Last Updated on January 25, 2023 by Anne-Marie

You have to try this Healthy Moussaka with Gluten Free Bechamel Sauce if you're a fan of Greek food.

Why this recipe works

When my family goes to Greek restaurants, my husband often orders authentic Greek moussaka. Have you ever tried it? Imagine a cross between shepherd's pie and eggplant parmesan.

Amazingly delicious, but not something I can eat more than a bit of since it’s not gluten or dairy free.

A traditional Greek moussaka recipe is made of layers of greasy ground lamb and sliced eggplant sautéed in olive oil. The whole thing is then covered in a thick layer of Bechamel sauce.

Bechamel sauce is made from flour, milk, and butter – three things I have to avoid due to my food sensitivities.

Thus I was inspired to create an easy and healthy moussaka recipe to serve at home with a gluten free and dairy free Bechamel sauce. I hope you like it as much as we did.

Creating a simple moussaka recipe that’s healthy, too

To health up the moussaka, I first changed the ground meat that’s used in an authentic Greek moussaka. I thought a ground turkey moussaka recipe would be less greasy than one using ground lamb.

And it would be just as delicious especially when combined with lots of chopped vegetables like peppers, tomatoes, mushrooms, and onions.

However, if you prefer lean ground beef, you can make a ground beef moussaka recipe instead. I prefer ground turkey over ground beef because it’s less expensive.

I used McCormick Greek Seasoning and fresh basil to punch up the flavors. If you don’t have any Greek seasoning, use 1 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano and 1 1/2 teaspoon dried basil instead.

I also cut back on the amount of eggplant I used in this easy Greek moussaka recipe since it has to be cooked in quite a bit of olive oil. I love sautéed eggplant. Even though olive oil is healthy, it does add a great deal of calories!

Serve this healthy moussaka recipe in a 9x13-inch stoneware casserole dish. Invest in a few pretty stoneware casserole dishes so you can serve the moussaka right at the table!

Looking for more healthy Greek recipes? Try this Easy Homemade Gyros Recipe. 

Making gluten free Bechamel sauce

The key to this yummy Greek dish is making a dairy free and gluten free Bechamel sauce recipe. I loved using rice milk added a sweet flavor to the Bechamel sauce.

You could also use unsweetened soy milk or a unsweetened lite coconut milk.

I can tolerate cheese in my diet, but not butter. So I was OK using cheese in the turkey moussaka recipe I made for my family (as shown in the pictures).

However, if you’re dairy free, omit the Reggiano-Parmesan or use a vegan substitute.

A note on buttery spreads. I personally like I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter as it’s soft and easy to measure right out of the refrigerator.

However, it does have a teeny bit of milk in it. (I can tolerate it.) If you’re vegan or need to be 100% dairy free, use something like Earth Balance Buttery Spread instead.

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Yield: SERVES 8

Healthy Moussaka Recipe with Gluten Free Bechamel Sauce

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A ground turkey moussaka recipe that's healthy. Served with a gluten free bechamel sauce recipe.

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 2 hours

Total Time 2 hours 20 minutes

Ingredients

For moussaka:

• Olive oil
• 1 large eggplant, thinly sliced
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 green pepper, seeded and chopped
• 1 orange pepper, seeded and chopped
• 2 cups sliced crimini mushrooms
• 1 1/2 pounds lean ground turkey
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 14.5-ounce can fire-roasted chopped tomatoes, drained of juice
• 3 teaspoons Greek seasoning
• 3 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 2/3 cup grated Reggiano-Parmesan (optional or use a vegan substitute)
• Fresh Basil, chopped for garnish

For gluten free béchamel sauce:

• 4 cups rice milk
• 1/2 cup buttery spread
• 1/2 cup gluten free multipurpose flour
• Salt to taste
• Ground white pepper to taste

Instructions

For moussaka:

1. Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat adding enough olive oil to cover the bottom of the pan. Place slices of eggplant in the pan and fry each side for 3-4 minutes until golden brown and softened. Remove slices and place them on a paper towel covered plate. Cover with more paper towels and set aside. (Repeat with next layer of cooked eggplant.) Cook the rest of the eggplant slices in batches.
2. Heat a little olive oil in the same frying pan over medium-high heat and cook the onions, peppers, and mushrooms for 8-10 minutes until softened. Remove from pan and set aside.
3. Add the ground turkey to the frying pan and cook, breaking up the meat with your spoon or spatula, until the turkey is browned. Carefully drain any water in the frying pan after the turkey is fully cooked.
4. Add the cooked vegetables to the frying pan. Stir in the garlic cloves, tomato paste, chopped tomatoes, Greek seasonings, and Worcestershire sauce. Mix to combine and cook for 5 minutes.
5. Remove the frying pan from the stove and set aside.
6. Heat oven to 400 degrees F.
7. Prepare béchamel sauce.
8. Place half of the meat and vegetable mixture in a 9x13 casserole dish.
9. Cover with a layer of half of the cooked eggplant.
10. Cover with the remaining meat mixture, then a layer of the remaining cooked eggplant slices.
11. If using, sprinkle Reggiano-Parmesan cheese evenly over the last layer.
12. Then gently pour the béchamel sauce over the entire dish and carefully smooth out with a spatula if needed.
13. Cook moussaka in the oven for 45 minutes until bubbly and the top begins to brown.
14. Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes.
15. Sprinkle with chopped basil and serve.

For gluten free béchamel sauce:

1. Pour rice milk into a saucepan and bring it to nearly boiling over medium-high heat. Lower temperature, but keep rice milk hot and steamy.
2. Melt buttery spread in a large skillet over medium heat.
3. Whisk in the gluten-free flour. The melted butter and gluten free flour will form a paste.
4. Pour in the hot rice milk by the 1/2 cup, whisking constantly until the sauce thickens and bubbles.
5. Turn off heat and season with salt and white pepper to taste.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 508Total Fat: 25gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 16gCholesterol: 96mgSodium: 1066mgCarbohydrates: 43gFiber: 4gSugar: 16gProtein: 30g

Nutritional information is automatically calculated per the ingredients list. Serving size may not be accurate. Please double-check with your preferred nutritional app for the most accurate information.

Originally published on February 24, 2014. Updated with new pictures and information.