How to make a Vegan Moussaka

by Trisha Vaz

This vegan Moussaka made with layers of eggplant, potato and a flavour-packed mushroom filling, topped with a luscious white sauce, is definitely a must-try.

Moussaka is a classic Greek baked dish thats typically made up of eggplant and lamb mince. Its a dish that I’ve made for years and every time I make it, I wonder why I don’t make it more often. It’s been ages since I last made it, so I decided it was time. The weather was perfect. With autumn rolling in, the days are a tiny bit cooler. And that means it’s finally ok to crank up the oven.

With the weather in my favour, now there was just one little hurdle. We no longer eat meat. I had to turn this into a really delicious Vegan Moussaka. It’s easy enough to simply sub in the lamb with TVP (textured vegetable protein) or a fake meat option from the supermarket, but we don’t really enjoy that stuff. I have used it in recipes a few times, but I much prefer using vegetables instead. So today, that’s the version I’m going to share with you.

Vegan Moussaka - Mushroom Filling

Let’s talk about the cheese. While I do use plant based cheese in my diet, I try and keep that to a minimum. This sauce is ideally made with some cheese and I have added it to the recipe. However, the sauce is just as good even without the cheese. The flavours and textures of all the elements of the casserole work really well together and the sauce brings everything together brilliantly. So if you’re trying to restrict your intake of processed food, feel free to leave the cheese out, like I’ve done in the recipe video.

Vegan Moussaka - Before baking

To make this recipe a little healthier and to reduce the hands on cooking time, I’ve roasted the potatoes and eggplant instead of pan frying it. This way you use less oil in the cooking process and I find that the flavours are much better.

Vegan Moussaka - Roasted Veggies

Overall, this is a relatively easy dish to make. There are a few elements that have to be prepped and then its just a matter of layering everything and baking it off. Just allow yourself a little extra time.

Vegan Moussaka - After Baking
Vegan Moussaka recipe
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Vegan Moussaka recipe

Recipe by Trisha VazCourse: Mains
Servings

4

servings
Prep time

15

minutes
Cooking time

30

minutes
Baking Time

40

minutes
Total time

1

hour 

10

minutes

This vegan Moussaka made with layers of eggplant, potato and a flavour-packed mushroom filling and finally topped with a luscious white sauce.

Ingredients

  • 2-3 eggplants

  • 2 potatoes

  • 1-2 tablespoons olive oil

  • Salt, to taste

  • For the Mushroom filling

  • 1 onion, diced

  • 1 stick of celery, diced

  • 1 carrot, diced

  • 8-10 cup mushrooms

  • 5 portabello mushrooms

  • 3 large cloves of garlic

  • 2 tablespoons tomato puree

  • 1/2 teaspoon oregano

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

  • Salt, to taste

  • Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

  • Red chilli flakes, to taste

  • For the white sauce

  • 1 teaspoon olive oil

  • 2 tablespoons butter

  • 2 tablespoons flour

  • 1 1/2 – 2 cups soy milk

  • 1/2 teaspoon mustard

  • 1/4 cup grated cheese

  • Salt, to taste

  • A pinch of freshly grated nutmeg. (You can also use nutmeg powder instead)

Directions

  • Preheat your oven to 200ºC.
  • Peel and cut the potatoes into slices. Keep the slices on the thicker side.
  • Drizzle a little olive oil over the potato slices and sprinkle some salt, to taste. Toss them well and place them in a single layer on a lined baking sheet.
  • Slice the eggplant, drizzle some olive oil and sprinkle some salt over the slices. Toss them well and place them in a single layer on a lined baking sheet.
  • Bake the potato and the eggplant slices for 15-20 minutes or till done. Do not overcook the vegetables.
  • For the Mushroom Filling –
  • Chop the mushrooms into a chunky dice.
  • Dice the onion, celery and carrots and mince the garlic.
  • Heat the olive oil in a large pan on medium heat.
  • Add the onion and saute for a couple of minutes till it starts softening.
  • Add the celery and carrots and let these cook off on a medium heat for about 5-8 minutes or till they have softened a bit.
  • Add the minced garlic and stir through.
  • Add some red chilli flakes, to taste, the oregano and black pepper powder. Stir through.
  • Add the chopped mushrooms and stir through. Let it cook off for a couple of minutes.
  • Add the tomato paste and continue cooking for 4-5 minutes.
  • Season with some salt and continue cooking for a couple of minutes.
  • Take the pan off the heat and set aside.
  • For the White Sauce –
  • Add the oil and butter to a pan on medium heat.
  • Once the butter has melted, add the flour. Stir it through and let the flour cook off for a minute or two till it develops a nutty aroma. This means that the flour has cooked off. Do not let the colour change.
  • Add a splash of the soy milk and stir thoroughly and then add the rest of the milk. You can use a whisk to help get rid of any lumps in the sauce.
  • Add some salt, to taste.
  • Add mustard and stir through till the mustard dissolves.
  • Add a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg. Stir well.
  • Cook till the sauce thickens, stirring constantly.
  • Lastly, add the cheese (if using), stir through and take the pan off the heat.
  • To assemble the Moussaka –
  • In an 8×8 inch square baking dish, place the roasted potatoes in a layer at the bottom. Try and keep the layer even without too many gaps.
  • Next, layer the roasted eggplant slices over it.
  • Spoon the mushroom filling in an even layer over the eggplant.
  • Pour the sauce over the filling evenly.
  • Bake at 200ºC for 15-20 minutes or till the sauce is all hot and bubbly.
  • Take the moussaka out of the oven and let it rest for 5-10 minutes.
  • Serve with a fresh garden salad and some garlic bread.
    Enjoy!

Recipe Video

Trisha Vaz

This post was posted in Mains, Recipes, Vegan, Vegetarian