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Traditional Greek Moussaka (Layered Eggplant, Beef Ragù, and Rich Béchamel Bake)
The centerpiece of Greek home dining: tender roasted eggplant and potato layers cradling a rich spiced beef and tomato ragù, crowned with a thick golden blanket of velvety baked béchamel.
Prep
35 min
Cook
55 min
Total
90 min
Ingredients
6servings
- Eggplants, sliced into 1 cm rounds700 g
- Potatoes, sliced into 0.5 cm rounds400 g
- Lean ground beef500 g
- Crushed canned tomatoes400 g
- Yellow onion, chopped1 piece
- Ground cinnamon0.5 tsp
- Olive oil60 ml
- Butter for béchamel50 g
- Flour for béchamel50 g
- Warm milk for béchamel500 ml
- Grated Kefalotyri or Parmesan cheese60 g
- Salt1.5 tsp
Preparation Steps
1
Arrange sliced potatoes and eggplant on baking trays, brush with olive oil, and bake at 200°C for 20 minutes until tender.
20 min timer
2
Cook ragù: sauté onion, brown beef for 8 minutes, add tomatoes, cinnamon, and salt. Simmer for 20 minutes until thick and reduced.
20 min timer
3
Make béchamel: melt butter, stir in flour for 1 minute, gradually whisk in warm milk until smooth and thick, then fold in half the grated cheese.
8 min timer
4
Assemble in baking dish: layer potatoes on bottom, half the eggplant, pour in meat ragù, top with remaining eggplant, spread béchamel, and sprinkle remaining cheese.
10 min timer
5
Bake at 180°C for 45-50 minutes until golden brown on top. Rest for 20 minutes before slicing into neat squares.
45 min timer
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Provenance & Public Domain Audit
Source: European Culinary Traditions Archive / USDA Public Domain Collection (United States Department of Agriculture (USDA))
Legal status: Public Domain (17 U.S.C. § 105) • 17 U.S.C. § 105
License: Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal
