This vegan moussaka lightens the iconic Greek version of lasagne. We build layers of roasted vegetables and top them with a plant-based meat ragu and then a creamy cashew béchamel sauce. It’s delicious, packs a ton of flavor and feeds a crowd. Yamas! (Greek for Cheers!)
Greeks make traditional moussaka with ground lamb or beef as well as a creamy béchamel sauce, made with milk and butter and sometimes parmesan cheese. To make this vegan version of moussaka, we replace the meat with one of many excellent plant-based ground meat products now available. The béchamel sauce ditches the animal-based dairy products and uses soaked cashews and nutritional yeast.
Also, we further lighten this vegan moussaka by roasting the vegetable layers, rather than frying them in the traditional way.
This recipe was inspired by the fantastic authentic Greek recipes of Akis Petretzikis. It easily feeds 10 people, accompanied by a big Greek salad dressed with Meyer Lemon Oregano Vinaigrette. To make the salad, chop some cucumbers, bell peppers, tomatoes, red onions and black olives. Crumble some vegan feta cheese (Trader Joe's made a great one), toss with the vinaigrette and you're good to go.
Ingredients
Plant-based meat
I remember a time when we had Boca Burgers and textured vegetable protein (TVP) as our main sources of plant-based substitutes for ground beef. We have so many more options now! Companies like Beyond Meat and Impossible foods introduced plant-based meats that are juicy and even "bleed" like the real thing. And upstarts like Akua are now making plant-based meat substitutes made out of sustainable kelp. (Don't say "ew," Akua burgers are freaking delicious!) I like Beyond Beef Plant-based Ground or Akua Kelp Burger Ground "Meat" for this vegan moussaka, but feel free to try your own favorite ground "meat."
Cinnamon
There are two main types of cinnamon: Vietnamese (Saigon) cinnamon, known for it's sweet and spicy tastes and Ceylon cinnamon, which is less sweet and more citrusy and complex. For sweet baked goods, I use Vietnamese cinnamon. But for savory dishes like this, Ceylon cinnamon is the better choice. Vietnamese cinnamon is the one that you find commonly in grocery stores. But Ceylon cinnamon is worth seeking out. Sustainable spice company Burlap and Barrel makes a Ceylon cinnamon that they call Cinnamon Verum. With notes of pine, citrus peel and sea salt, it's perfect for savory dishes.
Nutmeg
Dairy béchamel sauce has a key flavoring ingredient - nutmeg. Don't skip it here. If you don't have it in the house, buy some. You'll be happy next Christmas season when the eggnog starts flowing. Not to mention summer cocktails, like the Painkiller. But I digress. I'm a purist and like to freshly grate my nutmeg. This can be done with a nutmeg grater (yes, I have one), spice grinder or (easiest) a Microplane zester. Buy good quality whole nutmeg. My favorite is Burlap and Barrel's Grenada Gold Nutmeg. Fragrant, sweet and spicy, this nutmeg will take your béchamel to the next level.
Other ingredients
- yellow potatoes
- red onions
- extra virgin olive oil
- sea salt
- fresh thyme
- eggplant
- zucchini
- garlic
- ground cloves
- tomato paste
- black pepper
- chopped tomatoes
- raw cashews (soaked 6 hours or overnight)
- nutritional yeast
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Roast the vegetables and cook the plant-based meat crumbles:
Preheat your oven to 400ºF. Lightly oil a 10x12” baking dish with olive oil. Thinly slice potatoes and 1 onion and place in a large bowl. Toss with 2 TB olive oil, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper and 1 teaspoon chopped thyme. Spread on the bottom of the baking dish and bake for 20 minutes, or until the potatoes and onions are golden brown.
Thinly slice the eggplant and place in the bowl. Toss with 2 TB olive oil, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper and 1 teaspoon thyme. Layer slices of the top of the potatoes. If the eggplant seems dry, brush a little more olive oil on top. Bake an additional 20 minutes, until the eggplant is golden brown.
Thinly slice the zucchini and place in the bowl. Toss with 2 TB olive oil, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper and 1 teaspoon thyme. Layer slices of the top of the eggplant and bake an additional 20 minutes, until the zucchini is golden brown.
Finely chop 1 onion. Heat 2 TB olive oil in a 12” skillet over medium-high heat and add the onion. Sauté, stirring, until the onions are caramelized. Add minced garlic along with cinnamon and cloves and sauté about 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the tomato paste, plant-based meat crumbles, ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper and cook, breaking up the vegan meat with a wooden or silicone spoon. Brown the plant-based meat and add the chopped tomatoes. Cook, stirring often, until most of the liquid has evaporated. This mixture needs to be fairly dry.
Add the béchamel to the plant-based meat mixture and top the vegan moussaka:
Drain soaked cashews and place in a high speed blender. Add 4 TB olive oil, nutritional yeast, ½ teaspoon salt, water and nutmeg. Blend on high speed until creamy and smooth. Add ½ cup of the cashew béchamel sauce to the vegan meat mixture and mix well.
Spread vegan meat mixture evenly on top of the vegetables. Use a spatula to spread the remaining béchamel sauce over the meat. Sprinkle with additional nutritional yeast if desired.
Bake 30 minutes until the béchamel is golden brown and the "meat" layer is bubbly. Let rest for 20 minutes, cut into 10 pieces and serve.
Equipment
There's no getting around it. There is a lot of chopping and slicing associated with this recipe. You can use a mandolin. But personally, I find the hassle of locating my mandolin, setting it up, cleaning it and making sure I don't lose my fingers while using it to be more of a hassle than it's worth. I use a chef's knife. A good quality, sharp chef's knife makes quick work of these veggies. And besides, you've got 20 minutes of roasting between each vegetable layer. That's plenty of time to slice the next batch. Every kitchen should have a top quality chef's knife. My go-to is this Global 8 inch Stainless Steel Chef's Knife. Every home chef should have an all-purpose knife of this quality.
Storage
Store the vegan moussaka, covered, in the fridge, for up to 4 days. Reheat at 300ºF in the oven or you can even reheat with great success in the microwave.
FAQ
Moussaka is a dish that is popular in many countries, particularly in Greece and the Middle East. It is typically made with layers of sliced eggplant, ground meat (usually lamb or beef), onions, tomatoes, and a béchamel sauce, which is a creamy white sauce made with butter, flour, and milk. The dish is then baked in the oven until it is golden brown and bubbling.
There are many variations of moussaka, depending on the region and the cook, and some versions also include potatoes or zucchini (like this one!) It is often served as a main course and is a hearty, filling dish that is perfect for cooler weather. This recipe is a vegan variation of moussaka, and uses plant-based ground meat and a delicious cashew-based béchamel sauce.
Recipe
Vegan Moussaka
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb yellow potatoes (about 2 potatoes)
- 1½ lb red onions, (about 2 onions) divided
- ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 2½ teaspoon sea salt, divided
- 1¼ teaspoon black pepper, divided
- 3 teaspoon fresh thyme, divided
- 10 oz eggplant (about 1 medium eggplant)
- 1 lb zucchini (about 2 medium zucchinis)
- 1 garlic clove
- ½ teaspoon Ceylon cinnamon, (sweet cinnamon ok also)
- 1 pinch ground cloves
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 lb plant-based ground "meat"
- 14 oz chopped tomatoes, canned, preferably fire-roasted
- 2 cups raw cashews, soaked 6 hours or overnight
- 2 tablespoon nutritional yeast, plus more for topping
- 1½ cups water
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400ºF. Lightly oil a 10x12” baking dish with olive oil. Thinly slice potatoes and 1 onion and place in a large bowl. Toss with 2 TB olive oil, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper and 1 teaspoon chopped thyme. Spread on the bottom of the baking dish and bake for 20 minutes, or until the potatoes and onions are golden brown.
- Thinly slice the eggplant and place in the bowl. Toss with 2 TB olive oil, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper and 1 teaspoon thyme. Layer slices of the top of the potatoes. If the eggplant seems dry, brush a little more olive oil on top. Bake an additional 20 minutes, until the eggplant is golden brown.
- Thinly slice the zucchini and place in the bowl. Toss with 2 TB olive oil, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper and 1 teaspoon thyme. Layer slices of the top of the eggplant and bake an additional 20 minutes, until the zucchini is golden brown.
- Finely chop 1 onion. Heat 2 TB olive oil in a 12” skillet over medium-high heat and add the onion. Sauté, stirring, until the onions are caramelized. Add minced garlic along with cinnamon and cloves and sauté about 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the tomato paste, plant-based meat crumbles, ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper and cook, breaking up the vegan meat with a wooden or silicone spoon. Brown the plant-based meat and add the chopped tomatoes. Cook, stirring often, until most of the liquid has evaporated. This mixture needs to be fairly dry.
- Drain soaked cashews and place in a high speed blender. Add 4 TB olive oil, nutritional yeast, ½ teaspoon salt, water and nutmeg. Blend on high speed until creamy and smooth. Add ½ cup of the cashew béchamel sauce to the vegan meat mixture and mix well.
- Spread vegan meat mixture evenly on top of the vegetables. Use a spatula to spread the remaining béchamel sauce over the meat. Sprinkle with additional nutritional yeast, if desired.
- Bake 30 minutes until the béchamel is golden brown and the "meat" layer is bubbly. Let rest for 20 minutes, cut into 10 pieces and serve.
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