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Authentic Moussaka Recipe Greece, Europe
JUMP TO RECIPEWe strongly advise you to read the cooking tips before jumping to the recipe though
Introduction & history
Although it is regularly associated with Greek cuisine, moussaka is one of those dishes with an unclear origin — it is deeply loved and appreciated through the entire Greece, Turkey, Levant, Balkans and the Middle East. It is served as a main course and consists of layers of aubergine (eggplant) and ground or minced lamb meat in a form of a casserole, covered in thick and creamy béchamel sauce and baked until golden. This kind of preparation is characteristic for Greece, although on some Greek islands, such as Crete and Rhodes, zucchini and potatoes might be added to the aubergine. In the Balkans, moussaka is prepared in Albania, Bulgaria, Bosnia, Croatia, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Romania, Slovenia and Serbia: potatoes are used instead of eggplant, and minced lamb meat is replaced with ground beef or pork. Turkish musakka, on the other hand, is not layered, and the Egyptians prepare their version with beef and eggplant dipped in tomato sauce and fried. Levant countries ... Read more
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Cooking tips
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meat
Traditional Greek moussaka opts for a piece of minced or ground lamb, and most chefs agree that it is best to use a lamb gammon, since it has the right proportion of muscle and fat. Old school recipes suggest mincing the meat rather than grounding it. Lamb is often replaced with beef in the Balkan versions of the recipe. The meat is prepared on caramelized onion and garlic and cooked on high heat.... Read more -
vegetables
The key to a tasty moussaka is in fresh, ripe vegetables — aubergines and zucchini — which need to be thinly sliced and salted prior to baking in order to extract any excessive liquid. If you include the potatoes in the recipe, bear in mind that they have longer preparation time. -
béchamel sauce
The ingredient that gives creaminess and juiciness to this dish, the béchamel sauce needs to be completely lump-free. Use a whisker to reach the desired consistency, prepare on low or medium flame and add the milk gradually during preparation. -
baking
Although baking moussaka in a regular baking pan is quite common, baking this dish in a ceramic or a glazed terracotta pan will preserve its rich flavors and give a certain authentic feel.
Recipe variations
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Traditional Greek Moussaka
Ready in 1h 30minAdapted from VisitGreece.gr, Greece's official tourism website, run by the Greek National Tourism Organisation, this recipe is a fail-proof way of preparing moussaka, the way it is done in Greek households. Although the recipe itself is described as seemingly complicated, the precisely described steps will make it an easy task even for culinary beginners. Interestingly enough, there are no suggestions on which meat to use, so the traditional choice would be lamb, with beef as the acceptable alternative. This moussaka can also be made only with potatoes, potatoes and eggplants or with eggplants, potatoes, and pumpkins.
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Modern Style Greek Moussaka
Ready in 1h 30minThis recipe was published by a young and popular Greek chef Akis Petretzikis, who enriched the traditional eggplant variation with the addition of zucchini and potatoes. Being aware that the traditional Kefalotyri cheese used for topping might not be available to people outside Greece, he proposed to replace it with more widespread Italian Parmesan cheese. Also, Petretzikis suggests changing the minced lamb with ground beef, as the strong smell of the lamb might not appeal to everyone. It is often said that the Greek cuisine has four secrets: quality fresh ingredients, correct use of herbs and spices, the famous Greek olive oil and simplicity. Although this recipe might take some time and effort, the result is worth the trouble.
Traditional Greek Moussaka
PREP 15min
COOK 1h 15min
READY IN 1h 30min
Adapted from VisitGreece.gr, Greece's official tourism website, run by the Greek National Tourism Organisation, this recipe is a fail-proof way of preparing moussaka, the way it is done in Greek households. Although the recipe itself is described as seemingly complicated, the precisely described steps will make it an easy task even for culinary beginners. Interestingly enough, there are no suggestions on which meat to use, so the traditional choice would be lamb, with beef as the acceptable alternative. This moussaka can also be made only with potatoes, potatoes and eggplants or with eggplants, potatoes, and pumpkins.
Ingredients
Traditional Greek Moussaka
1 lb chopped meat
3 tbsp butter or lard
3 tbsp chopped onions
1 cup tomato sauce
1/2 cup dry breadcrumbs
1 cup grated cheese
2 tbsp chopped parsley
1 cup white wine
1 cup water
3 or 4 round eggplants (medium size)
salt
ground pepper
ground nutmeg
FOR THE BÉCHAMEL SAUCE
1 quart milk
1 cup flour
3-4 tbsp butter
2 eggs
salt
white pepper
grated nutmeg
Preparation
1
Traditional Greek Moussaka
Step 1/8
Heat the butter or lard and sauté chopped onions until browned. Next, add the meat and stir until mixture reaches crumbly texture.
Step 2/8
Stir in tomato sauce, wine, water, salt, pepper, parsley and nutmeg.
Step 3/8
Use a lid to cover the pan and cook over low heat for one hour.
Step 4/8
Cut the eggplants in thick slices. Sprinkle with salt and let strain in a colander. Fry the eggplant slices in deep fat, and strain again. Moussaka can be made using other vegetables, such as potatoes, the combination of potatoes and eggplants, or eggplants, potatoes and pumpkins.
Step 5/8
Prepare the béchamel by slowly heating milk, flour, butter, salt, white pepper and grated nutmeg. Add the eggs, and whisk until thick and completely smooth.
Step 6/8
Place the eggplants in shallow pan and sprinkle with breadcrumbs. Remove the meat from stove and stir in half the amount of grated cheese and half of breadcrumbs. Using a spoon, spread an even layer of cooked meat over the fried eggplants.
Step 7/8
Pour the béchamel sauce over the meat and eggplants. Place the remaining cheese and breadcrumbs on top. Finish with melted butter and bake for 15 minutes. The moussaka is done when the top has turned golden brown.
Step 8/8
Allow to cool and serve cut in squares.
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