This gluten free Greek Moussaka is a layered dish like lasagna only easier. The cheesy topping starts with a basic white sauce thickened with cornstarch. Simply replacing the breadcrumbs with my gluten free ones was the only adjustment I had to make to this classic moussaka, a recipe with its' roots on a tiny island in Greece.
I like to make moussaka in the winter (so many recipes, so little time). I serve it with any version of my classic Greek salad including the addition of lettuce sometimes. The salad is a year round favourite and I make it by counting the six ingredients with my hand instead of looking at the recipe.
If I was entertaining I'd add some version of calamari and a nice thick tadziki to start the meal. Check out my Dinner Club menu for Greek Night if you're ready to go all in.
🐄 Ingredients
My version of the tomato based meat sauce has a hint of cinnamon common in many Mediterranean sauces. I think it's mandatory. The final topping is a firm, thick white sauce layer. Extra egg yolks help create that firm topping I want and the cheese adds the richness I want.
- zucchini and eggplant
- onion and garlic
- ground beef
- canned tomatoes
- tomato paste
- oregano
- cinnamon
- allspice
- egg
- gluten free breadcrumbs (see tip below)
- parsley, fresh or dried
- butter
- cornstarch
- milk
- cottage cheese
- Parmesan cheese
- feta cheese
See recipe card for exact amounts.
🥛 Instructions
You need to start with a thick white sauce for it to firm up as it bakes and stay on the moussaka when you cut it. I make my white sauce with cornstarch so it always was gluten free. If you didn't here's a tip for success.
Sauces with cornstarch can be 'over stirred' and broken. The technique is simple so follow the steps and don't over stir. The eggs and cheese also help the topping firm up and the resting time, just like with lasagna, is essential. If it seems too thin you can add another tablespoon of cornstarch.
Master the technique and use this basic white sauce recipe to make Mornay sauce for Eggs Florentine, Croque Monsiuer (a fancy grilled ham and cheese sandwich) and homemade mac and cheese or Lobster Mac and Cheese.
🍞 Substitutions
Gluten free breadcrumbs - Oatmeal is the Scottish substitute for breadcrumbs that my mom always used in her meatloaf. Whole rolled oats or quick oats both work well.
🍆 Variations
Beef - Ground lamb is also common in traditional moussaka recipes.
Eggplant - Many versions of moussaka use zucchini or potato slices instead of eggplant. You can also use a combination of all three.
Wine - Some moussaka recipes use red wine in the meat sauce. This recipe started from a tiny cookbook I bought in Greece and it didn't use wine. You can certainly drink the red wine while you cook, like I do, or add some to the sauce.
Feta - I don't list the feta cheese as optional but many versions don't use it.
Easy Moussaka - Rather than layering the vegetables and meat you can mix it all together. Simply chop the vegetables, sauté them and fold into the meat mixture. The taste is always the same.
Storage
Yes, moussaka can be frozen. I enjoy it when I make it the portion the remainder into the size of meals I want and freeze it.
I first had moussaka on a trip to Greece in 1982 and the rest is history. If you like travel tales check out this post I wrote for my friends travel blog. She called it Greek Souvlaki - An Authentic Greek Food Recipe, don't miss the nude beach story.
As they say in Greece, yamas!
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Greek Moussaka
Ingredients
VEGETABLES LAYERS
- 1-2 zucchini slices, ⅓-inch thick*
- 1 eggplant slices, ⅓-inch thick* or 2 long, slender eggplants
- oil for frying
MEAT SAUCE
- 2 teaspoon cooking oil
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1½ lbs ground beef
- 1 can diced tomatoes (19 oz/560 ml)
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground pepper
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
- 1 egg , beaten
- 2 tablespoon gluten free breadcrumbs** dry or toasted
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley (or 1 teaspoon dried)
WHITE SAUCE MIXTURE
- ¼ cup butter
- 2 tablespoon cornstarch increase to 3 tablespoon if it isn't thickening
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 2 cups milk (2% or higher)
- 8 oz cottage cheese (250 ml)
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ¼ cup crumbled feta cheese
- 2 eggs beaten
Instructions
VEGETABLE LAYERS
- Heat oil in large sauté pan on medium-high heat. Fry zucchini and eggplant slices in batches until browned, 3-4 minutes per side. Set aside.
MEAT SAUCE
- Heat oil in large pot over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, sauté until slightly softened, about 5 minutes.
- Add beef and cook the mixture, stirring to break up any lumps, until no longer pink.
- Add tomatoes, tomato paste and spices. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
- Remove from heat. Stir in egg, breadcrumbs and parsley. Set aside to cool. Can be prepared 2-3 days in advance or frozen.
WHITE SAUCE LAYER
- In saucepan melt butter. Add cornstarch, salt and pepper and whisk until smooth and no lumps remain.
- When slightly thickened add half the milk and stir over medium heat until sauce thickens. Add the remaining milk and stir occasionally until thickened. Don't over stir.
- Remove from heat. Add cottage cheese, Parmesan cheese, feta and eggs. Stir until evenly combined. Set aside for assembly.
ASSEMBLY: Layer into a 9 x 13-inch baking pan in this order
- half the vegetable sliceshalf the meat mixtureremaining vegetable slicesremaining meat mixturewhite sauce mixture
- Bake in preheated 350°F oven for 45 minutes or until the top is set and nicely browned. Let sit for 15 minutes before serving.
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