Eggplant haters, this zucchini moussaka is for you! This simplified vegan moussaka recipe is absolutely delicious.
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My husband and kid both hate eggplant, so when I was craving a comforting slice of homemade moussaka, I decided to try making a simplified Greek moussaka with zucchini instead of eggplant. And it worked like a dream!
You've still got layers of tender veggies and potatoes around a decadent-tasting tomato sauce-meat mixture. There's still creamy béchamel sauce on top. We are just using a simpler path to get there.
This zucchini moussaka recipe is completely dairy-free and uses a whole bunch of shortcuts to make it quicker and easier without sacrificing flavor.
First off, we are going to roast the zucchini instead of pan frying it to reduce active cooking time. We are also going to pre-bake the potato slices alongside the zucchini to ensure that they are cooked through in the finished dish.
We are also using pre-made tomato sauce, and transforming it into a vegan meat sauce. If you'd prefer making your tomato sauce from scratch, go for it!
Finally, I'm replacing the homemade béchamel sauce with a quick and easy blender cashew cream that has the same flavors without needing to dirty another pan.
💖 Why You'll Love Zucchini Moussaka
- simplified moussaka uses zucchini instead of eggplant
- same delicious flavors as traditional moussaka with less effort
- less active cooking time
- naturally soy-free with easy gluten-free option
✓ Ingredients and Substitutions
- zucchini - This is your eggplant substitute. You want to slice the zucchini lengthwise into ¼" strips, not into rounds, for this recipe.
- potatoes - You can use peeled russet/Idaho potatoes or use a thin-skinned potato, such as red potatoes or Yukon gold. If you don't want to use potato, just double the amount of zucchini instead.
- olive oil - Helps the zucchini and potatoes roast in the oven.
- cashews - You can use raw or roasted, salted or unsalted. Just make sure to soak in hot water for 10 minutes, then drain.
- cornstarch - Helps the cashew béchamel and the sauce thicken in the oven.
- ground spices - For the cashew cream, you. need salt, pepper, and nutmeg. You can add some oregano, as well, if your store-bought sauce doesn't have enough oregano flavor for you. You are also adding a little cinnamon to the tomato sauce.
- vegan parmesan - To stir into the sauce and for topping the zucchini moussaka.
- tomato sauce - Use a tomato sauce you like the flavor of! You can use the same amount of homemade tomato sauce, if you prefer.
- veggie grounds/crumbles - We are using veggie grounds instead of ground beef. Ideally, you want the frozen kind that doesn't need to be sautéed. If you use Beyond, Impossible, or another ground beef that needs to be cooked, sauté it in the pan with some olive oil before adding the tomato sauce.
- panko - This adds a crunchy top and also helps the cashew cream thicken while baking. For gluten-free, use gluten-free panko.
- vegan feta - This is optional, for sprinkling on after baking.
🔪 How to Make Moussaka with Zucchini
Preheat the oven to 400° F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Slice the zucchini and potatoes into ¼" thick slices, if you haven't already.
On one lined baking sheet, toss together the zucchini and 1 teaspoon of the oil, and spread the zucchini out into a single layer. On the other baking sheet, toss together the potatoes and the remaining teaspoon of oil. Spread the potatoes out, as well.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the zucchini softens and the potato is fork-tender. Then, reduce the heat of the oven to 350° F.
Meanwhile, add the cashews, water, cornstarch, salt, pepper, nutmeg, and vegan parmesan to your blender, and puree until smooth. Let the blender rest for a few minutes, then blend again. Repeat until the cashew béchamel is completely smooth.
Then, in a small saucepan on medium-high heat, combine the tomato sauce, veggie grounds, cinnamon, and oregano. Use the ¼ cup of water to rinse out the jar of tomato sauce, and add that to the pan, as well. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the veggie grounds are cooked through, about 5 minutes.
Mix the cornstarch and 2 tablespoons water, stir that into the sauce, and set the sauce aside.
Grease a 9x11" baking dish, and spread the roasted potato slices onto the bottom, letting them overlap a little bit. Top with the vegan meat sauce.
Then, add the zucchini slices, which you also want overlapping a little bit. Pour the cashew béchamel on top, then top with the panko and a sprinkle of extra vegan parmesan, if using.
Bake for 30 to 40 minutes until the béchamel thickens and forms a crust on top, then let it sit for 10 minutes before slicing and serving. I like to serve with a little sprinkle of vegan feta on top, but that is completely optional. It's decadently delicious with or without it!
💡 Helpful Tips
- Get the zucchini and potatoes roasting first, so you can make the meat sauce and cashew cream while it's in the oven.
- For the cashew cream, blend once, then let the blender sit for a few minutes, then blend again and let it sit again. Then, right before you are ready to use the cashew cream sauce, blend it one final time. This will give you the smoothest, creamiest results.
- Don't use the cashew soaking water in the recipe. Soaking and draining makes the cashew flavor less strong, so discard that water.
- We are using veggie grounds instead of ground beef. Ideally, you want the frozen kind that doesn't need to be sautéed. If you use Beyond, Impossible, or another ground beef that needs to be cooked, sauté it in the pan with some olive oil before adding the tomato sauce.
- Letting the zucchini moussaka sit for 10 minutes after baking ensures the béchamel and tomato sauce don't run all over the place when you slice it. If you can't wait, it's not a huge deal, but the béchamel especially will be on the runny side if you slice too soon.
🫙 Storage Directions
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. You can also freeze individual portions in freezer-safe containers. Thaw in the fridge or on the counter, then reheat in the oven or in the microwave.
💬 Frequently Asked Questions
Yeah, you can! And it's delicious!
You absolutely can! Just double one and omit the other.
I know it seems counter-intuitive, but pre-cooking the potatoes saves time. Otherwise, you need to bake the casserole for over an hour. By throwing the pan of potatoes in with the zucchini, you cut the cooking time for the assembled casserole in half.
📖 Recipe
Zucchini Moussaka
Ingredients
For the Roasted Zucchini
- 1.5 pounds zucchini sliced into ¼" thick slices, lengthwise (not rounds, you want long, thin pieces)
- 1 pound potatoes If your potatoes have a thick skin, like a russet, peel the potatoes. Slice into ¼" thick slices
- 2 teaspoons olive oil divided
For the Cashew Bechamel Sauce
- 1 cup cashews soaked in hot water for 10 minutes, then drained
- 1 ½ cups water
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- pinch of nutmeg
- ½ cup vegan parmesan
For the Vegan Meat Sauce
- 24 ounces tomato sauce
- 12 ounces frozen veggie crumbles Use gluten-free, if needed.
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- ¼ cup water to rinse the tomato sauce jar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water
For Topping
- ⅓ cup panko Use gluten-free, if needed.
- more vegan parmesan optional
- vegan feta optional
Instructions
Roast the zucchini and potatoes.
- Preheat the oven to 400° F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Slice the zucchini and potatoes into ¼" thick slices, if you haven't already.
- On one lined baking sheet, toss together the zucchini and 1 teaspoon of the oil, and spread the zucchini out into a single layer. On the other baking sheet, toss together the potatoes and the remaining teaspoon of oil. Spread the potatoes out, as well.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the zucchini softens and the potato is fork-tender. Remove the pans from the oven, then reduce the heat of the oven to 350° F.
Meanwhile, make the cashew béchamel
- Add the cashews, water, cornstarch, salt, pepper, nutmeg, and vegan parmesan to your blender, and puree until smooth. Let the blender rest for a few minutes, then blend again. Repeat until the cashew béchamel is completely smooth. It should be an easily pourable consistency at this point.
Meanwhile, make the vegan meat sauce.
- In a small saucepan on medium-high heat, combine the tomato sauce, veggie grounds, cinnamon, and oregano. Use the ¼ cup of water to rinse out the jar of tomato sauce, and add that to the pan, as well. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the veggie grounds are cooked through, about 5 minutes. Mix the cornstarch and 2 tablespoons water, stir that into the sauce, and set the sauce aside.
Assemble the Zucchini Moussaka
- Grease a 9x11" baking dish, and spread the roasted potato slices onto the bottom, letting them overlap a little bit. Top with the vegan meat sauce and then the zucchini slices, letting the zucchini overlap, as well. Pour the cashew béchamel on top, then top with the panko and a sprinkle of extra vegan parmesan, if using.
- Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, then let the zucchini moussaka sit for 10 minutes before slicing and serving. I like to serve with a little sprinkle of vegan feta on top, but that is completely optional. It's decadently delicious with or without it!
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