Egyptian Moussaka/Messa'aa (Vegan/Vegetarian). When I do this as a main dish I usually use meat, but if I'm using it as a side I do the vegetarian option and Messa'aa. As with most arabic dishes, this one is composed of different elements so I'll divide the. This entry was posted in Fiction, Gluten-Free, Lunch, Main Course, Middle Eastern, Sides, Vegan, Vegetarian by Chloe.

This is a easy traditional Egyptian Vegan recipe called Mesa'a'ah, it is the Egyptian take on the Greek dish Moussaka. Egyptian Moussaka is traditionally made with ground meat, so this recipe substitutes it with diced mushrooms. Hidden in the delicate eggplant layers are currants which add a touch of sweetness. You can cook Egyptian Moussaka/Messa'aa (Vegan/Vegetarian) using 16 ingredients and 7 steps. Here is how you achieve that.

Ingredients of Egyptian Moussaka/Messa'aa (Vegan/Vegetarian)

Prepare 2 of Garlic Cloves Crushed.
It's 2 of Tomatoes Sliced.
Prepare 1 Can of Crushed Tomatoes.
You need 1 Cup of Passata.
Prepare 1 Can of Chickpeas.
You need of Spices.
Prepare 1 tbs of 7 Spices.
It's 1 tsp of Salt.
It's 1 tsp of Pepper.
It's 1/4 tsp of Hot Chili Powder.
You need 1/2 tsp of Ground Cumin.
You need of Quite a lot of Olive Oil.
It's of Produce.
Prepare 2 of Eggplants Thickly Sliced.
It's 1/2 of Onion Sliced.
It's 1/2 of Onion Chopped.

Egyptian Moussaka is traditionally made with ground meat, so I substituted it with diced mushrooms. The flavor combo is to die for. Consisting of Vegan moussaka with lentils and eggplant! This popular Greek dish can be easily made without meat and still tastes amazing.

Egyptian Moussaka/Messa'aa (Vegan/Vegetarian) instructions

Preheat Oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Line a baking tray with foil and brush with oil, lay Eggplant slices and drizzle with oil, salt, pepper and Spices (keep most of Spices for the sauce). Alternatively, you can fry the Eggplant in batches and place on absorbent towel..
Bake for 10-15mins on each side.
While the Eggplant is baking, prepare the sauce..
The Sauce - Heat a table spoon of olive oil in a pot. Add chopped onion (not the sliced) & garlic until soft. Add the chickpeas and Spices and stir for a minute. Add the passata and canned tomatoes, bring to boil and simmer for approx 15-20mins.
Once Eggplant is baked, remove from oven and line the bottom of a baking tray with Eggplant slices. Then a layer of the sauce, followed by tomato slices, sliced onion and repeat process..
Place back in oven and bake for 40mins or so (you may want to cover the dish in foil for the first 20mins)..
I forgot to take a pic after pulling it out of the oven. Just wanted to eat 😂.

This healthy casserole is a wonderful comfort meal which is flavorful, satisfying, and very enjoyable. The recipe is plant-based, gluten-free, and fairly easy to make. A lighter take on classic Greek fare, this vegetarian Moussaka keeps enough of the traditional flavors to satisfy Greek food fans. This recipe was created by tinkering with the traditional ingredients to make a lighter, lacto-vegetarian moussaka recipe—mashed chickpeas replace the ground meat. When I was in Greece, I remember that Moussaka was very firm, and looked kind of like little pieces of cake.