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    You are here: Home / Recipes / Meat / Beef / Skinny Moussaka aka Delicious Beef and Eggplant Casserole

    Skinny Moussaka aka Delicious Beef and Eggplant Casserole

    Published on Sep 12, 2014 · Last updated on Aug 23, 2018 · 66 Comments

    10.0K shares
    Jump to Recipe
    Skinny Moussaka aka Delicious Eggplant and Beef Casserole - Pin

    In this easy moussaka recipe,  cinnamon-spiced beef mingles with tender aubergine slices, a creamy cauliflower bechamel sauce and a delightful parmesan cheese crust. A healthy twist on the famous Greek Beef and Eggplant Casserole.overhead shot of a Skinny Moussaka with made with Cauliflower Bechamel sauce ,served in a blue casserole dish

    Creating this easy moussaka recipe has been on my "to-do" list for ages and a few weeks ago, I finally decided it was time to tackle the famous Greek Beef and Eggplant Casserole.

    I did some research to find the best moussaka recipes and..I was kind of shocked! I knew moussaka was a traditional Greek casserole made with eggplant and ground lamb or beef but what I didn't know was that this somehow healthy (or so I thought!) casserole was topped with a fatty béchamel aka white sauce.

    Not to mention that in the traditional recipe, the eggplant is also fried. Well...thanks but no thanks!

    I still really wanted to eat moussaka so I racked my brains to come up with a healthy, easy moussaka recipe. I don't want to toot my own horn but I'm pretty excited about what I've come up with!

    skinny moussaka with healthy cauliflower bechamel sauce served in a glass casserole dish wrapped in a chequered dish towel - easy moussaka recipe

    The fried eggplant issue was easily solved by baking the eggplant slices instead of frying it. Subbing the dairy-loaded, fatty bechamel sauce wasn't as straightforward. I've been seeing food geniuses doing amazing things with cauliflower – like Sonia's grain-free focaccia or her dairy-free cheesecake (yep, you read that right) so I knew I had to lean towards this magical vegetable.

    I finally settled for a creamy cauliflower bechamel sauce adapted from Lindsay's recipe and it was perfect for this healthy, easy moussaka recipe!

    If you think cauliflower should have nothing to do with moussaka, I totally agree with you but the great news is that you can barely taste it. It's really just a delicious and creamy bechamel sauce and all you can taste is the parmesan, with a hint of garlic.

    Fewer calories, fat and carbs;  more veggies and more taste => this light and easy moussaka recipe with cauliflower bechamel sauce is a winner!

    PS: I just emailed Solal to ask him if he noticed the cauliflower in the moussaka he had been eating all week and he said... "what cauliflower?" You can definitely trick your picky eaters with this one!

    Skinny Moussaka aka Delicious Eggplant and Beef Casserole with cauliflower bechamel sauce and a parmesan topping served in a glass casserole dish

    If you tried this easy moussaka recipe with cauliflower bechamel sauce, don’t forget to rate the recipe below and let me know how it went in the comments – I love hearing from you! You can also follow me on Instagram, Pinterest and Facebook for more deliciousness and behind-the-scenes!

    Skinny Moussaka aka Delicious Eggplant and Beef Casserole - www.notenoughcinnamon.com @NECinnamon
    5 from 8 votes
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    Skinny Moussaka with Cauliflower Bechamel Sauce ( Delicious Beef and Eggplant Casserole)

    In my light version of the famous Greek Beef and Eggplant Casserole,  cinnamon-spiced beef mingles with tenderly baked aubergines, a delicious creamy cauliflower bechamel sauce and a parmesan cheese crust. This healthy easy moussaka recipe will become a family favourite in no time!

    Course Main Course
    Cuisine Mediterranean
    Keyword baked, bechamel, beef, casserole, cauliflower, cheese, easy, Greek, healthy, lowcarb, mousssaka
    Prep Time 20 minutes
    Cook Time 2 hours
    Total Time 2 hours 20 minutes
    Servings 8
    Calories 229 kcal

    Ingredients

    For Moussaka filling and eggplants:

    • 1 lb extra lean ground beef 500 g , 5% fat
    • 1 onion peeled and chopped
    • 1 garlic clove peeled and minced
    • ¼ tsp freshly ground pepper
    • ½ tsp sea salt
    • 1 tsp cinnamon
    • ½ tsp allspice
    • 2 cans crushed tomatoes 2 x 400 g cans (14 oz cans)
    • ¼ cup tomato paste
    • 2 medium eggplants

    For the cauliflower sauce

    • 3 large garlic cloves peeled and minced
    • 1 tbsp butter
    • 3 cups cauliflower florets about one small cauliflower or half a medium one
    • 3 cups vegetable stock
    • 1 cup parmesan shredded (divided)
    • ½ tsp freshly ground pepper

    Instructions

    For the filling:

    1. Place beef in a medium saucepan over medium heat, break it into small chunks and cook until brown, about 4 minutes. Drain liquid and transfer to a bowl.
    2. Add onion and garlic to the same saucepan and season with salt, pepper, cinnamon and allspice. Mix and cook for about 3 minutes. 

    3. Add ground beef back to the pan along with crushed tomatoes and tomato paste. Bring to a boil on high heat then reduce to low and simmer uncovered for one hour.

    4. Preheat oven to 400F/200C.
    5. While beef is cooking, prepare eggplants. Remove eggplants' ends and slice them thinly. 

    6. Spray a baking sheet with olive oil and place 12 eggplant slices on it. You may need to use two baking sheets or bake them in two batches depending on the size of your oven. Bake for 10 minutes, remove from the oven and let cool.

    For the cauliflower sauce:

    1. Melt butter in a non-stick skillet over medium-low heat and cook garlic until fragrant but not browned (or it will be bitter). Turn off the heat and set aside. 

    2. Bring the stock to a boil in a medium-sized pot, add cauliflower and cook until very tender, about 6 minutes. Do not drain. Using a slotted spoon, transfer cauliflower into your blender or food processor. Add ½ cup cooking liquid, cooked garlic with butter, ½ cup parmesan and pepper. Pulse until very smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed. Set aside.

    For assembling:

    1.  Place half of the eggplant on the bottom of a large baking dish, cover with half of the beef mixture. Place another layer of eggplant, then the remaining beef mixture on top. 

    2. Using a rubber spatula, spread the cauliflower sauce evenly and top with ½ cup parmesan. Bake for 30 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown. Remove from the oven and let it sit for 10 minutes before cutting and serving.

    Recipe Notes

    Cauliflower sauce adapted from Pinch of Yum

    Nutrition Facts
    Skinny Moussaka with Cauliflower Bechamel Sauce ( Delicious Beef and Eggplant Casserole)
    Amount Per Serving (1 /8th)
    Calories 229 Calories from Fat 72
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 8g12%
    Saturated Fat 4g25%
    Cholesterol 47mg16%
    Sodium 958mg42%
    Potassium 980mg28%
    Carbohydrates 21g7%
    Fiber 6g25%
    Sugar 11g12%
    Protein 20g40%
    Vitamin A 695IU14%
    Vitamin C 33mg40%
    Calcium 217mg22%
    Iron 3.5mg19%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Susan

      September 13, 2014 at 1:09 am

      This sounds wonderful, and I think I'll have to try it because of the cauliflower sauce. I've been making your beef & eggplant casserole pretty regularly, which we both really enjoy, so it will be interesting to see which one we like better. BTW the link for the brand of cinnamon did not work.

      Reply
    2. Cathy O'Connell

      September 13, 2014 at 5:45 am

      Marie,

      I think you omitted the tomato sauce from the instructions. Do you add the beef to it?

      I'm also wondering if the eggplant isn't placed on top of some sauce?

      Thanks.

      Reply
      • marie

        September 19, 2014 at 10:19 pm

        Hey Cathy,
        Yes, I forgot to say that the beef needs to be added back to the pot with the tomatoes! I updated the recipe. Thanks for spotting that and letting me know 🙂
        Are you referring to the first layer of eggplants on the bottom of the dish? I put them directly on the dish, without sauce. Because they're already baked they won't stick.

        Reply
    3. whitney hacking

      September 17, 2014 at 6:05 am

      Just wondering why you need to simmer for 1 hour? Can you use zucchini instead of eggplant?

      Reply
      • marie

        September 19, 2014 at 10:11 pm

        It allows to sauce to thicken and it deepens the flavors a lot. I'm not sure about zucchini, I think it would be a bit too watery and too mushy.

        Reply
    4. Julia A

      September 23, 2014 at 4:14 am

      Marie, just tried the recipe last night and I have to say it was delicious! My 11 month old baby girl absolutely adored it. I tweaked it a touch by using lamb mince and replacing the all spice with nutmeg. Next time I will use one garlic clove for the cauliflower sauce as I found it a bit too garlicky. Great recipe indeed! Thank you very much for sharing it.

      Reply
      • marie

        October 03, 2014 at 11:27 am

        I'm so glad to hear that!! Thank you for letting me know Julia 🙂

        Reply
    5. Julia

      April 30, 2015 at 12:47 am

      I ran out of butter once when making béchamel sauce, so I just used olive oil instead, and it worked really well!

      Reply
      • marie

        May 11, 2015 at 11:00 am

        That's good to hear Julia!

        Reply
    6. Barbara

      June 01, 2015 at 7:07 am

      Hi,
      I just made this. I'm not sure why, but mine completely fell apart when I went to cut it and take it out of the baking dish. I'm not sure what I did wrong. It tasted good, just not very presentable.

      Reply
      • marie

        June 01, 2015 at 12:43 pm

        Hi Barbara, I'm sorry to hear that! Did you let it cool before serving it? You need to wait about 10 to 15 minutes before cutting it. I'm glad to hear you still like it though 🙂

        Reply
    7. Jessica

      August 07, 2015 at 10:31 am

      What temp do you bake it at?

      Reply
      • marie

        August 07, 2015 at 10:34 am

        200C / 400F !

        Reply
        • Jessica

          August 08, 2015 at 1:08 am

          Thank you so much! I made this Last night and used turkey instead of beef and OH MY GOSH! YUM!!!!!

          Reply
          • marie

            August 08, 2015 at 8:27 am

            I'm so glad you liked this recipe Jessica! 🙂

            Reply
    8. Ann from Sumptuous Spoonfuls

      August 13, 2015 at 12:54 pm

      Moussaka is my favorite! I love your cauliflower solution for the bechamel sauce ... another idea I love to use is to just whisk together yogurt & egg, add a little salt and nutmeg and when it bakes it tastes just like a decadent bechamel sauce ... I used that trick in this recipe: http://www.sumptuousspoonfuls.com/mmmm-moussaka/

      Reply
      • marie

        August 17, 2015 at 3:36 pm

        Oh yum, it sounds delicious Ann!

        Reply
    9. Shayne

      August 28, 2015 at 12:20 pm

      I came across your recipe as I was deciding what to do with my impulse eggplant buy - I only had one, so I added some zucchini in and I had to use frozen cauliflower for the sauce - but it came out amazing 🙂 Thanks for the recipe

      Reply
      • marie

        August 28, 2015 at 7:57 pm

        Oh it's great to know it works well with zucchini too! I'm glad you enjoyed this recipe Shayne 🙂

        Reply
    10. Michelle

      December 09, 2015 at 10:00 am

      I found this recipe on pinterest and just wanted to tell you how much my husband and I enjoyed it! I am allergic to milk so I subbed soy cheese for the parmesan, it still came out very delicious. Thank you for sharing this!

      Reply
      • marie

        December 09, 2015 at 2:20 pm

        I'm so glad to hear that Michelle! And it's good to know it works well with alternative cheese as well 🙂

        Reply
    11. jane

      May 14, 2016 at 3:32 pm

      Does this freeze well?

      Reply
      • marie

        May 22, 2016 at 7:49 am

        I've never tried myself but I think it would freeze well yes!

        Reply
    12. Caroline

      July 26, 2016 at 8:31 am

      I found this recipe on Pinterest, and have been wanting to make it for weeks. I finally made this last night, and I thought it was so delicious! My husband ate half of it in one sitting! We will definitely put this on our rotation. Thank you for the wonderful recipe!

      Reply
      • marie

        August 13, 2016 at 5:43 am

        Hubbies are the best taste testers haha. I'm glad you both enjoyed this recipe 🙂

        Reply
    13. Alyssa

      September 17, 2016 at 10:34 pm

      Do you think this would work without the Parmesan and using olive oil instead if the butter? Thanks!

      Reply
      • marie

        September 18, 2016 at 2:51 am

        You can definitely use olive oil instead of butter. It might be a little bit trickier for the parmesan cheese though because leaving it out would affect the taste. It would still work but might be a bit less tasty. Are you looking to make this dairy free? Because if not, you could use Asiago, Romano or Grana padano instead of parmesan. Hope this helps!

        Reply
        • Alyssa

          September 18, 2016 at 9:12 am

          Yes, I wanted to make it fairy-free. I didn't realize those other cheeses didn't have dairy. I will give that a try!

          Reply
          • marie

            September 18, 2016 at 7:44 pm

            No they do have dairy! Cheese is dairy food. I was just asking in case making it dairy free was NOT what you were looking for 🙂 if you want to make it dairy free you'll have to leave out the cheese ?

            Reply
    14. cindy

      January 14, 2017 at 1:40 am

      Okay, I'm a huge moussaka fan but also I'm trying to lose some weight....I subbed organic ground lamb for the beef, used a very large onion and added some extra garlic, just because. I could not believe that this was only 236 calories per serving. It was so amazing. Love your tips on how to soften up the eggplant without the oil and the cauliflower sauce what can I say. I may have to buy stock in cauliflower farming because there will always be one in my home. It was over the top fabulous. Thank you. I'm new to your blog and looking forward to finding other amazing recipes.

      Reply
      • Marie

        January 24, 2017 at 9:38 am

        Cindy I'm so glad you enjoyed this recipe so much 🙂 Thank you!!

        Reply
    15. Lisa Kanegae

      January 24, 2017 at 9:11 pm

      If i have cauliflower rice how much do u think i should use in place of cauliflorets?

      Reply
      • Marie

        January 30, 2017 at 10:36 am

        I'm thinking about 2 cups but it's pretty hard to tell since I haven't tried myself. Hope this helps!

        Reply
    16. Laura Jean

      February 18, 2017 at 11:05 am

      So good! A friend made it for me when I was recovering from surgery...I can't stop making it...Awesome recipe...A course.of more times and iay be ready to share...A piece.

      Reply
      • Marie

        February 20, 2017 at 10:23 am

        Thanks Laura, so glad to hear that!! 🙂

        Reply
    17. Laurita

      March 01, 2017 at 6:53 pm

      Delicious !!!Made it today and my greek boyfriend approved it 🙂 !!!Thank you for the great recipe !!!

      Reply
      • Marie

        March 03, 2017 at 11:57 am

        Woohoo Greek approved, how cool! ???? haha. So glad to hear you loved it Laurita 🙂

        Reply
    18. Sandra

      March 11, 2017 at 9:21 am

      I just made it, and i had to use up a cauliflower and its purple! Im sure it will taste fine

      Reply
      • Marie

        March 15, 2017 at 10:29 am

        Oh funny, a purple moussaka! Hope you enjoyed it Sandra 🙂

        Reply
    19. merideth

      April 02, 2017 at 9:21 am

      So oh. holy. crap. This was delicious. I got a bunch of eggplant in my CSA box so I thought i'd hunt around the web for a lightened up moussaka. I ended up on your site and thank goodness i did. Dude. I could have eaten the cauliflower sauce out of a bowl; just me and a spoon and a Scandal marathon. I loved the long-simmered sauce (the key to flavor depth is long simmer amiright?) I can't wait to make this again. I'm going to give it a go with ground lamb vs. ground beef. Thank you so much for the great recipe. This is going right in the "go again" recipe pile.

      Reply
      • Marie

        April 09, 2017 at 4:10 am

        OMG love Scandal too!! And I can definitely picture myself with Olivia and the cauliflower sauce haha. So glad to hear you loved this recipe Merideth! 😀

        Reply
    20. Karissa

      April 25, 2017 at 11:42 pm

      This was absolutely delicious! The flavors are fantastic, and it tastes so indulgent!

      Reply
      • Marie

        June 27, 2017 at 12:10 pm

        I know, right?! So glad to hear you love this recipe too Karissa 🙂

        Reply
    21. Carolyn Quinn

      September 01, 2017 at 1:41 am

      Great recipe! What is the green spice you put on top of the whole dish in the picture???
      Thanks

      Reply
      • Marie

        September 01, 2017 at 4:34 pm

        Thank you Carolyn! It's fresh parsley 🙂

        Reply
    22. Tilishia

      September 13, 2017 at 4:55 pm

      And also are your nutritional facts per serving?

      Reply
      • Marie

        September 15, 2017 at 10:04 am

        Yes, one serving out of 8!

        Reply
    23. 40A.

      August 23, 2018 at 9:17 pm

      Moussaka is one of my favourites but oh man, all those calories! Am I going to try your healthy version with cauliflower bechamel? YOU BETCHA!

      Reply
    24. Meret

      November 30, 2018 at 2:32 am

      Hi! I really liked this recipe! I am eating less meat these days, so I substituted Lightlife Gimme Lean veggie sausage. I loved it! Thanks for creating this!

      Reply
      • Marie

        December 11, 2018 at 9:49 am

        Thanks Meret! Really to hear it works well with meat substitute as well, thanks for sharing 🙂

        Reply
    25. Bridget

      January 20, 2019 at 11:54 am

      I’ve never commented on a recipe before, but... this is AMAZING!! I substituted the beef with super-lean lamb (which I minced myself), but otherwise followed the recipe to the letter - fantastic flavour, held together well and such a crowd-pleaser!

      Reply
      • Marie

        February 05, 2019 at 9:52 am

        Yay so happy to hear Bridget! Thank you 🙂

        Reply
    26. Freida

      March 13, 2019 at 1:41 am

      I didn’t have egg plant. I substituted zucchini and chopped cabbage. I was in the mood for something different and this turned out to be a nice change. The cauliflower topping is a perfect touch.

      Reply
      • Marie

        April 07, 2019 at 12:52 pm

        Thanks for sharing your substitutions Freida, it sounds delicious!

        Reply
    27. Dani

      April 27, 2019 at 6:15 am

      I made this with lamb as well, it was fantastic! My partner and I both loved it, and the cauliflower version of bechamel worked really well. Thank you!

      Reply
      • Marie

        April 30, 2019 at 4:43 pm

        Yay so glad to read that Dani, thank you!!

        Reply
    28. Marta Plaza

      July 03, 2019 at 11:30 am

      I'm on a Keto diet and I'm wondering why do you have so many carbs per portion.Most of the ingredients have 0 carbs ,how did you get to that number? thank you

      Reply
      • Marie

        May 08, 2020 at 5:37 am

        Hi Marta! The carbs from the veggies, especially the tomatoes add up! Keto is tough! You're a champ and I salute you.

        Reply
    29. Nikita

      April 28, 2020 at 5:03 am

      Unreal! Does not taste like a low calorie meal at all! Took me about two hours to make but now that I’ve done it once it probably won’t take as long the next time.

      Reply
      • Marie

        May 06, 2020 at 6:27 pm

        Hi Nikita! Awesome, I am so happy you liked it and YES, first time attempts are always a bit more time-intense. I hope my moussaka finds its way back on your menu! Cheers

        Reply
    30. Sally Sloan

      July 30, 2020 at 8:06 pm

      This was excellent! I made it with ground lamb, which was delicious. The cauliflower bechamel is a revelation! Really satisfying, and would be a great dish for crowds.

      Reply
      • Marie

        August 25, 2020 at 5:21 pm

        Ground lamb sounds delicious! Thanks Sally 🙂

        Reply
    31. Megan

      August 07, 2020 at 7:25 am

      Hello!
      I was wondering how you would go about adding potato to this recipe,. Traditionally this dish has both eggplant and potato. Do you think it would work to roast the potato like you did the eggplant? Have you ever tried? 🙂
      Thank you!
      Megan

      Reply
      • Marie

        August 25, 2020 at 6:12 pm

        Hi Megan! I've never tried adding potatoes but if you wanted to you could pre-cook the potatoes by boiling them (peeled, but whole, not cut yet) until they're almost tender but still undercooked (about half the time you'd cook them normally). Let them cool, slice and add to the casserole layered with eggplants. They'll finish cooking while in the oven. Report back if you give it a try!

        Reply
    32. Renee

      November 01, 2020 at 2:41 pm

      I made this. Wonderful and so light, compared to the traditional dish. I substituted nutmeg for the cinnamon, because that is my Greek’s husband’s family’s tradition, and ground turkey breast.Was thinking about adding an egg to the cauliflower sauce to help it hold together better, like I do with the traditional béchamel sauce. Can you think of any reason not to? Thanks.

      Reply
      • Marie

        January 08, 2021 at 7:53 pm

        Love the idea of adding an egg! Go ahead - it will turn even richer and thicker! DELISH

        Reply

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