Description
Vegetarian Moussaka is a delicious Greek-inspired dish made with layers of roasted eggplant, flavorful lentil mixture, and creamy béchamel sauce. This meatless version of the classic moussaka is hearty, comforting, and perfect for a satisfying family meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Eggplant:
- 2 medium eggplants (sliced into 1/4-inch rounds)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Lentil Mixture:
- 1 medium onion (chopped)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 medium zucchini (diced)
- 1 cup chopped mushrooms
- 1 (15 oz) can lentils (drained and rinsed)
- 1 (15 oz) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley (chopped)
Béchamel Sauce:
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 egg (lightly beaten)
Additional:
- Additional Parmesan for topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F: Brush eggplant slices with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, roast for 20–25 minutes.
- Prepare Lentil Mixture: Sauté onion and garlic, add zucchini, mushrooms, lentils, crushed tomatoes, herbs, simmer.
- Make Béchamel Sauce: Melt butter, stir in flour, whisk in milk, season, remove from heat, add Parmesan and egg.
- Assemble: Layer eggplant, lentil mixture, remaining eggplant, pour over béchamel, sprinkle with Parmesan.
- Bake: Bake at 375°F for 30–35 minutes until golden and bubbling. Let rest before serving.
Notes
- For a vegan version, use plant-based ingredients and skip the egg in the sauce.
- You can also substitute lentils with chickpeas or a meat alternative.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 340
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 430mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 7g
- Protein: 14g
- Cholesterol: 50mg
