The definitive Greek comfort dish — layers of fried aubergine, rich spiced lamb ragù and a thick, golden béchamel sauce, baked until bubbling and irresistible. Moussaka is patience rewarded: a true Mediterranean masterpiece.
45m
Prep
75m
Cook
120m
Total
8
Servings
580
Cal/Serving
Hard
★★★★★4.8 · 124 reviews
🛒 Ingredients
Serves 8
3 large aubergines, sliced 1cm thick
600g lamb mince
2 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, finely diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
400g canned chopped tomatoes
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1 tsp dried oregano
1 bay leaf
150ml red wine
For béchamel: 80g butter, 80g plain flour, 800ml full-fat milk, 2 egg yolks, 80g kefalotyri or parmesan, pinch of nutmeg, salt and pepper
Vegetable oil for frying aubergines
Salt
✨ Chef's Tips
Salting and drying the aubergines is crucial — skip it and your moussaka will be watery.
The béchamel must be very thick or it will sink into the layers rather than sitting on top.
Moussaka is always better the next day — make it ahead for the best result.
Kefalotyri is the traditional Greek cheese — parmesan is the best substitute.
📋 Method
1Salt the aubergines: Lay aubergine slices on a tray and sprinkle generously with salt. Leave for 30 minutes to draw out moisture. Rinse and pat completely dry with paper towel.
2Fry the aubergines: Heat vegetable oil in a large frying pan. Fry aubergine slices in batches over medium-high heat until golden brown on both sides, about 3 minutes per side. Drain on paper towel and set aside.
3Make the lamb ragù: Heat olive oil in a wide pan. Fry onion for 8 minutes until soft. Add garlic and cook 2 minutes. Add lamb mince and cook, breaking it up, until browned. Add red wine and let it bubble for 2 minutes. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, cinnamon, allspice, oregano and bay leaf. Simmer over low heat for 25 minutes until the sauce is thick and fragrant. Season well. Remove bay leaf.
4Make the béchamel: Melt butter in a saucepan. Whisk in flour and cook 2 minutes, stirring. Gradually whisk in warm milk, a little at a time, until smooth. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, for 8 minutes until very thick. Remove from heat. Stir in egg yolks, half the cheese, nutmeg, salt and pepper.
5Assemble: Preheat oven to 180°C. In a large deep baking dish, lay half the aubergines. Spread the lamb ragù evenly over. Top with remaining aubergine. Pour over the béchamel sauce and spread to the edges. Scatter remaining cheese on top.
6Bake: Bake for 45–50 minutes until the top is deeply golden and the moussaka is bubbling at the edges.
7Rest before serving: Allow to cool for at least 20 minutes before cutting — this allows the layers to set so it cuts cleanly into portions.