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 ⅓ of the flour. Stir well with a whisk.
11. Add ⅓ 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
Cooked this? Rate this recipe! You can also leave a comment below. I love hearing from you!
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Vegetarian moussaka with plant based meat
Equipment
- medium sauce pan
- Rimmed baking sheet
- 8“ square baking tin
- frying pan
Ingredients
- 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 ⅓ of the flour. Stir well with a whisk. Add ⅓ of the milk. Keep whisking. Add more flour. Keep whisking. Add more milk. Repeat alternating between flour and milk.
- 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!
