Moussaka with beef
A rich, comforting Greek-style moussaka layered with spiced beef, tender vegetables, and a velvety béchamel topping - oven-baked to golden perfection.
Updated : 20 June, 2025
Easy
About 30 min.
Ingredients
750 grams
Beef mince
1
Onion
2
Garlic
1 teaspoon
Oregano
1.5 teaspoon
Mint
1
Laurel leaf
1
Cinnamon stick
1 tablespoon
Flour
200 milliliters
Red wine
400 grams
Tomato
2 tablespoon
Tomato paste
2
Eggplant
100 milliliters
Olive oil
500 grams
Potato
1 tablespoon
Salt
to taste
Ground black pepper
For the bechamel sauce
50 grams
Butter
50 grams
Flour
400 milliliters
Milk
25 grams
Parmesan
1 teaspoon
Nutmeg
1
Eggs
Table
Table of volume measurements:
- teaspoon - 5 ml
- dessert spoon - 10 ml
- tablespoon - 20 ml
- glass - 200 ml
Preparation
Step 1
Start by cooking the minced beef with chopped onion, crushed garlic, dried oregano, mint, bay leaf, and cinnamon in a heavy-based frying pan over medium heat for 10 minutes, breaking up the meat as it cooks.
Step 2
Stir in flour, season well, then add red wine, tomatoes, and tomato purée. Simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and the meat is tender.
Step 3
While the sauce simmers, cut aubergine into slices and salt the. Let them sit for 10 minutes. Rinse, pat dry, and fry in oil for 2–3 minutes per side, adding more oil as needed. Set aside to drain.
Step 4
Boil the potatoes for 5 minutes, then cool under running water and set aside.
Step 5
Preheat the oven to 200°C.
Step 6
For the béchamel, melt butter and stir in flour, cooking briefly before slowly adding milk. Stir in half the Parmesan and a pinch of nutmeg, then simmer for 4-5 minutes. Once slightly cooled, stir in a beaten egg
Step 7
To assemble, layer one-third of the meat sauce in a 2.5-litre ovenproof dish. Add layers of potatoes and aubergine. Repeat the layers two more times, finishing with aubergine. Top with the béchamel sauce and sprinkle over the remaining Parmesan.
Step 8
Bake for 35-45 minutes until golden brown and bubbling.