Roasted Vegetable Moussaka – Recipe for Mediterranean vegetarian moussaka casserole with roasted eggplants, zucchini, lentils, tomatoes, peppers, spices and rich creamy béchamel sauce. Healthy, flavorful and nourishing!
This recipe has been updated from the archives with new photos and a how-to cooking video.
Moussaka originated in the Balkan region of southeastern Europe. Like many ancient dishes, it has a number of regional variations. Alan Davidson explains these various approaches in his Oxford Companion to Food:
“Moussaka or musaka, often written as musakka, is a meat and vegetable stew, originally made from sliced aubergine (eggplant), meat, and tomatoes, and preferably cooked in an oven. This is the version current among the Turks and Arabs, who may also substitute courgettes (zucchini) for the aubergines. In the Balkans, more elaborate versions are found. The Greeks cover the stew with a layer of beaten egg or béchamel sauce. Elsewhere in the Balkans mussaka has become a much more various oven-baked casserole, admitting many more vegetables than aubergine or courgette, often dropping tomatoes and even meat.”
My Roasted Vegetable Moussaka is Greek-style, topped with rich and creamy béchamel sauce. I roast up my Mediterranean vegetables before baking the casserole, which adds wonderful flavor to the finished dish. Lentils serve as a meat substitute here, with potatoes added to make the dish hearty. Even devoted carnivores may find themselves satiated by this recipe.
I’ll warn you in advance, this is NOT an easy dish to prepare. While the steps themselves are pretty simple, the process is time consuming. Consequently you might consider this dish for a special occasion, like Sukkot or a Sunday family gathering. Serve the leftovers for Meatless Monday– the dish refrigerates and freezes well. I’ve included a few tips in the recipe for cutting down on prep time. The end result is worth the effort. It’s scrumptious, with layers and layers of amazing flavor.
Gluten Free Modification: This recipe is almost gluten free, but it will take a couple of modifications to make it completely GF. The original recipe uses flour to thicken the béchamel sauce. Substitute King Arthur’s Gluten Free Multi-Purpose Flour or a small amount of potato starch as a thickener. If you’re using a pre-grated parmesan, check to make sure that it is purely cheese (no modified starches in the mix). This will ensure that your moussaka is gluten free.
Vegetarian Note: If you are a vegetarian, you will want to make sure that your cheeses are vegetarian (produced without animal rennet).
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Food Photography and Styling by Kelly Jaggers
Vegetable Moussaka
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds zucchini (about 3 medium) sliced thin
- 1 1/2 pounds russet potatoes (about 3 large) peeled and sliced thin
- 3 pounds small eggplants
- 3 cloves garlic peeled
- 1 onion diced
- 1 1/2 cups cooked or steamed lentils
- 1 roasted red bell pepper sliced thin
- 3 cups diced ripe red tomatoes OR 2 cans (15 oz. each) diced tomatoes
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper if you're spice sensitive use 1/4 tsp
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 10 tablespoons grated pecorino or parmesan cheese divided
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons all purpose white flour (for gluten free use a certified gluten free cup-for-cup all purpose flour)
- 3 cups milk
- 1 large egg beaten
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg or more to taste
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper
NOTES
Instructions
- Place racks on the upper and lower thirds of your oven. Preheat oven to 500 degrees F. Grease two baking sheets with extra virgin olive oil. Spread out the zucchini, potatoes, and 3 garlic cloves in a single layer across the baking sheets. Brush the exposed tops of the vegetables with olive oil and sprinkle lightly with salt and black pepper.
- Place baking sheet with potatoes on the upper rack of the oven. Place sheet with zucchini on the lower half. Roast veggies for 10 minutes. Remove sheets from oven and place them back in the oven, switching racks (zucchini and garlic on top, potatoes on bottom). Roast for about 5 more minutes, until veggies are tender and starting to turn golden brown (check the bottoms of the veggies for browning).
- While potatoes and zucchini are roasting, remove the stem ends from the eggplants. Peel strips from the eggplants so that they have thin stripes of peel remaining down the sides (they will be half-peeled).
- Cut the eggplants into 1/2 inch slices.
- When potatoes and zucchini are done roasting, remove them from the oven and scoop veggies into a bowl using a slotted spatula. Take the 3 roasted garlic cloves and chop them, reserve.
- Re-grease the baking sheets with olive oil. Spread eggplant slices into a single layer across the two baking sheets. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Place the baking sheets in the oven and roast for 10-15 minutes, switching the baking sheets on upper and lower thirds halfway through cooking, until the slices are tender and lightly golden (check the bottom edges of slices for browning).
- While eggplant is roasting, place a sauté pan or skillet with high sides on the stovetop. Warm up 2 tbsp olive oil in the pan over medium high heat. Sauté diced onion until softened and translucent. Add roasted bell pepper slices and chopped roasted garlic, saute for another 2 minutes. Add cooked lentils, diced tomatoes, fresh dill, oregano, cinnamon, cayenne pepper and 3/4 tsp salt to the pan; stir well. Reduce heat to medium and let mixture cook for about 5 more minutes until warmed through. If using fresh tomatoes, let the mixture cook for 10 minutes until tomatoes are soft.
- When eggplant is done roasting, remove it from the oven and reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees F. Use a slotted spatula to scoop up the eggplant slices and place in a bowl. Lightly grease your baking dish or pan. Place a single layer of half of the roasted eggplant slices on the bottom of your dish.
- On top of that, place a layer of half the potatoes and half the zucchini.
- Spread the lentil mixture evenly in a single layer across the surface.
- Sprinkle 2 tbsp of grated pecorino or parmesan and ½ cup crumbled feta across the top of the lentil mixture.
- Place the rest of the potatoes and zucchini in another layer on top of the cheese.
- Finish with a layer of the remaining roasted eggplant slices. Sprinkle top of the moussaka with 2 tbsp more of grated parmesan cheese.
- Place moussaka in the oven for 20 minutes to bake at 375 degrees F. Meanwhile, while the moussaka is baking, make the béchamel sauce for the top of the moussaka. In a small pan, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk flour into the melted butter till dissolved and thick.
- Continue to whisk for a few minutes until the flour/butter mixture turns a light sandy brown color.
- Slowly whisk in milk. Bring mixture to a simmer, then reduce heat to medium.
- Whisk in 2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese. Continue whisking for a few minutes until the sauce starts to thicken. Remove from heat. Add ¾ tsp salt, nutmeg, and black pepper to taste. Whisk the beaten egg slowly into the sauce (drizzle the egg while whisking constantly).
- Remove the moussaka from the oven. Pour sauce evenly across the top of the moussaka. Sprinkle ¼ cup grated paremsan cheese on top of the sauce.
- Put moussaka back in the oven. Cook for another 30 minutes until the top is golden brown and the moussaka is cooked through. If the top isn't evenly browned, you can turn on the broiler and broil it for a minute or two-- keep a close eye on it to make sure it doesn't burn. Do not broil if using a glass dish, as they can shatter under the intense heat.
- Serve hot. Don’t expect it all to hold together neatly when served; it will slice more cleanly and pieces will hold together better after it has cooled.
Nutrition
Hi! Just making right now for first night of chanukah! If I’m making ahead, do I do the first 20 minute cooking, cool and then refrigerate and do the last 30 minutes tomorrow when the béchamel sauce is added?
I just discovered this site and am glad I did. I’d like to make the vegetable moussaka but am wondering if instead of partially cooking and then adding bechamel the day of, could I assemble the whole uncooked dish the day before including the bechamel and cook the following day. I am making a few labour intensive dishes for a group of 20 so anything I can do ahead of time would be helpful.
I have never tried it this way so I cannot promise it will turn out. It might be fine, but with a big group I wouldn’t want to steer you wrong by recommending something I haven’t tried yet.
This is yet another amazing recipe, Tori, thank you so much. I only left out the 5th star because it does take soooo long to make and there are lots of recipes on your site that take less time that are just as delicious. However, if you have plenty of time or there are a couple of you making it, this is fantastic and I made a vegan version using almond milk, Tomor and Sheese which was almost as good.
Thanks Ann! You might want to try this vegan version next time, it’s really tasty too: https://toriavey.com/toris-kitchen/hummus-baked-vegan-moussaka/
Loved this Moussaka. Not difficult to make. Everyone loved it and there was even some leftover!
Family doesn’t like lentils. Anything else you can suggest, like rice or buckwheat kasha or even cannolini beans that would work?
Sautéed vegetarian ground “beef,” or chickpeas (which will not have the same texture, but will have a nice flavor and will work well in the dish).
This looks really good! Was wondering if I could substitute something else for the lentils…or just leave them out.
Thanks. Barbara
You could use sautéed vegetarian ground beef or chickpeas. I wouldn’t leave the lentils out without subbing, as they add texture and “meatiness” to the dish.
Would you recommend making the entire dish the day before, then reheating at serving time? If so, what temperature and how long? Or cook vegetables and assemble, put in the fridge and finish the next day? Or cook veg, assemble, bake and finish the next day with bechamel? Could you bake veg and top with bechamel, then put in fridge and finish baking when guests arrive? I prefer to have as little to do as possible after dinner guests arrive.
Thank you for any suggestions!
I recommend making ahead and assembling everything up until the béchamel sauce. A couple of hours before serving, take out the moussaka from the refrigerator and let it come to room temp. Make the béchamel sauce, top and bake. You could technically bake the whole thing ahead (including béchamel) and reheat at 350 degrees F for 45 minutes or so (I don’t have an exact time, you’d have to check it to make sure it’s heated through). Making the béchamel fresh will result in a nicer presentation. Enjoy!
Time consuming but making veggies day before helps. Got rave reviews.
Has anyone tried freezing leftovers?
Yes and it was fine
I’ve made this a few times and it’s an absolute winner. I personally prefer it over the greasy meat versions and the flavours are amazing. I normally make it gluten free by using GF flour abd I am shortly about to try making a vegan GF version using olive oil and soy milk. Any ideas on what to subsitute for the pecorino and fetta?
Also can you freeze this before adding the bechamel sauce or after?
Hi Fiona, I actually have a vegan version of moussaka which I highly recommend: https://toriavey.com/toris-kitchen/hummus-baked-vegan-moussaka/
Delicious! Thanks for lush recipe and the photos helped! I’ve wanted to make Moussaka for years and I’m delighted by it! 🙂
Very happy you enjoyed it! 🙂
Thank you so much, I made it on Sunday and it was delicious! Even better the next day!
Looks wonderful. I had vegetable moussaka at a Greek restaurant recently and am looking forward to making my own. What about substituting sweet potatoes for the russets?
Thank you for sharing this recipe. I tried it out today and my guests loved it! So yummy but not greasy like traditional versions
My husband had been asking me to make moussaka but I was hesitant and didnt have a recipe. I found Tori’s and gave it a try. My husband has not stopped raving about it! It was delicious and well worth the hours involved. At our favorite Greek restaurant in Greektown Detroit they serve it with a gravy. Does anyone have a recipe that would be worthy of this dish? Thank you Tori.
Made this dish for a “Ladies’ Night” where one is Vegetarian and multiples are Low Carb. Can I just say WOW! Everyone loved it and everyone wanted the recipe. The only thing i wasn’t sure of was that we liked the Zucchini and Potoato but not the Eggplant. Curious as to why? Regardless, I’m glad I keep deli containers as my vegetarian friend wanted to take it home to share with her husband!
Hi Whitney! You can easily sub the eggplant for additional thin potato slices. It’s there to hold everything together, but potatoes work just as well. Glad you enjoyed it!
Hi, my name is Juliana, from South Africa. I eat gluten free. When I make a Mussaka, I use riceflour to make my béchamel sauce. It thickens up well.
OK … done …. a lot of pots and pans later, it was pretty easy to make…. I couldn’t find porcini mushrooms so used portabello… I would use a lot more the next time….they definitely add to the flavor… also don’t skimp on the aubergines .. they shrunk and practically disappeared after I took them out of the oven … so more needed next time… apart from that, it was delicious…. will try again 🙂
Fantastic recipe. I found that the cinnamon was a little overpowering though, I’ll use a 1/4 tsp next time.
I am working in nursery and I made it for the children they liked it. I did not put salt and i used only cheddar cheese. …sometimes It’s very difficult to find vegetables dish which they will like … Thanks
I made this and the eggplant got a little soggy. I’m not sure if i cut it too thin, roasted it too long or with too much oil. Also my white sauce on the top didn’t get brown, but I didn’t want to bake it any longer because I sensed it was getting soggy. My guests still ate it and enjoyed it though! If anyone has any advice on getting a good consistency for the veggies let me know. I didn’t use a mandolin, but I did slice everything very thin.
I think this dish has potential from reading the other reviews. I don’t mind all the steps, so I will try this again.
Hi Renee! I do think that perhaps your vegetables were cut a bit too thin. They should be about 1/2 inch thick; if they are too thin all of the liquid will evaporate when you roast and they will not hold up well in the finished casserole. The white sauce can be browned under a broiler, if you use a ceramic or metal baking dish– glass should not be broiled. Good luck!