Vegetarian moussaka recipe | Jamie Oliver aubergine recipes (2024)

FAQs

Which of these is one of the main ingredients in moussaka? ›

Because eggplant is one of the main ingredients in this recipe, preparing it properly is important. Here are some tips for how to prep eggplant for moussaka: Use large eggplants. Larger eggplants will yield large slices, which make it easier to form layers.

Sweating the eggplant is very important when baking it in a casserole because it holds a lot of water, which can ultimately ruin the moussaka. To prevent the moussaka from being watery, make sure to lay the eggplant on a paper towel, sprinkle lightly with salt and let it sit for 30 minutes.

Fry the aubergines in half of the oil and season. In another pan, fry the onion, garlic and lamb for 5 mins, then add all the remaining ingredients. Bring to the boil, simmer for 15 mins and season. To make the sauce, heat the milk with the shallot studded with the bay leaf and cloves.

Make our easy moussaka for an instant crowd pleaser. This classic Greek dish of layered thinly sliced potato, aubergine and lamb is topped with a creamy béchamel sauce.

What is the difference between Turkish, or Greek Moussaka? The Turkish version is not layered and baked. It resembles more of a stew with eggplant, tomato, onions, and minced meat that is served with pilaf.

moussaka, dish of baked lamb and eggplant prepared throughout the Balkans and Middle East but most closely associated with Greece and Turkey. In the Greek version, eggplants are sliced and fried lightly in olive oil and then layered in a casserole with a mixture of ground lamb, onions, tomato sauce, and seasonings.

A useful tip to prevent sogginess and greasiness is to salt sliced or diced eggplant and let it sit for an hour. This helps to draw out moisture.

Vegetarian Moussaka is a hearty casserole with layers of roasted eggplant and zucchini, tomato sauce thickened with quick-cooking red lentils, ground cinnamon, and a creamy béchamel sauce on top. Each layer stays distinct and bakes into a truly luxurious dish.

Dice the onion and mince the garlic. Measure the spices and tomato paste, and have the beef and tomatoes on hand. Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-low heat. Add the olive oil and gently cook the onions until translucent and start to turn golden, about 8-10 minutes.

When should you not use aubergine? ›

If there are any brown or dark spots in the flesh, it's best to toss the vegetable—however, there's one exception to this rule. Eggplant is susceptible to enzymatic browning, when fruits and veggies begin to brown after being exposed to oxygen (think: an apple or avocado that turns brown).

Moussaka is to the Greek what Lasagna is to Italians. A rich tomato meat sauce layered with eggplant instead of pasta sheets, and topped with a thick layer of béchamel sauce, this traditional Greek recipe takes time to assemble – but it's well worth the effort!

In the past, recipes called for aubergines to be sliced and salted before cooking to reduce their bitterness. As modern varieties are much less bitter, that is no longer necessary, unless you're planning to fry them – aubergines soak up oil like a sponge and salting helps reduce that.

A classic Greek dish made of rich, hearty layers of potato, eggplant, and tomato-based meat sauce, blanketed in creamy béchamel.

Moussaka is one of those dishes about which everyone has a story, a variation, and an opinion – meat being the main culprit. People think that the meat in most of our dishes is lamb, but in my family (and for a lot of other Greeks and Cypriots) the meat in moussaka is pork. Veal was used, too, but less so now.

It was the Arab Immigrants, which introduced moussaka to Greece and Turkey in outdoor dining areas. In the 1920s, Nikolaus Tselementes, a well-known Greek chef and recipe writer, developed what is now the Greek version of moussaka. He invented the layers and recommended the use of bechamel sauce.

Vegetarian Moussaka is a hearty casserole with layers of roasted eggplant and zucchini, tomato sauce thickened with quick-cooking red lentils, ground cinnamon, and a creamy béchamel sauce on top. Each layer stays distinct and bakes into a truly luxurious dish.