Description
Moussaka (Greece) is a must-try for food lovers!
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 large eggplants, sliced into 1/2-inch rounds
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 pound ground beef or lamb
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes, drained
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley (for garnish)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F.
- Sprinkle the eggplant slices with salt and let them sit for about 30 minutes to draw out moisture. Rinse and pat dry with paper towels.
- In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and garlic, cooking until softened (about 5 minutes).
- Add the ground beef or lamb, cooking until browned. Drain excess fat if necessary.
- Stir in the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, cinnamon, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the Greek yogurt, eggs, and half of the Parmesan cheese until smooth.
- In a greased 9×13-inch baking dish, layer half of the eggplant slices on the bottom.
- Spread half of the meat mixture over the eggplant, then add the remaining eggplant slices, followed by the rest of the meat mixture.
- Pour the yogurt mixture over the top and sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan cheese.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes, or until the top is golden and set. Let it cool for 10 minutes before serving.
- Garnish with chopped parsley before serving.
Notes
- For a vegetarian version, substitute the meat with lentils or mushrooms.
- You can also add layers of zucchini for extra vegetables.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Greek
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 12g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 25g
- Cholesterol: 150mg