This is what makes a great moussaka. Everyone who has made it swears it’s the best moussaka they have ever tried/ made. Watch my step by step instructions sharing my Greek family secrets for a great moussaka plus all the real comments from people who have made it. It’s perfect for holiday entertaining and will please any crowd. FULL RECIPE BELOW.
MOUSSAKA:
Meat Sauce:
2 Tbsp. olive oil (30 ml)
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1.25 lbs lean ground beef , veal or lamb and beef combo (550 gm)
1- 28 oz. chopped plum tomatoes (820 ml)
1 Tbsp. tomato paste (15 ml)
Splash water
1tsp. Greek dried oregano (5 ml)
2 bay leaves
3 sprigs fresh thyme
4 cloves, ground
1 cinnamon stick
¼ tsp. ground cayenne
Salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
3 Italian eggplant, sliced ¼-1/2 “ thick (1/2-1 cm )
3 Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and sliced ¼ “ thick (1/2 cm )
3 zucchini , sliced lengthwise ¼ “ thick (1/2 cm )
cayenne pepper to taste
salt and pepper dried oregano to taste
fresh chopped thyme to taste
¼ cup olive oil for baking (50 ml)
Bechamel sauce:
1/3 cup butter 80 gm
1/3 cup + 1 Tbsp. flour 80 gm
4 cups milk (1 L)
salt and pepper
grated nutmeg to taste
¼ cup Parmigiano Reggiano
2 egg yolks lightly beaten
Sauce:
In a large skillet, heat half the olive oil and brown the beef until caramelized, about 7-10 minutes on high. Stirring constantly until all moisture has evaporated and meat is lightly browned. Reduce to medium heat, push meat to the edges of pan and drizzle the middle with a little olive oil. Add the onion and sweat for a couple of minutes. Add garlic and saute for another two minutes. Add remaining ingredients for sauce and stir well. Simmer covered for 40-1 hour minutes. Adjust seasoning. Sauce should be thickened and not too runny. Remove bay leaf and add to bechamel sauce. Remove cinnamon stick and thyme stems and discard.
Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375 D
Slice the eggplant lengthwise and put into colander in sink. Sprinkle with kosher salt. Let stand until you slice and prepare the rest of the vegetables. Rinse thoroughly. Set aside.
Slice the potatoes and toss in a bowl with a third of the olive oil, season with salt and pepper , oregano and thyme to taste. Arrange on a parchment lined baking sheet .
Bake potatoes until golden brown and tender at 375 D for about 14-16 minutes or until tender and golden. Time may vary.
Repeat with zucchini and eggplant and baked in oven at 375 D . for roughly 16-18 minutes. Eggplant should be tender. Time may vary. Remove and cool.
Bechamel:
Melt butter in a medium saucepan and add flour. Cook out flour over medium heat for 3 minutes. Remove from heat and gradually add 1/3 of the cold milk, stirring continuously. Make a smooth paste and then return to heat. Add the remaining milk, reserved bay leaf from meat sauce and stir over medium heat with wooden spoon, until sauce comes to a boil. Change to a whisk and make sure sauce is smooth. Add the salt, pepper and grated nutmeg. Remove from heat.
Remove from heat and whisk in beaten egg yolks, add grated cheese.
To Assemble:
Preheat oven to 350 D.
Brush a baking dish ( 14x 10 “)with oil. Arrange potatoes in bottom of dish topped with half of the meat sauce. Arrange eggplant and zucchini on top and top with remaining meat sauce. Pour bechamel sauce on top of meat layer, spreading evenly.
Bake for about 40-45 minutes or until bechamel is golden brown and bubbly. Remove from oven and let cool for about 30 minutes before serving.
Serves 8
#moussaka #greekfood
21 Comments
I have been waiting my whole life for you too release this video, OMG thank you
I will make this but will use substitute for the meat. Can’t wait x
I love this it’s my favourite love you Christine God bless you❤
Thank you!!🏵
I am making this. I spent a university program in Greece (Aegina) plus some travelling in 1989. The community welcomed us like we were family, we all went native. Why not? They've been doing civilization a millennia or so and have got it down. Over the years, I searched and tried to get those flavors (I know the difference in ingredients is huge) but your recipes nail it.
Your dad and I agree about using just the yolk in the bechamel. It always comes out better than using whole eggs. But, I am a terrible Greek. I can’t stand sweet/warming spices in meat dishes, or any savory dishes, so I leave them out. It must be genetic because my mom and kids are the same way. I also don’t like lamb or pork. I know, right? Terrible Greek.
toooo goooood!💚
I made your pastichio and it was amazing. I would like to make this but my family won't eat eggplant or zucchini. Picky eaters. It looks amazing, I should make it anyway. ¯_(ツ)_/¯
The trouble with today’s ground beef is they use water for processing in it is nearly impossible to brown it.
To anyone watching this video, throw away yiayia's béchamel recipe and use Christine's. It will knock your socks off. Sorry yiayia.
Yummmmm 😋🤤to the 10th power❤
This looks great!
What makes a great moussaka. The Greeks making it. 😂🇬🇷🏛️
And the nice Greek neighbours inviting us commoners to eat with them 😂😂😂.
Sorry but you have to be Greek to make this classic unbelievably delicious 🤤 dish. 👍🏛️🇬🇷🏛️🇬🇷🏛️🇬🇷🏛️🍷
Looks delicious and this is a different version than I have had in the past with potatoes and zucchini, and eggplant, but I can’t wait to give it a try. Always great to see you Christine, thank you for sharing your dad’s recipe.💕👍
Oh my! I am looking forward to making this. How deep do you recommend the 10×14 baking dish?
And in my country most are saying: "moússaka". Everybody sound like the Swedish chef in the Muppet show, since my country is – Sweden. But shouldn't it be moussakás in greek? "Μουσακάς"? With the end s, or does one use the words as it is neuter or in ackusative when just telling a word? I have heard the same about baklava and the end s. I didn't even get that there was end s of many words until starting checking greek in Duolingo. (And yes, I suck at languages, since I picked up about nothing greek from playing with my greek speaking cousins all summers all my childhood… I asked "what is that ella" after several years.)
Anyway, moussaka is the best. I will try your tweaks. But I mostly use potatoes only, since the aubergine and squash is super expensive here.
Another great taverna favorite/must have on the menu.
I had moussaka in many tavernas in Greece and they are 9 out of 10 time delicious but your dad's recipe is a king with all these subtle changes, like browning meat more or baking vs frying.
I made one to your earlier recipe for my daughter and her husband at the weekend. It wend down very fast. I see you brown the meat a bit less in this later video. I like to get it really well browned. I also add a pinch of chilli flakes and some cumin. This time, I also added a little red wine to deglaze. Yours is still far the best recipe I've come across.
Not a big eggplant and zucchini fan. It's the cooked texture. (mush) If I leave them out, can I still call it Moussaka?
Thank you so much for this recipe Christine! It became my signature dish every time we have a family potluck or when entertaining. It’s so good and sumptuous! Better that my Greek friends’ yummy 😋