How to Make Moussaka - Bulgarian Style Traditional Recipe
A traditional Bulgarian dish made with minced meat, potatoes, and vegetables. Unlike the Greek version, which uses eggplant and béchamel sauce, the Bulgarian dish swaps in potatoes and is topped with a signature savory yogurt-and-egg custard.
Equipment
1 Ceramic baking casserole or a glass baking dish
1 Deep pan cast-iron
Ingredients
For the base:
- 600 g Pork meat (or beef) minced
- 900 g Potatoes peeled, cubed
- 1 Onion diced
- 2 Carrots peeled, cubed
- 200 ml Tomatoes blended (fresh or canned tomatoes, passata)
- 1 tbsp Sweet red paprika
- ½ tsp Salt
- ½ tsp Black pepper
- 2 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil or rice bran oil
- 250 ml Bone broth or warm water
For the topping:
- 2 Eggs beaten
- 200 g Yogurt Greek or homemade
- 100 g cheese Eatlean lactose-free grated
- pinch Salt
- 1 tbsp Rice flour optional
- ½ tsp Baking soda
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 200°C / 390℉
- In a deep pan or pot, sauté onion, garlic, carrot, and tomatoes in oil over medium heat for about 10 min. Add a splash of water. Stir occasionally.
- Add meat and brown it.
- Stir in paprika, chubritsa (summer savory), or oregano along with broth.
- Simmer for about 10 mins.
- Fold in potatoes. Transfer to a deep baking dish.
- Bake for about 40–50 min.
- Whisk toppings and pour over. Spread the cheese.
- Bake 15–20 min.
- Let rest 10–15 min.
- Serve with salad or yogurt.
- Enjoy!
Notes
Dice the potatoes into small pieces to ensure they cook evenly and soften more quickly.
I recommend testing doneness by testing a potato cube. Take a cube out and press it with a fork. If it is mashed easily, your moussaka is done.
Use lean meat. It is an excellent source of protein and has lower saturated fat compared to fattier cuts.
Don’t skip resting time; it improves texture.
If your yogurt is very runny, strain it through a muslin cloth for 30 minutes before mixing with eggs. Or add 1 tbsp of rice flour for thickening.
YourDani x x
Nutrition
Calories: 500kcalCarbohydrates: 34gProtein: 27gFat: 28gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 128mgSodium: 417mgPotassium: 1110mgFiber: 5gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 4256IUVitamin C: 36mgCalcium: 96mgIron: 3mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
