Traditional Old School Moussaka
Igor Gjozinski
3/13/2026
Updated on
5/7/2026
Public
Cooking Video
Classification
Category:
Main Dish
Cuisine:
Macedonian
Difficulty:
Medium
Servings:
4
Total Weight:
1249g
Meal Role:
Main Dish
Fit & Sate:
Heavy Artillery
Time Breakdown
Preparation
30m
Cooking
1h 25m
Resting
15m
Total Time
2h 10m
Meal Prep Info
Batch-Friendly
Needs Reheating
Keeps 3 days in fridge
40 min hands-on time
Nutrition
4
466
Calories
4
31.8 g
Protein
4
22.3 g
Carbs
4
27.6 g
Fat
Sugar:
4.5 g
Fiber:
4.7 g
Saturated Fat:
9 g
Unsaturated Fat:
12.8 g
Trans Fat:
0 g
Cholesterol:
104.9 mg
Sodium:
767 mg
Calcium:
5.1 mg
Iron:
0mg
Potassium:
913.3mg
Salt:
0g
Ingredients 11
Servings:
Eggplant
250
Gram
60.0
2.5g
14.3g
0.5g
potato (white, raw)
300
Gram
231.0
6.0g
51.0g
0.3g
Ground Beef
350
Gram
868.0
90.0g
0.0g
53.7g
Ground Pork
150
Gram
394.5
25.3g
0.0g
31.8g
Extra virgin olive oil
25
Milliliter
206.0
0.0g
0.0g
22.9g
Onion
60
Gram
27.0
0.6g
6.6g
0.0g
Leak
40
Gram
24.4
0.6g
5.7g
0.1g
Carrots
30
Gram
12.3
0.3g
2.9g
0.1g
Tomato Sauce
30
Gram
12.9
0.5g
2.6g
0.0g
Sweet Ground Red Paprika (spice)
10
Gram
28.7
1.5g
6.3g
0.9g
Salt
4
Gram
0.0
0.0g
0.0g
0.0g
Cooking Instructions
Traditional Old-School Moussaka
A rustic, authentic take on a classic. No heavy béchamel or modern fillers—just the rich, natural flavors of fresh vegetables and seasoned meat.
Preparation
1. Prepare the Vegetables
Prep: Wash the leek and carrot. Peel the onion and carrot.
Cut: Dice the onion finely, slice the leek into thin half-moons, and shred the carrot.
2. Sauté the Aromatics
In a sauté pot, heat 2 tbsp of olive oil.
Sauté the onion for 3–4 minutes.
Add the leek half-moons and sauté for another 3–4 minutes.
Incorporate the shredded carrot and cook for a final 3–4 minutes.
Stir in 1 tbsp of sweet red pepper flakes and 1 minced garlic clove. Sauté for 30–40 seconds until fragrant.
3. Brown the Meat
Add the ground meat (a 70:30 beef-to-pork ratio is recommended).
Use a meat masher or fork to break up any lumps. Sauté the mixture until the meat is browned and no longer pink.
4. Season the Filling
Stir in 2 tbsp of tomato purée.
Add 1 tbsp sweet ground paprika, 2/3 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper.
Mix for 1 minute, then remove the pot from the heat and set aside.
5. Prep and Pre-Bake the Eggplant & Potatoes
Eggplant: Wash and slice the eggplant into 5–7 mm thick pieces (rounds or long slices). Place on a plate, season lightly with salt, and cover with paper towels for 15–20 minutes to draw out moisture.
Potatoes: Peel and slice the potatoes into 5 mm thick rounds.
Pre-Bake: Pat the eggplant slices dry. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and drizzle with olive oil. Arrange the eggplant and potato slices in a single layer. Drizzle the tops with more olive oil.
Oven Time: Bake at 180°C for 25 minutes.
6. Layer the Moussaka
Lightly drizzle the bottom of a baking dish with olive oil.
Layer 1: Create a base using all the pre-baked eggplant slices.
Layer 2: Evenly spread the meat and vegetable mixture over the eggplant.
Layer 3: Finish by shingling the potato slices across the top.
7. Prepare the Topping & Broth
The Sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together 2 tbsp tomato purée, 1/2 tsp black pepper, 1/3 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp dried oregano, a splash of olive oil, and 1/3 glass of water. Pour this evenly over the top layer of potatoes.
The Moisture: To the pot used for the meat, add 1 glass of water and bring to a boil to pick up the remaining flavors. Pour this liquid into the side of the baking dish.
8. Bake and Grill
Bake at 180°C for 35 minutes.
Switch the oven to the Grill (broil) setting. Keep the dish on the middle rack and grill for 6–7 minutes until the potatoes are golden and crisp.
9. Rest and Serve
Allow the moussaka to rest for 10–15 minutes. This is crucial for the flavors to meld and the layers to set before "devouring."
Bon Appétit!