Moussaka is a traditional dish for the Mediterranean countries. It has many variations of which the most popular is the Greek one but this vegetarian moussaka recipe is a bit different.
This veggie Moussaka is more of a weekend meal when you have more time to cook. The result is a delicious oven baked meal that will have everyone in your family asking for more! The leftovers are perfect for Monday evening so no need to cook (if there is any left)!
This is one of my favourite meals from when I was growing up, my mother makes the best Moussaka and has passed this very traditional recipe to me. This version of Moussaka (with potatoes instead of eggplant) is the traditional recipe for my country. Moussaka isn’t just a Greek dish, it has many variations across the Balkan region which you will probably be able to find online.
Most recipes include minced meat but I prefer this veggie version. If you wish to make it with meat, just buy some freshly minced organic meat and add it to the pan when frying the vegetables. In this recipe there is no eggplant, mainly potatoes and courgettes.
The ingredients quantities really depend on how large your baking dish is. Mine is 12×8 inch (30×20 cm) big so the below are for a dish with a similar size.
Ingredients
- 800g potatoes
- 1 courgette
- 2 medium carrots
- 1 onion
- 1 cup tomato puree (passata)
- 1 tbsp fresh and/or dried oregano
- 1/2 tbsp paprika
- 2 tsp of salt and black pepper to taste
- 5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- For the creamy sauce:
- 500g full fat greek yogurt (one regular size pot)
- 2 tbsp of whole wheat flour
- 2 small eggs
- pinch of baking soda
- a small bunch of finely chopped parsley (optional)
Instructions
- Finely chop the carrots, onion and courgette. Heat a pan to a medium temperature and gently stir fry the chopped vegetables in the olive oil for about 10 minutes. If you wish to add mince, add it to the pan as well.
- Add the fried vegetables with the oil from the pan to the baking dish, followed by the raw potatoes (cut into cubes). Add the tomato puree, paprika and oregano, mix them all well.
- In a kettle bring to the boil about 200 ml of water. Pour onto the dish until it just about covers all the ingredients (you may not have to use all of the water).
- Bake in a preheated oven (225°C/ 440 °F) for about 45 minutes or until your potatoes are cooked and most of the water from the dish has evaporated. Time may vary depending on the type of potatoes you are cooking with.
- While you are baking, prepare the creamy sauce: in a bowl, whisk the yoghurt, eggs, flour, baking soda and the parsley.
- When it's done cooking take it out of the oven and add the salt and black pepper and mix well. Pour over the white sauce making sure it covers well, forming an even layer.
- Put back in the oven for another 15-20 minutes, bake until golden and brown bubbles start to appear on top.