Vegan Moussaka

5 from 4 votes

This authentic Vegan Moussaka is the best I’ve ever had. Layers of eggplant, creamy cashew béchamel, and meaty lentil ragu come together in this plant-based version inspired by my Greek mom’s traditional recipe.

Prep Time40

Cook Time1 20

Total Time2

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Greek

Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian

Servings:

Calories: 354kcal

Author: Anjali Shah

Equipment

Ingredients

2 pounds eggplant (about 2 large)
2 teaspoons sea salt , divided
1 cup sweet onion , chopped
2 cloves garlic , chopped
1 ½ cups cooked chickpeas , rinsed and drained (or use 1/2 cup soaked dried chickpeas, see note)
½ cup dried green lentils
¼ cup chopped walnuts
2 cups veggie broth , low sodium if needed (may need more depending on beans used)
1 pound tomatoes , chopped (about 4 medium)
½ cup chopped parsley
¼ cup tomato sauce
¼ cup red wine
1/8 teaspoon white pepper (see note)
Your favorite cooking oil or more veggie broth to sauté and coat eggplant
9 tablespoons breadcrumbs , gluten free if needed (1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon)
1 cup Vegan Parmesan Cheese , divided into 4 parts (about 1 whole recipe if using my homemade version)

Béchamel Sauce:

1 ½ cups raw cashews (see note)
2 cups cooked potato (about 2 medium)
1 ½ cups veggie broth , low sodium if needed
1 teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon white pepper (see note)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 F (175 C)

Prep the eggplant:

Slice the eggplant into thick pieces, about ½ inch. Place them on a paper towel and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of the salt. Allow them to sit for about 10 minutes while preparing other parts of the recipe. This will help bring out some of the water.
After about 10 minutes, take eggplant pieces and wipe off any excess water with a paper towel. Place on a parchment lined cookie sheet and brush with oil or broth.
Put eggplant in the oven and broil. Start with 5 minutes on each side, keep checking and leave until golden brown. Mine was 8 minutes on the first side, and 5 on the second.

Make béchamel:

Make béchamel sauce by placing all ingredients into a blender and blending until nice and smooth.

Make “meat” sauce:

Sauté onion and garlic with the rest of the salt (1 teaspoon) and oil or splash of broth until brown.
You can choose to chop the cooked chickpeas and walnuts now instead of chopping the whole mixture after. Simple pulse in a food processor.
Add chickpeas, lentils and walnuts, sauté 1-2 minutes.
Add broth, fresh chopped tomatoes and parsley.
Cook partially covered for 20 minutes until the liquid is almost gone and beans are al dente. Then add the tomato sauce, wine and pepper. Stir and cook partially covered for another 5 minutes until most of the liquid is gone. Add more broth if needed.
Allow it to cool a bit, then if you haven't pulsed the chickpeas and walnuts already, put the whole mixture into a food processor and pulse to make it a chunky ground meat like texture. This is optional, if you prefer to leave it whole, that’s fine too. Just take note that if you don’t pulse the mixture a bit the texture will not be as meaty.

Put the moussaka together:

Brush bottom of a 9 x 12 dish with a drizzle of oil or broth.
Put ¼ cup breadcrumbs on the bottom to coat it and help prevent burning.
Line the dish with half of the eggplant pieces.
Sprinkle with ¼ of the parmesan.
Top with the “meat” mixture.
Sprinkle ¼ cup breadcrumbs on top.
Sprinkle with ¼ of the parmesan.
Place half of the eggplant pieces on top.
Sprinkle with ¼ of the parmesan.
Pour the béchamel over it.
Sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon of breadcrumbs.
Sprinkle the top with the last ¼ of the parmesan.
Bake for 30-35 minutes until the top is brown. Make sure not to overbake or it will dry out. Allow it to cool so it can thicken and settle.
Devour your hard work!

Notes

- My #1 Tip for making this vegan moussaka recipe is to properly prep and cook the eggplant before baking to achieve the best texture. Eggplant holds a lot of moisture and can have a slightly bitter taste, so salting it beforehand helps draw out excess water and enhances its flavor. Pre-cooking also gives it a firmer, richer texture and prevents the moussaka from becoming watery.
- Cashew Prep: If you’re not using a high-speed blender, soak the cashews overnight or grind them into a fine powder using a coffee grinder for the smoothest texture.

- Potato Prep: I recommend baking the potato ahead of time and letting it cool completely before using. Baking helps prevent excess moisture, but boiling works if preferred.

- Avoid Overcooking the "Meat" Mixture: The lentils, chickpeas, and walnuts create a hearty texture similar to ground meat, but overcooking can make them mushy. Cook until just al dente, as they will finish cooking in the oven.

- Let the Moussaka Rest Before Slicing: After baking, I let it cool for at least 20 to 30 minutes before slicing. This helps the layers firm up and prevents a soupy texture when serving.

Nutrition