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This authentic Bulgarian Moussaka recipe, passed down through generations, is a hearty and flavorful dish made with potatoes, ground beef, and fresh vegetables. Easy to make and packed with rich, comforting flavors – perfect for a family meal.
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Last month, while my mom and grandmother were visiting, we spent time in the kitchen cooking our favorite traditional Bulgarian meals.
Today, I’m sharing one of the best – Bulgarian Moussaka, an authentic recipe that has been in my family for generations, passed down from my grandmother to my mom, and now to me. Every time I make it, I feel like I’m bringing a little piece of Bulgaria to my table.
I have lost count of how many times I have made this recipe over the years. After plenty of tweaking and experimenting, I finally found a way to streamline the process and get it on the table in just about an hour – definitely the quickest moussaka I’ve ever made!
One of my biggest time-saving tricks? Sautéing the vegetables and ground beef before they go in the oven. Not only does it cut down on cooking time, but it also lets the flavors meld beautifully.
Why You Need To Try This Recipe
This traditional moussaka recipe with potatoes and ground beef is pure comfort food – hearty, flavorful, and satisfying.
- Quick – Most traditional moussaka recipes are time consuming, but this one comes together in just about an hour without sacrificing flavor.
- Flavor-packed – I have found that sautéing the vegetables and ground beef before baking allows the flavors to develop deeply, making every bite rich, savory, and absolutely delicious. No bland layers here!
- Foolproof method: After testing multiple variations, I’ve perfected a streamlined process that eliminates unnecessary steps while still delivering the same hearty, authentic taste you crave. No complicated techniques – just real, wholesome comfort food!
Ingredients and Substitions
For a full ingredients list with measurements, check the recipe card below.
I love that the ingredients are super simple, everyday pantry staples.
- Ground beef – I prefer to use lean ground beef (93% lean) but you could also use more fatty ground beef, you might just need to drain any excess liquid after cooking. You could also use ground venison or lamb meat.
- Yukon Gold potatoes – I highly recommend Yukon Gold potatoes for this recipe because they hold their shape better after cooking and won’t turn mushy during baking.
- Other vegetables – carrots, celery, onion, red bell pepper, tomato, garlic
- Seasonings – salt and ground black pepper, paprika, cumin, summer savory aka Bulgarian chubritsa (if you don’t have it, use Italian herb seasoning)
- Topping ingredients – eggs, yogurt, milk, cheese, baking soda
How To Make Moussaka
For detailed recipe instructions, check the recipe card below.
- Sauté Vegetables: Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Sauté onions, carrots, celery, and bell pepper for 3 to 5 minutes until tender. Stir in chopped tomato and garlic, and season with salt, black pepper, paprika, and savory. Transfer to a 9×13 casserole dish.
- Cook Ground Beef: Brown beef in the same skillet for 5 minutes, breaking it up as it cooks. Season with salt, black pepper, paprika, savory, and cumin. Add to the casserole dish.
- Cook Potatoes: In the same skillet, cook potatoes in two batches with oil, seasoning each batch with salt, paprika, black pepper, and savory. Cook covered for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add to the casserole dish.
- Combine and Bake: Mix everything in the casserole dish and spread evenly. Pour 1 cup of water over the mixture. Bake in a preheated oven at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 40 minutes.
- Make topping: Beat egg whites and egg yolks separately. Fold the yolks into the egg whites, stir in yogurt, milk, and baking soda.
- Bake: Spread topping over the baked moussaka, sprinkle with shredded cheese, and bake in a preheated 400 F oven for about 10 – 13 minutes until golden.
TIPS FROM NELI’S KITCHEN
Recipe Notes and Tips
Here are some tips to make sure your Moussaka recipe turns out perfect every time.
- Season the ingredients as you cook. Season the ground beef as you cook it, then season the vegetables as you saute them, and season the potatoes as you pan fry them. This ensures that all ingredients are equally and well seasoned before you bake the moussaka, so the final dish is flavorful and not bland.
- Layer the ingredients or mix them. You can either layer the vegetables and meat in the casserole dish, or you can mix them all together. My grandmother and mom always mixed them, and that is what I usually do as well.
- Let Moussaka rest. Once baked, I usually let the moussaka sit for about 10 – 15 minutes before serving. This allows the moussaka to set and makes it easier to slice into neat portions.
Serving Suggestions
I like to serve this potato and beef moussaka with a classic Shopska salad or Cucumber salad. You can also serve another Bulgarian classic as the first course – Tarator – Cold Cucumber Soup. And finish the meal with an irresistible Baklava (I know this is not considered wholesome but sometimes for special occasions, you can indulge a little bit)
If you enjoyed this Moussaka recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
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Moussaka
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Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef
- 2 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes, diced
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 cup red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 large carrot, chopped
- 1 stalk celery, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 medium tomato, peeled and chopped
- 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons summer savory, bulgarian spice: chubritsa or Italian herb seasoning
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
Topping
- 1 cup yogurt
- ¼ cup milk
- 4 eggs, yolks and white separated
- 4 Tablespoon water
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- pinch of salt
- pinch freshly ground black pepper
- ½ cup shredded cheese
Instructions
- Sauté Vegetables: Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Sauté onions, carrots, celery, and bell pepper for 3 to 5 minutes until tender. Stir in chopped tomato and garlic, and season with salt, black pepper, paprika, and savory. Transfer to a 9×13 casserole dish.
- Cook Ground Beef: Brown beef in the same skillet for 5 minutes, breaking it up as it cooks. Season with salt, black pepper, paprika, savory, and cumin. Add to the casserole dish.
- Cook Potatoes: In the same skillet, cook potatoes in two batches with oil, seasoning each batch with salt, paprika, black pepper, and savory. Cook covered for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add to the casserole dish.
- Combine and Bake: Mix everything in the casserole dish and spread evenly. Pour 1 cup of water over the mixture. Bake in a preheated oven at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 40 minutes.
Topping
- Make topping: While the moussaka is baking, make the topping. Beat 4 egg whites until fluffy. In a separate bowl, beat 4 egg yolks with 4 Tbsp water. Fold in the yogurt, milk, egg yolks and baking soda into the egg whites. Season with salt and ground black pepper.
- Bake: Increase the oven temperature to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Spread topping over the baked moussaka, sprinkle with shredded cheese, and bake for 10-15 minutes until golden.
- Serve: Let moussaka rest for about 10 – 15 minutes before cutting. Serve warm.
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer: Nutritional values are estimates and may vary with ingredients, brands, and portion sizes. For accuracy, use your preferred nutrition calculator.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this recipe is for informational purposes only and should not be considered medical or nutritional advice. I am not a doctor or a dietitian. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider for personalized guidance regarding your diet or health. For more details, please read my full disclosure page.
Quite a different recipe from one I usually follow but apparently very accurate according to a Bulgarian friend. We don’t eat beef so I used Turkey Mince instead. Delicious!
The addition of Baking soda to the topping sauce was inspired: so much lighter and fluffier than normal.
Thank You. 😘
Hello Nell H., I am just discovering your site as of 10.12.18. So I can’t wait to try the potato leek soup, and the Hungarian mosaka. L Central FL, as we may finally get some Cooler Fall weather.
Thanks for stopping by, Linda! Hope you enjoy the recipes, and come back for more delicious recipe inspirations. 🙂
Thank you for the lovely recipe. I’m Canadian but I’ve spent time in Bulgaria, and I just made this exactly to your specifications as I miss Bulgarian food. It came out perfect, and my parents absolutely loved it!
So glad to hear that you and your parents loved the recipe!! 🙂
How many servings does this give
Hi Emily, it’s made in a 9 x 13 casserole dish. So that’s about 8 servings.
Wha kind of cheese did you use to top the moussaka? My best friend and her Bulgarian husband are coming to visit tomorrow and I wanted to make something Bulgarian for dinner. Hope this works, just don’t know what kind of cheese to get.
I used Provolone cheese. You could use any similar type of cheese. Hope you all enjoy it! 🙂
What kind of cheese did you use for this recipe. My best friend and her Bulgarian husband are coming to visit tomorrow and I wanted to make something Bulgarian, which I guess this is the quintessential Bulgarian meal.
Yes, this is authentic Bulgarian meal. You will love it!