Oven-Baked Greek Moussaka with Eggplant and Ground Beef

By Lauren Mitchell, Test Kitchen Director · Reviewed by AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-05-01 · Updated 2026-05-01

A hearty layered casserole featuring tender eggplants, spiced ground beef, and a rich béchamel sauce baked to golden perfection. This Greek recipe, ready in about 100 minutes, pairs eggplants, olive oil, ground beef for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 450 calories and feeds 6, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 2 medium, sliced into 1/2-inch rounds eggplants
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 large, finely chopped onion
• 3, minced garlic cloves
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 14 oz can diced tomatoes
• 1/4 cup red wine
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp allspice
• 1 tsp, divided salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 4 tbsp butter
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 1/2 cups, warmed milk
• 2 egg yolks
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup breadcrumbs

Instructions

1. Step 1: Preheat oven to 375°F. Brush 3 tbsp olive oil on both sides of 2 medium eggplants sliced into 1/2-inch rounds, and arrange on baking sheets. Roast for 20 minutes, flipping halfway until soft and golden.
2. Step 2: While eggplants roast, heat a large skillet over medium heat and add 1 tbsp olive oil. Sauté 1 large finely chopped onion and 3 minced garlic cloves for 5 minutes until translucent and fragrant.
3. Step 3: Add 1 lb ground beef to the skillet with onions and garlic. Cook for 7-8 minutes until browned, breaking up lumps.
4. Step 4: Stir in 2 tbsp tomato paste, 14 oz canned diced tomatoes, 1/4 cup red wine, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp allspice, 1/2 tsp black pepper, and 1/2 tsp salt. Simmer for 15 minutes until sauce thickens.
5. Step 5: In a saucepan, melt 4 tbsp butter over medium heat. Whisk in 1/4 cup all-purpose flour and cook for 2 minutes until bubbling and pale golden.
6. Step 6: Gradually whisk in 2 1/2 cups warmed milk, stirring constantly until sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes.
7. Step 7: Remove béchamel sauce from heat and temper in 2 egg yolks, whisking quickly to combine without scrambling.
8. Step 8: Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish and sprinkle 1/4 cup breadcrumbs evenly on the bottom.
9. Step 9: Layer half the roasted eggplant slices evenly in the dish, followed by all the meat sauce, then the remaining eggplant slices.
10. Step 10: Pour béchamel sauce evenly over the top layer, and sprinkle 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese.
11. Step 11: Bake in preheated oven for 40 minutes until golden and bubbling. Let rest for 15 minutes before serving.