Keto moussaka

Name: Keto moussaka
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 80 min
Total time: 105 min
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients: 2 small (600 g total) eggplant, in 1 cm (1/2-inch) rounds; 2 tbsp olive oil; 1 1/2 tsp salt, divided; 3/4 lb ground lamb; 1 lb ground beef (93% lean); 1/2 medium onion, finely chopped; 3 cloves garlic, grated; 2 tsp dried oregano; 2 tsp dried mint; 1 tsp ground cinnamon; 2 tbsp tomato paste; 2/3 cup canned crushed tomatoes; 4 oz cream cheese, softened; 3/4 cup plus 2 tbsp whole-milk Greek yogurt; 2 large eggs; 1/2 cup grated parmesan (refrigerated); 1/4 tsp nutmeg

Layers of soft roasted eggplant and lamb and beef sauce scented with cinnamon, oregano and mint, under a thick, golden topping of Greek yogurt, cream cheese, egg and parmesan. There are no potatoes and no flour in the béchamel, and it still cuts into proper squares.

Time: 105 min (25 prep + 80 cook)
Servings: 6
Per serving: 478 kcal
Protein: 36 g

Servings6

Ingredients

2 small (600 g total) eggplant, in 1 cm (1/2-inch) rounds
2 tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 tsp salt, divided

Meat sauce

3/4 lb ground lamb
1 lb ground beef (93% lean)
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, grated
2 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp dried mint
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tbsp tomato paste
2/3 cup canned crushed tomatoes

Topping

4 oz cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup plus 2 tbsp whole-milk Greek yogurt
2 large eggs
1/2 cup grated parmesan (refrigerated)
1/4 tsp nutmeg

Steps

Heat the oven to 400°F. Sprinkle the eggplant with a third of the salt, leave 15 minutes and blot dry. Lay it on two parchment-lined sheet pans, brush with the oil and roast 20–25 minutes, turning once, until soft and golden.
Meanwhile, brown the lamb, beef and onion in a large pan over medium-high heat, breaking up the meat, for 10 minutes until cooked through (160°F). Pour off any fat. Stir in the garlic, oregano, mint, cinnamon, tomato paste and the rest of the salt for 1 minute. Add the crushed tomatoes and simmer gently for 15 minutes, until thick and almost dry.
Turn the oven down to 350°F. Layer half the eggplant in a 20 × 30 cm (8 × 12-inch) baking dish, then the meat, then the rest of the eggplant.
Beat the cream cheese until smooth, then whisk in the yogurt, eggs, nutmeg and most of the parmesan. Pour it over the top, smooth it out and scatter with the remaining parmesan.
Bake 35–40 minutes, until the topping is set (160°F in the middle) and browned in patches. Rest at least 15 minutes, so it cuts in clean squares. It keeps 4 days in the fridge and freezes 3 months; reheat covered at 350°F for 25 minutes or in the microwave.

Good to know

Can I make it with all lamb?

Yes, for the fullest traditional flavour, at about 40 instead of 46.

Why let it rest so long?

Moussaka needs 15 minutes for the sauce and topping to firm up. Cut straight from the oven, it slides apart.

Alternative

64lighter classic with potatoesLighter moussaka

Per

Calories: 173
Protein: (31%); 13 g
Fat: (59%); 11 g
Carbohydrates: (10%); 5 g
of which sugar: 3 g
Fiber: 2 g
Sodium: 319 mg

More meals

Computed from the ingredients with our published formula, not yet kitchen-tested. How

As written, 2870 kcal goes into the pot and 2175 g of ingredients comes out as about 1662 g of food: 173 kcal per 100 g. Cooking moves water and energy density is the score's biggest lever, so the dish is scored as cooked, not as an average of its parts. Every ingredient links to its food page, with the same data and score. The label's percentages are each macronutrient's share of the calories. The full formula.

Keto moussaka