Evgeny Klopotenko’s recipe for moussaka, the best Greek casserole

Moussaka is a legendary dish. Creamy, juicy and absolutely delicious, it is one of the most popular dishes in Greece. Moussaka is served in almost every taverna and prepared in every household on special occasions and big celebrations!

So what is Moussaka? It’s a traditional Greek dish with juicy layers of ground beef, eggplants and potatoes, topped off with a creamy béchamel sauce and baked until perfectly golden. Of course, every Greek household has its own version of moussaka and its own cooking secrets. Some Greeks cook it with beef, others prefer lamb, you can add potatoes or tomatoes, or use both.

We have already prepared eggplant moussaka, so today we will make a more traditional version. I wanted to combine a lot of vegetables in this recipe, so I used eggplants, zucchini, tomatoes, and potatoes. The result is a tender and juicy moussaka which transports you straight to sunny Greece.

Moussaka preparation

Moussaka (Traditional Greek Lasagna): Directions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 180C. Peel the potatoes and slice them thinly.

Step 2

Wash and slice the eggplant and zucchini. The slices should be the same thickness as the potatoes.

Step 3

Place an even layer of the potato slices into an oven-proof baking dish, top with a layer of the zucchini and then with a layer of eggplant slices.

Step 4

Peel and finely dice the onion. Heat a tablespoon of vegetable oil in a frying pan until it shimmers and saute the onion until translucent.

Step 5

Add the ground beef into the pan. It’s preferable to grind your own beef, because store-bought mince can be too fatty.

Step 6

Finely dice the tomatoes and toss them with the ground beef. Then add a tablespoon of tomato paste, two finely minced garlic cloves and the thyme. Salt and pepper to taste.

Step 7

To make the bechamel, melt the butter in a saute pan.

Step 8

Add flour to the melted butter and cook over medium heat for several minutes.

Step 9

Pour in the milk. Salt and pepper to taste. Reduce the sauce until it is thick enough to cover the back of a spoon.

Step 10

Pour half of the bechamel into the oven-proof baking dish. Some recipes suggest you cover each layer with the sauce, but I find this unnecessary, as the vegetables mop up the sauce anyway.