Moussaka
Here is my personal version of this famous recipe from the eastern Mediterranean. It's a kind of gratin, made with layers of aubergines, cooked meat with tomatos and bechamel sauce with cheese.
2 hours 55 min.
Easy
6 people
13 IngredientsLast modified on: August 1st 2011
For 6 people, you will need:
- 1
3 egg-plants or aubergine - 2
4 tomatoes - 3
1 onion - 4
2 cups + 2 tablespoons minced beef - 5
1 ½ cup bechamel sauce - 6
4 tablespoons olive oil - 7
1 bouquet garni - 8
2 cloves garlic - 9
1 cup feta - 10 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 11
salt - 12
pepper - 13
½ cup grated cheese
Change measures:
Times for this recipe
Preparation: 1 hour 30 min.
Cooking: 1 hour 25 min.
All in all: 2 hours 55 min.
If you start now, at , you will finish around : ?.Change start time
To finish around 7pm, you'll need to have started before: .Change end time
Step by step recipe
Stage 1 - 20 min.
Wash 3 egg-plants or aubergine and cut into thin slices.
Salt them and put in a strainer for about one hour, until some of the juice runs out.
Salt them and put in a strainer for about one hour, until some of the juice runs out.
Stage 3 - 5 min.
Stage 4 - 1 min.
Heat 4 tablespoons olive oil in a large pan. When hot put in the aubergine slices.
Stage 5 - 5 min.
Cook for 4 or 5 minutes while stirring, then transfer onto absorbant paper.
Stage 6 - 1 min.
In the same pan heat 4 tablespoons olive oil. When hot, add the chopped onion and cook for one minute.
Add 2 cups + 2 tablespoons minced beef.
Add 2 cups + 2 tablespoons minced beef.
Stage 7 - 20 min.
Cook meat until it browned, then salt, pepper, and add 1 bouquet garni and 2 cloves garlic en chemise.
Stage 8 - 1 min.
Add tomatoes.
Stage 9 - 30 min.
Mix well, cover, and cook on low heat for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Stage 10 - 3 min.
After this time, uncover, discard bouquet garni and garlic.
Stage 11 - 20 min.
Prepare bechamel sauce. When ready add 1 cup feta in small pieces.
Stage 12 - 3 min.
Preheat oven to 392°F (200°C).
Butter a gratin dish, and arrange half the aubergine slices in a layer in the bottoom.
Butter a gratin dish, and arrange half the aubergine slices in a layer in the bottoom.
Stage 13 - 3 min.
Cover with half the meat.
Stage 14 - 3 min.
Cover with half the bechamel.
Stage 15 - 10 min.
Repeat these 3 layers, and finish by sprinkling with some cheese.
Stage 16 - 30 min.
Cook in the oven until top is golden brown (about 30 minutes).
Remarks
As with all gratin style dishes, moussaka can be made in advance, even frozen to be reheated when required.
Keeping: Several days in the fridge, in a closed jar.
Source: Home made.
Nutritional information
| Proteins (gr) | Carbohydrates (gr) | Fats (gr) | Energy value (in k-calories) | Energy value (in k-joules) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whole recipe | 210 RDI=80 % | 230 RDI=20 % | 410 RDI=60 % | 4,230 RDI=210 % | 17,700 RDI: 210 % |
| Per 100 g | 8 RDI=3 % | 9 RDI=1 % | 20 RDI=2 % | 170 RDI=8 % | 700 RDI: 8 % |
| Per person | 30 RDI=10 % | 40 RDI=4 % | 70 RDI=10 % | 700 RDI=40 % | 2,950 RDI: 40 % |
How much will it cost?
- For 6 people : 13.35 €
- Per person : 2.25 €
Change currency: 
Note: Be careful, these prices are only an estimate, you can consult the table of prices by ingredients used for this estimate.
This recipe uses (among others)
Minced beef
Like these other recipes: Enchiladas, Chicano burger, Hamburgers, Spaghetti Bolognese, Express chilli con carne, ... See them all 14
Bechamel sauce
You can get more informations, or check-out other recipes which use it, for example: Croque-monsieur potatoes, Endives , Croque-monsieur, Spinach parmentier, Spinach and cauliflower with sesame béchamel sauce, ... See them all 30
Feta
Like these other recipes: Cretan salad, Souda salad, Greek style sandwiches, Feta and spinach brik pie, Pasta with cherry tomatoes, olives and feta cheese, ... See them all 25
Grated cheese
Like these other recipes: Cheese Soufflé, Baker's chicken and potato tart, Potato and broccoli gratin, Manou's zucchinis garnished, Bourguignon potatoes , ... See them all 72
Other recipes you may also like
Confectioner's custard (Crème pâtissière, or French pastry cream)
Quite similar to crème anglaise but much thicker. It is used in many pastries like choux pastry (pâte à choux) or millefeuille.January 27th 2017758 K 313.7 40 min.
You should not soak strawberries in water
When using strawberries in a recipe, the usual way is to soak in water, which is actually a very bad idea. Just look at how to preserve them here.February 21th 2011169 K3 10 min.
How to prepare egg glaze
Bakers and pastry chefs use a glaze ("dorure" in French - the same word as for gilding) made with whole full eggs, beaten in a blender. This is used with a brush on pastry that would not naturally brown during cooking (brioche, puff pastry, ...).October 17th 2018314 K4.3 2 min.
Stewed apricots
Here is how to make delicious stewed apricots, both an easy and a more sophisticated way.July 12th 2023795 K 143.5 1 hour 20 min.
Poaching syrup
Less sweet than normal sugar syrup, poaching syrup is specially for slow cooking fruits to be used in other recipes.September 2nd 2012294 K5 15 min.
News list of cooking-ez.com
Sign up to receive the latest recipes (next batch due to be sent on 2025-05-18)
Note: We'll never share your e-mail address with anyone else.
Follow this recipe
If you are interested in this recipe, you can "follow" it, by entering your email address here. You will then receive a notification immediately each time the recipe is modified or a new comment is added. Please note that you will need to confirm this following.
Note: We'll never share your e-mail address with anyone else.
Alternatively: you can subscribe to the mailing list of cooling-ez.com , you will receive a e-mail for each new recipe published on the site.
The 1 comment already posted on this recipe