Recipe
With golden layers of roast veggies, lentils, and velvety béchamel, this moussaka is a delicious way to bring a little Greek-inspired magic to your table.
You will need
Serves 6-8
For the vegetable layers:
- 3 large potatoes, thinly sliced (like thick coins)
- 5 onions, thinly sliced (for layering with potatoes)
- 2 eggplants, thinly sliced
- 2 large zucchinis, thinly sliced
- Extra virgin olive oil (Greek preferred)
- Lemon thyme (optional, for tossing with vegetables)
- Salt (for seasoning the eggplant)
For the sauce:
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 4 whole garlic cloves (for simmering in sauce)
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 cans Italian cherry tomatoes
- 2 tins of water (use empty tomato tins to measure)
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon grated nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon vegetable stock (or 1 stock cube)
- 2 bay leaves
- Handful of fresh basil (torn)
- Handful of fresh mint, finely chopped
- Handful of parsley, finely chopped
- 500g puy lentils
- Salt and pepper, to taste
For the béchamel sauce:
- 4 tablespoons Nuttelex (or other vegan butter)
- 4 tablespoons plain flour
- 1 litre soy milk (not light or low fat)
- 250g vegan Parmesan cheese (use half for béchamel, half for topping)
- 1 teaspoon grated nutmeg
To finish:
- Vegan breadcrumbs
- Extra vegan Parmesan (from above)
- Grated nutmeg
Recipe: Kon Karapanagiotidis
Directions
90 mins to prep
2.75 hours to cook
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Step 1
Slice eggplants and generously salt them in a bowl. Set aside for 1 hour to draw out moisture and bitterness. Rinse thoroughly and pat dry before use.
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Step 2
Preheat your oven to 180°C (fan-forced) or 200°C (conventional).
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Step 3
Prepare to roast the vegetables. Grease a large deep baking tray with olive oil. You’ll roast each layer one at a time, stacking as you go. Before adding each layer to the tray, toss the vegetables in a bit of olive oil (and lemon thyme, if using).
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Step 4
For the first layer, cover the base of the tray with sliced potatoes. Top evenly with sliced onions. Bake for 45 minutes.
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Step 5
For the second layer, add rinsed and dried eggplant slices. Bake for another 45 minutes.
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Step 6
And finally, add your last layer of sliced zucchini. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.
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Step 7
While vegetables are roasting, boil puy lentils in water until tender but not mushy. Drain and set aside.
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Step 8
Begin making the sauce. In a saucepan, heat olive oil and sauté chopped onion until soft and golden. Add sugar, then chopped garlic. Add the basil, mint, and parsley. Stir in tomatoes, tomato paste, water, whole garlic cloves, bay leaves, paprika, nutmeg, stock, salt, and pepper.
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Step 9
Simmer uncovered on low to medium heat for about 45 minutes, or until the sauce thickens but remains juicy. Stir in cooked lentils to fully coat.
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Step 10
Layer the lentil sauce. Spread the mixture evenly over the roasted vegetables in your tray.
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Step 11
Begin making the béchamel sauce. In a saucepan, melt Nuttelex over medium heat. Add flour and stir continuously until a smooth paste forms. Gradually whisk in the soy milk and cook until the sauce thickens. Once thick, stir in half of the vegan Parmesan and the nutmeg. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
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Step 12
Pour the béchamel sauce over the lentil layer, smoothing the top. Sprinkle with the remaining vegan Parmesan, a light dusting of grated nutmeg, and a handful of breadcrumbs. Bake at 180°C for about 1 hour or until golden brown on top. Bake longer if needed to achieve a rich, golden crust—avoid burning.
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Step 13
Let the moussaka rest and cool slightly before cutting—this helps it hold its shape. It tastes even better the next day and keeps well in the fridge for 3–5 days, covered.
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Recipe: Kon Karapanagiotidis
