What makes vegan moussaka a healthy and nutritious option compared to the traditional Greek dish?
Moussaka is a popular Greek dish that typically features layers of lamb, eggplant, and potatoes, topped with a creamy béchamel sauce. This vegan version swaps out the meat and dairy for delicious and nutritious plant-based ingredients that are just as satisfying.
For this recipe, we’re using tempeh as a substitute for the lamb. Tempeh is a plant-based protein that’s made from fermented soybeans, and it has a meaty texture and a nutty flavor. We’re also using a cashew-based béchamel sauce, which is rich and creamy without any dairy.
Ingredients:
- 1 large eggplant, sliced into rounds
- 2 large potatoes, peeled and sliced into rounds
- 1 block of tempeh, crumbled
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and pepper, to taste
For the cashew béchamel sauce:
- 1 cup raw cashews, soaked in water for at least 4 hours, or overnight
- 1 1/2 cups almond milk
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions:
- Preheat your oven to 375°F.
- Place the eggplant and potato slices on a baking sheet, drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until tender.
- In a large skillet, heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Add the crumbled tempeh to the skillet and cook until browned and crispy, about 10 minutes.
- Add the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, cinnamon, salt, and pepper to the skillet and stir to combine. Simmer for 10-15 minutes, until the sauce has thickened.
- To make the cashew béchamel sauce, drain and rinse the soaked cashews. Add them to a blender with the almond milk, nutritional yeast, cornstarch, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Blend until smooth.
- Assemble the moussaka by layering the baked eggplant and potato slices in a baking dish. Spoon the tempeh-tomato sauce over the vegetables, then pour the cashew béchamel sauce on top.
- Bake the moussaka for 25-30 minutes, until the top is golden brown and bubbly. Let it cool for 5 minutes before slicing and serving.
Nutritional Information:
| Calories | Protein | Fat | Carbohydrates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 320 | 18g | 16g | 28g |
