Vegetarian Moussaka
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The trick to making this moussaka vegetarian is that the ground lamb is substituted with bulgur. The bulgur has a texture that is similar to the ground meat and makes this dish filling. In the picture it looked like the entire dish was covered in cheese but I was surprised to find out it was actually a combination of milk, egg, flour, butter, and Parmesan cheese. My husband actually thought it was a cheese sauce over top of the moussaka.
We ended up enjoying the moussaka and our friends really liked it as well. I thought the flavor from the cinnamon and nutmeg in this savory dish gave it an exotic quality. It was easy to make the morning they were coming and I put it in the oven once they arrived. I’ve made this dish 2 other times since they have come over and it’s becoming a favorite vegetarian recipe of ours.
Vegetarian Moussaka (adapted from Cooking Light)
2 peeled eggplant, cut into 1/2 inch slices
2 T. olive oil, divided
2 c. chopped onion
4 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 c. uncooked bulgur
1/4 t. cinnamon
1/4 t. nutmeg
2 c. vegetable broth
2 t. fresh oregano, chopped
2 t. fresh parsley, chopped
1 (14.5 oz) can fire roasted diced tomatoes
1 T. butter
2 T. flour
3 T. Parmesan cheese
1/2 t. salt
3. Pour in the vegetable broth, oregano, parsley, and tomatoes. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and cook for 20 minutes or until thickened, stirring occasionally.
4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
5. In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add in the flour and cook for 1 minute stirring constantly. Slowly add in the milk 1-2 tablespoons at a time, whisking constantly. Bring mixture to a boil and reduce the heat. Simmer for 5 minutes then remove from heat. Stir in the salt and Parmesan cheese. Let cool for 5 minutes.
7. Spray a 9 x 13 pan with cooking spray. Arrange 1/3 of the eggplant on the bottom of the dish. Spread half of the bulgur mixture over top of the eggplant. Arrange another 1/3 of the eggplant on top of the bulgur mixture. Top with the remaining bulgur mixture. Place the remaining eggplant on top and cover with the milk mixture.