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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.
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)
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!
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.
uh-hh – Topping ingredients not listed in recipe … ?!
caught in the middle of making with no yogurt or eggs or substitute
Ali, I am SO sorry the topping ingredients were not listed in the recipe card. I don’t know what happened… I updated the recipe card. Hope it still turned out delicious!
Oh my, this looks amazing! It kind of reminds me of shepherds pie in a way, which is a huge hit in our house so I think we might need to branch out and try moussaka sometime soon!
I love that this recipe is packed with so many ingredients and they all are staples in most peoples pantry. I look forward to trying this 🙂
This dish looks lovely! I’ve eaten moussaka many times, but never knew what the topping consisted of. Good to know! Fantastic, vibrant photos too!
That’s a great dish for a group! Sounds delicious.
And, yeah, the time is perfectly reasonable for what you get – a one dish meal for a bunch of people. You could easily spend as much time cooking meat, vegetables, and potatoes separately.
I had a good chuckle, an hour in the kitchen for 10 people…I easily spend an hour in the kitchen for just two, but I love it, so not complaining.
I have never had moussaka. But I love everything about this.
I know, me too. I easily spend close to an hour in the kitchen for two as well. That’s why I think, even though this large meal is a little bit more time consuming, it’s not that bad. 🙂
I love moussaka but have never made it at home, this sounds wonderful, I will have to give it at try!
Thanks, Joy! Hope you enjoy it! 🙂
This looks like such a wonderful dinner Neli! My family would love this. I can imagine it would be a great meal especially in cooler fall weather. Can’t wait to try this!
Absolutely, it’s perfect for in cooler fall weather. I think you will love it, Allie! 🙂
This should be more popular here in the US. It looks amazing. I know it is on my list now for winter. Thanks! I have never made it and I can’t wait to try something new.
Thanks, Mirlandra! Hope you enjoy this meal! 🙂
This looks awesome and I’m sure must be delicious too 🙂
Thanks, Molly! Yes, it was super delicious!