Moussaka is a dish of layered potatoes and mince, topped with a thick yoghurt and egg topping instead of the traditional Greek béchamel. Potatoes and mince are in season right now, and the slow bake makes this the perfect dish for a lazy Sunday lunch.

1 h 25 minprep 25 min · cook 1 h
4 servingsLunch
Mediumdifficulty
460 kcalper serving

Ingredients

For the base

  • 800gpotatoes
  • 500gminced meat (pork and beef)
  • 2onions
  • 3 tbspvegetable oil
  • 1 tbsppaprika
  • 1 tspsavory (chubritsa)
  • to tastesalt and black pepper

For the topping

  • 400gyoghurt
  • 2eggs
  • 1 tbspflour
  • pinchsalt

Method

  1. Prepare the potatoes

    Peel the potatoes and cut them into 1cm-thick rounds. Soak them in cold water for 10 minutes to draw out extra starch, then pat them dry with a kitchen towel.

  2. Fry the onions

    Finely chop the onions and fry them in 3 tbsp of oil over medium heat for 5-6 minutes, until soft and translucent.

  3. Cook the mince

    Add the mince to the onions and sprinkle in the paprika, savory, salt and black pepper. Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, until the meat browns and the liquid cooks off.

  4. Layer the dish

    In a greased baking dish, arrange half the potatoes, cover with the mince, then lay the rest of the potatoes on top. Smooth the surface with a spoon.

    Classic Bulgarian moussaka with yoghurt and egg topping — layer the dish

  5. First bake

    Bake in a preheated oven at 200°C for 35-40 minutes, until the potatoes soften and the top turns lightly golden.

  6. Whisk the topping

    Whisk the yoghurt with the eggs, flour and a pinch of salt until smooth, with no lumps.

    To stop the topping from curdling, stir in 2-3 tbsp of the hot liquid from the bottom of the dish before pouring it all in.

  7. Pour on the topping and finish baking

    Take the dish out, pour the topping over evenly, and put it back in the oven for another 15-20 minutes at 180°C, until the top turns golden and the topping sets.

    Classic Bulgarian moussaka with yoghurt and egg topping — pour on the topping and finish baking

  8. Let it rest

    Take the moussaka out and let it rest for 10 minutes before cutting it into squares — this lets the layers set so it cuts cleanly.

How to serve it

Serve the moussaka warm, with a side of shopska salad and a glass of young Bulgarian red wine or cold ayran.

Did you know

Moussaka came to Bulgaria during Ottoman rule, but while the Greek version uses béchamel, the Bulgarian one relies on yoghurt and eggs, which makes it lighter and gives it a slightly tangy taste. In the Rhodope mountains, cooks sometimes sprinkle grated kashkaval cheese over the topping before baking.

Per serving (approx.): 460 kcal · protein 21g · fat 26g · carbs 34g