This vegetarian moussaka has layers of eggplant with a zucchini and mushroom tomato sauce, baked with a Greek yogurt and cheese topping.
I like to think of a moussaka as being a Greek version of a lasagna. Layers of vegetables with a tomato sauce with the difference being the cheesy baked topping.
How to make a low carb moussaka
Although this is a great main dish, it's not something that can be quickly whipped up in under 30 minutes. I will bake this at the weekend when I am enjoying my leisure time in the kitchen.
The eggplant layers need to be salted, then cooked before the moussaka can be assembled and baked. I salt the eggplant layers to remove any bitterness.
As for cooking the eggplant slices, I cooked mine in the air fryer. This way I used a lot less oil than pan frying them. They can be baked too. Either way you want to cook them is fine.
For the sauce I used a mixture of mushrooms and zucchini. The key to the sauce is the seasoning as this will give the moussaka a great flavour. If in doubt, add more herbs!
For the topping I used Cheddar cheese and Feta cheese. It's optional but I liked the flavour combination of both as the cheddar melts in cooking but the Feta stays firm.
Recipe Tips & Suggestions
The eggplants don't have to be cut lengthways for this recipe. They can be cut in circles too. Just ensure that they are evenly cut and not too thick.
Leftovers can be frozen, then defrosted and reheated for another meal.
The addition of roasted red pepper cut into slices and layered is a delicious addition. I often cheat and used roasted peppers from a jar!
The seasoning is key to this dish. Do not be shy with the herbs and add more to your own tastes.
More low carb eggplant recipes
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Low Carb Vegetarian Moussaka
Ingredients
- 2 eggplants
- 4 tablespoons salt
Vegetable Sauce
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 medium zucchini sliced & chopped
- 4 oz mushrooms sliced
- 14 oz tomatoes, canned
- 1 tablespoon oregano
- 2 teaspoons thyme
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
Topping
- 2 medium eggs
- 1 cup Greek yogurt
- ½ cup Cheddar cheese grated/shredded
- ¼ teaspoon white pepper black can be substituted
- 2 oz Feta cheese
Instructions
Cook the eggplants
- Slice the eggplants into 1 cm slices length ways.
- Sprinkle with salt and place in a colander for 30 minutes to remove any bitter juices.
- Rinse the eggplants and dry.
- Cook the eggplant slices by either frying them in olive oil in a frying pant or bake them in an oven at 200C/400F degrees. If you have an air fryer, cook the slices at 200F for 8-10 minutes in batches Whatever way you cook the eggplants, ensure that they are golden in colour.
Make the sauce
- In a large saucepan, heat the oil on a medium heat.
- Add the onion and garlic and saute for 5 minutes until soft.
- Add the chopped zucchini and mushrooms. Cook for a further 5 minutes until the vegetables are cooked.
- Add the tinned tomatoes and seasoning. Cook for a further 3 minutes.
Assemble the moussaka
- Place one layer of eggplant slices at the bottom of a casserole dish (I used a square 8 inch dish).
- Spoon half the tomato vegetable sauce over the eggplant.
- Top with the remaining eggplant slices and spoon the remaining sauce over the slices.
- In a small bowl beat the eggs and yogurt together until smooth.
- Stir in the grated Cheddar cheese and season with the white pepper.
- Pour the topping over the layered eggplants.
- Crumble the feta cheese and sprinkle on the top of the yogurt mixture.
- Bake for 30 minutes at 200C/400Funtil the topping is firm and golden.
- Remove the moussaka from the oven and let sit for at least 10 minutes before serving. Let it settle before cutting into.
Notes
YOUR OWN NOTES
Ramya says
will be making this soon i never had moussaka before this moussaka has my favourite veggies mushrooms eggplant zucchini i love mushrooms eggplant zucchini soooooooooooooooo much perfect for my after office meals will dm you if i make this and let you know how it goes Thanks Ramya
Angela Coleby says
Thank you