Vegetable Moussaka

Vegan Moussaka
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I really hope you enjoyed our Italian-themed culinary exploits with our Pasta E Fagioli soup. In addition to our Hey Pesto Pasta! We’ll be remaining in the Mediterranean for now with a wonderfully creamy and herby vegan Moussaka!  

What can I expect from this Moussaka?

The aubergines are roasted before we use them in the Moussaka to remove the spongey texture that can sometimes put people off using them. Don’t forget, you can also read our blog post detailing all the health benefits of this purple beauty here! We’ll also be making a white sauce, that is sometimes called bechamel or a roux. You’ve probably comes across this sauce in something like a lasagna. This recipe has the added bonus of being dairy free and really just completely vegan! I’ve broken each step so it’s as hassle free as possible. Don’t forget you can watch me cook this over on our Instagram stories!

We’ll also be making quite a meaty tomato base, using tofu and mushrooms to replicate the texture of meat. We’ll also use ingredients, such as liquid smoke, for those of you who like to mimic meaty flavours, but feel free to leave these out if you wish. I’ve provided alternatives where possible to suit the flavour preferences of different palates. For instance, instead of liquid smoke which may be too strong for some, you could opt for a more nutty, cheesy moussaka with nutritional yeast. If you’d like to opt for a more umami flavour, miso paste would make a great addition too. Those of us who enjoy a bit of sweetness in our meals are more than welcome to use maple syrup too.

You can view step-by-step video guides of all my quarantine cooking over on our Instagram stories.

Here’s what you’ll need to get started:

Print Recipe

Vegetable Moussaka

Prep Time1 hr
Cook Time1 hr 30 mins
Total Time2 hrs 30 mins
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Keyword: Greek Cuisine, Moussaka, vegan
Servings: 6

Equipment

  • Food processor
  • Pastry Brush
  • Mixing Bowl
  • Baking Tray
  • Whisk
  • Baking Dish
  • oven
  • Saucepan
  • Knife
  • Chopping Board

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp Vegetable Oil
  • 2 Aubergines Sliced Thinly Into Rounds
  • 2 Medium Carrots Peeled
  • 2 Garlic Cloves
  • 1 Red Pepper Deseeded
  • 1 Onion
  • 1 Can Chopped Tomatoes
  • 200 g Mushrooms
  • 100 g Tofu
  • 1-2 tbsp Basil Fresh or Dried
  • 1-2 tbsp Parsley Fresh (Optional)
  • 100 ml Vegetable Stock or Red/White Wine
  • 1 tsp Liquid Smoke (Optional)
  • 2 tbsp Nutritional Yeast (Optional)
  • 1 tsp Miso Paste (Optional)
  • 1 tbsp Maple Syrup (Optional)

For the Roux

  • 300 ml Plant-Based Milk
  • 30 g Margarine
  • 1 Pinch of Salt to taste
  • 1 Pinch of Black Pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 175°C/350°F. Line a tray with baking paper. Place the sliced aubergine on the tray in an even layer. Using a pastry brush or similar, lightly brush the aubergine slices with some oil. Season with salt and place in your preheated oven for 25 minutes.
  • Dice the tofu and blend in a food processor until it resembles minced meat.
  • Prepare the mushrooms by either peeling their skin or removing any dirt or debris with a kitchen towel. Blend in a food processor until finely chopped then add to the tofu in a large mixing bowl.
  • Roughly chop the carrots before blending them in a food processor until finely chopped. Here’s how that should look like:
  • Add the carrots to the mixing bowl.
  • Finely chop the red pepper in a food processor followed by the onion and garlic. Process until finely chopped. Add to the mixing bowl.
  • Heat two tablespoons of oil in a large saucepan on a low heat. Pour the contents of the mixing bowl into the pan and stir for 5-7 minutes.
  • Add the fresh and dried herbs of your choice.
  • Cook for a further 10 minutes on a low heat. The vegetables will release liquid that we want to cook off. If you would like to see the desired dryness, head over to our Instagram to see a step-by-step video guide on making this dish.
  • At this point, you can add any extra flavours to the vegetables. I like to use liquid smoke, nutritional yeast, miso paste and maple syrup to create an umami flavour but feel free to customise as you see fit.
  • Remove the roasted aubergine from the oven, they should be lightly crisp and golden. Set aside. Keep the oven at 175°C/350°F.
  • Once the liquid has been cooked off, add the can of tomatoes. Stir well and cook for 5 minutes.
  • Pour in the vegetable stock. Alternatively, you could always add a splash of red or white wine. Let this bubble away for about 10 minutes, stirring regularly.

For the White Sauce

  • Melt the margarine in a saucepan on a low heat.
  • Add the flour, salt and pepper. Whisk continuously until the flour and margarine clump together.
  • Add 1/3 of the plant milk (100ml) and whisk vigorously. Keep whisking until the sauce starts to thicken.
  • Add the next 1/3 of the milk and whisk until thickened. Pour in the final 1/3 and keep whisking until you have a smooth and thick white sauce.
  • Grease a 23cm baking dish.
  • Cover the base of your dish with ½ of the aubergine slices. Pour the tomato sauce over the aubergine layer and spread out evenly. Layer the remaining ½ aubergine slices on top.
  • Pour the white sauce over the aubergines and smooth out.
  • Place in the oven for 35 minutes.
  • After 35 minutes, your moussaka should be bubbling and ready to enjoy! Top with a vegan Parmesan alternative or some fresh parsley, if desired.