Cooking made easy
Let our assistant inspire your next meal!
Simply provide a recipe idea or the ingredients you have, and
ScrummyChef will instantly come up with a new recipe just for you.

Classic Greek Moussaka

4.8
Save
Rate
Tap to rate
PREP TIME
30 min
COOKING TIME
95 min
TOTAL TIME
170 min
SERVINGS
8 servings
Dinner Greek
Classic Greek Moussaka
Ingredients
  • 4 medium eggplants, cut lengthwise into 1/3-inch slices
  • salt to taste
  • 4 cups milk
  • 1 stick butter
  • 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 3 large egg yolks, beaten
  • 7 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 2 medium onions, grated
  • 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 pound lean ground beef
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1/2 teaspoon white sugar
  • 1 pinch ground cinnamon
  • salt and ground black pepper to taste
  • 1 (14 ounce) can tomato sauce
  • 4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
  • 1 large egg white, lightly beaten
  • 1 1/2 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
1
Pre-treat the sliced eggplant by sprinkling it with salt and placing it in a colander over a sink or on a plate. Allow this process to take place for 30 minutes to an hour, allowing the salt to draw out any unwanted bitterness from the eggplant.
2
Simultaneously, prepare the bechamel sauce by heating milk in a saucepan until almost boiling point. In a separate skillet, melt butter over medium heat and whisk in flour to create a smooth paste. Gradually pour in the hot milk, whisking constantly until the sauce thickens to your liking. Season with salt and then remove from heat, allowing it to cool slightly.
3
After the eggplant has been treated, rinse it under cold running water and remove excess moisture by gently squeezing out the liquid. Pat the eggplant dry with paper towels before moving on to the next step.
4
In a separate bowl, whisk together egg yolks and the cooled bechamel sauce until well combined.
5
In a large skillet, heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Cook the eggplant slices in batches until they are lightly browned on both sides, approximately 3 minutes per side. Remove the cooked eggplant from the skillet and place it on a large plate lined with paper towels.
6
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit (190 degrees Celsius). Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with olive oil to prevent the moussaka from sticking.
7
In a separate skillet, heat 4 tablespoons of olive oil over low heat. Cook the grated onion until it is soft and fragrant, about 4 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook for an additional minute. Increase the heat to medium-high and add ground beef, cooking and stirring until it is browned and crumbly, approximately 5 minutes. Season with allspice, sugar, cinnamon, salt, and pepper.
8
Stir in the tomato sauce and bring to a simmer. Cook until all excess liquid has evaporated, leaving a dry mixture, about 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in chopped parsley and remove from heat, allowing it to cool slightly before adding the egg white.
9
Arrange a layer of cooked eggplant in the prepared baking dish. Cover it with all of the beef mixture and sprinkle with 1/3 of the Parmesan cheese. Cover with remaining eggplant and sprinkle another 1/3 of Parmesan cheese on top. Pour the bechamel sauce over the top and sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese.
10
Bake in a preheated oven until the top of the moussaka is set and golden, approximately 45 minutes to an hour. Remove from oven and let rest at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing and serving.