The UK supermarket Waitrose does an AMAZING Vegetable Moussaka which I used to LOVE when I was living there (and still eating cheese). This is my attempt at a dairy free version, and I’m really happy with it. This is not a particularly speedy dish – a bit like lasagne – there are a few steps before assembly, but it’s really worth it. The sauce on the top is also on this site here.
Vegetable Moussaka
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
Author: Deb
Serves: 6
Ingredients
- 1 or 2 eggplants (500g), slicked ½ cm thick
- 1 very large potato (400g), sliced ½ cm thick
- 3 cups water
- 1 cup French style / Puy lentils
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp bouillon powder
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 3 medium roma tomatoes, diced
- ½ glass red wine (about ⅓ cup)
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- ¼ tsp allspice
- ¼ tsp cumin
- ½ tsp oregano
- ½ tsp marjoram
- Pinch nutmeg
- Pinch cayenne pepper
- 1 small jar (375g) tomato pasta sauce
- ½ cup fresh parsley, chopped
- ½ cup fresh mint, chopped
- 1 T lemon juice
- 1 serving Creamy White Sauce for topping
Instructions
- Place lentils in a small saucepan with the bay leaf and bouillon powder, and water. Bring to the boil and then simmer until tender, around 20-30 minutes.
- Heat sandwich toaster, and grill the eggplant slices until soft and slightly charred, and the potatoes until tender. Set aside. If you do not have one, you can grill or bake the slices in the oven.
- Make the Creamy White Sauce.
- Spray a pan with a little oil and sauté the onion, for 5 minutes; add garlic and cook another minute. Add the chopped tomatoes, wine and spices. Once broken down, add the jar of sauce and keep on a low simmer. Once lentils are cooked and tender (should be hardly any water left, stir them into the mixture with the fresh herbs and lemon juice. Season to taste and remove from heat
- In a lasagne dish, put a thin layer (¼) of the lentils on the bottom, top with eggplant, more lentils, then a layer of potatoes, then lentils, eggplant, lentils then the white sauce. Top with breadcrumbs if you like.
- Bake at 180 for 30 minutes, covering with foil half way through if necessary (if top browning too much).
- Allow it to stand for 10 or so minutes prior to serving.