Greek Lamb Moussaka
Layers of spiced lamb ragù, roasted eggplant, and creamy béchamel baked until golden. A showstopping Greek classic that tastes far more impressive than the effort required.
- Total time
- 55 min
- Servings
- 4
- Calories
- 620
- Protein
- 42g
Ingredients
- 1.5 whole eggplant, medium
- 1 lb ground lamb
- 1 whole onion, yellow
- 3 whole garlic cloves
- 1 can (14 oz) canned crushed tomato
- 4 tbsp butter
- 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 to taste salt, pepper, dried oregano, nutmeg
Instructions
- 1
Set the oven to 400°F and wait for the heating indicator light or beep, about 10 minutes.
- 2
Cut the eggplant lengthwise into two halves, then place each half cut-side down on the cutting board and slice crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick half-moons, like cutting a loaf of bread.
- 3
Spread the eggplant slices in a single layer on a large baking sheet, lightly coat with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, then place in the hot oven.
- 4
Roast for 20 minutes until the eggplant is soft and the surface turns light golden brown, then remove from the oven and set aside.
- 5
Dice the onion into 1/4-inch cubes by cutting it in half from root to tip, placing it cut-side down, then slicing lengthwise, then crosswise.
- 6
Mince the garlic until the pieces are smaller than a grain of rice—about the size of pencil-tip dots.
- 7
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers and slides quickly when you tilt the pan, about 90 seconds.
- 8
Add the ground lamb to the hot skillet, breaking it apart with a spoon or fork as it cooks, until it is no longer pink and looks browned throughout, about 8 minutes.
- 9
Push the cooked lamb to the side of the skillet, then add the diced onion and minced garlic to the empty space and stir constantly for 2 minutes until fragrant.
- 10
Stir the lamb, onion, and garlic together, then pour in the crushed tomato and 1/2 teaspoon of oregano, stir to combine.
- 11
Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered, stirring once every 2 minutes, for 10 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly and deepens in color.
- 12
Season the lamb sauce with salt, pepper, and a pinch of oregano to taste, then remove from the heat.
- 13
Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat, tilting the pan to coat the bottom evenly, about 60 seconds.
- 14
Add the flour to the melted butter and stir constantly with a wooden spoon for 90 seconds until the mixture looks like wet sand and smells slightly toasted, not raw.
- 15
Pour the milk into the flour-butter mixture slowly while whisking constantly to prevent lumps, then continue whisking until the sauce is smooth.
- 16
Increase the heat to medium and stir constantly with a wooden spoon for 6–8 minutes until the sauce thickens enough that the spoon leaves a trail when dragged through it.
- 17
Remove from the heat and season the béchamel with a pinch of salt, pepper, and nutmeg to taste.
- 18
Spread one-third of the roasted eggplant slices in an even layer on the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
- 19
Pour one-third of the lamb sauce over the eggplant layer and spread it evenly with the back of a spoon.
- 20
Repeat with another layer of eggplant (half of the remaining), then another layer of lamb sauce (half of the remaining).
- 21
Top with the final layer of remaining eggplant, then the remaining lamb sauce, spreading it evenly.
- 22
Pour the entire béchamel sauce over the top in a thin, even layer, spreading it with a spatula to cover all the lamb sauce.
- 23
Place the baking dish in the oven and bake for 15 minutes until the top turns golden brown and the sauce bubbles slightly at the edges.
- 24
Remove the moussaka from the oven and let it rest on the counter for 5 minutes before serving, so it sets slightly and is easier to cut.
Tools you’ll need
- large baking sheet
- 9-by-13-inch baking dish
- chef's knife
- cutting board
- large skillet
- wooden spoon
- medium saucepan
- whisk
- spatula
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