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Gordon Ramsay Moussaka Recipe

Gordon Ramsay Moussaka Recipe

My Gordon Ramsay-inspired moussaka recipe — spiced lamb ragu, roasted aubergine, and a golden custardy béchamel top.
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Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Resting Time 20 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 8 People
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: British
Calories: 480
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • Aubergine Layer:
  • 3 large aubergines sliced into 1cm rounds
  • Salt
  • 4 tbsp olive oil
  • Spiced Lamb Ragu:
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 large onion finely diced
  • 3 garlic cloves finely chopped
  • 700 g lamb mince
  • 150 ml red wine
  • 2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
  • 2 tbsp tomato purée
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp ground allspice
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 lamb or beef stock cube
  • Salt and black pepper
  • Béchamel:
  • 60 g unsalted butter
  • 60 g plain flour
  • 700 ml whole milk warmed
  • 1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 60 g Parmesan or Kefalotyri finely grated

Method
 

  1. Salt aubergine slices, leave 20 minutes, pat dry.
  2. Roast aubergine at 200°C / 180°C fan / Gas 6 for 20–25 minutes until golden.
  3. Cook onion 8–10 minutes, add garlic 1 minute.
  4. Brown lamb mince in batches.
  5. Add wine, reduce. Add tomatoes, purée, spices, stock cube. Season.
  6. Simmer 35–40 minutes until thick.
  7. Make béchamel: butter, flour, warm milk, nutmeg, cheese, then beat in egg yolk off the heat.
  8. Layer: half aubergine, all ragu, remaining aubergine, then béchamel on top.
  9. Bake at 190°C / 170°C fan / Gas 5 for 35–40 minutes until golden and set.
  10. Rest 15–20 minutes before serving.

Notes

Salting the aubergine is essential — do not skip this step.
Roasting rather than frying the aubergine keeps the dish lighter and gives more even colour.
Let the finished bake rest a full 15–20 minutes before cutting.
Freezes well, portioned, for up to 3 months.