The Best Vegan Moussaka (Popular Greek Dish)

This popular Greek dish can be easily made without meat and still tastes amazing. This healthy casserole is a wonderful comfort meal which is flavorful, satisfying, and very enjoyable. The recipe is plant-based, gluten-free, and fairly easy to make!

Are you a fan of Greek food? I must admit that I don’t eat it very often as most Greek dishes are meat-based. The Greek version of Moussaka includes layers of meat and eggplant topped with a Béchamel sauce. Other popular Greek dishes are Souvlaki, Gyros, and Tzatziki but there are so many more. Moussaka is the first Greek dish which I veganized and let me tell you I LOVE this vegan Moussaka recipe. It’s flavorful, satisfying, and very tasty!

You’ll Need:

For the base:

• 2 pounds potatoes, peeled (1 kg)
• 3 large eggplants
• Olive oil to brush
• Sea salt & pepper to sprinkle

For the lentil mixture:

• 3 cups of cooked lentils (600 g)
• 2 cups tomato purée (450 g)
• 1 cup chopped tomatoes (150 g)
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 bay leaves
• 1-2 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp coconut sugar or brown sugar
• pinch of cinnamon
• Sea salt & pepper to taste

For the béchamel sauce (*see recipe notes):

• 2 tbsp vegan butter (28 g)
• 2 cups plant-based milk (480 ml)
• 3 1/2 tbsp cornstarch (28 g)
• 2 tbsp nutritional yeast flakes
• Sea salt & pepper to taste
• Pinch of nutmeg
• Vegan cheese to taste (optional)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 390° F/200° C and prepare two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Slice each eggplant lengthwise into 4 pieces. Cut the potatoes into 1/2 inch (1 cm) thick slices. Arrange all slices in a single layer on the baking sheets and brush lightly with some olive oil, sprinkle with salt & pepper. Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes or until lightly brown.
3. Meanwhile, heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion & garlic and sauté for about 4-5 minutes. Add the tomato purée, chopped tomatoes, all spices, and salt & pepper to taste. Finally, add the cooked lentils and let simmer on low heat for about 5 minutes.
4. For the béchamel sauce, add the plant-based milk to a pan/skillet. Mix in the cornstarch, nutritional yeast, salt and pepper, and whisk. Add the vegan butter and bring the mixture to a boil. Let simmer on low heat for a few minutes until it thickens. Whisk continuously. Remove from heat. Check the recipe notes if you don't want to make the béchamel sauce.
5. Grease a 13"x9" (33x23 cm) or larger baking dish and arrange half of the potato and eggplant slices on the bottom of the baking dish. Top with the lentil mixture, followed by the remaining potato/eggplant slices (see photo above in the blog post). Pour the béchamel sauce on top and spread evenly. Add vegan cheese to taste (optional).
6. Bake in the oven for about 30 minutes or until golden brown. Garnish with fresh herbs. Enjoy!

NOTES:

• You can top the moussaka with mashed potatoes if you don't want to make the bechamel sauce.