Hearty Vegan Greek Moussaka with Vegan Béchamel Sauce

Now, let us show you how to make this delicious vegan moussaka with fun and confidence.

Let us start by making the eggplant base. Brush both sides of each slice of the eggplant with olive oil and arrange them neatly in the baking pan. Sprinkle salt on the top side of these eggplant slices. Bake the eggplant slices in the oven at 200°C (400°F) for 15-20 minutes or till golden brown. Now let’s make the vegan Béchamel sauce, also known as the white sauce. We have one and a quarter cups of cashews that have been soaked in hot water for about 30 minutes and drained. Add them to the blender. Then add two tablespoons of olive oil, three tablespoons of nutritional yeast, a quarter teaspoon of salt, a half teaspoon of nutmeg, and one cup of water. Blend until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Our vegan Béchamel sauce is now ready.

Next, we will make the lentil and tomato filling. Add the pre-soaked and drained soy vegetable protein granules. Sauté until golden brown and slightly caramelized, and this will give a rich umami flavor to the moussaka when it is cooked. Add one teaspoon of Liquid Aminos or alternatively, you can also use soy sauce. Mix all the ingredients together well. Add in the cubed fresh mushrooms and cubed fennel and keep stir-frying for about three to four minutes. It is time for the lentils. Now add the crushed tomatoes and tomato paste. Then season with sea salt, pepper, oregano, and nutmeg.

We will have three layers of eggplant slices and fillings respectively, and four layers of vegan mozzarella cheese. For the first layer, arrange the baked eggplant slices at the bottom of the baking tray, spread the filling evenly over the top of the eggplant slices, and sprinkle the vegan mozzarella cheese evenly over the filling. For the second layer, continue with a layer of eggplant slices, the filling, followed by the vegan mozzarella cheese. For the third and final layer, repeat the same process with the rest of the eggplant slices, filling, and the third portion of vegan mozzarella cheese. Next, we top the moussaka with a layer of the vegan Béchamel sauce we just made, smoothing it evenly on top. Finally, add the rest of the vegan mozzarella cheese and sprinkle it on top.

The moussaka is now ready to be baked at 200°C (400°F) for 25-30 min, or until the top appears slightly dry and golden brown at the edges. Our vegan moussaka is ready.