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    Home » Recipes » Italian Recipes

    Easy Moussaka Stuffed Eggplants

    Updated: Mar 3, 2020 · Published: Jan 15, 2017 by Andrea

    Jump to Recipe

    Lighten-up easy Moussaka Stuffed Eggplants bring a traditional Greek comfort food to a whole new level - Easy to make, gluten-free and ready in just 30 min, this is a great recipe the whole family will love.

    In case you're not familiar with Moussaka, is basically a Greek version of classic Italian lasagna.

    In place of pasta sheets however, this gluten-free dish uses layers of fried aubergine slices to separate the meat filling.

    Moussaka is a very traditional Greek dish, so every family as its own version.

    Being half-greek myself, I've got my personal go-to moussaka too, which is a bit lighten up but still bursting with awesome flavors.

    These Moussaka Stuffed Eggplants come together much faster than you may think.

    They take about 30 min to make start to finish, and only require few simple ingredients including pantry staples, fresh ricotta, beef/veal mince and of course eggplants.

    These lighten-up easy Moussaka Stuffed Eggplants bring a traditional Greek recipe to a whole new level - Easy to make, gluten-free and ready in just 30 min. Recipe by The Petite Cook www.thepetitecook.com

    The quality of the mince in this recipe is critical.

    Feel free to go for the classic route and choose lamb, or opt for a more versatile option with goof-quality beef or veal.

    Rather than buying ready prepared mince ask your butcher to freshly mince some meat (free-range organic farm meat is highly preferable).

    You should neither look for fatty cuts or super lean cuts such as fillet or sirloin. Chuck steak or braising steak is the right quality (coarsely minced, with around 10% fat).

    These lighten-up easy Moussaka Stuffed Eggplants bring a traditional Greek recipe to a whole new level - Easy to make, gluten-free and ready in just 30 min. Recipe by The Petite Cook www.thepetitecook.com

    The ricotta sauce is whipped up in seconds, and lighter than béchamel sauce, originally used in traditional moussaka. All you have to do is mix together ricotta with a bit of light crème fraîche.

    This sauce is my go-to alternative to béchamel (even when making lasagna), and I find it super handy when it comes to these sorts of recipes.

    There's no need to put the dish back in the oven for further baking, and I really like its refreshing flavor, which lifts things up and gives a nice contrast.

    These lighten-up easy Moussaka Stuffed Eggplants bring a traditional Greek recipe to a whole new level - Easy to make, gluten-free and ready in just 30 min. Recipe by The Petite Cook www.thepetitecook.com

    Once you're good with the sauce, prepare the eggplant.

    Simply score a criss-cross pattern over each halved eggplant (making sure not to cut through the skin), season with extra virgin olive oil, salt and thyme, and put them in the oven for about 20 min.

    Whilst they bake, prepare the meaty filling.

    These lighten-up easy Moussaka Stuffed Eggplants bring a traditional Greek recipe to a whole new level - Easy to make, gluten-free and ready in just 30 min. Recipe by The Petite Cook www.thepetitecook.com

    Moussaka filling is quite similar to bolognese sauce, but requires fewer ingredients and cooks a lot faster.

    Simply sweat the onion, add in garlic, beef, tomatoes, thyme and cook for about 20 minutes, pouring stock half-way trough.

    By the time the eggplants are nicely cooked, the filling is too. Scoop out the eggplant flesh and mix it together with your filling.

    Finally, fill each eggplant with the moussaka mixture, top with ricotta sauce, sprinkle with basil & chili flakes (for a bit of heat) and your dinner is ready!

     

    These easy Moussaka Stuffed Eggplants are the kind of comfort food I crave on cold nights this time of the year - They're awesomely quick to put together and guaranteed to be a big crowd-pleaser!These lighten-up easy Moussaka Stuffed Eggplants bring a traditional Greek recipe to a whole new level - Easy to make, gluten-free and ready in just 30 min. Recipe by The Petite Cook www.thepetitecook.com

    These easy Moussaka Stuffed Eggplants are the kind of comfort food I crave on cold nights this time of the year - They're easy to put together and guaranteed to be a big crowd-pleaser!

    Did you make this recipe?

    Please let me know how you liked it! Leave a comment below and share a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #thepetitecook! Looking at your pictures always makes me smile *and super hungry*!

    Recipe

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    5 from 2 votes

    Easy Moussaka Stuffed Eggplants

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    These easy Moussaka Stuffed Eggplants bring a traditional Greek recipe to a whole new level - Easy to make, gluten-free and ready in just 30 min, this is a great recipe the whole family will love.
    Prep Time10 minutes mins
    Cook Time20 minutes mins
    Total Time30 minutes mins
    Course: Main
    Cuisine: Greek
    Serving: 4
    Calories: 473kcal
    Author: Andrea Soranidis

    Ingredients

    • 2 large eggplants, cut in half lengtwhise
    • 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
    • 4 thyme sprigs

    For the filling:

    • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
    • 1 white onion, finely minced
    • 1 garlic cloves, finely minced
    • 350 g good quality organic beef mince
    • a handful of cherry tomatoes, halved and deseeded
    • 1 teaspoon brown sugar
    • 1 tablespoon tomato paste, I use double concentrate
    • 150 ml chicken stock
    • 2 thyme sprigs
    • sea salt and black pepper to taste

    For the ricotta sauce:

    • 150 g fresh ricotta
    • 2 tablespoon creme fraiche
    • salt and pepper
    • handful basil leaves, finely chopped
    • 1 teaspoon chilli flakes, optional

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 190C/400F.
    • Cut each eggplant in half lengthwise through the stem, Then, score the flesh in a tight criss-cross pattern, making sure not to cut through the skin. Place them on a baking tray covered with parchment paper.
    • Brush with extra virgin olive each half, season with sea salt and a sprig of thyme, then bake for 20 minutes or until the flesh is soft and tender.
    • In the meantime, prepare the filling. Heat a large skillet with the olive oil over medium heat, and fold in chopped onion and garlic.
    • Add in beef mince, and cook for 5 min until brown, breaking the mince with a wooden spoon as you cook. Then stir in halved tomatoes, thyme and sugar and continue to cook for a further 2 min.
    • Whisk the tomato paste into the chicken stock and pour over the beef. Season with salt and pepper to taste, cover with a lid and simmer over medium-low heat for about 15 min, until the sauce has reduced consistently.
    • In a separate bowl, whisk ricotta and creme fraiche together until smooth and creamy. Season with salt and pepper to taste and set aside until needed.
    • Once the eggplants are ready, gently scoop out the flesh and mix it together with your filling. Finally, fill each eggplant with the moussaka mixture, top with ricotta sauce, sprinkle with basil & chilli flakes and serve immediately.
    • Store in airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
    Did you try this recipe? Tag @thepetitecook or use the hashtag #thepetitecook - Looking at your pictures makes my day!

    Nutrition

    Calories: 473kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 17g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 86mg | Sodium: 191mg | Potassium: 905mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 491IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 129mg | Iron: 3mg

    The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

     

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    Comments

    1. Kirstie Gilbertson says

      February 02, 2017 at 2:04 pm

      I made the stuffed eggplant recipe last night, and oh boy it's was fantastic. Thanks for a great recipe.

      Reply
      • Andrea says

        February 02, 2017 at 10:23 pm

        Hi Kirstie! I'm SOO happy to hear you liked it :)they have become a family favorite here at home!

        Reply
    2. Becca @ Amuse Your Bouche says

      January 17, 2017 at 2:33 pm

      What a brilliant idea - so much more straightforward than making a full moussaka! I bet you could make a great veggie version as well, with lentils!

      Reply
      • Andrea says

        January 18, 2017 at 10:57 am

        Definitely! I was already thinking about making an all-veggie version 🙂 I promise it will be up soon!

        Reply
    3. patisseriemakesperfect says

      January 17, 2017 at 12:29 pm

      I used to have a huge problem with aubergines as I found them slimy and horrid. Then I realised it was just the way other people had cooked them and I made a delicious caponata and it was really good.

      These look so tasty, I know I'd definitely like this and I'll have to try it.

      Reply
      • Andrea says

        January 17, 2017 at 12:53 pm

        oh I love aubergines! Maybe because I was raised in Sicily with tons of pasta alla norma (with fried aubergines) and caponata 🙂 Glad that caponata made you change your mind!

        Reply
    4. Ceri @Natural Kitchen Adventures says

      January 17, 2017 at 10:20 am

      This is such a great idea. I love Moussaka, and I think serving in individual portions like this looks so much more refined!

      Reply
      • Andrea says

        January 17, 2017 at 12:51 pm

        Thank you Ceri! Yes, I agree, moussaka looks so much prettier in this form 🙂

        Reply
    5. Deborah @ Confessions of a mother runner says

      January 16, 2017 at 4:15 pm

      Wow these look fantastic! Love eggplant and cheese thanks for sharing

      Reply
      • Andrea says

        January 17, 2017 at 12:51 pm

        Thank you so much Deborah!

        Reply
    6. Leigh Suznovich says

      January 16, 2017 at 4:04 pm

      Oh wow, I LOVE moussaka and this idea is genius! Looks so good, can't wait to try it 🙂

      Reply
      • Andrea says

        January 17, 2017 at 12:54 pm

        Thank you so much Leigh! Hope you love it as much as I do, don't forget to let me know how it turned out!

        Reply
    7. Warm N Fuzzie says

      January 16, 2017 at 3:12 pm

      I love adding as many veggies as I can into my kids diet. I love how it only takes 30 mins to prepare. Thanks for the share. I'm pinning this for later!

      Reply
      • Andrea says

        January 17, 2017 at 12:55 pm

        The fact that it takes 30 min is my favorite bit 😀

        Reply
    8. GiGi Eats Celebrities says

      January 16, 2017 at 3:00 pm

      Oh wow those look insanely DELICIOUS!!!!! I would ditch the cheese and eat like 5 of them! haha!

      Reply
      • Andrea says

        January 17, 2017 at 12:55 pm

        Thank you GiGi!! With or without cheese trust me they're totally addicting!!

        Reply
    5 from 2 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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    Andrea Soranidis, founder of The Petite Cook.

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