Moussaka! Vegetable Ground Beef Casserole! The Best! Quick & Easy | Dinner Recipes

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.

Slice Japanese eggplant about a quarter-inch thick.

Slice zucchini and potatoes similarly.

Deep-fry the potatoes and fry the eggplant and zucchini evenly on both sides, using a little oil for the eggplant.

In a skillet, fry 1 pound of ground beef with onions, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and oregano.

Boil a few bay leaves in about 1 cup of water to use as seasoning for the meat.

Once the ground beef is crispy, add a jar of marinara sauce and the bay leaf water; simmer for a few minutes.

For the cream sauce, heat about 6 cups of whole milk in a separate pot.

Mix 2 heaping spoonfuls of cornstarch with some cold milk to create a thickening mixture.

Once the milk is simmering, add about 1 cup of Parmesan cheese and the cornstarch mixture along with 2 tablespoons of butter; whisk for about 5 minutes until thickened.

In a 13 by 9 inch pan, layer the fried potatoes, seasoning them with salt.

Add a layer of fried eggplant and zucchini on top of the potatoes.

Pour the meat sauce over the vegetables and press it down gently to fill in the crevices.

Carefully pour the cream sauce on top of everything.

Bake in the oven at 350°F for about 1 hour until bubbling.

Remove from the oven and let cool slightly before serving.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary

Allergens