Recipe With Beef Mince and Aubergine
How to make beef moussaka
With layers of tender aubergine, creamy béchamel and lightly-spiced meat, moussaka is a winning Greek dish and, what's more, it's easy to make your own from scratch. Our step-by-step recipe swaps lamb for lean beef to create a lighter family dinner. Don't forget to screenshot the ingredients list at the bottom before you go shopping.
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Prepare the aubergines
Preheat the oven to gas 4, 180°C, fan 160°C. Line 2 large baking trays with foil. Trim and thinly slice lengthways 3-4 aubergines (about 1kg) and arrange the slices in a single layer on the trays. Prick the slices with a fork and use 2 tbsp oil to brush them on both sides. Bake for 25-30 mins or until tender. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool. Increase the oven temperature to gas 5, 190°C, fan 170°C.
Tip: Aubergines are very sponge-like so tend to absorb a lot of oil when fried. Baking is a much healthier method of cooking as you can control the amount of oil absorbed. Brushing will help a little go along way. -
Cook the sofrito
Meanwhile, heat ½ tbsp oil in a large, deep, lidded nonstick pan over a low heat. Add 1 large finely chopped onion, 1 finely chopped celery stick and 1 large finely chopped carrot. Cover and cook for 10 mins until softened. Uncover, stir in 5 finely chopped garlic cloves and 2 tsp dried oregano and cook for 5 mins, stirring occasionally. Transfer to a bowl.
Tip: Using a classic sofrito base (onion, celery and carrot) adds flavour to the moussaka and also helps to bulk it out, meaning that less meat can be used, reducing fat and cost. -
Brown the mince
Fry 500g lean beef mince over a high heat for 3-4 mins until well browned. Return the onion mixture to the pan with the mince and reduce the heat to medium. Stir in 1 heaped tsp ground cinnamon and 1 tbsp tomato purée; cook for 2 mins. Increase the heat to high and pour in 100ml white wine, if using. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 1 min.
Add 400g tinned chopped tomatoes, 200ml stock (made using½ beef stock cube) and 1 bay leaf. Bring to the boil, then simmer very gently, partially covered but stirring now and then, for 30-40 mins until reduced. Remove the lid for the final 10-15 mins if there is a lot of liquid; it needs to be quite thick. Stir in most of a 15g pack of roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley, if using. Discard the bay leaf and season to taste.
Tip: Browning the mince helps improve the depth of flavour and also gives the beef a more appetising golden colour. Use a nonstick pan and ensure it's very hot before adding the mince so you don't need to use any oil. -
Make the roux paste
Meanwhile, make the béchamel. Put ½ onion, 1 bay leaf and 500ml milk in a pan. Gently heat until just steaming, then set aside to infuse for 5 mins. Strain and discard the flavourings.
In another pan, melt 50g butter, then stir in 50g plain flour to make a roux paste. Cook over a low heat for 2-3 mins, stirring. Gradually whisk in the warm milk to make a smooth sauce. Simmer, stirring constantly, for 5 mins or until thickened.
Tip: Cooking the roux paste for the initial 2-3 mins before you slowly add the milk is essential as it makes sure that the flour becomes fully incorporated, which gives you a smooth, thick sauce. -
Finish the sauce
Stir in 30g finely grated pecorino cheese, ½-1 tsp freshly grated nutmeg and some seasoning. Set aside to cool for 5 mins, then whisk in 2 eggs.
Tip: Adding warm (rather than cold) milk to a roux base makes it easier to incorporate, so it's less likely to go lumpy. Don't worry if lumps do form; use a whisk to beat them out. Allow the sauce to cool slightly before adding the eggs, to avoid them scrambling. -
Assemble the moussaka
Spoon a third of the beef mixture into a 2.5ltr baking dish. Top with a layer of aubergine, then repeat twice, finishing with a final layer of aubergine. Pour the béchamel sauce on top to ensure a thick covering. Sprinkle over 40g crumbled reduced-fat salad cheese and top with extra nutmeg.
Tip: Topping the beef and aubergine layers with thickbéchamel sauce is key to a moussaka. The eggs whisked into the sauce help it to puff up and rise, and finishing with the cheese helps give the dish a delicious golden crust. -
Bake until golden
Bake for 30-40 mins until bubbling around the edges and the top is puffed and golden. If the top is darkening too quickly, loosely cover the dish with foil. Leave to stand for 20 mins to allow the moussaka to set a little before serving. Sprinkle with the remaining parsley, if using, just before serving.
Calories 402 (20%), fat 22g (32%), saturates 10g (49%), sugars 15g (17%), salt 1.48g (25%) based on 6 servings.
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