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Vegan aubergine moussaka with bulgur served
Golden-baked vegan moussaka with savoury layers of aubergine and tomato-bulgur ragu

Vegan aubergine moussaka with bulgur

Author: Flavelo
Recipes Vegetarian & Vegan Main Courses
A lighter, meat-free reinterpretation of classic Greek moussaka. Minced meat is replaced here by fibre-rich, nutty bulgur, which takes up the flavour of the cinnamon tomato sauce beautifully. Layering ensures that creamy bechamel, spicy ragu, and soft aubergine meet in every bite.
🕒 Prep Time 30 mins
🍳 Cook Time 30 mins
⌛ Total Time 1 hr
🍽️ Servings 4 servings
🔥 Calories 380 kcal
🌍 Cuisine Greek

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

  • Baking dish or ovenproof dish
  • Pan for ragu and aubergine
  • Pot for bulgur

Allergen Information

⚠️ Cereals containing gluten (bulgur, flour)
⚠️ Soya (if soya milk is used)

Instructions

1 ✓

Cut the aubergines lengthways into half-centimetre slices. Salt both sides and let stand for 20 minutes until beads of water appear on them.

Tip: This step compacts the aubergine structure, so it absorbs less oil when frying. (Cell wall collapse).
2 ✓

Pat the slices dry, brush thinly with oil, and fry in a hot pan or roast in the oven until golden brown, 2-3 minutes per side.

Tip: Browning adds a deeper, roasted flavour to the dish, which is essential for good moussaka.
3 ✓

Cook the bulgur in twice the amount of salted water until soft, approx. 10-15 minutes, then drain if water remains.

Tip: Bulgur is parboiled cracked wheat, so it cooks faster than rice.
4 ✓

Make the ragu: sauté the chopped onion and garlic in oil. Add the passata, oregano, basil, and cinnamon. Boil together for 5 minutes.

Tip: Using cinnamon in savoury dishes is a typical Greek/Turkish trait, adding warmth alongside the tomato's acidity.
5 ✓

Mix the cooked bulgur into the tomato sauce. This will be the 'meaty' layer.

Tip: This way the bulgur absorbs the spicy juices.
6 ✓

Make the bechamel: heat the fat, stir in the flour (don't brown it!), then pour in the plant milk while stirring constantly. Cook until thick, season with salt and pepper.

Tip: The cold milk into hot roux (or vice versa) principle helps avoid lumps.
7 ✓

Layer in an ovenproof dish: aubergine at the bottom, then the bulgur ragu, then aubergine again. Cover the top with the bechamel.

Tip: The top bechamel layer protects the dish from drying out during baking.
8 ✓

Bake in an oven at 180°C for 25-30 minutes, until the top gets golden brown spots.

Tip: Let cool for 10 minutes before serving, otherwise it will run when slicing.

Recipe FAQ

Why pre-fry the aubergine?
If you put it in the casserole raw, it would release loads of water, and the dish would be soupy instead of nicely sliceable.
What milk should I use for vegan bechamel?
Soya milk or oat milk are the best choices because they have a neutral taste and thicken well.

Ingredients

  • 600 g Aubergines
  • 200 g Bulgur wheat (dry)
  • 400 ml Tomato passata
  • 1 whole Onion
  • 2 cloves Garlic
  • 1 tsp Dried oregano
  • 1 tsp Dried basil
  • 0.5 tsp Ground cinnamon
  • 4 tbsp Olive oil
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 0.5 tsp Ground black pepper
  • 300 ml Plant-based milk (for bechamel)
  • 2 tbsp Plain flour (for bechamel)
  • 2 tbsp Oil or margarine (for bechamel)