4 oz. flour
- 4 cups milk
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese or hard cheese of choice
- 2 egg yolks
- ½ tsp. salt
- Bay leaf
- ¼ tsp. white pepper
- ¼ tsp. grated nutmeg
Instructions
-
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
-
Sprinkle eggplant with salt and place between paper towels for 15 minutes to draw out moisture.
-
On roasting pan, arrange eggplant and spray evenly with olive oil; roast for 20 minutes or until cooked through.
-
In large pan over medium-high heat, add beef/lamb, cinnamon, oregano, ginger, allspice, cayenne, salt and pepper and brown for 5 minutes. Drain and set aside.
-
To pan, add onion and bell pepper and sauté 5 minutes. Add serrano pepper and garlic and cook until fragrant, about 5 minutes, then stir in tomato paste and cook for 1 minute.
-
Stir meat into pepper and onion mixture, add red wine and cook for 5 minutes, until reduced and wine is almost evaporated.
-
Add tomato puree, bring to boil then reduce to simmer. Add sugar, bouillon and water, stir to combine. Let simmer.
-
In 3-quart baking dish, layer potato first, then zucchini, followed by half of eggplant. Add beef mixture, then top with remaining eggplant.
-
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
-
To make béchamel sauce, in saucepan over medium heat, melt butter then stir in flour until well combined.
-
Slowly whisk in milk and stir until thickened, 5-10 minutes. Add salt, bay leaf, nutmeg and pepper. Remove from heat and stir in cheese until melted. Whisk in egg yolks. Once well combined, pour over eggplant in baking dish.
-
Bake for 45 minutes. Let rest 20 minutes before serving.
Recipe Notes
Add the ingredients to your cart!
Nutrition Facts
Traditional Moussaka with Zucchini
Amount Per Serving
Calories 696
Calories from Fat 324
% Daily Value*
Fat 36g55%
Saturated Fat 20g100%
Trans Fat 1g
Polyunsaturated Fat 2g
Monounsaturated Fat 10g
Cholesterol 167mg56%
Sodium 936mg39%
Potassium 1705mg49%
Carbohydrates 66g22%
Fiber 11g44%
Sugar 21g23%
Protein 26g52%
Vitamin A 2136IU43%
Vitamin C 73mg88%
Calcium 442mg44%
Iron 5mg28%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.