Low Carb Mousakka

I am always looking for an easy meal that I can prepare ahead of time, is nutritious, and tastes good. I love the flavours of Mousakka and have tried many low carb versions. This one is the clear winner for me! It is based on a recipe I saw on the Delicious website for Ottolenghi’s Eggplant, Lamb, and Yoghurt Bake, which I have adapted. If you follow me, you will know that Ottolenghi is one of my greatest sources of cooking inspiration, with his Middle Eastern/Mediterranean cooking style.

Moussaka is a quintessential Mediterranean dish with a rich heritage tracing back to the culinary customs of Greece and the broader Levantine region. It is traditionally composed of layers of eggplant, minced meat, and béchamel sauce.

In my version, I use beef mince and make other subtle changes so it’s low-carb. The result is wonderful! As you can see below, it has the traditional look of Mousakka without the Bechamel sauce. In Ottolenghi’s recipe, as with many similar toppings, he has used egg yolks. I have used whole eggs, as this gives the topping a more substantial feel, although cooking requires a little longer. As a result, you may need to keep it in the oven a little longer so that the topping is completely cooked all the way through.

I use a lot of fresh herbs in my cooking, so this recipe includes fresh oregano and thyme. Dried or frozen substitutes will work fine if you don’t have fresh herbs.

Chopped vegetables ready to go in

Mince cooking with oregano

Addition of tinned tomato and stock

Ready to go into the oven

Resting before serving

Finished product post devouring!

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Low Carb Moussaka

Yield: 4

Author: Lee Newcombe

Prep time: 20 MinCook time: 60 MinTotal time: 1 H & 20 M

A delicious take on traditional Mousaka with beef and a delicious yogurt, feta and pinenut topping.

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large onion, diced
• 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1-2 eggplants, roughly cut into 1cm cubes
• 500g mince
• 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
• 2 tsp ground allspice
• 1/2 tsp chilli flakes
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tbsp oregano leaves, roughly chopped
• 400g can whole peeled tomatoes, roughly crushed
• 1 heaped tsp chicken stock powder
• 250g water
• 450g Greek yoghurt
• 3 eggs
• 1 1/2 tbs almond flour
• 70g parmesan, finely grated
• 100g feta, roughly crumbled
• 1/3 cup pine nuts
• 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves

Instructions

1. Place the oil, onion, garlic, eggplant, mince, oregano and spices in a skillet and cook until well browned.
2. Add the tomato, tomato paste, chicken stock powder and water. Mix well until the sauce is thick and rich and the eggplant is very soft. Preheat the oven to 220°C.
3. To make the topping, place the yoghurt, garlic, eggs, almond flour, and the parmesan and stir well. Set aside.
4. Spoon the meat mixture into a casserole dish. Carefully spoon the yoghurt mixture over and gently spread it to cover. Top evenly with the feta, pine nuts and thyme. Return to the oven for 15 - 30 minutes or until golden and bubbling.
5. Leave to cool for about 15 minutes before serving.

Please note: The nutritional information is included as a guide only.