Quick moussaka probably sounds impossible, and in all honesty, it is. A real moussaka is a slow-cooked, time-intensive labor of love — layers of eggplant, seasoned lamb, bechamel, and tomato baked until beautifully gooey and satisfying. My friend Kristen has a fantastic recipe for it, which I like to turn to from time to time, but it’s certainly not a weeknight dish for busy families.
Unless, that is, you give the moussaka a makeover. One of the inviolable principles of cooking dinner for the family on a busy weeknight is that Something Tossed With Pasta Always Works. (Even if you’re gluten-free, this can still hold true; we aren’t strictly gluten-free in this house anymore, but we still most often eat brown rice pasta — good brands won’t be noticeably different from whole-wheat pasta and are just as easy to make.) So on a recent night when, despite the plan, everything seemed to be going wrong and dinner felt as though it could be in jeopardy, I turned to that old rule of the kitchen and produced this moussaka, made-over, tossed with pasta and finished in less than 30 minutes.
This moussaka pasta toss has all the flavors of the classic casserole it’s based on: Eggplant, lamb (if you’ve got it, though beef works perfectly well), garlic, and the exotic touch of cinnamon and nutmeg that make moussaka such a special dish. It’s creamy and hearty, but not nearly as heavy as the real thing. A sprinkle of fresh mint on top livens it up, though it’s not necessary if you haven’t got any on hand or can’t find it at your market — you can do without, or substitute basil. And on a rainy summer day, you might try throwing some fresh cherry tomatoes into the mix instead of the tomato puree, or using zucchini instead of eggplant; a pasta toss is, after all, nothing if not adaptable.
This looks and sounds DELICIOUS. I’m definitely going to be whipping up this masterpiece! Thanks for sharing…
Thank you for visiting! Hope you enjoy it!
You are a genius! So gourmet without going overboard. Can’t wait to try this recipe.
Well, “genius” might be too strong a word. But go on. No, really, go on. 😉
I love any recipe with “Easy” in it! Looks yummy!
It’s a good quick dinner! I love “easy” too. We’re not about the fussy around here. There’s a time and place for it, but family dinnertime generally is not that time!
This looks so delish!! I’ve never had the original but ill def be doing this one. For the beef are you talking ground beef? I never have lamb in the house not even sure we like it.
Yes, ground beef! If you’re not sure you like lamb, then go with the beef on this one. I will say, though, that in the future ground lamb dishes (meatballs, burgers, etc) may be the best way to figure out if you like lamb…I find they’re often milder in flavor than a big piece of roast lamb, you know?