This vegetarian moussaka with plant based meat is really delicious and tastes just like the traditional famous Greek dish. With eggplant, potatoes & creamy béchamel it will be your new favorite casserole. 

I have been incorporating plant based meat for a while in some of my recipes with great results. I was overjoyed when my vegetarian moussaka came out absolutely perfect! I couldn’t believe it! It tasted so close to the traditional Greek moussaka without a hint of real meat.

What is plant based meat?

Here is what I learned from wikipedia:

Plant based meat is made from vegetarian ingredients, and without animal products. Some meat alternatives are soy-based (e.g. tofu, tempeh) or gluten-based, and now are made from pea protein.

I used Beyond Beef, some of the ingredients are peas, mung beans, fava beans, brown rice, cocoa butter, coconut & canola oil, and color from beet juice extract. For more info and a full list of the ingredients please visit beyondmeat.com. Another option of plant-based meat is the impossible burger, please visit impossible foods.com for ingredients and more information.

Step by step

I followed the traditional Greek way of making moussaka with the exception of using plant-based meat instead of real beef. The béchamel is rich and creamy made with real butter and whole milk. You can certainly opt-out from lightly frying the potato slices and use them raw if you prefer, just remember to season well and cook the moussaka for the full 1 hour. My suggestion would be to fry them because it will add flavor to this particular recipe due to the extra fat missing from using plant-based meat. 

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the eggplant slices, drizzle 2 tbsp olive oil all over. Season with salt and fresh ground pepper. Bake in the oven for 15 min or so, until eggplant has a slight golden color. Don’t overbake! When ready, remove from oven and let them cool.

2. In a frying pan add 2-3 tbsp light olive oil. In high heat fry the potato slices for approximately 1-2 min, both sides. Remove slices and place in a paper towel to absorb extra oil.

3. Remove the light olive oil from the pan, wipe excess with a paper towel. Add 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil. In medium heat, add the onions. Season with a pinch of salt. After 2-3 min add the garlic. Stir well. Add the tomato paste. Season with another pinch of salt, fresh ground pepper, and 1-2 pinch of dry oregano. Stir well. Add 1-2 pinches of chili flakes. Stir well.

4. Add the plant-based meat. Break it into small pieces, just like you would do with ground beef. Mix everything well. Add the wine. Allow the wine to evaporate a little for 2-3 min. Remove from heat and set aside.

5. Add a layer of potatoes slices to the bottom of the baking pan. Season potato slices with salt and pepper.

6. Add a layer of eggplant. Sprinkle some grated parmesan cheese all over. Repeat a layer of potatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Add another layer of eggplant slices. Sprinkle a generous amount of grated parmesan.

7. Add your “meat” on top of the eggplant. Spread evenly.

8. Add a generous amount of grated parmesan. Set aside.

9. Place a medium saucepan on medium to low heat. Add the butter. 

10. When butter is melted add 1/3 of the flour. Stir well with a whisk.

11. Add 1/3 of the milk. Keep whisking. Add more flour. Keep whisking. Add more milk. Repeat alternating between flour and milk.

12. Season with salt and pepper. Grate a good amount of nutmeg. Keep whisking. The béchamel should be smooth and velvety but thick enough to remain distinct atop the ragù in the moussaka. Turn the heat off. Add a generous amount of grated parmesan cheese. Stir well with the whisk. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.

Note about the bechamel:

Always have some more milk and flour around if you need to thicken or dilute the bechamel. Bechamel is tricky and has a learning curve, that is for sure. You might need to add a little more or less of either flour or milk to reach the correct consistency, or if you need to make a little more to cover your pan and create a nice layer on top of the meat and veggies.

13. Pour the béchamel on top of the “meat”. Spread evenly.

14. Grate a good amount of parmesan cheese on top, sprinkle some chili flakes and fresh ground pepper.

Bake in a 350 F oven for 45 min to 1 hour or until the top is a nice golden color. Let moussaka sit for 15 min before serving. Enjoy!

Tips & Tricks

• You can transform this dish into a vegan moussaka recipe. Instead of béchamel, you can use mashed cauliflower with your favorite vegan cheese on top.
• Some Greek cooks fry the eggplant slices but I prefer baking them. That way the eggplant does not absorb so much olive oil.
• The “beef” ragù is made just like I would make it with real meat. I season every step to allow flavors to develop and the addition of wine really enhances the sauce.
• If you don’t have eggplant you can substitute with zucchini or yellow squash. Check out this moussaka with yellow squash recipe on how to prepare them.

You may also try

• A very flavorful vegetarian Greek bell pepper pie is super easy and quick to make.
• This roasted tomato & olives appetizer is my go to when I want something tasty and comforting that reminds me of Greece. I often make it for dinner paired with a nice green salad.
• The original Greek summer food is gemista – stuffed tomatoes & peppers. An absolute must as the weather warms up.
• Arakas, Greek sweet peas, is a great vegetarian dish mostly served as a main course but can be an awesome side dish as well.

Check out my Greek pantry staples 

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Vegetarian moussaka with plant based meat

by Jenny | The Greek Foodie

Absolutely delicious authentic Greek moussaka with plant based meat.

4 from 8 votes

Print Recipe

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Prep Time 45 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Course Main Course

Cuisine Greek

Servings 6

Calories 412 kcal

Equipment

• medium sauce pan
• Rimmed baking sheet
• 8“ square baking tin
• frying pan

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• ▢ 1 plant based meat package like Beyond beef
• ▢ 3 potatoes sliced
• ▢ 1 large eggplant sliced
• ▢ 1 red onion diced
• ▢ 2 cloves garlic minced
• ▢ ¼ extra virgin olive oil
• ▢ ½ cup red wine
• ▢ 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• ▢ 4 oz parmesan cheese

for the béchamel

• ▢ 1 cup all purpose flour plus some more in case you need to thicken the bechamel
• ▢ 5 tablespoons butter
• ▢ 1 pint whole milk plus some more in case you need to dilute the bechamel

you will also need

• ▢ light olive oil for frying
• ▢ sea salt
• ▢ freshly ground pepper
• ▢ nutmeg grated
• ▢ dry oregano I love Greek oregano
• ▢ red chili flakes

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the eggplant slices, drizzle 2 tbsp olive oil all over. Season with salt and fresh ground pepper. Bake in the oven for 15 min or so, until eggplant has a slight golden color. Don’t overbake! When ready, remove from oven and let them cool.
• In a frying pan add 2-3 tbsp light olive oil. In high heat fry the potato slices for approximately 1-2 min, both sides. Remove slices and place in a paper towel to absorb extra oil.
• Remove the light olive oil from the frying pan, wipe excess with a paper towel. Add 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil. In medium heat, add the onions. season with a pinch of salt. After 2-3 min add the garlic. Stir well. Add the tomato paste. Season with another pinch of salt, fresh ground pepper and 1-2 pinch of dry oregano. Stir well. Add 1-2 pinches of chili flakes.Stir well.
• Add the plant based meat. Break it to small pieces, just like you would do with ground beef. Mix everything well. Add the wine. Allow the wine to evaporate a little for 2-3 min. Remove from heat and set aside.

Assemble the eggplant and potatoes.

• Add a layer of potatoes slices to the bottom of the baking pan. Season potato slices with salt and pepper.
• Add a layer of eggplant. Sprinkle some grated parmesan cheese al over. Repeat a layer of potatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Add another layer of eggplant slices. Sprinkle a generous amount of grated parmesan.
• Add your “meat” on top of the eggplant. Spread evenly.
• Add a generous amount of grated parmesan. Set aside.

Make the béchamel.

• Place a medium sauce pan on medium to low heat. Add the butter. 
• When butter is melted add 1/3 of the flour. Stir well with a whisk. Add 1/3 of the milk. Keep whisking. Add more flour. Keep whisking. Add more milk. Repeat alternating between flour and milk.
• Season with salt and pepper. Grate a good amount of nutmeg. Keep whisking. You might need to add a little more flour or milk to reach the correct consistency. The béchamel should be smooth and velvety but thick enough to remain distinct atop the ragù in the moussaka.
• Turn the heat off. Add a generous amount of grated parmesan cheese. Stir well with the whisk. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.

Final steps

• Pour the béchamel on top of the "meat". Spread evenly.
• Grate a good amount of parmesan cheese on top, sprinkle some chili flakes and fresh ground pepper.
• Bake in a 350 F oven for 45 min to 1 hour or until top is a nice golden color.
• Let moussaka sit for 15 min before serving. Enjoy!

Notes

I used an 8“ square deep baking tin. I had to line the bottom with parchment paper and place the tin on a baking sheet to cook because it has a removable base. I used that pan because it’s deep and allows the moussaka to have a nice layer of béchamel on top.

If you are using a 10.5”×8”×3” lasagna pan, add one more potato and 2 more yellow squash to the recipe. 

For the béchamel: Always have some more milk and flour around if you need to thicken or dilute the bechamel. You might need to add a little more or less of either flour or milk to reach the correct consistency, or if you need to make a little more to cover your pan and create a nice layer on top of the meat and veggies.

Nutritional Info – Please keep in mind that the nutritional information provided is only an estimate and can vary based on the products used.

Nutrition

Calories: 412kcalCarbohydrates: 46gProtein: 15gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 46mgSodium: 451mgPotassium: 853mgFiber: 6gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 628IUVitamin C: 25mgCalcium: 347mgIron: 2mg

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