Ultimate Vegan Moussaka Recipe
A wonderful tomato, mushroom and lentil ragu layered up with slices of aubergine and potato, topped with a creamy bechamel and baked until golden and bubbling, this really is the ultimate vegan moussaka!
Serve it with a fresh green salad and the smile on your face will be difficult to shift!
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Total Time: 2 hours 10 minutes
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
Servings: 2
Rating:
Total Time: 2 hours 10 minutes
Servings: 2
Ingredients
Method
Ingredients
(Servings: 2)
- 1.5 1.5 medium aubergines (about 900g)
- 1.5 1.5 large baking potatoes (about 1kg)
- 2 2 Tbsp olive oil
- Salt and black pepper
- For the ragu:
- 0.5 0.5 white onion
- 150 150 g chestnut mushrooms
- 1.5 1.5 garlic cloves
- 1 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1.5 1.5 Tbsp tomato puree
- 75 75 g dried puy or brown lentils
- 1 1 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
- 0.5 0.5 vegetable stock cube
- For the bechamel:
- 45 45 g hard dairy-free cheese
- 0.75 0.75 Tbsp cornflour
- 300 300 ml unsweetened dairy-free milk
- 45 45 g dairy-free butter
- 45 45 g plain flour
- 0.5 0.5 tsp ground nutmeg
- Salt and black pepper
- To serve:
- Salad
Method
Preheat oven to 180°C • Line 3 baking trays • Large casserole with a lid on a medium-high heat • Small saucepan • Large heatproof bowl
To cook the veg:
- Trim the aubergines. Slice the aubergine and potatoes into 5mm discs (no need to peel the potatoes!) and lay them out over the lined trays.
- Drizzle with 3 tablespoons of the olive oil, season with salt and pepper and toss to coat.
- Cook in the hot oven for 25-30 minutes, until soft.
Meanwhile, make the ragu:
- Heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in the hot casserole.
- Peel and thinly slice the onion and mushrooms and add to the pan with a big pinch of salt.
- Fry for 7-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and starting to turn golden.
- Peel and grate the garlic into the pan and add the oregano and tomato puree, stirring to coat.
- Tip in the lentils and chopped tomatoes, then fill one of the cans with water and add it to the pan along with the stock cube.
- Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and leave to bubble away for 40-50 minutes, stirring now and then, until the lentils are totally soft and you have a thick ragu, adding a little more water if it looks dry before the lentils are cooked
Make the bechamel:
- Grate the cheese and put it to one side.
- In a small bowl, whisk the cornflour with a tablespoon of the milk.
- Warm the small saucepan over a medium heat. Melt the dairy-free butter, then add the flour and cook, whisking constantly, for 3-4 minutes until the mixture looks dusty, then slowly add the rest of the milk, a little at a time, whisking again to create a smooth sauce.
- Add the cornflour mixture to the pan, turn up the heat and whisk vigorously until the mixture is thick.
- Add the ground nutmeg and grated cheese and season generously. Whisk vigorously until the cheese has melted and set aside
Time to build the vegan moussaka:
- Take the ragu off the heat and spoon three-quarters of the mixture into a heatproof bowl.
- Lay half the potato slices over the ragu in the pan and spoon over a quarter of the remaining ragu, spreading it to the sides.
- Cover with half the aubergine slices, then another layer of ragu and then the rest of the potato. Spoon over a final layer of ragu and the remaining aubergine slices.
- Pour the bechamel over the top, spreading it to the edges with the back of a spoon. Return to the oven and bake for 25 minutes.
- Allow to sit for 10 minutes, then serve up with a big salad.
*Recipe shared with permission from BOSH! On a Budget (£14.99, HQ).
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