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Vegan Eggplant & Chickpea Moussaka served
Nutritious and tasty eggplant dish with chickpeas

Eggplant & Chickpea Moussaka

Author: Flavelo
Recipes Vegetarian & Vegan Dishes Main Courses
Eggplant ('egg-fruit') is a true sponge: cooked poorly, it soaks up oil. Cooked well, it becomes creamy. In this recipe, spicy tomato-chickpea ragout is layered between eggplant slices, creating a light, plant-based fusion of Greek Moussaka and Italian Parmigiana.
🕒 Prep Time 30 mins
🍳 Cook Time 35 mins
⌛ Total Time 1 hr 5 mins
🍽️ Servings 4 servings
🔥 Calories 360 kcal
🌍 Cuisine Mediterranean

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

  • Paper towels for eggplant
  • Skillet
  • Ovenproof dish

Instructions

1 ✓

Slice eggplant into 1/4-inch rounds, salt both sides, and let 'sweat' for 20 minutes. Then wipe dry with paper towels.

Tip: This step is essential for good texture (cell wall collapse).
2 ✓

Make ragout: sauté onion in 2 tbsp oil. Add crushed garlic, smoked paprika, and oregano. Fry for 30 seconds.

Tip: Smoked paprika provides depth reminiscent of meaty dishes.
3 ✓

Pour in tomato purée and rinsed chickpeas. Cook 10 minutes until thickened. Stir in torn basil.

Tip: Add basil at the end so flavor doesn't cook off.
4 ✓

Pre-fry eggplant rounds in remaining oil in hot skillet on both sides until browning starts.

Tip: Pre-frying (Maillard reaction) adds flavor. If put raw in baking dish, it will just steam.
5 ✓

Layer in oiled dish: eggplant, then ragout. Continue until finished (end with eggplant if possible, but ragout on top protects from drying better).

Tip: If ragout is on top, it stays juicier.
6 ✓

Bake at 350°F (180°C) for 35 minutes (covered with foil for first 25 minutes).

Tip: Under foil it softens, without foil it roasts.
7 ✓

Serve sprinkled with parsley.

Tip: Best warm, but also delicious cold as appetizer.

Recipe FAQ

Why is eggplant bitter?
Older varieties could be bitter, modern ones less so, but salting ('sweating') is still important: it draws out (potential) bitter juice and compacts the flesh so it absorbs less oil during frying.

Ingredients

  • 1.5 lbs Eggplant
  • 1 can Chickpeas (15 oz)
  • 1 1/4 cups Tomato Purée (Passata)
  • 1 whole Onion
  • 3 cloves Garlic
  • 4 tbsp Olive Oil
  • 1 tsp Smoked Paprika
  • 1 tsp Dried Oregano
  • 1 bunch Fresh Basil
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 1/2 tsp Pepper
  • 1 bunch Fresh Parsley