Traditional Greek Eggplant Moussaka with Creamy Béchamel

By AislePrompt Editorial · ·

How this recipe was made — this recipe was drafted by AislePrompt's AI-assisted pipeline from technique templates and USDA-sourced nutrition data, and published by AislePrompt Editorial — see how AislePrompt recipes are developed and reviewed.

A layered masterpiece of tender eggplant, spiced meat sauce, and velvety béchamel, honoring centuries of Greek culinary tradition. This Mediterranean recipe, ready in about 80 minutes, pairs eggplant, ground lamb, tomato sauce for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 420 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.

Prep: 30 min Cook: 50 min Serves 6 Mediterranean cuisine 420 cal/serving
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Ingredients

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Instructions

  1. Step 1: Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Brush 2 tbsp olive oil over eggplant slices and bake for 15 minutes until golden and tender, flipping halfway.
  2. Step 2: In a skillet, heat remaining 1 tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Sauté 1/2 cup diced onion until soft (5 minutes), then add 12 oz ground lamb, breaking it into small pieces. Cook until browned (8 minutes), then stir in 1 cup tomato sauce and simmer for 10 minutes until thickened.
  3. Step 3: In a saucepan, melt 1 tbsp butter over medium heat, whisk in 2 tbsp all-purpose flour for 1 minute to make a roux. Gradually whisk in 1 cup whole milk until smooth, then simmer for 5 minutes until thickened. Stir in 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese until melted and creamy.
  4. Step 4: Layer half the baked eggplant in a baking dish, top with all the lamb sauce, then layer the remaining eggplant. Pour the béchamel sauce evenly over the top. Bake for 25 minutes until golden and bubbling.

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