Oven-Baked Greek Moussaka with Spiced Beef and Eggplant

By AislePrompt Test Kitchen · Reviewed by AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-05-21 · Updated 2026-05-21

A layered casserole featuring tender eggplant, a rich spiced beef tomato sauce, and a creamy béchamel topping baked to golden perfection. This greek-inspired greek ready in about 100 minutes pairs olive oil, ground beef, medium, finely chopped onion for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 480 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
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 medium, finely chopped onion
• 3, minced garlic cloves
• 14 oz canned crushed tomatoes
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1/4 cup red wine
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground allspice
• 1 tbsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 4 tbsp butter
• 4 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 3 cups, warmed whole milk
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 tsp, freshly grated nutmeg

Instructions

1. Step 1: Preheat the oven to 375°F. Arrange 2 medium eggplant slices (1/2-inch thick) on a baking sheet, brush both sides with 2 tbsp olive oil, and roast for 20 minutes until tender and lightly browned.
2. Step 2: While eggplant roasts, heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1 finely chopped medium onion and sauté for 5 minutes until translucent. Stir in 3 minced garlic cloves and cook 1 minute until fragrant.
3. Step 3: Add 1 lb ground beef to the skillet, breaking it up with a spatula, cook until browned, about 7 minutes. Stir in 14 oz crushed tomatoes, 2 tbsp tomato paste, 1/4 cup red wine, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/2 tsp ground allspice, 1 tbsp dried oregano, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Simmer uncovered for 15 minutes until sauce thickens.
4. Step 4: For béchamel, melt 4 tbsp butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in 4 tbsp all-purpose flour and cook for 2 minutes until light golden, stirring constantly.
5. Step 5: Gradually whisk in 3 cups warmed whole milk, bringing mixture to a gentle boil and stirring until thickened, about 5 minutes.
6. Step 6: Remove béchamel from heat, stir in 2 large egg yolks, 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, and 1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg. Mix well.
7. Step 7: In a baking dish, layer half the roasted eggplant slices, then spread the spiced beef sauce evenly over them, and top with the remaining eggplant slices.
8. Step 8: Pour the béchamel sauce evenly over the top layer, smoothing it with a spatula.
9. Step 9: Bake uncovered for 45 minutes until the top is golden and bubbling. Let rest 15 minutes before serving.