Carlos Solis
Due to its layered structure and similar cooking method—where ingredients are arranged in layers and baked until golden brown—this dish is often compared to Italian lasagna. Moussaka is a traditional dish in Greek, Bulgarian, Romanian, and Turkish cuisines, and it has long been popular in other countries across the Balkan region and the Middle East.
Ingredients: ground meat (lamb, beef, or a mix) – 500 g; potatoes – 3; tomatoes – 2; eggplant – 1; zucchini or courgette – 1; onion – 1; Parmesan cheese – 50 g; tomato paste – 1 tablespoon; thyme – a few sprigs; oil – 2 tablespoons; salt and pepper – to taste.
Ingredients for Béchamel Sauce: milk – 500 ml; butter – 50 g; flour – 50 g; salt and pepper – to taste.
Preparation
This simple moussaka recipe requires only time to prepare the ingredients. Peel the potatoes and slice them thinly. Peel and slice the eggplant and zucchini (or courgette). Layer the prepared slices in a baking dish.
For the Béchamel sauce, melt the butter, add the flour, and sauté until it turns a light nutty color, about 2–3 minutes (over low heat, stirring continuously to prevent burning). Pour in the milk, add salt and pepper. Cook the sauce, stirring, until it reaches a creamy consistency. Drizzle half of the prepared sauce over the vegetables.
Peel the onion and chop it into small pieces. Sauté the onion in oil in a heated skillet until soft, then add the ground meat, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, thyme, salt, and pepper. Mix well and cook the meat for a few minutes until done, then spread it over the vegetables with the sauce, distributing it evenly with a spatula.
Pour the remaining half of the Béchamel sauce over the meat, and top it with grated cheese for added flavor and heartiness. Bake the moussaka for 30 minutes at 180°C.
Life Hack
Reheat and stir the béchamel sauce if it thickens too much as it cools to make it easier to pour evenly over the layers. Use pre-grated Parmesan to save time.
