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“Moussaka or musaka, often written as musakka, is a meat and vegetable stew, originally made from sliced aubergine (eggplant), meat, and tomatoes, and preferably cooked in an oven.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
I would “bake ” the vegi’s ( except for the potatoes , on my Weber Q. Adding a little bit of a smoky flavor to the whole dish.
Made this without an oven by dry roasting all the veggies on my griddle, and simmering on the stove uncovered for nearly an hour. Perfection!
This is a PAIN to put together, but is one of those rare recipes that I think was actually worth the bother. The measurements given resulted in an extra two pans of roasted veg for me, which meant an extra 15 minutes in the oven. No biggie. I had a bell pepper, so blistered that in the toaster oven. I needed lentils, so had to cook those. As is my usual, I probably AT LEAST doubled the garlic and would do the same on a repeat, BUT I would only roast it for about 8 minutes at that high temperature. Mine were close to ruined after fifteen minutes. OR use large cloves. Everything else is spot-on. DO NOT omit the fresh dill… or the freshly grated nutmeg… or skimp on the Parmesan. Take the time and grate a bunch. You’ll be glad. My only regret for this recipe is that my Pyrex baking dish was too shallow and I poured A LOT of the béchamel onto the counter. Don’t do that. Get the proper pan. And enjoy!
Great review of the recipe. But I can’t get a hold of fresh dill this time a year. Sheesh… Must be some good substitute, might not taste the same, any suggestions ?
Dill gives a really distinct flavor here which I prefer, but you could also substitute flat leaf parsley and get a tasty result.
I have not tried this recipe…yet. I host a Canadian Thanksgiving family gathering every year (same day as Indigenous People Day). I keep a vegetarian house, however most of my guests are carnivores. I think this will be the perfect main dish! Last year we did a vegetarian shepherds pie that used mushrooms instead of lentils. Like this recipe (surprisingly) labor intensive, but it was worth it. Looking forward to resuming this (post pandemic) family holiday, great dish…. Thanks Tori!
I absolutely love this recipe! I have made it several times, my family loves it. I am prepping some frozen dishes before I go into labor – wondering if you have ever cooked then frozen this?
Congrats on your upcoming delivery! I have not frozen this but I think it should freeze really well. This recipe is a lot of work for someone towards the end of pregnancy… I’m impressed!
Made this recipe for the first time for a friend’s surprise birthday party. Was super hit. Everyone devoured it, Many asked for the recipe, then shuddered learning about the steps and time it takes to assemble and ultimately suggested I make again! ;-D
Yes, it took a good 3 and half hours from start to finish, but it was sooo worth it. Definitely a keeper and may end up being a side for Thanksgiving.
Thank you so much for this recipe.
So glad you powered through! I agree, it’s worth the effort.
Brilliant recipe. Love the fact fact the veg is roasted…so easy to do. I have made lamb lasagne for years and always used cream plus 2 eggs, 50g cheddar cheese and 25g parmesan for the topping so did that here. I find it a bit lighter than a bechamel sauce (and quicker). I used manchego (sheep’s cheese) this time and non lactose cream as my son”s girlfriend can’t eat normal dairy. Everyone loved it. Will definitely become a favourite go to recipe. Thank you.
Beautiful! I heat the milk and put onion, fresh bay leaf and peppercorns, which is strained when added to the bechamel, a little bit more work, but an extra layer of awesomeness in this amazing recipe. It’s straightforward, not complicated, just alot of work, use a mandolin or benriner to slice, save a bit of time. Made it twice now, it’s a family favourite, with many more to come. Thank you so much for sharing, it’s amazing!
This dish is exceptional. It took me two hours to assemble, but it was worth it, and I would do it all over again. I was not raised eating eggplant…or lentils…or moussaka. I tried making traditional moussaka 40 years ago and concluded that I must not like eggplant. Over the years, I changed my mind when I discovered Eggplant Parmesan, and I have also taken a liking to Lentil Stew. Still, I was skeptical about the dill and the nutmeg in this recipe. Boy, was I wrong. I followed the recipe to a t, and I simply could not believe how good it is. There is absolutely nothing that I would do to make this dish any better. Bravo, Tori, bravo!
Yay! So glad you enjoyed it. It is a lot of work, for sure – I just can’t think of a way to streamline it any more without sacrificing on the flavor. It’s a project worth doing, for sure!
Absolutely delicious!
Thanks for the great recipe😁
This is sooooooooo good. After trying this at 2 different Turkish restaurants, I have to say this almost tastes the same! Really really good and worth the effort as it makes a large batch 🙂
Great recipe, my first time doing anything like this and followed it easily!
Think Tori must be using a blast furnace to brown the veggies in 15mins, found i had to finish under the grill to achive this! Also the recipe is incredibly rich and could use less cheese and more lentils. Found use of “cups” of things as a unit of measure not incredibly helpful. The betchumel? sauce was easier to start in the microwave, finishing with the whisking egg & nutmeg thing in the pan. With these tweaks i would cook this again despite the absolute mayhem it makes of your kitchen. Baking trays, pots and pans EVERYWHERE. You will need plenty of trivets/heatproof surfaces.
Happy you liked it Mike. The veggies should definitely brown at 500 degrees (this is extremely hot) – are you sure you had the oven temperature correct? Sorry you found the sauce/cheese too rich. I like this the way it’s written; the richness makes what would normally be a light side dish more of a hearty and filling main course. Anyway, glad you found some modifications to suit you!
I’ve just done all the prep for the Mousakka. Can you assemble it and put it in the fridge till ready to cook? I will add the sauce before it goes in the oven
Yes, for up to a day ahead – add sauce right before it goes in the oven. If you’re cooking it from the refrigerator you will need a slightly longer cook time.
Fantastic recipe. Tried this today and was a hit with the family. Perfect instructions – very easy to follow. Thank you so very much for this delicious one. A keeper for sure..
So glad you were able to try it!
I’ll be making this for Purim. I know it’s complicated, and takes awhile, but I’ve got enough time to do it, and it’s gonna be really good. Thank you for sharing it. Sincerely
Enjoy Penny! It is definitely worth the effort. 🙂
I absolutely loved the recipe made it loads of times now, especially at family dinners and parties goes down even with the kids, and mine are fussy eaters so its a live safer to make beforehand and freezes well too.
Easy to follow recipe, all the tips are really useful and the page is really well laid out and easy to follow.
Thank you Ms Avey as a busy mum i appreciate every little help especially during Covid lock down period.
So happy to hear his Bushra! I agree, any help we can get at this crazy time is welcome.
This is one of the most amazing things I’ve eaten in a long time. I don’t miss the meat and it’s super flavorful. I didn’t have fresh dill so I used about a tablespoon of dried dill. I added a little most salt and pepper and nutmeg to the white sauce.
WOW! Absolutely fantastic! I made two changes….not big on zucchini so I omitted that. And I don’t like beans or lentils so I used mushrooms. This is the first comment I have ever left on a recipe. This was most delicious and will definitely make again! Thank you!
I made a huge batch of this yesterday for for 20 veggies and it was a roaring success!
I can confirm that it really is just incredibly delicious, having eaten it for tea last night and again for lunch today.
The lentils work so well to give body to the sauce, however I made the mistake of using tinned plum tomatoes and added all of the juice too so had to spend some time cooking it down as it was too liquidy.
I added roasted slices of sweet potato to bulk the layers up a bit then ran out of time so cooked the sliced courgette/zucchini in the sauce instead. I didn’t use parmesan as it was vegetarian so instead added mature cheddar into the bechamel and topped with mozzarella.
Can’t recommend enough! Well worth the time and patience.
Glad you enjoyed it!
I made this for Christmas Eve dinner for my vegetarian sister. She raved about it so much, we all decided to try a piece with our meal. Everyone loved it. The cayenne pepper added more kick than I thought it would. It is time consuming a bit but worth the effort for a special occasion meal. Next time, I’m going to skip roasting the zucchini. After all that cooking time, they really did hold up and were mushy. Other than that, it is delicious and worthy of the time taken to make it. Thanks for the great recipe!