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A slice of Moussaka with meat sauce, creamy cheese topping, and garnished with chopped parsley on a white plate.
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Traditional Moussaka Recipe (Greek Eggplant Lasagna)

Your Greek grandma would've taught you this if you'd had one. Spiced lamb with cinnamon and oregano, roasted eggplant that's actually brown (not steamed into mush), creamy Parmesan béchamel that sets firm. The trick everyone skips: rest it 30 minutes after baking for those picture-perfect slices. Make the filling 2 days ahead if you want.
This is moussaka that slices clean and tastes like you spent years learning it. Thanks, Yaya.
Prep Time35 minutes
Cook Time50 minutes
Resting Time20 minutes
Total Time1 hour 45 minutes
Course: family meal, Main Course
Cuisine: Greek, Mediterranean
Servings: 10 servings
Calories: 360kcal
Author: Abi Gunasekaran

Equipment

  • large skillet
  • Sheet pans
  • 9×13 baking dish
  • Whisk
  • Saucepan

Ingredients

For Eggplant

  • 2 large eggplants ½-inch slices
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ tsp black pepper

For Lamb Filling

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion finely chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 lb ground lamb
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 cup crushed tomatoes
  • ¼ cup dry red wine
  • ¼ cup low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ tsp black pepper

For Béchamel

  • ⅓ cup unsalted butter
  • ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups whole milk warm
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • ½ cup finely grated Parmesan
  • 1 large egg
  • Chopped parsley to garnish

Instructions

Roast the eggplant

  • Heat oven to 425°F. Line two sheet pans.
  • Brush eggplant slices with olive oil, season with salt and pepper.
  • Roast 15–20 minutes, flipping once, until lightly browned.
    A baking tray with eight roasted eggplant halves, slightly browned, resting on a beige surface with a black and white striped kitchen towel nearby.
  • Cool slightly. Reduce the oven to 350°F.

Make the ground lamb filling

  • Heat oil in a large skillet over medium.
  • Sauté the onion 5–7 minutes until soft. Add garlic for 30 seconds.
  • Add the groudn lamb; cooking and breaking up, until browned and most liquid evaporates
  • Stir in tomato paste; cook for 1 minute. Add crushed tomatoes, wine, oregano, cinnamon, bay leaf, salt, and pepper.
    Ground lamb cooking in a cast iron skillet with a bay leaf, tomato paste, cinnamon stick, black pepper, and herbs; a striped towel and a bottle of olive oil are nearby.
  • Simmer for 12–15 minutes until thick and saucy. Off the heat remove the cinnamon stick and bay leaf.
    A cast iron skillet filled with cooked ground lamb in tomato sauce sits on a light surface next to a striped cloth and a bottle of olive oil.

Make the béchamel sauce

  • In a saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour for 1 minute.
    A saucepan with melted butter and flour, a measuring cup of milk, a bowl of grated cheese, and a black-and-white striped towel on a beige surface.
  • Slowly whisk in warm milk until smooth.
  • Simmer, whisking, until it lightly coats a spoon, 4–6 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
  • Off heat, whisk in the Parmesan.
    A saucepan filled with creamy white sauce topped with grated cheese sits beside a bowl containing a whole egg. A striped cloth is partially visible next to the pan.
  • Let cool for 3 minutes, then whisk in the egg quickly.
    A stainless steel saucepan containing a light-colored creamy béchamel with a raw egg yolk in the center, next to a black and white striped cloth.

Assemble and bake

  • Lightly oil the baking dish.
  • Layer in this order: arrange half of the roasted eggplant slightly overlapping, add all lamb filling, spread edge to edge.
    A white rectangular baking dish filled with cooked ground lamb in tomato sauce sits on a beige surface next to a black and white striped cloth.
  • Arrange the remaining eggplant and top it with the béchamel, smoothing to the corners.
    A rectangular baking dish filled with an even layer of creamy white sauce, with a striped black and white cloth partially visible beside it.
  • Bake for 45–55 minutes at 350°F until the top is set and golden spots appear. Broil for 1-2 minutes for a deeper color, if desired.

Rest and serve

  • Garnish with chopped parsley and cool for 20–30 minutes for clean slices.
    A baked lamb moussaka topped with melted cheese and sprinkled with chopped parsley sits on a table next to fresh herbs, a drink, and a salad.
  • Cut into squares and serve warm.

Notes

  • Roast the eggplant until lightly browned to prevent watery moussaka.
  • Béchamel should be pourable but thick enough to coat a spoon.
  • Rest the baked moussaka at least 20 minutes before slicing. This prevents soggy slices.
  • Make-ahead friendly: lamb filling can be prepared up to 2 days in advance.
  • Freezer-friendly: assemble unbaked and freeze up to 2 months.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 360kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 75mg | Sodium: 647mg | Potassium: 520mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 435IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 161mg | Iron: 2mg