Vegetarian moussaka – a delicious gluten-free dinner!

Layers of grilled aubergine (eggplant), rich tomato sauce and tender potato, plus a yummy cheesy topping, make this vegetarian moussaka a filling and delicious dinner.

Do you have recipes so good that your family begs you to make them?!

I had included this vegetarian moussaka on my Pesach meal planner as a ‘maybe’ and DH begged me to upgrade it to ‘definite’. It really is a favourite here, containing as it does all the things we love. Namely,  flavoursome grilled aubergines (eggplant), rich tomato sauce, filling potato slices, and a delicious tangy, cheesy topping.

Vegetarian moussaka – naturally grain- & gluten-free

I make this all year, but it is a perfect Pesach dinner. Unlike lasagne or other bakes where some element has to be omitted or substituted on Pesach, moussaka does not contains any grain-based ingredients. Or rather, it doesn’t when you use this easy yogurt topping instead of a béchamel sauce.

Frankly, I prefer the tangy flavour of this version anyway, and not having to faff about making a béchamel is not exactly a hardship!

Vegetarian moussaka – ingredients

Although the finished vegetarian moussaka is a rich, hearty and delicious dish, it is made from easy to obtain ingredients. To make one yourself, you will need:

• Aubergine (eggplant)
• Potatoes – I like to use a ‘floury’ potato so it soaks up the tomato sauce.
• Onion – for richness and depth of flavour.
• Tinned tomatoes – use your favourite!
• Olive oil
• Herbs – I use thyme, oregano, and bay leaf
• Seasoning – salt and pepper, and a pinch of cinnamon (optional)
• Plain natural yogurt – for the topping. Greek yogurt is ideal but any plain yogurt will work fine.
• Egg
• Feta cheese – sometimes called Greek salad cheese or Bulgarian cheese

Take your time and enjoy the cooking!

I admit that this moussaka is a bit more labour/time intensive than some of my other recipes. You need to slice and grill the aubergines, make the tomato sauce, and peel, slice and boil the potatoes.

However, if you’re organised you can do at least two of these things at the same time. I usually get the sauce on the go and then grill the aubergines while it’s simmering. None of the elements are particularly complicated, so this is a lovely recipe when you have some time to relax and potter in the kitchen.

Assemble your moussaka – be cool!

I usually let the different parts of the dish cool down a little bit before assembling the moussaka. It makes them easier to handle without the risk of scorched fingers! However if you can’t prepare this ahead, then you can put it together straight away – just be careful!

Obviously the amount of time required in the oven will be longer if you’re cooking from cool/cold than if it goes in when the layers are still quite hot, so adjust your cooking time accordingly.

Moussaka – serve with a simple salad

This moussaka is filling, rich and delicious, and really needs very little accompaniment. Maybe just a green salad or a few fresh veggies. As you can see, we had a little salad of avocado, peppers, cucumber and tomato, and it was just perfect. 

Your family will beg you to make it again!

Serves 3-4.

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📖 Recipe

Vegetarian moussaka

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Layers of grilled aubergine (eggplant), rich tomato sauce and sliced potato, with a yummy cheesy topping.

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Prep Time 1 hour hr

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Total Time 2 hours hrs

Course Main Course

Cuisine Greek, Vegetarian

Servings 4

Calories 658 kcal

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

For the tomato sauce

• 1 medium onion
• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 x 400g (14 oz) tins tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 bay leaf
• Pinch salt
• Pinch pepper

For the grilled aubergines

• 2-3 medium aubergines (eggplant ) (550-750g/ 19-26oz total)
• 100 ml olive oil

For the potatoes

• 1 kg floury potatoes

For the topping

• 200 ml natural yogurt
• 1 egg
• 100 g feta cheese
• Ground cinnamon optional

Instructions

 

For the tomato sauce

• 1 medium onion, 2 tablespoon olive oil
  Peel and dice the onion. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet and cook the onion over a medium flame until starting to soften.
• 2 x 400g (14 oz) tins tomatoes, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 bay leaf
  Add the tinned tomatoes, thyme, oregano and bayleaf, and bring to a simmer.
• Pinch salt, Pinch pepper
  Turn down the heat and cook, uncovered, for 25-30 minutes until thickened and cooked through. Stir occasionally to prevent the sauce sticking to the pan. Season with salt and pepper to taste and remove from the heat.

While the sauce is simmering, cook the aubergines

• 2-3 medium aubergines (eggplant )
  Wash the aubergines (eggplant) and trim off the stalks and leaves. Cut the aubergines lengthways into 6-8mm (approx ¼ inch) thick slices.
• 100 ml (scant ½ cup) olive oil
  Heat the grill (broiler) to medium-high. Brush the aubergine slices with olive oil and arrange as many as will fit on a baking sheet. Cook under the grill (broiler) for 3-5 minutes until starting to brown.
• Turn the slices over, brush the other side with oil, and grill (broil) for 3-5 minutes on that side.
• When both sides are browned, and the slices are soft, remove to a plate and continue with more aubergine slices until they are all cooked.

For the potatoes

• 1 kg (2.2 lb) floury potatoes
  Peel the potatoes, and cut into 4-5mm thick slices (approx 3/16 inch). Wash in cold water and drain.
• Place in a large saucepan and cover with fresh water. Bring to the boil and simmer for 4-5 minutes until just tender to the point of a knife – don’t overcook or they will be impossible to handle when you come to assemble the final dish.
• Once cooked, drain the potatoes in a large sieve or colander.

To assemble and cook your moussaka

• Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
• Put a thin layer of the tomato sauce in the bottom of an ovenproof baking dish and spread out. Cover with half the aubergine slices, then half the potatoes, in even layers.
• Spread over half the remaining tomato sauce, then the remaining aubergine, and finally the remaining potato slices. Finally, spread the rest of the tomato sauce on the top.
• 200 ml (1 cup) natural yogurt, 1 egg
  To make the topping, whisk together the yogurt and egg. Carefully pour/spread this mixture over the top layer of tomato sauce, taking care not to mix them together too much.
• 100 g (⅔ cup) feta cheese, Ground cinnamon
  Crumble the feta cheese over the top, then sprinkle over a little cinnamon, if liked.
• Bake the moussaka at 180°C (350°F) for at least an hour, until it is thoroughly heated through, bubbling, and the top is golden. Serve hot.

Notes

The final baking time will depend on the temperature of the moussaka when it goes into the oven. If the different elements have cooled down before assembly, it may take longer than 1 hour to heat right through. If in doubt, bake for longer, but loosely cover the top with foil after an hour if it seems to be getting too brown.

 

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Vegetarian moussaka

Amount per Serving

Calories

658

% Daily Value*

Fat

 

41

g

63

%

Saturated Fat

 

10

g

63

%

Trans Fat

 

1

g

Cholesterol

 

70

mg

23

%

Sodium

 

340

mg

15

%

Potassium

 

1735

mg

50

%

Carbohydrates

 

64

g

21

%

Fiber

 

13

g

54

%

Sugar

 

15

g

17

%

Protein

 

14

g

28

%

Vitamin A

 

293

IU

6

%

Vitamin C

 

57

mg

69

%

Calcium

 

260

mg

26

%

Iron

 

4

mg

22

%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Keyword aubergine, eggplant, passover, pesach

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More delicious aubergine recipes

If you love aubergines, you’ll probably also enjoy these other delicious recipes:

• aubergine shakshuka
• stuffed aubergines with bulgar wheat and pesto
• aubergine and ricotta lasagne
• hasselback aubergines with mozzarella