What Makes a Great Moussaka | Christine Cushing

ground beef

🥗Healthier: ground turkey

💰Cheaper: ground pork

Ground turkey is leaner, while ground pork is often less expensive.

bechamel sauce

🥗Healthier: cauliflower puree

💰Cheaper: milk + flour

Cauliflower puree offers a lighter option, while a simple milk and flour mix is cost-effective.

grated cheese

🥗Healthier: nutritional yeast

💰Cheaper: processed cheese

Nutritional yeast provides a cheesy flavor with fewer calories, while processed cheese is often cheaper.

red wine

🥗Healthier: grape juice

💰Cheaper: white vinegar

Grape juice adds sweetness without alcohol, while vinegar is a budget-friendly alternative.

Chop garlic cloves, avoiding mincing to prevent burning.

Heat olive oil in a skillet to brown the meat.

Add lean beef to the skillet and brown until you smell a roasted aroma, not gray.

Lower the heat and add onions to the center of the pan, cover to sweat for a few minutes.

Add garlic to the pan after the onions have sweated.

Stir in tomato paste, a cinnamon stick, ground cloves, a bay leaf, and a pinch of cayenne pepper.

Add chopped tomatoes to the mixture and a little water to deglaze the pan.

Season with salt and pepper, then let the sauce simmer for about 45 minutes.

Slice Italian eggplant about 1/4 inch thick and salt them for 20 minutes in a colander to draw out moisture.

Rinse the eggplant slices to keep them moist during cooking.

Toss eggplant with olive oil, salt, pepper, oregano, and thyme in a bowl.

Preheat the oven to 375°F (with fan setting).

Place eggplant on parchment-lined trays and bake for 15-20 minutes, moving them around for even cooking.

Check the meat sauce for texture; it should not be too runny or too dry.

Grease the bottom of the baking dish with olive oil.

Layer sliced potatoes at the bottom of the dish.

Add half of the meat sauce on top of the potatoes.

Layer fully cooked eggplant on top of the meat sauce.

Add a layer of sliced zucchini on top of the eggplant.

Spread the remaining meat sauce on top of the zucchini.

Prepare the bechamel sauce, whisking in egg yolks for a custardy texture.

Pour the bechamel sauce over the assembled layers in the baking dish.

Sprinkle grated Parmigiano cheese on top.

Bake in the oven at 350°F until golden and bubbly.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary

Allergens