Not planning to grill meat this holiday weekend? Try this vegan moussaka recipe

Susan Delbert

May 22, 2020

With travails at meat packing plants in the news, one might envy the vegan who is divorced from all such considerations. The following recipe is a vegan casserole and unusual, filling and unique due to North African spices rather than the expected Greek oregano slant.

There are terrific Greek Moussaka recipes that generally incorporate eggplant and ground beef or lamb, but this is an unrelated variation on a theme. The nuts are a secret but requisite ingredient because texture, texture, texture is something often lacking in bean dishes.

The chickpeas are an optional add-in, but do add another texture. If you want to make this a full protein combination, add rice or corn. Corn and beans is a "Diet for a Small Planet" classic combination for plant-based protein.

Alternatively, this need not be vegan at all: substitute cow’s milk for cashew milk and butter instead of olive oil in the mashed potatoes. One could also add plant-based ground meat like Beyond Meat or Impossible Burger, but it is really not necessary. The lentils, chickpeas and walnuts give this a lot of mouth-feel.

Like with most casseroles, there are a number of prep steps before this moussaka is layered in a pan. Most of the steps can be done ahead of time and assembled later.

One hint about olive oil. There is no reason in this recipe to use Extra Virgin Olive Oil. There never is if one is going to heat the oil. EVOO is best when no cooking is involved, i.e., for vinaigrettes, finishing oil. Once it is heated, all the special-ness of the first pressing is pennies down the drain. Use regular pomace olive oil or other vegetable oil of choice.

But mainly, I hope you try this recipe because it is unusual and delicious. What could be a better reason?

Lentil Eggplant Moussaka

Lentils

1 cup dried brown lentils (green or red would probably work)

3 cups water+ (to cook lentils), more is OK

Olive oil (for sautéing)

1 large onion, diced

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 (20 oz.) can diced tomatoes, with juices

1/2 cup dry red wine

1/4 cup (2 oz.) tomato paste

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon cayenne

Pinch cloves

1 (14 oz.) can drained chickpeas, 1 cup frozen corn or 1 cup cooked rice (optional)

1½ cup roughly chopped walnuts

Salt and pepper to taste

Zucchini and Eggplant

4 eggplant (approx. 2-3 pounds)

4 zucchini

Olive oil

Mashed Potato Crust

2-3 pounds potatoes (red, russet or Yukon gold), peeled and large chunks

3/4 cup (6 oz.) Silk Unsweetened cashew milk (add more for looser consistency)

2 garlic cloves, minced

Salt and pepper

Vegan Béchamel Sauce

3 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup Silk Unsweetened Cashew milk

1/4 teaspoon FRESHLY ground nutmeg, if available

Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Place lentils in a largish saucepan and cover with a generous amount of water. Do not salt water. Place over high heat and bring to a boil, uncovered. Lower heat and cook for about 10 minutes, just until start to soften; do not cook until mushy. They will finish cooking in the tomato sauce. Drain water and hold.

2. Preheat oven to 400° F. Slice eggplant ½ inch slices; no need to peel. Wash and cut zucchini into long slabs, about ½ inch thick. Brush both with olive oil, or toss in olive oil, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Spray baking sheet with cooking spray and arrange all vegs on baking sheets. Bake until lightly browned and just beginning to soften, about 15 minutes. Alternatively, broil or grill vegetables.

3. Place potatoes into a medium pot and cover with cold salted water. Place over high heat and bring to a boil. Cook until very tender, about 15 minutes. Drain into a colander and return to the pot. Mash with a potato masher, and add cashew milk, olive oil and garlic. Salt and pepper to taste. Add a splash or two more of cashew milk, if needed.

4. In saucepan used for lentils, coat bottom with olive oil. Sauté onion until soft, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, lentils, tomatoes, red wine and, if using, chickpeas, corn or rice. Stop for a second and pour self a glass of wine. Take care of the cook and the cook will take care of the sauce. Bring sauce to a simmer and allow to cook until liquid is reduced by about half, about 4 minutes. Stir in tomato paste, paprika, cinnamon, cayenne and cloves. Stir in walnuts and season with salt and pepper to taste.

5. Béchamel sauce is a basic white sauce: in a small saucepan or skillet, heat olive oil and place over medium heat. Whisk in flour (equal amounts of oil and flour) until mixture bubbles. Whisk constantly for about 3 minutes. You are cooking out the raw flour taste. Add the cashew milk. It will look like a mess but soon it will smooth out. Whisk constantly; some cooks may prefer to use an electric bir mixer. Add nutmeg and taste for needed salt/pepper. In a classic Béchamel, one would add bay leaves to flavor the sauce. There is no need here because the nutmeg is an interesting twist. Whole will take 5-10 minutes.

6. If not still on, heat oven to 400° F. In a 9 x 13 baking pan, arrange 1/3 of eggplant and zucchini slices in the bottom; a generous layer. Top with about half of lentil mixture; arrange another 1/3 of the zucchini and eggplant layers over lentils, followed by remaining lentils, and then a final layer of zucchini and eggplant. Spread potatoes over zucchini and eggplant, and then spread Béchamel sauce in an even layer over potatoes.

7. Bake uncovered until the top begins to brown and bubbles around the sides of the dish, about 30 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to rest before service. With a salad and the remaining red wine (if any remains), dinner is served. This is quite filling; the Béchamel melts into the potatoes and just feels mouth luscious. Enjoy; make this your own.

Susan Delbert is the National Press Club executive chef. She oversees the Club's catering and two restaurants, the Fourth Estate and the Reliable Source. Contact: [email protected]