The BEST Vegan Moussaka

This has definitely become one of my favourite recipes. I’m not vegan but we regularly make this as it’s tastier and healthier than other versions of moussaka – the cashew bechamel with roasted garlic adds such a special touch.

I made this exactly as written and it was phenomenal! Even my meat-eating husband said it was delicious. There are a lot of steps but it’s all really manageable as long as you plan ahead. I will definitely be making this again.

Hi!
Thank you for this wonderful recipe!
I added some cinnamon to the filling and some roasted potatoes into the layers – finally served with tomato-salad. Absolutely a winner! I’ll make it again (and again)!

This was absolutely delicious.
I didn’t have canned lentils so I just boiled dry lentils and used that instead. Other than that, I followed the recipe exactly as above. I loved it. It’s hearty, satisfying and flavorful. Bechamel was amazing! Because traditional Moussaka has potatoes, I served this dish with side of roasted potatoes and it was great. Will definitely make it again. Thank you for this wonderful dish.

Oops, I always forget the star rating…here it is!

This recipe is so incredibly delicious, we love it! It’s totally worth the steps involved in making it. Thanks so much for this, I want to share it with everyone!

Hi Dana
I want to add my “wow” and “this is sooooo good” to the other comments! It is a fabulous recipe and wonderfully tasty! The béchamel is an absolute hit. The only adjustment I made was to add some finely chopped mushrooms to the lentils and some fresh tomatoes. We will be making it again, and again….. Thank you for another wonderful recipe! 😊

This was absolutely AMAZING!!! Was a complete hit in my house and loved the dairy free option of a traditional Greek dish !!!!

There are a lot of steps to this recipe and worth every single moment to produce this wonderful vegan moussaka! There are many steps you can do the day before or earlier in the day. I followed the recipe and both my husband and I LOVED it. Thank you for all the knowledge and effort you
put into your recipes.

I made a couple modifications just based on what I had on hand. I added mushrooms to the onion, lentil mixture. I used fire roasted tomatoes and Zaatar seasoning instead of oregano. I also added a bit of cayenne for personal preference. Delicious recipe, as always!

I made this for the first time and overall my wife and I both really enjoyed it. I only gave it 4/5 stars but that doesn’t mean I didn’t like it! It seems really hearty, healthy and was really fun to make. It can stand alone as a main dish or a side. Next time I’m going to experiment with more nutritional yeast and maybe trade out the oregano for tarragon. It’s really good- so give it a try😉

Also, rolls would be fabulous with this!

It reads like it’s a long complicated recipe but it’s really not so bad. Due to an unplanned interruption I had to pause my recipe and finish the next day. I basically had it assembled except for the bechamel sauce on top. Everything kept beautifully in the fridge I just had to bake it longer by about 15 mins or so. Also definitely add the nutmeg. I know it’s usually associated with baking but it makes everything taste better. Absolute winner!!!

Thanks for the reminder in your “Pick of the Week” recipe.

I thought that I left a review but can’t find it. This is one of the best recipes that I’ve made on here — truly delicious! Even the leftovers are amazing.

It takes time to prepare so I haven’t gotten around to making it again but will add this to my list.

Fantastic recipe!

Meh… It didn’t cook in the suggested time. I think my eggplant slices were too thick and my lentils really needed more tomato sauce, or I should have covered it for the initial bake(?) and browned the Béchamel after.

This was an outstanding recipe! The directions were easy to follow and the dish was delicious! Thank you for another amazing recipe!

This recipe is DELICIOUS! The bechamel exceeded my expectations! Making this is a time commitment, though not difficult, and definitely worth it!

This was a lot of work but for a special occasion that is okay. I made it for thanksgiving and the omnivores enjoyed it also. The only thing I would change is I would cut the eggplant slightly thicker. I think it would be better that way

This really is the best vegan Moussaka I have ever made!! My daughter forwarded me this recipe and I now make it regularly. My husband, who is not vegan, loves it so much! I use other beans as well, like black beans, white beans and other kinds of lentils. As long as the beans are cooked to a really soft texture, they all turn out fine. The cashew béchamel topping is delicious. I don’t use the nutritional yeast to avoid the cheesy flavour which I don’t like.

Thanks so much for sharing!

Made a few times now, always successful. Love the bechemel sauce

This was great! The roasted garlic bechamel was delish and added a nice richness. The hint of nutmeg in both the lentils and bechamel is a must! Sprinkled a bit of vegan parmesan on top. So good!

this was soooo good. I don’t cook with oil or salt so had to modify the recipe somewhat. i cooked the eggplant with a little veggie broth on top and it tasted just fine. The bechamel sauce I added silken tofu instead of oil. It came out great!

Thanks, the recipie was delicious!!

I didn’t give it five stars though as the quantity of cashew cream was not enough to cover the moussaka, and even the half that was covered was a lot thiner that shown in the photo here. Given we aren’t actually vegan (but keep dairy low) I added some cheese on the half that was uncovered. Next time I think I’d just make a vegan bechamel with soy milk and flour, the more traditional way (but I’d add the roasted garlic to it – that was amazing!)

I just made this for dinner and it was delicious! The béchamel was so good I could drink it.

In terms of deviations, I cooked up some dry lentils since I didn’t have canned and used fire roasted diced tomatoes instead of crushed since that’s what I had.
I read that other reviewers added a layer of potatoes despite the recipe not calling for it. I added the potato layer but didn’t think it added anything to the dish so for anyone reading this, follow the MB recipe as is!! You won’t be sorry!

I love this thank you. I couldn’t imagine being bombarded with roasted garlic in moussaka so I omitted that in bechamel. I also subbed in miso for the nutritional yeast since I am allergic to it. I also sliced potatoes, oiled and baked them with the eggplant and layered them in the dish on the bottom. One of the most comforting spices of moussaka is allspice. I added that as well. It was delicious!

This. Is. The. Best! Truly delicious. It has quite a few steps, however I made and assembled it a day in advance (except bechamel, but I roasted the garlic a day ahead and put it in the fridge). I also used dry lentils rather than canned. Doing all the cooking and prep a day ahead made this super easy the day of, just made sauce, back in the fridge for a few hours, then boom, ready in 30 mins. Served with roasted potatoes, carrots and a simple green salad. You could tell me that the sauce is non-vegan and I’d believe it! It’s a new favourite that has made it into the regular rotation. Thanks for another great recipe, Dana! :)

This was sooo delicious and well worth the time to make. It’s so full of flavor and texture, and the bechamel sauce finishes it off wonderfully. I added an extra 1/2 tablespoon of nutritional yeast and a bit more nutmeg to the sauce and cooked brown lentils in water rather than using canned to control the sodium content a bit more. I’m just starting my journey into more plant based eating and this was one of the first dishes I tried out on hubby (who is truly a meat eater) … he had a second helping 😋 Will definitely make it again. Thanks for a fab recipe!

This was sooooo good. It takes a few steps to create, but so worth it. We loved it. I used chickpeas instead of lentils and we both liked that choice–they seemed to add a nice bit of texture.
Next times I’ll double this recipe–that good.

This was amazing! The Moussaka I’ve dreamed about after becoming a vegan/flexitarian.

My additions:
I added extra roasted garlic and a bit of cayenne pepper to the béchamel sauce + extra nutritional yeast & nutmeg.

Extra crushed tomato & fresh oregano was added to the tomato/lentil sauce and I deglazed the onion after browning in the pan with 1/2 cup red wine. Yum!

I used nutmeg where the recipe called for it – it really makes the Moussaka taste fabulous!

Delicious!! This was slow and somewhat involved to make (definitely weekend cooking) but easy as promised. The roasted garlic bechamel was the star of the dish, it really elevated this. I absolutely

I added two layers of potato so it would be more filling – I cut large potatoes into 1/4 slices and toasted them for twenty minutes while the aubergine was salting. They added a nice bland foil for the rest of the layers to shine against.

I’ll definitely make this again.

Wow that was good! Will be making this again..and again. The bechamel is amazing!

This dish was a hit with everyone, felt like healthful comfort food. It does have many steps but they’re all very straight forward and accessible. My only modification was going a bit heavier on the spices than the recipe indicated.

This was great! The only modifications I made were adjustments to the spices. Garlic powder and onion powder are things I add to almost every dish. I added a couple of tbsp to my bechamel sauce and I felt it really amped it up. Also added a healthy helping of nutritional yeast, because I love the extra cheesy/rich flavor it adds. I doubled everything to make it in an 9×13 and that worked out great. I used two large eggplants and had some to spare! The only downfall would have been my lentil sauce. It was slightly acidic, so maybe it was the tomato sauce I used? Not sure how to cut that. I added a tsbp of maple syrup and that seemed to help! Any suggestions appreciated :)

This was so delicious! Light yet filling. Such a comfort food. We added a bottom layer of Japanese sweet potato slices, that I baked at the same time as the eggplant to add a little density yet kept with the traditional moussaka recipe. We’re looking forward to a couple days of leftovers. I can always count on your recipes being a hit! You make being gluten free, dairy free and processed sugar free easy. Thanks so much for another yummy dinner option!

We made this tonight and it was delicious! The béchamel sauce was a big success and love that the recipe used nutmeg. Such an essential ingredient in a béchamel IMO. Our tomatoes didn’t carry as much liquid, so I think next time we will use a different brand or add some water. We should have also used more eggplant but got confused over the sizing, I do agree that a weight could be useful there. But we will take it all with us for the next time we make this, as we for sure will! Maybe with a tiny smooth layer of golden potato mashed with the béchamel topped to finish, mmmh already dreaming about it!

This was excellent! Rich in taste and very filling. Paired well with roasted vegetables.

Loved it. I decided to make it spur of the moment so I Started a bit late and had less eggplant than I needed (one large). Used dried lentils so had to cook those up first but the time on that is same as eggplant and roasted garlic. Also had two open jars of tomato sauce in the fridge so subbed that for canned tomatoes and omitted the oregano. I knew it would be a winner but still was delighted with how delicious it was. My husband and I devoured 2/3 of it in a flash. looking forward to making it again with more time to spare and more eggplant!

I made this one tonight. It was delicious! I knew it would be a bit time demanding, so I made the bechamel in the morning, and the rest later on, and that was helpful. Important to note that eggplants shrink a lot after baking, so I think I used 4 in the end, of which 2 large and 2 small-medium. Will do this one again for sure!

Bottom line…..Yum! To be clear, this meal stands on its own for health and deliciousness. However, it also offers variety to those of us seeking alternatives to meat.

I’ve made this twice and it’s been a crowd pleaser for vegans and meat eaters alike. The second time I doubled the recipe, made the béchamel sauce a week prior and froze it, taking it out the day before to assemble with the rest. My only deviation is when doubling I used 1 can of lentils and about 2 cups of soy ground “beef” for the filling. I think the roasted garlic and nutmeg are the star ingredients. While there are quite a few steps I’d say this recipe is not difficult and can be done in stages ( you could make filling and béchamel sauce ahead of time and freeze, then defrost when ready to assemble with the roasted eggplant). It tastes even better day 2 as the flavors combine. Excellent “keeper” recipe.

Loved this. Made this for my wife’s birthday dinner. I subbed Beyond Beef for the lentils because I wanted a “meatier” texture. Turns out quite well, though I would probably brown the beyond a bit longer in the onions and garlic next time before adding the tomatoes.

So yummy! Another awesome recipe thank you!

Well … this is incredible! Do not be intimidated by the longer instructions. Dana and the MB team have laid everything out perfectly to make this a fool proof recipe!
I made this for company over the weekend and it was a hit among everyone at the table. Make sure to include freshly grated nutmeg as it really pulls out the most amazing flavors from the dish. Saving this one in the archives to come back to time and time again!

Hi Dana. I made this once before and was awesome. Having a dinner party and want to double recipe. How much longer would I need to bake the dish in a 13×9 ? Thanks!

Rating to go with previously left comment…

This was crazy incredible delicious! Just made it for dinner tonight and I already want to make it again! Husband loved it too. A bit of work involved but all easy and so worth it! Going to be making this one often!

Tried this, because the bechamel sounded so yummy. Was not disappointed. Very hearty and perfect for a chilly autumn day. I want to try the bechamel in lasagna and maybe some other dishes as well.

For the lentil filling I used red lentils, because I found them in the pantry. Added some cinnamon and vinegar for a greek touch. And then I also added about three tablespoons of Tesco sundried tomato pasta sauce, because I realised I have a jar in the fridge that I opened a couple of days ago, and if I hadn’t used it now, I probably would have forgotten it there and found some life in it in a couple of months.

Unbelievably delicious!!! I used double the amount of crushed tomatoes and added TVP (textured vegetable protein) to the lentils and it tasted just like the traditional ground beef and lamb moussaka. The roasted garlic bechamel is brilliant. All in all an incredible dish and real crowd pleaser for company 😊

Fantastic recipe and didn’t make any changes. Simply delish.

I am the only vegan in the house so I have several freezer meals now which saves so much time later ! It is a fabulous recipe I love it when recipes turn out as promised, so much flavour and the topping is amazing!

Absolutely delicious! The bechamel is out this world and it tastes so amazing! Also no flour which is plus as it can be gluten free as well!
Boyfriend is vegan and loved it, gonna make it more often! Thank you

This turned out very YUMMY. Although the recipe is straight forward, beautifully explained, and simple, it is time consuming. I would advise this for perhaps special dinner or, if someone can do some of the steps ahead then it would be a reasonably not too time consuming main course.
I had special challenge as I have only a non-traditional oven, NuWave Oven, so I had to make adjustments for cooking time and had to cover it most of cooking to keep from burning top…….. but this is no concern for people with traditional ovens.
Next time I will double the number of eggplants. Perhaps a weight measurement might be better than number of.
I made one mistake but it was not critical…. I made my lentils in IP and didn’t rinse and drain so there was a bit too much liquid in the finished product. But the dish held together well enough I could tilt the dish and remove some of the liquid while still hot….
I CERTAINLY will be making this again. Friends are waiting for me to make for them.
I love that it freezes well. That will make it easier to share with friends.
Many, many, many thanks.

So delicious! Really nice recipe. Everyone loved it. I don’t think you can call it easy though. There’s quite a few things to prepare which takes a while in the end. Other than that, perfect. Yum!

This recipe is so delicious! It takes a little longer to make but the end result is totally worth it. The cashew bechamel sauce would be delicious on so many things and the lentil filling would be great on top of pasta.

This was seriously DELICIOUS. Was my first time making such an intensive vegan dish but boy was it worth it. Took about 2 hrs start to finish. Didn’t have the right size pan but that didn’t seem to matter. Used a 9×13 and timed it the same. Threw in a little extra salt and used the nutmeg. Yummmmm!!

Oh my gosh! I spent more than 2 hours preparing this dish. It’s yummy, packed with all the flavors that i trully love, but… it was way to much fuss for me. You have so many recipes that end up ready in 1 hour tops that I don’t know if I will go back to this one. Yet still delicious.

This vegan moussaka tastes amazing and I’m definitely adding it to my mealprep rotation. Next time, I’ll just add a bit more salt to the bechamel.

yummy — used bulgur instead of quinoa

This is the first Minimalist Baker recipe I have made and it turned out so good. I only had red lentils. I cooked a half cup dry and it was the perfect amount. I also used four zucchini instead of eggplant because that was all I had and I was happy with the finished product.

Wow I just made this and it was totally yum. No recommendations, the recipe workers perfectly Thank you so much ❤️

This recipe turned out to be delicious. The step by step layout of ingredients was very helpful, and the timing of everything was good and went pretty much as detailed in the recipe. I did have to be on my toes balancing one thing after another, so it’s good to have ingredients laid out in advance. the prep time took a little longer than indicated. Perhaps getting the garlic to roast in the oven before soaking the cashews would be better as a first step?