To me, Greek cuisine truly represents the crossroads of different cultures. Southern European ingredients are paired with Middle Eastern flavours to create unique dishes—and this vegan moussaka is the perfect example! (Vegan tempeh gyros with tzatziki is another.) Moussaka is a traditional Greek dish that’s kind of like a casserole and typically made with layers of eggplant, ground meat, and béchamel sauce. It’s creamy, savoury, and aromatic, with lots of fragrant herbs and spices in the tomato sauce. My vegan moussaka recipe swaps out the meat and dairy, but I promise you won’t miss them one bit!
Why You’ll Love This Vegan Moussaka Recipe
A simple vegan swap. I know store-bought ground meat isn’t for everyone! This recipe uses wholesome lentils and mushrooms as a replacement for the traditional ground beef or lamb. Perfect for meal prep. This vegan moussaka is great for batch cooking and meal prepping. Just like vegetable lasagna, you can make a big pan of it and store it in the fridge or freezer for later! Hearty and satisfying. The lentils and mushrooms in this vegan moussaka give it a hearty, meaty texture, making it a satisfying dish for both vegans and non-vegans alike.
Notes on Ingredients
Scroll down to the recipe card to find the ingredient quantities and recipe instructions.
Roasted eggplant –You’ll need 2 globe eggplant for this vegan moussaka recipe, along with olive oil, salt, pepper, and oregano for seasoning. Roasted potatoes – For these, you’ll need Yukon gold potatoes, along with the oil, salt, pepper, and oregano. Lentils – Use dry green lentils; cook them in water, then season with salt and pepper.
Sauce
Olive oil Yellow onion Seasonings – Fresh garlic is combined with salt, pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, dried thyme and oregano, and bay leaves. Tomato paste – This adds some umami to the sauce. Dry red wine – Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Pinot Noir are all dry red wines. Mushrooms – White mushrooms or cremini would both work. Crushed tomatoes Fresh parsley – If you have extra, use it to make parsley pesto.
Bechamel
Vegan butter – I like to use my homemade vegan butter. Flour Plant milk – Make sure it’s unflavoured and unsweetened. Nutritional yeast Nutmeg Salt and pepper
How to Make Vegan Moussaka
Prep the eggplant. Salt it and let it sit on a baking sheet for up to an hour. Squeeze out the excess moisture. Season the eggplant and potatoes. Toss both in bowls with the oil and seasonings. Roast. Bake the potatoes in a 375ºF oven for 20 minutes and the eggplant for 25 minutes, flipping at the halfway point.
Cook the lentils. Combine all the ingredients for the lentils in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for 15 minutes. Drain. Sauté the onion. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan set over medium-high heat. Add the onion and salt; cook until it’s translucent, then stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant. Add flavor. Stir in the cinnamon, nutmeg, thyme, and oregano. Once fragrant, add the tomato paste and cook for 30 seconds. Deglaze. Pour the wine into the pan and cook for 1 minute, scraping off any browned bits. Add the lentils and mushrooms. Stir in the lentils and mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes. Simmer. Stir in the crushed tomatoes and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Season to taste, then add the parsley.
Make the béchamel. Melt the butter in a saucepan set over medium heat. Whisk in the flour for 1 minute, then whisk in the plant milk. Simmer for 5 minutes, or until thickened, and add the nutritional yeast and nutmeg. Season to taste. Assemble. Layer the potatoes in the bottom of a greased baking dish. Add half the sauce, followed by the eggplant, the remaining sauce, and the béchamel. Bake. Place the pan in the oven and bake the vegan moussaka for 50 minutes, or until golden brown. Broil for a minute or two if desired.
Tips for Success
Cut the vegetables into even sizes. From the eggplant and potatoes to the onions, it’s important to cut all of the vegetables into even sizes to ensure that they cook evenly. Get a head start. There are a lot of components to this vegan moussaka recipe, so if you’d like, you can start some of them up to 2 days before. You can roast the potatoes and eggplant, cook the lentils, or make either of the sauces. Don’t skip salting and squeezing the eggplant. This step helps remove excess moisture from the eggplant slices.
What to Serve With Moussaka
I love pairing this vegan moussaka with a thick slice of crusty olive bread to soak up any extra sauce. You can also serve it with no knead bread, vegan dinner rolls, or focaccia. This Greek cucumber salad would make a refreshing side dish for moussaka too.
How to Store Leftovers
Leftover vegan moussaka can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. To reheat, use the microwave or warm up larger portions in a 350ºF oven until heated through.
Can I Freeze This Recipe?
For longer storage, you can freeze individual portions of this vegan moussaka in airtight containers for up to 3 months. To reheat, thaw in the refrigerator overnight and then follow the reheating instructions above.
More Vegan Casserole Recipes
Vegan Enchilada Casserole Broccoli Cheese Rice Casserole Stuffed Pepper Casserole Biscuits and Gravy Casserole Vegan Chicken Pot Pie Casserole
Enjoy friends! If you make this vegan moussaka recipe, please snap a photo and tag #jessicainthekitchen on Instagram! We’d also love it if you would leave a comment below, and give the recipe a rating! Thanks so much!
