Jamie Oliver Beautiful Veggie Moussaka Golden Aubergines, Soft Potatoes & Veg Ragù

This Jamie Oliver Beautiful Veggie Moussaka Golden Aubergines, Soft Potatoes & Veg Ragù is a hearty and cheesy recipe, which uses aubergine and lentils. It’s the ultimate comfort food recipe, ready in about 2 hours 30 minutes.

Jamie Oliver Beautiful Veggie Moussaka Golden Aubergines, Soft Potatoes & Veg Ragù Ingredients

• 15g dried porcini mushrooms
• 2 onions
• 2 cloves of garlic
• olive oil
• 4 sprigs of fresh rosemary
• 4 sprigs of fresh sage
• dried oregano
• 250ml red wine
• 1 x 660g jar of chickpeas
• 100g dried brown lentils
• 4 fresh bay leaves
• 2 x 400g tins of quality plum tomatoes
• 4 large firm aubergines
• 800g potatoes
• 750ml semi-skimmed milk
• 5 black peppercorns
• 75g unsalted butter
• 75g plain flour
• 50g feta cheese
• 50g kefalotyri or pecorino cheese
• 2 large free-range eggs

How To Make Jamie Oliver Beautiful Veggie Moussaka Golden Aubergines, Soft Potatoes & Veg Ragù

1. Soak the porcini mushrooms: Cover with boiling water and set aside to rehydrate.
2. Start the ragù: Slice onions and garlic, then sauté in olive oil with rosemary, sage, and oregano. Add chopped porcini and cook for 10 minutes. Add red wine, simmer until reduced.
3. Add legumes and tomatoes: Stir in chickpeas (with liquid), lentils, and bay leaves. Crush in tomatoes by hand. Add reserved porcini liquid (avoid grit). Season and simmer for 1 hour.
4. Prep the aubergines and potatoes: Salt sliced aubergines in a colander. Parboil sliced potatoes for 5 minutes, steam dry, then roast with oregano, seasoning, and oil for 30–40 minutes.
5. Roast the aubergines: Rinse and pat dry, then roast in oil with seasoning and oregano for 30–40 minutes.
6. Make the white sauce: Warm milk with bay leaves and peppercorns, strain. In another pan, make a roux with butter and flour, then whisk in milk gradually until smooth. Stir in one-third of both cheeses. Simmer 5 minutes and let cool.
7. Assemble the moussaka: Layer half the ragù over roasted potatoes, then half the aubergines. Repeat layers. Whisk egg yolks into the sauce and pour over top. Add remaining cheese, drizzle oil.
8. Bake and serve: Bake at 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4 for 40 minutes until golden. Rest for 30 minutes before serving. Pairs well with Greek salad.

Recipe Tips

• Can I make this ahead of time? Yes, assemble the dish and refrigerate overnight. Bake when ready to serve.
• What can I use instead of kefalotyri? Pecorino or Parmesan are great substitutes.
• How do I make it vegan? Skip the cheese, use plant milk, vegan butter, and a flax egg alternative.
• Can I freeze veggie moussaka? Yes, freeze after baking. Reheat in the oven until hot throughout.
• How to avoid watery aubergines? Salting them before roasting helps draw out moisture.

What To Serve With Veggie Moussaka

This filling dish pairs wonderfully with:

• Greek salad with olives and feta
• Warm pita bread
• Tzatziki or hummus dip
• Roasted red pepper spread
• Chilled white wine or sparkling water

How To Store Veggie Moussaka

Refrigerate: Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat in the oven or microwave until hot.

Freeze: Freeze in portions after baking. Thaw overnight and reheat until piping hot.

Veggie Moussaka Nutrition Facts

• Calories: 311 kcal per serving
• Fat: 12.6g
• Saturates: 6g
• Sugars: 8.8g
• Salt: 1g
• Protein: 12.6g
• Carbs: 35.4g
• Fibre: 5.8g

FAQs

Can I use canned lentils?
Yes, but reduce the simmer time since they’re already cooked.

Is this dish gluten-free?
No, but you can substitute gluten-free flour in the white sauce.

How thick should the white sauce be?
It should be smooth, creamy, and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.

Can I skip the wine?
Yes, use vegetable broth instead.

What makes this version different?
It’s vegetarian, chickpea- and lentil-based, with cheesy topping instead of meat layers.

Jamie Oliver Beautiful Veggie Moussaka Golden Aubergines, Soft Potatoes & Veg Ragù

Author: Sarah Cooking Method:Roasting Simmering Baking Cuisine:Greek Mediterranean Vegetarian Courses:Dinner Main Course

Difficulty:BeginnerPrep time: 45 minutesCook time:1 hour 45 minutesRest time: minutesTotal time:2 hours 30 minutesCooking Temp: CServings:12 servingsEstimated Cost: $Calories:311 kcal Best Season:Available

Description

A hearty and cheesy vegetarian moussaka layered with aubergine, potatoes, and a rich veg ragù.

Ingredients

• 15g dried porcini mushrooms
• 2 onions
• 2 cloves garlic
• olive oil
• 4 sprigs rosemary
• 4 sprigs sage
• dried oregano
• 250ml red wine
• 1 x 660g jar chickpeas
• 100g dried brown lentils
• 4 bay leaves
• 2 x 400g tins plum tomatoes
• 4 aubergines
• 800g potatoes
• 750ml semi-skimmed milk
• 5 peppercorns
• 75g butter
• 75g plain flour
• 50g feta
• 50g kefalotyri or pecorino
• 2 eggs

Instructions

1. Soak porcini mushrooms.
2. Cook onions, garlic, and herbs; add porcini and wine.
3. Add chickpeas, lentils, tomatoes, and porcini liquid; simmer 1 hour.
4. Roast parboiled potatoes with oregano.
5. Roast salted aubergine slices.
6. Make white sauce with infused milk, cheese, and butter/flour roux.
7. Layer potatoes, ragù, aubergines, repeat. Top with sauce and cheese.
8. Bake at 180ºC for 40 minutes. Rest 30 minutes before serving.

Notes

• This moussaka can be made in advance and baked just before serving. Let it rest for 30 minutes to slice neatly and serve with a Greek salad.

Keywords:veggie moussaka, aubergine potato bake, meatless Greek recipes, baked lentil casserole, Jamie Oliver moussaka