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moussaka on a plate

Serbian Moussaka with Ground Turkey

5 from 2 votes
In Serbia, we make moussaka with layers of thin potatoes and seasoned ground meat, baked under a light egg and milk topping. I swapped in ground turkey and added a little spinach to make it even healthier. The classic version with regular ground meat is just as healthy and delicious, and both are naturally gluten-free.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 6
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Ingredients Equipment Method Video Notes

Ingredients
  

For the moussaka
  • 1 kg potatoes 2.2 lb
  • 500 g ground turkey 1.1 lb
  • 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 or fresh parsley
  • 30 g 1 oz spinach optional
  • 50 ml olive oil 3 1/2 tbsp
For the topping
  • 1 egg
  • 150 to 200 ml milk 2/3 to 3/4 cup
  • A pinch each of salt, black pepper, sweet paprika and dried parsley

Equipment

  • 1 Large stainless steel pan
  • 1 Baking dish

Method
 

  1. 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.
  2. Heat some of the olive oil in a large stainless steel pan over medium heat. Add the onions and carrots and fry them first.
  3. Stir in the tomato paste and fry for a few minutes to build a deeper flavor.
  4. Add the ground turkey. Mix it and break it up with a fork so there are no big chunks and everything comes together.
  5. Fry for a bit, then add the salt, black pepper, sweet paprika and dried parsley. Cook for 5 more minutes.
  6. Add the finely chopped spinach, stir it in and turn off the heat.
  7. 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.
  8. 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.
  9. 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.
  10. 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

Tip: soaking the sliced potatoes in cold water keeps them from darkening while you cook the meat