Best Vegan Moussaka
This Best Vegan Moussaka is full of savory, wholesome ingredients. Tasty with a homemade Tempeh sauce, lots of fresh eggplant, a creamy white sauce, and a delicious topping. Easy and gluten free.
Moussaka is a casserole-style eggplant and potato-based dish, which can be found in the Mediterranean and Arabian cuisines.
There are many local variants but most have common ingredients like sautéed eggplant, tomatoes, potatoes, a white sauce - and minced meat.
I didn't have Moussaka for ages. Now, that I thought it was a good idea to make it, I immediately thought of ways to make a vegan version. Some people have suggested to use minced eggplant instead of meat.
However, having minced eggplant on top of a layer of sautéed eggplants seems to be a bit eggplant-heavy to me.
Tofu might be an option but I think it would either be a bit too firm or too soft in case of silken tofu.
Instead, I decided to go for tempeh. Tempeh can easily be crumbled and it therefore has a definite minced-meat vibe to it.
The tempeh sauce is made with tomatoes, onions, garlic, and a splash of vinegar.
It's pretty easy and quickly develops a uniquely delicious taste after a couple of minutes of simmering.
The second ingredient of the Moussaka that needs "veganization" is the Bechamel sauce. Usually made from butter, flour, and milk, it is some challenge.
I used oat milk and olive oil, a gluten-free flour and spiced it with nutritional yeast and a sprinkle of nutmeg.
The rest of the preparation of my vegan Moussaka involves frying eggplant slices and precooking potatoes.
And of course, layering it all in a casserole and baking it. When done, it's firm, and extremely good. I'm sure you will enjoy it!
If you give this Best Vegan Moussaka a try, tag me on Facebook and Instagram.
Take a picture and show me all your amazing creations.
Happy cooking, Florian.
Moussaka
This Best Vegan Moussaka is full of savory, wholesome ingredients. Tasty with a homemade Tempeh sauce, lots of fresh eggplant, a creamy white sauce, and a delicious topping. Easy and gluten free.
Ingredients
For the Tempeh Sauce:
- 1 14 oz (400 ml) can tomato
- 14 oz (400 g) tempeh
- 1 red onion
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 Tbs red wine vinegar
- salt, pepper to taste
For the White Sauce:
- 4 Tbs olive oil
- ⅓ cup (50 g) flour (I used gluten free)
- pinch of nutmeg
- 4 Tbs nutritional yeast
- 3-4 cups almond or oat milk
For the Moussaka
- 2 eggplant
- 5 medium size potatoes
- 5 oz (150 g) vegan cheese
Instructions
For the Tempeh sauce
- Peel and dice the red onion. Heat 1 Tbs of olive oil in a pan, add onions, cook for a couple of minutes until golden.
- Add the crumbled tempeh, 3 cloves of garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Add tomato paste and vinegar and mix well. Then combine with the tomato and season with salt and pepper.
For the White sauce:
- Heat oil in a sauce pan. Slowly add flour while whisking. Add almond or oat milk bit by bit. Stir well.
- Season with salt, pepper, nutritional yeast, and nutmeg.
For assembling the moussaka:
- Bring salted water to a boil. Peel the potatoes, and cut in thin slices. Add to the boiling water and cook 5-10 minutes until just tender. Drain with cold water.
- Cut eggplant into slices, fry golden in pan.
- Pour about 1 cup of the white sauce into a casserole, then add ⅓ of the vegan cheese. Make a layer of the potato slices, followed by eggplant and the tempeh mix. Top with the remaining bechamel sauce and finally the vegan cheese.
- Bake the Moussaka at 350°F (180°C) for about 45 minutes.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 2 cupsAmount Per Serving: Calories: 453Total Fat: 29gSaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 12.7gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 677mgCarbohydrates: 30gFiber: 5.2gSugar: 13gProtein: 19g
I LOVE moussaka! It is going to be the first thing I taste when I step into Greece. Your recipe looks so good and yummy.
Glad you like the recipe, Rini! 🙂
I love moussaka - this is a wonderful version! Love that you made it vegan - looks beautiful!
Glad you like the new twist on a traditional dish, Patricia!
Glad you like it, Patricia! I hope you try it! 🙂
The pictures on this are just stunning. This is a great vegan recipe!
Glad you like the pictures, Kristen!
Your photos are always so amazing and these make me want some now!
Glad you like the pictures, Kathy!
I'm super impressed with this recipe! You made this look awesome, and it's vegan. Yummers yummers! I can't wait to try it!
Glad you like it, Debi! Let me know how it turns out, If you do! 🙂
Love your vegan spin on Moussaka - it sure looks delectable!
Thank you, Abigail! 🙂 I hope you try it!
The recipe looks delicious! I'm always looking for vegan dishes so I'll be trying this one!
Glad you found a new vegan recipe to try, Linda! Let me know how it turns out, If you do!
Can't wait to make this, love moussaka!
I hope you do, Arman! 🙂
Oh my gosh, this is absolutely brilliant. The photos are stunning.
Glad you like the pictures, Kim!
I have long wanted to try moussaka. I can easily sub your vegan ingredients to make the traditional meat version. Your pictures are stunning.
Glad you like the recipe and the pictures, Michelle!
It's been quite some time since I had moussaka. Funny thing, never tried a vegan one. Yours looks sooo good 🙂
Thank you, Oana!
Looks awesome. Great recipe!
Thanks, Peter!
Hey rock on! I never tried making moussaka..Im so pinning this to make for later. Great dish!
Thanks for pinning, Chrysta and let me know how it turns out!
This is how to make summer on a plate.
Thanks, Bintu!
I have never heard of moussaka, but based on the ingredients, it sounds divine and so full of flavor! I agree with what you wrote too...eggplant on top of eggplant is a bit much! I'm not a HUGE fan of eggplant, but in small doses I can handle it. Beautiful recipe.
Thank you so much, Brandi. I like eggplant when it's fresh and well seasoned. But I also prefer it together with some other veggies.