Gretchen's table: With a skillet, moussaka doesn't have to be a project dish
By Gretchen McKay / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Fall is when we typically trade the lighter, produce-heavy dishes of summer for heartier comfort foods.
That crisp, cool salad that hit the spot on a hot night in July doesn’t quite cut it in sweatshirt weather. Once the leaves start to change color and we’re reaching for an extra blanket at bedtime instead of cranking up the air conditioner, it somehow just feels right to cozy up to a warm, homemade bowl of something.
This skillet moussaka from content creator Stella Drivas is a great place to start.
One of Greece’s most popular and traditional dishes, moussaka is typically something of a project meal made in the fashion of lasagna. You meticulously layer thin slices of roasted eggplant and potato with a fragrant, gently spiced meat sauce, then lather bechamel sauce on top.
This recipe streamlines the process by creating most of the action in one pan.
Instead of being sliced and roasted, the eggplant and accompanying baby potatoes are cubed and sauteed in a heavy pan with a little olive oil until fork-tender.
The veggies are then tossed right in the pan with the meat sauce, and the whole thing is popped into the oven under a blanket of rich and creamy bechamel. A dusting of grated Parmesan makes for a cheesy, golden crust.
The result is a dish that’s suitable for weeknights when you’ve got a little extra time for meal prep (it’s ready in about 2 hours) or when you get a sudden craving for something hearty that shines a light on ground lamb.
I used Fairy Tale eggplant, a tear-shaped, palm-sized cultivar streaked with purple and white that’s known for its tender skin, lack of seeds and captivating name. But deep purple Globe eggplant or Italian eggplant will also work well. Whatever variety you choose, make sure you select firm and glossy eggplants that are free of bruises.
This dish easily serves 6, and reheats well. It will make your kitchen smell awesome!
For the moussaka
1 medium Globe eggplant or 1 pound Fairy Tale eggplants, cut into bite-sized chunks
Fine sea salt
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 pound baby potatoes, halved
½ teaspoon paprika
Freshly ground black pepper
1 medium sweet onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 pound ground lamb
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon allspice
Freshly ground black pepper
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
1 teaspoon honey
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
For bechamel
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4½ cups milk
Pinch of ground nutmeg
Fine sea salt
⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
Place chopped eggplant on a clean dish towel and if using Globe or similar eggplants, sprinkle lightly with salt to draw out moisture. (Fairy Tale does not have to be salted because it is not bitter.) Let sit for 15-20 minutes, then blot away all the surface moisture.
Preheat a wide, deep ovenproof pan over medium heat until hot. (I used a 12-inch, cast-iron skillet.) Swirl in 1 tablespoon oil then add potatoes, paprika, salt and a few grinds of pepper to taste.
Cook, stirring often, until the potatoes are lightly browned, 8-10 minutes. Transfer potatoes to a plate.
Swirl 2 tablespoons olive oil into the pan and add eggplant. Saute, stirring often, until browned and just fork-tender, 8-10 minutes. Transfer eggplant to plate with potatoes.
Swirl the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil into the pan, add onion and saute until soft and translucent, about 4 minutes. Stir in garlic and tomato paste.
Add ground lamb and cook until it’s no longer pink, breaking into crumbles, about 5 minutes.
Stir in cinnamon, allspice, ¾ teaspoon salt and pepper to taste. Pour in tomatoes and bring to a boil. Turn down heat and cook uncovered until sauce thickens, 12-15 minutes.
Stir in honey and parsley. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed, then remove pan from heat.
Push meat sauce to one side of the pan and add potatoes/eggplant mixture. Nudge the ground meat over the top of the veggies so they are mostly covered.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees, then make bechamel.
In medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Stir in flour and stir until a smooth paste forms, about 1 minute.
Gradually stir in milk and increase heat slightly to bring mixture just to a boil, then turn down the heat and stir constantly until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Season with nutmeg and salt to taste.
Ladle the bechamel evenly over the meat and sprinkle with Parmesan. (I didn’t use all the sauce.) Transfer pan to the oven and bake the moussaka until golden brown on top, 25-30 minutes.
Remove from oven and let rest for 30 minutes. Slice and serve warm, garnished with parsley.
Serves 6-8.
— adapted from “Hungry Happens: Mediterranean” by Stella Drivas (Clarkson Potter, $35)
Updated 10:15 a.m. Sept. 10, 2025. Correction: An earlier version of this recipe did not include one ingredient: 4½ cups milk in the bechamel.