Best Vegan Moussaka

This Best Vegan Moussaka is full of savory, wholesome ingredients. Tasty with a homemade Tempeh sauce, lots of fresh eggplant, a creamy white sauce, and a delicious topping. Easy and gluten free.

Moussaka is a casserole-style eggplant and potato-based dish, which can be found in the Mediterranean and Arabian cuisines.

There are many local variants but most have common ingredients like sautéed eggplant, tomatoes, potatoes, a white sauce – and minced meat.

I didn’t have Moussaka for ages. Now, that I thought it was a good idea to make it, I immediately thought of ways to make a vegan version. Some people have suggested to use minced eggplant instead of meat.

However, having minced eggplant on top of a layer of sautéed eggplants seems to be a bit eggplant-heavy to me.

Tofu might be an option but I think it would either be a bit too firm or too soft in case of silken tofu.

Instead, I decided to go for tempeh. Tempeh can easily be crumbled and it therefore has a definite minced-meat vibe to it.

The tempeh sauce is made with tomatoes, onions, garlic, and a splash of vinegar.

It’s pretty easy and quickly develops a uniquely delicious taste after a couple of minutes of simmering.

The second ingredient of the Moussaka that needs “veganization” is the Bechamel sauce. Usually made from butter, flour, and milk, it is some challenge.

I used oat milk and olive oil, a gluten-free flour and spiced it with nutritional yeast and a sprinkle of nutmeg.

The rest of the preparation of my vegan Moussaka involves frying eggplant slices and precooking potatoes.

And of course, layering it all in a casserole and baking it. When done, it’s firm, and extremely good. I’m sure you will enjoy it!

If you give this Best Vegan Moussaka a try, tag me on Facebook and Instagram. 

Take a picture and show me all your amazing creations.

Happy cooking, Florian.

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Moussaka

Yield: 6

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

This Best Vegan Moussaka is full of savory, wholesome ingredients. Tasty with a homemade Tempeh sauce, lots of fresh eggplant, a creamy white sauce, and a delicious topping. Easy and gluten free.

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Ingredients

For the Tempeh Sauce:

• 1 14 oz (400 ml) can tomato
• 14 oz (400 g) tempeh
• 1 red onion
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 Tbs red wine vinegar
• salt, pepper to taste

For the White Sauce:

• 4 Tbs olive oil
• 1/3 cup (50 g) flour (I used gluten free)
• pinch of nutmeg
• 4 Tbs nutritional yeast
• 3-4 cups almond or oat milk

For the Moussaka

• 2 eggplant
• 5 medium size potatoes
• 5 oz (150 g) vegan cheese

Instructions

For the Tempeh sauce

1. Peel and dice the red onion. Heat 1 Tbs of olive oil in a pan, add onions, cook for a couple of minutes until golden.
2. Add the crumbled tempeh, 3 cloves of garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes.
3. Add tomato paste and vinegar and mix well. Then combine with the tomato and season with salt and pepper.

For the White sauce:

1. Heat oil in a sauce pan. Slowly add flour while whisking. Add almond or oat milk bit by bit. Stir well.
2. Season with salt, pepper, nutritional yeast, and nutmeg.

For assembling the moussaka:

1. Bring salted water to a boil. Peel the potatoes, and cut in thin slices. Add to the boiling water and cook 5-10 minutes until just tender. Drain with cold water.
2. Cut eggplant into slices, fry golden in pan.
3. Pour about 1 cup of the white sauce into a casserole, then add 1/3 of the vegan cheese. Make a layer of the potato slices, followed by eggplant and the tempeh mix. Top with the remaining bechamel sauce and finally the vegan cheese.
4. Bake the Moussaka at 350°F (180°C) for about 45 minutes.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 6 Serving Size: 2 cups
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 453Total Fat: 29gSaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 12.7gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 677mgCarbohydrates: 30gFiber: 5.2gSugar: 13gProtein: 19g

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