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    Home » Recipes » Dinner » Casserole

    Healthier Moussaka

    Published: Feb 12, 2019 · Updated: Nov 1, 2021 by Neil 26 Comments

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    Healthier Moussaka just taken out of the oven and cooling before being carved up and served. Pin title text overlay at top.
    Healthier Moussaka is a delicious lower calorie version of the classic Greek dish. This healthy recipe is still rich-tasking but light, healthy and low carb. Ideal if you're weight conscious! #neilshealthymeals #recipe #healthy #moussaka

    Healthier Moussaka is a delicious lower calorie version of the classic Greek dish. It's still rich-tasting but light and healthy. Ideal if you're weight conscious.

    Delicious healthier Moussaka just taken out of the oven and cooling before being carved up and served.

    Hey Folks! As promised for this week there's 2 recipe posts with suggested Valentines meal options.

    Starting today with this delicious healthier Moussaka!

    I love all kinds of foods from the Mediterranean and I've been meaning to post a healthier version of this classic for ages.

    One to compliment my Healthier Greek Pastitsio that I published a number of years ago.

    A cut slice of healthier Moussaka on a plate taken from the main casserole dish in the background looking delicious and ready to eat.

    When I was looking up the history of where Moussaka comes from I assumed it was from Greece.

    But it is also found in Turkey. So actually no one knows the real origin of Moussaka for sure.

    Once thing we do know for sure though is that it's absolutely delicious.

    I've kept as close to the original recipe as possible to make sure my version retains all that's fabulous about this dish.

    They say that it's the sauce that helps to bring out all the flavours of the spices involved. So the sauce had to be perfect.

    But it's also that original creamy sauce that adds the calories so I've made mine lighter. But still with a delicious creamy cheesy taste!

    Birds eye view of a slice of healthier Moussaka on a plate with a serving of peas.

    I also thought that I'd make a larger version of this healthier Moussaka recipe so that it could be an option for dinner parties or a family meal.

    So the recipe serves up to 6 people. I mean sharing is caring isn't it?

    And it's still a relatively simple Moussaka recipe to make.

    So if this recipe is good enough as a Valentines day suggestion to cook for your other half, why not share it with your friends and family too?

    If you have any leftover portions (doubtful) they can be frozen.

    Close up of birds eye view of delicious served healthier Moussaka on a plate with a serving of peas and the casserole dish of Moussaka in the background.

    Why This Is a Healthier Moussaka

    • I used lean minced ground beef instead of traditional minced ground lamb. Lamb is higher in calories and fat.
    • The aubergine slices are baked in the oven rather than fried meaning less oil was used.
    • No butter was used to make the cheese sauce. I substituted the butter with Greek yogurt instead.
    • My lighter Moussaka calories are only 289 per portion compared to 416 in an average full fat version. 

    For This Moussaka Recipe You May Need….

    The following links and any links in the recipe card below are affiliate links.

    This means that if you click on it and then buy that product, I’ll get a small commission (at no extra cost to you of course).

    If you do click through, then thanks for being a part of Neil’s Healthy Meals!

    Equipment

    • Stoneware serving dish
    • Baking tray
    • Saucepans
    • Chopping board
    • Kitchen knives
    • Measuring spoons
    • Kitchen scale
    • Measuring jug
    • Wooden spoon
    • Whisk
    • Grater

    The following links and any links in the recipe card below are affiliate links.

    This means that if you click on it and then buy that product, I’ll get a small commission (at no extra cost to you of course).

    If you do click through, then thanks for being a part of Neil’s Healthy Meals!

    This is the large oven-proof baking dish I use.

    It's a great low cost but good quality baking and roasting dish.

    It's perfect for lasagne, side dishes and desserts. It's dishwasher, freezer and oven safe too.

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    Healthier Moussaka is a delicious lower calorie version of the classic Greek dish. It's still rich-tasking but light and healthy. Ideal if you're weight conscious. Click to Tweet

    Healthier Moussaka Recipe

    Stuck with what to serve your healthier Moussaka recipe with? Well I opted for peas. But you could also serve with a traditional Greek salad and / or some crusty bread to make sure you mop up every last morsel from your plate!

    I’d love to hear what you think of my recipe in the comments below and please do rate my recipe 5* if you like it! 🙂

    Delicious healthier Moussaka just taken out of the oven and cooling before being carved up and served.
    Print Recipe Save Recipe Saved Recipe!
    4.84 from 12 votes

    Healthier Moussaka Recipe

    Healthier Moussaka is a delicious lower calorie version of the classic Greek dish. It's still rich-tasking but light and healthy. Ideal if you're weight conscious.
    Prep Time10 mins
    Cook Time40 mins
    Total Time50 mins
    Course: Dinner
    Cuisine: Greek
    Servings: 6
    Calories: 289kcal
    Author: Neil

    The following links and any links in the recipe card below are affiliate links.

    This means that if you click on it and then buy that product I’ll get a small commission (at no extra cost to you of course).

    If you do click through then thanks for being a part of Neil’s Healthy Meals!

    Equipment

    • Stoneware serving dish
    • Baking tray
    • Saucepans
    • Chopping board
    • Kitchen knives
    • Measuring spoons
    • Kitchen scale
    • Measuring jug
    • Wooden spoon
    • Whisk
    • Grater

    Ingredients

    • Cooking oil cooking spray
    • 2 large aubergines eggplant, cut into ½cm slices
    • Freshly grated salt
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 1 onion diced
    • 500 g lean minced ground beef
    • 1 clove garlic crushed
    • 1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes
    • 1 tablespoon tomato puree
    • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
    • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
    • ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
    • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
    • 2 eggs lightly beaten
    • 180 ml low fat Greek yogurt
    • 100 g grated Mozzarella cheese
    Metric - US Customary

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 190C.
    • Line a large baking tray with foil and spray it with the olive oil spray. Arrange sliced aubergine in a single layer on the baking tray, spray with cooking spray, grate some salt over, and roast in oven for 10 minutes. Turn the sliced aubergines over and roast for a further 10 minutes.
    • Meanwhile, Whilst the aubergine is roasting, heat the olive oil in a large pan over a medium heat, then add the onion and sauté for 2 minutes then add the meat and cook until meat is browned, about 5 minutes, stirring frequently and breaking it up as it cooks. Add the garlic and cook 1 more minute.
    • Stir in the tomatoes, tomato puree, oregano, cinnamon, cumin and black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally for about 10 minutes until thickened.
    • Spray an ovenproof casserole dish with the cooking oil spray.
    • Arrange half of the roasted aubergine slices in the bottom of the casserole dish. Spread the meat mixture over the aubergine slices and press down to flatten. Then cover the meat mixture with the remaining aubergine slices.
    • Whisk the eggs and yogurt together and pour over the top of the moussaka. Sprinkle the cheese on top. Bake in oven for 15 - 20 minutes until the top is golden and bubbling.
    • Remove from oven and allow the moussaka to slightly cool and set. Cut into 6 portions and serve.

    Notes

    You can freeze the individual portions of this healthier Moussaka but it is better served fresh.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 289kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 116mg | Sodium: 299mg | Potassium: 841mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 325IU | Vitamin C: 11.6mg | Calcium: 214mg | Iron: 3.5mg

    Nutrition Facts
    Healthier Moussaka
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 289 Calories from Fat 108
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 12g18%
    Saturated Fat 4g25%
    Cholesterol 116mg39%
    Sodium 299mg13%
    Potassium 841mg24%
    Carbohydrates 16g5%
    Fiber 5g21%
    Sugar 9g10%
    Protein 29g58%
    Vitamin A 325IU7%
    Vitamin C 11.6mg14%
    Calcium 214mg21%
    Iron 3.5mg19%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. David @ Spiced

      February 12, 2019 at 12:30 pm

      5 stars
      Interesting! I would've assumed moussaka was from Greece, too. But then again, Greek and Turkish cuisines have kinda blended together over time. No matter where it's from, I'd be quite happy with this one. It sounds delicious! Great meal to make for Valentine's Day!

      Reply
      • Neil

        February 13, 2019 at 4:47 am

        Thanks David, I could have gone into a whole load of history about Moussaka and also it's got so many variations. But I thought I'd keep it short!

        Reply
    2. Ron

      February 12, 2019 at 5:46 pm

      5 stars
      Moussaka is a glorious dish no matter where it came from. And, as we're always looking for ways to reduce my big blogger belly, this fits perfectly. Neil, thank for sharing a better and healthier version of moussaka.

      Reply
      • Neil

        February 13, 2019 at 4:49 am

        No problems Ron, hope you enjoy! It is challening having a great love of food and writting a food blog to keep trim though isn't it?

        Reply
    3. mimi rippee

      February 16, 2019 at 7:33 pm

      5 stars
      This is so smart! Really interesting to see cumin in your list of ingredients!

      Reply
      • Neil

        February 17, 2019 at 7:44 am

        I just love cumin Mimi. It's one of those spices that I just love to open the jar and smell. Makes you feel alive!

        Reply
    4. Matt P-H

      January 21, 2020 at 1:49 pm

      5 stars
      Hey Neil, I made this recipe for my family last night, really tasty and a nice low fat alternative too. Definitely one I'll be repeating. The yogurt and eggs sauce worked really well - I shouldn't be such a sceptic!

      Reply
      • Neil

        January 21, 2020 at 4:42 pm

        That's fantastic Matt. I'm so glad you enjoyed my Healthier Moussaka. 🙂

        Thanks for taking the time to comment too.

        Reply
    5. Suzy Kendall

      January 23, 2020 at 7:41 pm

      5 stars
      This is really really good. So tasty and the yoghurt cheese typing is genius. However, when I logged the ingredients it does come out about 60 calories more. I used 5% fat mince and low fat Greek yoghurt.

      Reply
      • Neil

        January 24, 2020 at 7:31 am

        Hey Suzy, I'm so glad you enjoyed my version of Moussaka! Thanks for taking the time to make it and to comment to. 🙂

        Regarding the calorie count you came to. It depends on what software / website you used to calculate the calories. The software I used is paid for software, in the recipe card which automatically calculates the calories when I add the recipe ingredients and for how many the recipe is for. If you are using a free website or something like myfitnesspal those tend to be slightly less accurate. However 60 calories more isn't really much so I wouldn't worry about it!

        Reply
    6. Joan Hewitt

      June 23, 2020 at 8:21 pm

      Hi Neil. Cooked this tonight for myself and my husband. Absolutely delicious. Definately goes on our list of meals ...and 4 portions for the freezer!

      Reply
      • Neil

        June 24, 2020 at 5:53 am

        Hi Joan, so glad you enjoyed my Moussaka. Thanks so much for making it, and for taking the time to comment about it too! 🙂

        Reply
    7. Kathy Simpson

      October 19, 2020 at 6:19 pm

      4 stars
      Hello Neil - what a great recipe. However, as is my won't, I had to make a couple of tweaks which probably took the recipe out of the "healthier" bracket. .

      I added a tbsp of flour and medium glass of red wne to your recipe but don't think it would have tipped everything over the edge!!

      Only constructive comment is that I feel the yogurt topping was very thinly spread indeed - surprisingly tasty but just not enough of it!

      Thanks again for your efforts - Kathy

      Reply
      • Neil

        October 19, 2020 at 6:26 pm

        Thanks for making my recipe Kathy. Glad you enjoyed it! With regards to the yogurt topping, each to their own I guess. 😉

        Reply
    8. Ann

      December 03, 2020 at 8:00 am

      4 stars
      I'll admit I was skeptical, Neil, but I tried it and we liked it! I used minced lamb but only 250g. I bulked up the meat with diced mushroom (but don't tell my mushroom-hating son!). I used allspice rather than cumin. Served a huge salad on the side. I'm on a high protein low carb diet and this moussaka really hit the spot. Thanks, Neil!

      Reply
      • Neil

        December 03, 2020 at 8:25 am

        I'm glad you liked it Ann. Thanks for taking the time to try out my recipe and to rate it. I'm often skeptical myself about recipes until I've tried them too! 🙂

        Reply
    9. Courty

      May 30, 2021 at 1:26 am

      5 stars
      Made it tonight with two twists. I used turkey mince instead of beef and added a bit of cayenne. Easy, healthy and tasty. Thanks! Would never have thought yogurt and eggs would have created such a tasty top!

      Reply
      • Neil

        May 30, 2021 at 8:50 am

        Using turkey mince instead of beef is a great idea Courty. And I love the twist with adding a bit of cayenne. Thanks so much for your comment and making and rating my recipe! Hope you are having some good weather this weekend! 🙂

        Reply
    10. Jean

      June 14, 2021 at 10:43 pm

      5 stars
      Delicious and really healthy (compared to normal fat-leaking Moussakas) 😀

      Reply
      • Neil

        June 15, 2021 at 6:41 am

        Thank you Jean! I'm glad you enjoyed it. 🙂

        Reply
    11. ashok

      September 02, 2021 at 8:44 am

      5 stars
      Thanks For Sharing this amazing recipe. My family loved it. I will be sharing this recipe with my friends. Hope the will like it.

      Reply
      • Neil

        September 02, 2021 at 8:50 am

        Thank you Ashok. Glad you liked it. I hope your friends will enjoy it too! 🙂

        Reply
    12. Louise Fong

      November 09, 2021 at 3:51 am

      5 stars
      Really love this recipe and it’s low-carb so it’s good for my husband who is watching his sugar intake. I would like to make it the day before for a few friends coming over for lunch. Would you suggest I complete the recipe and then reheat or add the yoghurt/egg sauce and cheese only when reheating?

      Reply
      • Neil

        November 09, 2021 at 6:22 am

        Hi Louise thanks for your comment. I have always made this fresh on the day when serving to guests. So if you can that's the best thing to do. If I was to make it the day before I would do up to part 6 in the recipe and then place the casserole in the fridge, covered, overnight. Then on the day you want to serve it do parts 7 and 8 to complete the recipe and have it as fresh as possible. Hope this helps! Enjoy! 🙂

        Reply
    13. Allison

      April 10, 2022 at 11:15 pm

      5 stars
      Love this recipe!! It was a big hit!

      Reply
      • Neil

        April 11, 2022 at 6:57 am

        Thank you Allison. I'm glad that you enjoyed it. Thanks also for taking the time to comment and rate my recipe! 🙂

        Reply

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