Moussaka is a weekend project with a golden, bubbling payoff: layers of tender eggplant and cinnamon-spiced lamb under a thick cap of cheesy béchamel. Fresh mint, oregano, and Fresno chiles give this take on the Greek casserole a little extra punch.
One task we won’t ask of you: frying all that eggplant in batches. Instead, brush the slices with garlic-herb oil and roast them, hands-off. Get the lamb-and-tomato sauce going while the eggplant’s in the oven, or spread the prep over a couple of days.
Choose a baking dish you’ll be happy to plop on the table—this one deserves to be seen. Resist the urge to dig in right away: The moussaka needs a 30-minute rest after baking, just enough time to toss together a crunchy Greek salad.
Moussaka FAQs
Can I make moussaka ahead of time?
Yes—and you don’t have to make every component on the same day. You can refrigerate the lamb-and-tomato sauce and roasted eggplant separately for up to 3 days, and the béchamel for up to 2 days. You can also bake the whole casserole 1 day ahead; let it cool, then cover and chill.
Can I freeze moussaka?
Yes. Bake the casserole first, let it cool, then cover and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw before reheating in a 250° oven until warmed through, about 1 hour.
How do I keep moussaka from turning watery?
Give the meat sauce time to thicken: Most of the liquid should cook off before you start layering. The béchamel should be as thick as pudding before the cheese and egg yolks go in. And don’t rush the 30-minute rest after baking—it’s part of the recipe, not a serving suggestion.
Recipe information
Total Time
1 hour 30 minutes plus cooling
Yield
8 servings
Ingredients
Eggplant and lamb
8
½
2
2
3
2½
½
2
2
1
2
1
1
¾
1
Mornay sauce and assembly
6
½
2½
¾
4
2
3
Need to make a substitution?
Preparation
Eggplant and Lamb
Step 1
Place a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 475°. Whisk 4 garlic cloves, finely grated, ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil, 1 Tbsp. chopped mint, and 1 Tbsp. chopped oregano in a small bowl to combine. Brush both sides of 3 large eggplants (about 3½ lb. total), sliced into ½"-thick rounds, with herb oil, making sure to get all of the herbs and garlic onto eggplants; season with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. Transfer eggplants to a rimmed baking sheet (it’s okay to pile rounds on top of each other) and roast until browned and tender, 35–45 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 400°.
Step 2
Meanwhile, heat remaining 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil in a large wide pot over high. Cook 2 lb. ground lamb, stirring and breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until browned and cooked through and liquid from meat has evaporated (there will be a lot of fat in the pot), 12–16 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer lamb to a medium bowl. Strain fat in pot through a fine-mesh sieve into a small bowl. Pour off all but 3 Tbsp. lamb fat and discard.
Step 3
Heat 2 Tbsp. lamb fat in same pot over medium-high. Set remaining 1 Tbsp. lamb fat aside for assembling moussaka. Add 2 medium onions, finely chopped, one 3" cinnamon stick, 2½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1½ tsp. Morton kosher salt, and ½ tsp. freshly ground pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is translucent and softened, 8–10 minutes. Add 2 Fresno chiles, finely chopped, and remaining 4 garlic cloves, finely grated; cook, stirring and scraping up browned bits from bottom of pot occasionally, until onion is golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add 1 Tbsp. paprika and 1 Tbsp. tomato paste and cook, stirring, until combined and mixture is brick red, about 1 minute. Pour in ¾ cup dry white wine and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly reduced and alcohol smell has dissipated, about 3 minutes. Add one 28-oz. can whole peeled tomatoes and break up with a wooden spoon into small pieces (the seeds can shoot out at you if you’re too aggressive, so start carefully). Add reserved lamb and remaining 1 Tbsp. chopped mint and 1 Tbsp. chopped oregano and cook, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid has evaporated and mixture looks like a thick meat sauce, 5–7 minutes. Fish out cinnamon stick and discard.
Mornay sauce and assembly
Step 4
Heat 6 Tbsp. unsalted butter in a medium saucepan over medium until foaming. Add ½ cup (63 g) all-purpose flour and cook, whisking constantly, until combined, about 1 minute. Gradually pour in 2½ cups whole milk, warmed, whisking constantly until combined. Bring to a boil and cook, whisking often, until very thick (it should be the consistency of pudding), about 5 minutes. Whisk in ¾ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt. Remove pan from heat and whisk 4 oz. farmer’s cheese, crumbled (about 1 cup) and 1 oz. Pecorino Romano or Parmesan, finely grated (about ¾ cup) into sauce. Let sit 10 minutes to allow cheese to melt, then add 3 large egg yolks, beaten to blend, and vigorously whisk until combined and mornay sauce is golden yellow.
Step 5
Brush a 13x9" baking pan with reserved 1 Tbsp. lamb fat. Layer half of eggplants in pan to cover bottom entirely. Evenly spread half of lamb mixture over eggplants. Repeat with remaining eggplants and lamb mixture to make another layer of each. Spoon mornay sauce over and smooth surface; scatter remaining 1 oz. Pecorino Romano or Parmesan, finely grated (about ¾ cup) over.
Step 6
Bake moussaka until bubbling vigorously and mornay sauce is browned in spots, 30–45 minutes. Let cool 30 minutes before serving.
Do Ahead: Moussaka can be baked 1 day ahead. Let cool, then cover and chill, or freeze up to 3 months. Thaw before reheating in a 250° oven until warmed through, about 1 hour.
Editor’s note: This recipe was originally published in September 2017. Head this way for more of our favorite casserole dishes →