My Veggie Moussaka Recipe

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This My Veggie Moussaka Recipe is a creamy and hearty recipe, which is made with chargrilled aubergine and tender potatoes. It’s the ultimate comfort food recipe, ready in about 2 hours and 30 minutes.

My Veggie Moussaka Recipe Ingredients

20g dried porcini mushrooms
2 onions
8 cloves of garlic
olive oil
½ a cinnamon stick
1 bunch of fresh oregano (30g)
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 large aubergines (400g each)
1kg potatoes
2 x 400g tins of quality plum tomatoes
200g feta cheese
2 large free-range eggs
300ml semi-skimmed milk
1 whole nutmeg, for grating

How To Make My Veggie Moussaka

Soak Mushrooms & Sauté Aromatics: Cover the porcini mushrooms with 300ml of boiling water and set aside to soak. In a large casserole pan, sauté the finely sliced onions and garlic with a cinnamon stick in 2 tablespoons of oil over a medium-low heat. Add the oregano leaves and vinegar, then cover and simmer for 20 minutes until soft.
Prepare the Vegetables: While the onions cook, slice the aubergines lengthwise into 1cm thick planks. Cook them in batches on a hot, dry griddle pan until tender and charred on both sides. Scrub the potatoes and slice them just under ½cm thick.
Simmer the Tomato & Potato Sauce: Add the sliced potatoes to the softened onion mixture. Strain in the mushroom-soaking water (reserving the mushrooms) and scrunch in the tinned tomatoes. Add one tin’s worth of water. Cover and simmer on a medium heat for 50 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender, removing the lid for the last 5 minutes.
Make the Creamy Feta Sauce: Place the soaked porcini mushrooms in a blender with half of the feta cheese and the eggs. Pour in the milk, finely grate in half a nutmeg, and blend until completely smooth.
Assemble and Bake: Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Season the tomato sauce and spoon half of it into a 25cm x 35cm baking dish. Layer with half the grilled aubergines and a drizzle of the creamy sauce. Repeat the layers, finishing with the remaining creamy sauce. Crumble the rest of the feta over the top.
Bake Until Golden: Cover the dish with foil and bake for 50 minutes, removing the foil for the last 15 minutes, until golden and bubbling. Let it stand for 15 minutes before serving.

Recipe Tips

How to get the best flavour from the aubergine? Chargrilling the aubergine slices on a hot griddle pan is key. It gives them a wonderful smoky flavour and tender texture that you can’t get from just baking.
Can I make this without a griddle pan? Yes. You can roast the aubergine slices instead. Brush them with a little olive oil and roast on a baking sheet at 400°F (200°C) for 20-25 minutes, until golden and soft.
Why is the sauce not a traditional béchamel? This recipe uses a clever, modern twist. The blended porcini mushrooms, feta, and eggs create a rich, savory, and creamy sauce with a deep umami flavour, without the need for a flour-and-butter based béchamel.
Why rest the moussaka before serving? Letting the moussaka stand for at least 15 minutes after it comes out of the oven is crucial. It allows the layers to set, making it much easier to slice and serve neat portions.

What To Serve With Veggie Moussaka

This is a very hearty, all-in-one meal, but it pairs beautifully with simple, fresh sides:

A simple green salad with a lemon and olive oil dressing
Crusty bread to mop up the delicious sauce
A side of Kalamata olives

How To Store Veggie Moussaka

Refrigerate: Let the moussaka cool completely, then cover the dish or transfer leftovers to an airtight container. It will keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The flavour is often even better the next day.
Reheating: Reheat individual portions in the microwave or place the entire dish back in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 20-25 minutes until warmed through.

Veggie Moussaka Nutrition Facts

Calories: 500-600 kcal
Fat: 25g
Carbohydrates: 55g
Protein: 20g

Nutrition information is estimated and may vary based on ingredients and cooking methods used.

FAQs

Can I make this recipe vegan?

This would require significant changes. You would need to replace the feta and eggs in the sauce with a vegan alternative, such as a creamy sauce made from soaked cashews, nutritional yeast, and silken tofu.

Can I use a different cheese?

Yes, the recipe notes that grated halloumi is a great substitute for the feta, which would add a delicious salty flavour.

Do I have to use dried porcini mushrooms?

For the best flavour, yes. The dried porcini and their soaking liquid are essential for the deep, earthy, umami flavour of the creamy sauce. Fresh mushrooms will not provide the same intensity.

Try More Recipes:

Jamie Oliver Meat Moussaka
Jamie Oliver Lamb Noisettes Recipe
Jamie Oliver Veggie Gravy

Course: DinnerCuisine: Greek-InspiredDifficulty: Easy

Servings

servings

Prep time

minutes

Cooking time

hours

Calories

600

kcal

Layers of tender potato and tomato sauce, smoky chargrilled aubergine, and a rich, creamy porcini and feta sauce, all baked until golden and bubbling.

Ingredients

20g dried porcini mushrooms
2 onions, 8 garlic cloves (sliced)
2 large aubergines
1kg potatoes
2 x 400g tins plum tomatoes
200g feta cheese
2 large eggs
300ml semi-skimmed milk
Spices: ½ cinnamon stick, 1 bunch oregano, nutmeg.

Directions

Soak porcini mushrooms in 300ml boiling water. Sauté onions, garlic, cinnamon, and oregano for 20 mins.
Slice and chargrill the aubergine planks. Slice the potatoes.
Add potatoes, porcini water, and tomatoes to the onion pan. Simmer for 50 minutes until potatoes are tender.
Blend the soaked porcini, half the feta, eggs, milk, and nutmeg to make a creamy sauce.
Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). In a large baking dish, layer half the tomato sauce, half the aubergine, and a drizzle of creamy sauce. Repeat.
Top with the remaining creamy sauce and crumble over the rest of the feta.
Bake, covered with foil, for 50 minutes, removing the foil for the last 15 minutes. Rest before serving.

Notes

Chargrilling the aubergine is key for a smoky, authentic flavour.
The unique porcini and feta sauce is a lighter, more flavorful alternative to a traditional béchamel.
Letting the moussaka rest before slicing is essential to help the layers hold their shape.
This dish is a fantastic make-ahead vegetarian centerpiece.