Vegetarian Moussaka
A tasty blend of lentils and eggplant covered with a light fluffy ricotta and bechamel topping combine for a delicious vegetarian version of moussaka that is every bit as good as the meat filled version.
Dried lentils simmered in vegetable stock replace the more traditional ground lamb in this Vegetarian Moussaka.
While the lentils simmer, the onion and red pepper are cooked until soft, and nicely browned around the edges. Next, the cubed eggplant is sautéed until soft and golden brown before stirring in a few tablespoons of tomato paste.
Once the tomato paste has had a chance to caramelize a little the onion and red pepper are added back to the pan along with the cooked lentils, white wine and chopped tomatoes. The mixture is seasoned with chopped fresh rosemary, cinnamon, ground cumin and salt and pepper to taste.
The moussaka can be made ahead of time to this point, then brought to room temperature, topped with the ricotta bechamel, and baked.
The filling is so delicious you may be tempted to eat it just as is, or over rice and pasta, but the ricotta bechamel topping takes the dish to the next level. The topping is light, fluffy, and so simple to make.
The topping begins with a basic bechamel sauce, flour, melted butter, warm milk and some freshly grated nutmeg. Once the bechamel is ready it’s allowed to cool slightly before whisking in the ricotta cheese, grated parmesan and a lightly beaten egg.
During baking, the topping will puff up into a glorious fluffy cloud. Delicious!
Vegetarian Moussaka is one of my go-to potluck dishes. It’s always a hit even with the most die-hard meat eaters!
Enjoy!
Ingredients
The Moussaka Base
- 1 eggplant (approx. 450 grams) cut into 1 cm cubes
- 275 ml vegetable stock
- 100 grams brown or green lentils
- 5 tbsp olive oil
- 2 medium onions peeled and chopped
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 red pepper de-seeded and diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 400 ml canned chopped tomatoes
- 200 ml white wine
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- 1 tbsp rosemary, finely chopped
- salt and pepper to taste
The Topping
- 25 grams butter
- 25 grams flour
- 275 ml milk
- ¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
- 250 grams ricotta cheese
- 25 grams freshly grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
Prepare the Base for the Moussaka
- Preheat oven to 180°C / 350°F
- Place the stock and lentils in a medium saucepan. Cover and simmer until the lentils are soft and most of the liquid will has been absorbed, about 25-30 minutes.
- While the lentils are simmering heat 2 tablespoon of the olive oil over med.- high heat in a large skillet or frying pan . Add the onion and cook until soft and beginning to brown around the edges, about 5 minutes. Add the red pepper and cook for another 4-5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute.Transfer to a plate or bowl and set aside while you cook the eggplant.
- Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the pan, and increase the heat to high. add the cubed eggplant and cook until , tossing or stirring frequently, until lightly browned.
- Reduce the heat to medium and add the tomato paste and the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Next, add the onion, pepper mix back to the pan and stir in the chopped rosemary, cinnamon and ground cumin.
- Add the wine, chopped tomatoes and the cooked lentils to the pan and stir to combine everything together. Season with salt and pepper and let simmer for another 5 minutes.
Prepare the Topping
- While the filling for the moussaka is simmering, prepare the topping.In a medium size saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly for 1-2 minutes. add the warm milk and the freshly grated nutmeg. Whisk until it comes to a simmer and begins to thicken into a sauce, about 2-3 minutes.Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly before whisking in the ricotta and parmesan cheese. Gently beat the egg, then add to the sauce. whisk to combine.
Assemble and Bake the Moussaka
- Transfer the vegetable lentil mixture to a baking dish and spoon the sauce evenly overtop.Bake the moussaka on the middle shelf of the preheated oven for 1 hour. allow to rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.