Moussaka: A vegetarian version

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Moussaka: A vegetarian version

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4
Calories/serving: —Protein/serving: —Fat: —Carbs: —Fiber: —Sugars: —Sodium: —Iron: —

Ingredients

    Ingredients

  • 3medium eggplants
  • 4medium Yukon gold potatoes
  • 2tbsp olive oil

    • For the sauce

  • 1pound crimini or white button mushrooms
  • 1can good quality Italian tomatoes
  • 1medium onion
  • 2cloves garlic
  • 2 or 3sticks of cinnamon
  • 1pinch ground allspice
  • 1small pinch ground cloves
  • salt to taste

    • For the topping

  • 3cups whole milk
  • 2tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1/4cup all purpose flour
  • 2eggs
  • 1/2cup parmesan cheese
  • salt to taste

Instructions

For the potato base and eggplant layers

1Preheat the oven to 375F.
2Peel potatoes and cut into 1/4 inch slices.
3These can be cooked in a number of ways. My preferred method is to steam them, since it is relatively quick, allowing the potatoes to retain a lot of their flavor (boiling them would make the potatoes loose their flavor in the water.)
4Peel the eggplants and slice into 1/4 inch slices.
5Place these slices in a bowl and toss around with some olive oil and salt.
6Place in a parchment lined sheet tray, making sure they do not overlap.
7Place in the oven for about 20 minutes, or until they are fork tender.

Sauce

8Dice the onion very small.
9Mince the garlic.
10Wash the mushrooms just before using them.
11Mince into small pieces to resemble ground beef.
12Sweat the onion at low heat with a bit of olive oil and some salt until soft and translucent.
13Add the minced garlic to the pot and cook briefly until fragrant.
14Place the minced mushrooms in the pot. Add a pinch of salt and cook at medium high temperature until they have released a lot of their liquid (they will reduce in size considerably.)
15Add the tomatoes and all the spices.
16Cook uncovered for 20 minutes, until the tomatoes turn sweeter and less acid.
17Adjust for salt and set aside.

For the bechamel

18Melt the butter in a medium pot at low heat. You do not want to brown it.
19Add flour little by little whisking to dissolve.
20Add the milk and whisk constantly to prevent burning, making sure to dissolve all the lumps.
21Turn up heat to medium until it thickens.
22Add cheese and mix. Turn off the heat.
23Place a 1/2 cup of the sauce in a separate bowl.
24Mix in the eggs into this bowl. This is a technique called tempering, in which you bring heat the eggs slowly without curdling.
25Place this mixture back into the rest of the bechamel, mix well and get ready for assembly.

Assembly

26Place the cooked potatoes in the bottom of a medium size casserole dish.
27Top with 1/3 of the sauce.
28Top with one layer of eggplant.
29Add another layer with 1/3 of the sauce.
30Top with another layer of eggplant.
31Add the rest of the sauce.
32Top with the bechamel sauce.

Cooking and Resting

33Place in the hot oven for 45 minutes, or until the bechamel has set and turned golden.
34Remove from the oven and let rest for at least 10 minutes before cutting, to allow everything to set. Skipping this step will make it difficult to cut nice, even pieces.
35Serve as is and enjoy.

Chef's Notes

Eggplant Excellence

Salt your sliced eggplant and let it sit for 30 minutes before cooking. This draws out bitterness and excess moisture, ensuring your moussaka layers won't be soggy. The eggplant should be golden and tender, not mushy.

Bechamel Mastery

The tempering technique isn't just about preventing scrambled eggs - it creates that luxurious, silky texture that makes Greek bechamel legendary. Patience here rewards you with the perfect golden crown on your moussaka.

The Vegetarian Twist

Mushrooms replace the traditional lamb beautifully in this version. Chop them finely and cook until all moisture evaporates - they should look almost like ground meat. The cinnamon and allspice are essential for that authentic Greek flavor.

Assembly Matters

Traditional moussaka has distinct layers: potatoes on the bottom, then eggplant, then the mushroom sauce, more eggplant, and finally the creamy bechamel top. Each layer should be even and generous for the perfect slice.

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