Moussaka is one of my favorite Serbian dishes. We call it musaka here, and this Balkan moussaka is not like the Greek one because there’s no eggplant. Instead, it’s a moussaka made with potatoes and a simple egg and milk topping.
This is how we make moussaka in Serbia, with thin layers of potatoes and seasoned meat. The classic version uses regular ground meat, like in a beef moussaka, and it’s just as healthy and tasty. My version is a ground turkey moussaka with a little spinach, because I wanted to make it even healthier. It’s also naturally gluten free, since there’s no flour anywhere.
If you want more lunch ideas, try should definitely try my easy baked meatballs or chicken soup with millet.
Why You’ll Love This Serbian Moussaka
- Easy to make. This easy moussaka with potatoes only needs one pan and one baking dish.
- A healthier twist. It’s a healthy moussaka with potatoes, made with ground turkey and a little spinach.
- Moussaka with potatoes, no eggplant. Thin potato slices take the place of the eggplant.
- Simple ingredients. Every ingredient moussaka needs here is easy to find and affordable.
- Good for a few days. This meat moussaka keeps well in the fridge.
- Naturally gluten free. There’s no flour in the filling or the topping.
Key Features
- Course: Lunch
- Prep time: 5 minutes
- Moussaka cooking time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Servings: 6
- Difficulty: Easy
- Dietary: Gluten free
Ingredients
Here’s what you need for homemade moussaka:
For the moussaka
- 1 kg (2.2 lb) potatoes
- 500 g (1.1 lb) ground turkey
- 2 onions
- 2 carrots
- 1 to 2 tsp tomato paste
- 2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 2 tsp sweet paprika
- 1 tsp dried parsley
- 30 g (1 oz) spinach, optional
- 50 ml (3 1/2 tbsp) olive oil
For the topping
- 1 egg
- 150 to 200 ml (2/3 to 3/4 cup) milk
- A pinch each of salt, black pepper, sweet paprika and dried parsley
How to Make Serbian Moussaka
This is an easy moussaka with potatoes. It comes together in three parts: the filling, the topping and the layers.
Prep the Vegetables and Potatoes
Finely chop the onions and carrots. Slice the potatoes into thin rounds and put them in a bowl of cold water.
Tip: The cold water keeps the potatoes from turning dark while you cook the meat.
Fry the Onions and Carrots
Heat some of the olive oil in a large stainless steel pan over medium heat. Add the onions and carrots and fry them first.
Add the Tomato Paste
Stir in the tomato paste and fry it for a few minutes. Frying it first gives the filling a deeper flavor.
Cook the Ground Turkey
Add the ground turkey and mix it in with the vegetables.
Tip: Break the meat up with a fork as it cooks. This way there are no big chunks and everything comes together.
Season the Filling
Fry the meat for a bit, then add the salt, black pepper, sweet paprika and dried parsley. Cook for 5 more minutes.
Stir in the Spinach
Add the finely chopped spinach, stir it in and turn off the heat. The spinach is optional, but it’s a small change that helps make this a healthy moussaka with potatoes.
Make the Egg and Milk Topping
Preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F). In a small bowl, beat the egg. Add the milk and a pinch of salt, black pepper, sweet paprika and dried parsley. Set the bowl aside.
Layer the Potatoes and Filling
Drain the potatoes and brush the baking dish with olive oil. Start with a layer of potatoes, then add a layer of the meat filling. Keep going until you use everything up. The last layer should be potatoes.
Add the Topping and Bake
Pour the egg and milk mixture over the top.
Tip: If the topping looks like it needs more milk, add a little. Just don’t cover everything completely.
Drizzle a little olive oil over it. Cover the dish with foil or a lid and bake for 30 minutes. Then remove the cover and bake for about 20 more minutes. It’s done when the top is golden and the potatoes are cooked through. Your baked moussaka is ready. Serve it with a simple cucumber salad on the side.
Serbian Moussaka with Ground Turkey
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Finely chop the onions and carrots. Slice the potatoes into thin rounds and put them in a bowl of cold water so they do not darken while you cook the meat.
- Heat some of the olive oil in a large stainless steel pan over medium heat. Add the onions and carrots and fry them first.
- Stir in the tomato paste and fry for a few minutes to build a deeper flavor.
- Add the ground turkey. Mix it and break it up with a fork so there are no big chunks and everything comes together.
- Fry for a bit, then add the salt, black pepper, sweet paprika and dried parsley. Cook for 5 more minutes.
- Add the finely chopped spinach, stir it in and turn off the heat.
- Preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F). In a small bowl, beat the egg, then add the milk and a pinch of salt, black pepper, sweet paprika and dried parsley. Set aside.
- Drain the potatoes. Brush the baking dish with olive oil. Start with a layer of potatoes, then a layer of the meat filling, and repeat until everything is used. The last layer should be potatoes.
- Pour the egg and milk mixture over the top. If it looks like it needs more milk, add some, but do not cover everything completely. Drizzle a little olive oil over the top.
- Cover the dish with foil or a lid and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the cover and bake for about 20 more minutes, until the top is golden and the potatoes are cooked through.
Video
Notes
Substitutions & Variations
- Regular ground meat: Use the same amount of regular ground meat instead of turkey.
- Spinach: The only ingredient moussaka can do without is the spinach. Leave it out if you want.
- Parsley: Use fresh parsley instead of dried parsley.
Storage
Cover the leftovers and keep them in the fridge. Homemade moussaka keeps for a few days, and for two people this ground turkey moussaka lasts about 3 days. I don’t freeze it.
FAQ
Musaka is how we spell moussaka in Serbia. It’s a meat moussaka with layers of potatoes and an egg and milk topping.
No. Greek moussaka usually has eggplant and a creamy béchamel on top. This Balkan moussaka is different. It’s moussaka with potatoes and no eggplant, and the topping is just egg and milk.
Yes. There’s no flour in the filling or the topping. Just check the labels on your tomato paste and spices to be sure.
There are 4 comments on this post
I love potatoes. Such a great recipe for a comforting side dish.
Same! Thank you.
Yum! Thank you for this easy to follow recipe for Serbian Moussaka with ground turkey! Great tip to soak the sliced potatoes in cold water to stop them from turning while making the meat!
Let me know if you try it!
Yes, I like to prep everything first, and then I layer it all. This way the potatoes stay fresh!