My Tasty Traditional Greek Moussaka makes a delicious holiday meal with a flair from the Mediterranean. Hi friends, this is Jennifer from JENRON DESIGNS. This week I am sharing a double feature that used both your Instant Pot & Ninja Air Fryer with my recipe for my Tasty Traditional Greek Moussaka.
This is a family recipe, that we only make on special occasions because the recipe is a bit labor-intensive, but it is so good. If you have not heard of Moussaka, it is pronounced (moo-saa-ka). It is very tasty, and similar to lasagna, but it is made with roasted eggplant and potatoes instead of pasta, so hooray for more vegetables.
Traditional Greek Moussaka is a very savory dish that can utilize both the Instant Pot and Ninja Air Fryer all in one recipe.
Keep in mind that this recipe has a bunch of steps, which can happen all at the same time with proper time management. However, if that is not your thing, I highly recommend that you focus on one step at a time to get them correct then assemble them. I promise it will be well worth it.
Ingredients
I like to start with slicing and roasting the eggplant and potatoes with a light coating of olive oil and salt and pepper. This can be done in the oven at 350 degrees for 45 minutes using a sheet pan or in your Air Fryer as a time-saver at 350 for 20 minutes using your grilling rack to separate layers.
While your potatoes and eggplant are roasting, you can make your meat sauce. I used my Instant Pot on saute’ to brown the combo of ground beef & lamb along with the diced onions and garlic for 3-5 minutes. Drain off any excess grease using a spoon, then add in your 8 oz tomato sauce, 1 tbsp nutmeg, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp oregano, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper. Seal and set your Instant Pot to cook at manual high pressure, for 10 minutes. Carefully quick vent when done.
Once everything is done cooking, you will want to prepare a 13×9 baking dish with Olive Oil spray. Layer the potatoes into the base of the casserole dish, followed by a layer of your meat sauce. Next place the layer of the roasted eggplant on top of the meat sauce.
Final Layer
For the final layer, you will be making a Bechamel sauce to top the dish. It is best to do this step fresh since it sets up very quickly and can get thick, which is hard to spread. (The Bechamel also makes the best Alfredo Sauce you will ever taste in your life! So consider this a 2 for 1 recipe bonus Merry Christmas!)
To make the Bechamel sauce melt 3 tbsp of butter into a saucepan on medium heat. Whisk in 2 tbsp of all-purpose flour, 1/2 tsp salt, and a dash of pepper to taste. Next gradually add in your half in half while whisking until thick and bubbly, lower heat.
Pre crack an egg into a separate bowl and whisk quickly, you will need to temper with your hot milk (by adding a small amount of your hot milk 1-2 spoonfuls of liquid to it prior to adding it into Bechamel mix, or it will scramble). Once tempered add to saucepot along with parmesan cheese and continue to whisk. Then pour the entire Bechamel cheese sauce over the top of the Moussaka.
Place the entire baking dish into the preheated oven and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Allow to cool for 15 minutes prior to cutting, this will allow the juices to set up and make nice slices.
You may also enjoy my other recipes made in the 3 Qt. Instant Pot HERE. It may be mini, but it does the job! Enjoy. You can also check out my other tasty bowl recipes like my Amazing Apricot Tagine and Mediterranean Couscous which are sure to delight your taste buds!
Tasty Greek Moussaka
Tasty Traditional Greek Moussaka
Equipment
- Instant Pot
- Air Fryer or Sheet Pan
- Saucepan
- 13×9 Casserole Dish
- Wire Whisk
- Mandolin optional for thin slicing vegetables
Ingredients
- Olive Oil as needed
- 1 lb Ground Meat (Beef and/or Lamb) I used 1/2 lb of each
- 1 large Eggplant peeled and sliced
- 3-4 Yukon Gold Potatoes peeled and sliced
- 2 medium Onions peeled and diced
- 2 cloves Garlic peeled and minced
- 8 oz (Plain) Tomato Sauce
- 1 tbsp Nutmeg (Fresh Ground)
- 1 tsp Cinnamon
- 1 tsp Oregano
- salt
- pepper
- 3 tbsp Butter
- 2 tbsp Flour
- 1 cup Half & Half
- 1 Egg pre-cracked and whisked
- 1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese grated
- Olive oil spray
Instructions
- Start with peeling and slicing the eggplant and potatoes then coating with a drizzle of olive oil and salt and pepper.
- Roast, this can either be done in the oven on 350 degree for 45 minutes using a sheet pan or in your Air Fryer as a time saver at 350 for 20 minutes using your grilling rack to seperate layers.
- While your potatoes and eggplant are roasting, you will want to make your meat sauce. I use my Instant Pot set on saute' to brown the beef & lamb combination along with diced onions and minced garlic for 3-5 minutes. Drain off any excess grease using a spoon.
- Add in your 8 oz tomato sauce, 1 tbsp nutmeg, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp oregano, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper.
- Seal and set you Instant Pot to cook at manual high pressure, for 10 minutes. Carefully quick vent when done.
- Once everything is done cooking, you will want to prepare a 13×9 baking dish with Olive Oil spray.
- Layer the potatoes into the base of the casserole dish, followed by a layer of your meat sauce.
- Next place a layer of the roasted eggplant on top of the meat sauce. Top with BEchamel sauce recipe below.
- To make the Bechamel sauce melt 3 tbsp of butter into a sauce pan on medium heat.
- Whisk in 2 tbsp of all purpose flour, 1/2 tsp salt, and dash of pepper to taste.
- Next gradually add in your half in half while whisking until thick and bubbly, lower heat.
- Crack an egg into a seperate bowl and whisk quickly you will need to temper it (by adding a small amount of your hot milk 1-2 spoonfuls of liquid to it prior to adding it into Bechamel mix, or it will scramble).
- Once tempered add to sauce pot along with parmesan cheese and continue to whisk. Then pour entire Bechamel cheese sauce over the top of the Moussaka.
- Place the entire baking dish into preheated oven and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.
- Allow to cool for 15 minutes prior to cutting, this will allow the juices to set up and make nice slices.