Vegetarian Moussaka Recipe

After reading other reviews, I decided to make some adjustments. Despite my efforts to simplify and speed up the process, it still took me 1.5 hours from prep to finish. Whoever claimed it could be done in 30 minutes must be kidding! I used 1 peeled eggplant, 3 zucchinis, and 3 large red potatoes with the skin on. I tossed them all into the food processor with the slicer and spread them out on a jelly roll pan (coating the veggies with peanut oil) before baking at 425°F for 32 minutes. I didn't salt the eggplant or do any extra steps besides peeling and slicing before roasting it. Surprisingly, it wasn't bitter or watery after roasting. Nowadays, eggplants are less bitter due to genetic modifications, so salting and rinsing are unnecessary. As I mixed the veggies together, I couldn't layer them separately, resulting in more of a casserole with a bechamel/cheese topping. I used 2 cans of drained Annie's lentil soup and 2 cans of diced tomatoes. It was important to remove excess liquid, as the dish held together nicely when served. The dish was not only flavorful but also healthy! My husband absolutely loved it. I will definitely make it again, perhaps trying soy crumbles instead of lentils to switch things up next time.

This cooking experience was definitely an intense adventure! I made the mistake of not reading the reviews and chose to pan-fry my veggies instead of roasting them, which ended up taking so much time. For anyone using dried lentils, I recommend cooking 3/4 cup of lentils in 1.5 cups of water with a pinch of salt, simmering for 25-30 minutes. Surprisingly, the water evaporated completely, leaving the lentils tender without needing any additional water for my lasagna-like moussaka. Next time, I plan to double the bechamel sauce to make it more substantial than just 1/8 inch deep. It's worth using the best quality tomato sauce available, ideally homemade, and I think adding mushrooms would elevate the dish even further!

I prepared this vegetarian moussaka yesterday during the first snowfall of the season, and since my work was closed. Despite being a labor-intensive recipe, it was absolutely worth the effort! Following the advice of others, I roasted the sliced veggies in the oven to save time and added more vegetables: 2 eggplants and 3 zucchinis. My husband enjoyed it so much that he joked about eating the whole pan of it himself! It was great to have leftovers to share with family or freeze for another meal. I will definitely be making this again soon, maybe even for Thanksgiving!

For a 9x13 inch pan: double the amount of eggplant, zucchini, and lentil filling, and quadruple the béchamel sauce. Toast the vegetables (using avocado oil) in the oven at 450°F for 25 minutes. Start by layering the eggplant at the bottom, then add some potatoes, the lentil filling on top of that, and another layer of eggplant on the top. Pour the sauce over the top (I also included cinnamon), and don't worry about trying to layer it perfectly. A traditional moussaka dish doesn't typically have perfectly defined layers anyway.

I tried making this recipe for the first time using the pan-fry method and draining the excess oil on paper towels. It was a bit time-consuming and messy, but the dish turned out great. Just a week later, I decided to grill the veggies in the oven at 425 degrees for 15 minutes (I kept a close eye on them). This method was much quicker and cleaner. For the sauce, I used a combination of half and half and 2% milk since I didn't have any whole milk on hand. I also added some extra fresh Parmesan cheese from the Whole Foods brand. I cooked everything in a convection oven for 23 minutes. Overall, thank you for a wonderful recipe!

Opted to roast the vegetables instead of frying them, substituted canned white beans for lentils, and enhanced the flavors with a touch of lemon juice and cinnamon. Also, used a smaller baking dish than suggested. The dish improves with each passing day!

Rewritten review: Delicious end result, but had some suggestions for improvement. 1) Instead of frying the vegetables, consider roasting them in the oven for a healthier, quicker option. Brush with olive oil, spread on a roasting pan, and broil for two five-minute sessions. 2) The recipe's quantities were a bit vague, needing prior experience to gauge proper amounts. Adjust to taste as needed. 3) Step 5 called for sautéing onion and garlic in reserved oil, but 1 Tbsp. wasn't sufficient considering eggplant would absorb much more. 4) A pinch of nutmeg may not be flavorful enough; consider using around a teaspoon for a stronger taste. 5) Step 6 mentioned layering onions, but they were already cooked with lentils and tomato in previous steps. Clarification on whether to remove them would be helpful. Overall, the dish turned out well with some adjustments, though it did take a while to prepare.

This dish has an amazing flavor!!! I concur with others who mentioned that baking the vegetables all at once instead of frying them is quicker and healthier. The leftovers taste just as delicious the next day as well!

I found this recipe to be quite impractical. To begin with, as many others have pointed out, it is extremely time-consuming. Additionally, the measurements provided are not accurate if you intend to fill a 9x13 serving dish. Moreover, simply pouring your flour into the milk and butter mixture will result in lumps that are nearly impossible to whisk out unless you have superhuman strength. These are just some of the issues I encountered with this recipe. While the concept is good, I will be seeking vegetarian moussaka recipes elsewhere in the future.

This dish was way too time-consuming to make. I followed the recipe but opted for a non-stick pan instead of using oil as directed. The flavor was good and my husband enjoyed it, but the final result didn't justify all the frying. It reminded me of ratatouille with a light cheese sauce on top... and that could have been made in just 20 minutes!

This recipe is definitely time-consuming, taking around 2 hours to prepare. The process of frying thinly sliced veggies in batches alone can take up to 50 minutes. From start to finish, the whole cooking endeavor ends up being more like 3+ hours. The veggies, particularly the eggplant, absorb a lot of oil, with me using about half a bottle of olive oil and still struggling to get rid of the excess even after draining them on paper towels. The sauce component, a bechamel sauce, turned out to be a challenge as well. The mixture of butter, flour, and cold milk resulted in a lumpy, thin consistency that refused to thicken. The correct method for preparing a bechamel sauce involves slowly browning the butter and flour while heating the milk separately, then gradually adding the milk while whisking continuously until it thickens, which can take around 20 minutes. By the time everything is ready for the oven, you're already waist-deep in the greasy aftermath. Omitting the liquid from the lentils is recommended to avoid sogginess, and baking the dish can take anywhere from 75 to 90 minutes. Overall, quite a frustrating experience.

Tasty and flavorful!