Moussaka — Greek Eggplant & Lamb Bake
The grand Greek bake: layers of roasted eggplant and potato, a cinnamon-scented lamb ragù, and a thick béchamel browned on top. A weekend project that rewards every minute.
Salt and roast eggplant slices until tender. Make a lamb ragù with onion, garlic, tomato, red wine, cinnamon, and allspice; simmer thick. Make a thick béchamel enriched with egg yolks and a little cheese. Layer potato, eggplant, ragù, then béchamel; bake at 180°C / 360°F for 45 minutes until deep golden. Rest before cutting.
- Salt the eggplant and roast (don't fry) — it stays tender without soaking up litres of oil.
- The ragù must be thick and dry, not soupy, or the moussaka slumps when cut.
- Rest it 20+ minutes (ideally longer) so the layers set into clean slices.
Equipment
- Large deep baking dish (~3 L)
- Several baking sheets
- Saucepan for béchamel
- Whisk
食材
Vegetables
- 3 large eggplants, sliced 1 cm
- 2 large potatoes, sliced 5 mm
- 60 ml olive oil, for roasting
Lamb ragù
- 30 ml olive oil
- 1 onion, finely diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 700 g ground lamb
- 60 ml red wine
- 400 g crushed tomatoes
- 30 g tomato paste
- 3 g ground cinnamon
- 2 g ground allspice
- Salt and pepper
Béchamel
- 80 g butter
- 80 g plain flour
- 800 ml warm milk
- 2 egg yolks
- 60 g grated kefalotyri or parmesan
- Pinch of nutmeg
步驟
- 步驟01
Salt the eggplant slices and rest 20 minutes; pat dry. Brush with oil and roast at 200°C / 400°F until tender and golden, 20–25 minutes. Roast the potato slices similarly until just tender.
- 步驟02
Soften the onion in oil, add garlic, then brown the lamb well. Add wine and reduce. Add tomatoes, paste, cinnamon, and allspice. Simmer 20–25 minutes until thick and dry. Season.
- 步驟03
Melt butter, whisk in flour, cook 1 minute. Whisk in the warm milk gradually until thick and smooth. Off the heat, whisk in the yolks, cheese, and nutmeg.
- 步驟04
Heat the oven to 180°C / 360°F. Layer potato on the bottom of the dish, then half the eggplant, then all the ragù, then the rest of the eggplant. Pour the béchamel over and smooth the top.
- 步驟05
Bake 45 minutes until the top is deep golden and set. If it browns too fast, tent with foil.
- 步驟06
Rest at least 20 minutes — moussaka cut hot collapses into a delicious mess. It firms into clean layers as it cools slightly.
Make ahead
Assemble fully a day ahead and refrigerate; bake from chilled (add 15 minutes). Or freeze. The flavors deepen overnight and it slices more cleanly the next day.
Storage
5 days refrigerated and better the next day. Reheat covered. Freezes 3 months, baked or assembled.
Variations
Vegetarian
Replace lamb with brown lentils and chopped mushrooms; add a splash of soy for depth.
With zucchini
Add a layer of roasted zucchini alongside the eggplant.
Lighter top
Use a yogurt-egg topping instead of béchamel for a tangier, lighter bake.
Serve with
Nutrition per serving
Nutrition values are estimates based on the metric measurements. Adjust as needed.
常見問題
Should I fry or roast the eggplant?
Roast. Fried eggplant soaks up enormous amounts of oil and makes the moussaka greasy. Salting and roasting gives tender, golden slices without the grease.
Why is my moussaka watery?
Usually a too-wet ragù or under-roasted vegetables. The meat sauce should be thick and dry, and the eggplant and potato roasted until tender so they don't release water in the bake.
Why rest before cutting?
Cut hot, the layers slide apart. Resting 20+ minutes lets the béchamel and ragù set so you get clean, architectural slices. It's even better the next day.
What cheese is traditional?
Kefalotyri, a hard salty Greek cheese, in the béchamel and between layers. Parmesan or pecorino are fine substitutes.
Can I make it ahead?
Yes — it's a great make-ahead bake. Assemble and refrigerate up to a day, or freeze. It reheats and slices beautifully.
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