Dairy-Free Moussaka Recipe: Part 1(Greek Tomato Sauce with Ground Meat)
Dice Vegetables: Slice all the vegetables—onions, carrots, red bell pepper, and celery—lengthwise into 1/4-inch thick sticks, then cut them crosswise into cubes for a perfectly small dice.
Sauté the aromatics: In a large pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, carrot, celery, red pepper, and minced garlic. Cook until softened, about 7-8 minutes.
Fry the tomato paste: Add the tomato paste to the vegetables and cook for about 4-5 minutes until the paste darkens in color. This step deepens the tomato flavor and makes a noticeable difference.
Brown the meat: Add the ground turkey to the pan, breaking it up with a spoon. We prefer leaving some bigger bits of meat for added texture, but you can break it down more finely if you prefer a coarser or more silky texture—this is entirely personal preference. Cook until browned all over, about 7-8 minutes. If you’re using a higher-fat meat, drain off excess fat at this point.
Add wine, spices, and bouillon: Pour in the red wine (if using) and let it simmer until reduced by half, about 3 minutes.
Stir in the cinnamon sticks (or 1/2 tsp cinnamon powder), oregano, thyme, bay leaves (if using), and bouillon cubes (if using).
Tomato base: Add the crushed tomatoes. Bring the sauce to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and let it simmer uncovered for 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remove cinnamon sticks and bay leaves: Remove the bay leaves and the cinnamon sticks. Count them and make sure the same number come as went in. No one wants to chew on one of these by accident!
Season and finish: Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. A couple of minutes before the sauce is finished, add the fresh parsley (if using). If the sauce thickens too much, you can add a little water to reach your desired consistency. Note: The sauce should be relatively thick and not too runny because we want the layers of the moussaka to stay together.
Dairy-Free Moussaka Recipe: Part 2 (Assembling the Moussaka)
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
Prepare the Eggplant (Aubergine): Slice the eggplant lengthwise into ⅓-inch thick slices (rounds are also perfectly fine if preferred). Optional: Sprinkle each slice with a little salt and let sit for 15 minutes to release some of the moisture. We typically skip this step when making it ourselves.
While the sauce is simmering, we get the eggplant sliced and pan-fried to maximize our time in the kitchen. The time it takes for the sauce to simmer and turn delicious should be enough to get the eggplant ready for layering. If you need more time, don’t worry, the sauce will be fine if it cooks longer. This step can be done ahead of time!
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan.
Working in batches, pan-fry the eggplant slices for about 3 minutes on one side and 1 minute on the other, until they soften and start to get color. Remove and set the sliced eggplant to the side. Continue until all the eggplant is cooked.
In a large baking dish, start with a layer of the prepared meat sauce, spreading evenly over the bottom.
Add a layer of the pan-fried eggplant slices on top of the sauce.
Add another layer of the meat sauce over the eggplant, followed by a layer of Miyoko’s Pourable Mozzarella.
Repeat the process, alternating between sauce, eggplant, sauce, and Pourable Mozzarella, until all the ingredients are used, finishing with a layer of the Pourable Mozzarella on top.
Bake the Moussaka: Place the assembled moussaka in the preheated oven and bake for 30-40 minutes, or until the top is bubbly and golden brown.
Let the moussaka cool for 10-15 minutes before serving to help it set.
Garnish and Serve: For a final touch, sprinkle freshly chopped Flat Leaf / Italian Parsley over the top just before serving. Chives also work wonderfully as a garnish. Adding a little green makes the dish look even more appetizing!
