Vegan Moussaka

This Vegan Moussaka is a Greek comfort food that’s rich, creamy and a hearty meal. It’s layered with roasted eggplants, tofu lentil filling, béchamel sauce and crusted with panko crumbs. It’s a complete casserole meal loaded with delightful flavors.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Greek

Keyword eggplant moussaka, how to make vegan moussaka, vegan moussaka lentils, vegan moussaka recipe

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 40

Total Time 1

Servings

Calories 215kcal

Author Gunjan

Ingredients

for eggplants

2 medium eggplants (sliced length wise)
cooking spray
1 tsp salt
1 tsp crushed black pepper

for the filling

1 tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp crushed garlic
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped tomato
1/4 cup tomato puree
1/2 tsp paprika/chili powder
1 tsp oregano
1/2 of 15oz pack soft/extra firm tofu (drained and crumbled)
1 cup green/brown lentils (rinsed)
1 tsp salt or as per taste
3 cups vegetable broth

for béchamel sauce

1/2 cup raw cashew nuts (soaked in warm water and drained)
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk (Tetra pack/canned)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp crushed black pepper
1/4 cup nutritional yeast

for toppings

1/2 cup panko crumbs

Instructions

Preheat oven at 400-degree Fahrenheit and prepare 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Place the sliced eggplants on them in a single layer and spray cooking spray on them. Sprinkle salt and pepper and flip each slice to the other side. Spray cooking spray again on them and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place the sheets in the oven and bake for 20 minutes or until the slices are brownish and cooked. You may bake them in 2 rounds or together at the same time. Once done take them out and keep aside. Reduce the oven temperature to 375-degree Fahrenheit.
In the meanwhile, heat oil in a stockpot/Dutch oven and add garlic to it. Sautee onion until translucent and add tomatoes to it. Sautee fore few minutes or until tomatoes release its juice.
Add tomato puree, paprika, oregano to it and stir nicely.
Add crumbled tofu and mix well. Then fold in lentils to it.
Then, add salt and vegetable broth to it. Cover and cook for 10-15 minutes on high flame. Stir at intervals to make sure it does not stick at the bottom. Cook until the lentils are soft and cooked and all the liquid is almost absorbed. Turn it off and keep it aside.
Now, in blender combine all the béchamel sauce ingredients (cashew nuts, coconut milk, salt, pepper, nutritional yeast) and blend it smooth. Keep it aside.
Now, grease baking casserole dish with cooking spray and place half of the cooked eggplant as the first layer. Then, cover it with the lentil filling as the second layer.
Then, cover it again with the rest of the cooked eggplant and top it with béchamel sauce. Lastly, cover the top with panko crumbs and bake in the middle rack of the oven at 375-degree Fahrenheit for about 40 minutes or until the top turn golden brown. Turn it off and take it out. Place it on a flat surface. Slice and serve hot.

Video

Notes

This recipe can be ahead of time and refrigerated overnight after layering (except panko). When ready top it with panko and bake in the oven.
This pairs well with salads and dinner rolls.
The filling can be made ahead of time and refrigerated for 2 weeks in an air tight glass container.
You may use soft/firm or extra firm tofu in this recipe. All of them works well except silken tofu.
Green/brown lentils can be substituted for red lentils in the same measurement.
You may substitute vegetable broth for water but make sure to adjust salt, paprika and oregano as per the taste.
You may use unsweetened canned coconut milk for this recipe instead of the tetra pack coconut milk.

Nutrition