Vegetarian Moussaka

Recipes for moussaka vary a lot between countries and places of origin. It is a dish popular around the Levant, Balkans, Turkey and Greece. Each country has its own way of preparing and serving it.

My recipe below is not traditionally from one place or the other and I guess my version is a combination of different recipes that I have found over time. However, it is the best version I have made so far 😀

I use a combination of aubergine and zucchini. The tomato sauce also includes lentils which make the dish more filling. Moreover, I add a layer of feta cheese which gives it a lot of creaminess.

This vegetarian moussaka is best served warm. Any leftovers should be stored in the fridge and consumed within two days. Leftovers can also be frozen and consumed within a month. I suggest that any leftovers should be well reheated before served.

Vegetarian Moussaka

  • Servings: 4-6
  • Difficulty: easy
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My version of <em>moussaka</em>, a popular dish in various countries

Ingredients

  • 1 large eggplant, thinly sliced
  • 2 medium zucchini, thinly sliced
  • Olive oil
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1/2 tsp chili flakes
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 400g chopped tomatoes
  • 250g vegetable stock
  • 150g dried red lentils
  • 250g feta cheese, crumbled
  • 50g Grana Padano, grated
  • Sea salt & black pepper

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius.
  2. Place the sliced aubergine and zucchini onto a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
  3. Place in a preheated oven for 15-20 minutes until golden on both sides.
  4. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the chopped onion and sauté for 8-10 minutes or until transparent.
  5. Add the garlic, chili flakes, oregano and bay leaf and cook for another 2 minutes until fragrant.
  6. Add balsamic vinegar and tomato paste and mix while cooking for another 2-3 minutes.
  7. Add the red lentils, chopped tomatoes and vegetable stock and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes until the lentils are cooked and the sauce is rich and thickened.
  8. In a 30cmx20cm oven dish, layer down one-third of the aubergine, then one-third of the zucchini and pour one-third of the tomato-lentil sauce. Sprinkle one-half of the feta cheese.
  9. Repeat the process 2 more times (no feta cheese on the top layer). Sprinkle the grated Grana Padano on top.
  10. Place in a 180 degrees Celsius preheated oven and baked for 25 minutes until the top is nice and golden in colour.
  11. Let it sit for at least 15 minutes before cutting into it and serving.

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