~719 cal · 51g protein · 25g carbs · 44g fat (estimated, per serving)
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Square of moussaka showing eggplant, meat, and béchamel layers
🇬🇷 Attica (Athens)
Modern moussaka was codified in 1920s Athens by chef Tselementes, who crowned the older layered dish with French béchamel — scandalous then, definitive now. Every Sunday taverna tray in Attica cuts it into proud, standing squares.
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🥕 Vegetarian
🌱 Vegan
🌾 Gluten-Free
🥛 Dairy-Free
🥜 Nut-Free
🥚 Egg-Free
Ingredients
Serves 6 —
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3 eggplants, sliced lengthwise
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1.5 lbs ground lamb (or beef)
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14 oz crushed tomatoes
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2 tbsp tomato paste
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1 onion
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4 cloves garlic
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1 tsp cinnamon
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1/2 tsp allspice
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1 tsp oregano
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1/2 cup red wine
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6 tbsp + 6 tbsp butter + flour (for the béchamel)
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4 cups milk (for the béchamel)
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2 egg yolks (to enrich the béchamel)
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3/4 cup grated kefalotyri or parmesan
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for brushing olive oil
Instructions
1
Brush the eggplant slices with oil and roast at 425°F until golden, 20 minutes.
2
Brown the lamb (or lentil-mushroom) with onion and garlic; add wine, tomatoes, paste, and spices, and simmer 25 minutes until thick and nearly dry.
3
Make the béchamel: cook butter and flour 2 minutes, whisk in milk gradually, simmer to a thick custard, and finish off-heat with yolks (or their swap), half the cheese, salt, and nutmeg.
4
Layer in a deep dish: eggplant, all the meat, eggplant, then the full depth of béchamel and remaining cheese.
5
Bake at 375°F for 45 minutes until deeply bronzed. Rest 30 minutes — moussaka is cut, never scooped.
Athenian taverna tradition.
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🌏 While it simmers — know your destination
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Attica (Athens). Athens’ ovens, where moussaka bakes golden every noon.
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Greece. Olive oil civilization, from island tavernas to mountain villages.
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Europe. Village recipes guarded for generations.
The story behind this dish is up top — worth a read while the pot works.
👩🍳
Richard Moore & Kelsey Tucker
Recipes cooked, tested, and researched by the creators of Spin the Globe. How we build our recipes →
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