65 minCook time
675kcal*
38 gProtein*
51 gCarbs*
*Per serving, estimate. Serves 4.
This gluten free moussaka layers potato and eggplant slices with a ground beef and tomato sauce flavored with cinnamon and oregano, and a gluten-free bechamel made with rice flour and grated cheese goes on top.
The eggplant slices (and the potato slices, unless you par-cook the potatoes whole) are brushed with olive oil and baked first, the meat sauce simmers on the stove, and the bechamel is cooked in a pot. Everything is then layered in a baking dish and baked until golden. It serves 4.
Let the dish cool slightly before cutting. The flour is gluten-free; when you shop, check the cheese and the canned tomatoes for a gluten-free label.
Gluten-Free Moussaka with Ground Beef, Eggplant and Potato
This gluten free moussaka layers potato and eggplant slices with a ground beef and tomato sauce flavored with cinnamon and oregano, and a gluten-free bechamel made with rice flour and grated cheese goes on top.
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Ingredients
- 2 eggplants cut into slices about 5 mm (1/4 inch) thick
- 400 g potatoes about 14 oz; cut into slices about 5 mm (1/4 inch) thick (with the owner tip: cook them whole first, then slice)
- 500 g ground beef, 85/15 about 1.1 lb; US label “85/15” means 85% lean, 15% fat
- 1 onion chopped
- 2 garlic cloves chopped
- 400 g chopped tomatoes 1 can, about 14 oz; when shopping, check the can for a gluten-free label
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon 5 ml
- 1 tsp dried oregano 5 ml
- salt and ground black pepper to taste
- olive oil for brushing the eggplant slices (and the potato slices, if you pre-bake them)
- 50 g butter about 3.5 tbsp
- 50 g gluten-free flour, such as rice flour or cornstarch about 1.75 oz; gluten-free
- 500 ml milk a little over 2 cups
- 1 pinch ground nutmeg
- 50 g grated Parmesan or Kefalotyri about 1.75 oz; when shopping, check for a gluten-free label, especially if pre-grated
Instructions
- Cut the eggplants and potatoes into slices about 5 mm (1/4 inch) thick. Brush them with a little olive oil and pre-bake them in the oven at 200°C (400°F), conventional (top and bottom) heat, for about 20 minutes. Owner tip for the potatoes: instead of slicing and pre-baking them, par-cook the 400 g (14 oz) of potatoes whole in an Instant Pot with 150 ml (about 2/3 cup) of water for 4 minutes under pressure, release the pressure quickly and switch the Instant Pot off, or par-cook them whole in a pot (see the notes). Then cut the potatoes into slices about 5 mm (1/4 inch) thick; they finish in the final bake. The eggplant slices still go into the oven.
- Fry the chopped onion and garlic in a pan. Add the ground beef and cook it until it is crumbly. Stir in the chopped tomatoes, cinnamon, oregano, salt and pepper, and simmer gently for about 20 minutes.
- For the bechamel, melt the butter in a pot and quickly whisk in the gluten-free flour to make a roux. Slowly pour in the milk while stirring constantly and bring it to a boil until the sauce thickens. Season with nutmeg, salt and pepper, then stir in the grated cheese.
- Lightly grease a baking dish. Layer potatoes, eggplant and the meat sauce in turns, and finish with the bechamel as the only top layer. Owner tip: use a smaller baking dish so that several layers of potato, meat sauce and eggplant fit.
- Bake in the preheated oven at 200°C (400°F), top and bottom heat, for about 40 to 45 minutes, until golden brown.
- Let the moussaka cool slightly before serving so that it is easier to cut.
Notes
Owner tip, potatoes: instead of slicing and pre-baking the potatoes, par-cook them whole and slice them afterwards. Instant Pot: put the 400 g (14 oz) of whole potatoes in the Instant Pot with 150 ml (about 2/3 cup) of water and cook for 4 minutes under pressure. This is only a par-cook: the potatoes finish in the 40 to 45 minute final bake. Then release the pressure quickly (quick release) and switch the Instant Pot off (turn Keep Warm off). Or par-cook the whole potatoes in a pot of water. As a guideline, 2 to 3 medium potatoes of about 150 g (5 oz) each (400 g in total) are usually just tender about 15 to 25 minutes after the water comes to a boil; start testing with a fork at 15 minutes. Because they bake again, a slightly firm center is fine. Larger potatoes take longer. Then cut the potatoes into slices about 5 mm (1/4 inch) thick. This replaces only the potato part of step 1; the eggplant is still pre-baked.
Owner tip, baking dish: use a smaller baking dish so that several layers of potato, meat sauce and eggplant fit. The bechamel goes on top as the last layer, and only the bechamel.
Gluten-free kitchen: the flour is gluten-free. When shopping, check the cheese and the canned tomatoes for a gluten-free label. Cross-contact can happen in any kitchen. If you cook for someone with a severe allergy or celiac disease, take extra care: read the ingredient labels and use clean equipment.
Let the baked moussaka cool slightly before cutting so it is easier to cut.
Nutrition values are an estimate based on the ingredient list, not a lab analysis. They may differ depending on the ingredients and brands you use. Olive oil for brushing is not included because no amount is given.
The photos show the dish as it came out of the owner’s oven, in a large rectangular glass baking dish.
Ground beef: the owner’s usual mince has about 14 g fat per 100 g, which is close to the US label 85/15.
Questions about gluten free moussaka
How do you make bechamel gluten free?
Whisk 50 g (about 1.75 oz) of gluten-free flour, for example rice flour, into 50 g (3.5 tbsp) of melted butter, then slowly stir in 500 ml (a little over 2 cups) of milk and bring it to a boil until it thickens. Check the label of the flour.
Which cheese goes into the bechamel?
50 g (1.75 oz) of grated Parmesan or Kefalotyri, stirred in after the sauce has thickened. Check the label of the cheese if you buy it pre-grated.
Why let the moussaka rest before serving?
A short rest after baking lets the dish cool slightly and it is easier to cut.