This recipe is identical to one in a Greek cookbook I've had for years. I have made it several times now, and wonder why it has so much liquid in it when cut into. I used eggplant that had been salted and set to dry between tea towels for a couple of hours, then they were broiled. What I had left were slices that were paper thin (no water left!), yet still there was much liquid. At our favorite Greek diner, it never looks that wet, but the flavor is very comparable and good.

The moussaka was very good, but I give this 3 stars for a few reasons. First, if you have never prepared Greek food before (ESPECIALLY moussaka) this recipe is very poorly written - it's way too vague. 9 x 13" is not a big enough pan by any means - go larger. Second, it calls for way too much onion and eggplant. I cut 1 1/2 onions and 2 eggplants and didn't use them all. The writer called the bechamel a "thin sauce" but it actually should be very thick - about the same consistency as a yogurt. Make sure to drain your meat very well and, if necessary, spoon out the liquid before adding the meat to the casserole. Let your moussaka cool for a good 30 minutes before serving. This is a good recipe, but my greatest advice if you have never made moussaka before - seriously, review the recipe several times and start cooking it 4 hours before you intend on eating it. Also, if possible, have a friend/child/spouse on hand to help you out. Don't give up, it gets easier as you go!

Recipe was great, would give it 5 stars with a few modifications. Added lamb to the ground beef for a nice rich flavor for the minced meat. Used 2 crushed garlic cloves instead of 1 and doubled the amount of cinnamon and nutmeg. Added 2 egg whites to the bechamel sauce to ensure a fluffy top that would brown nicely. Delicious traditional greek fare, VERY filling.

I never made Moussaka before and it turned out great, everyone loved it, tasted very similar to the Greek Restaurant I go to, if not better. I did follow the advice of many of the previous reviewers, by broiling the eggplant, using very little olive oil, and adding feta cheese in addition to the parmesean, and itlaian season for the fine herbs.

My mother used to make this for me when I was younger, it is one of my favorite dishes and this is almost JUST like it! I snuck in a tid bit extra nutmeg but this is perfect!!!!!!!!

Great recipe, a keeper. Although we like to use only about 1/2 the bechemal sauce (just a personal preference though).

Excellent recipe! Nice flavor. I will definitely be making this a regular in my house.

Wonderful recipe - it was a hit with everyone.

Excellent! My 5-year-old son had been wanting something with eggplant in it, so I fixed this for him. He LOVED it, and so did I. I did divide the recipe in half because it makes sooooo much, but I still put it in a 9x13 pan. Delicious.

I broiled the eggplant slices for about 8 minutes instead of frying. I also didn't have any tomato sauce on hand, so I used half a jar of pasta sauce (7-herb variety), and it turned out great. I'm not sure what the traditional way of serving moussaka is, but I served it over white rice, and it was excellent.

Delicious! Great! Easy! My first Moussaka was stunning thanks to this recipe. I impressed my guests! I especially like the cinnamon taste in the tomato sauce.

I LOVE this recipe, been to Greece a few times and I think this recipe is amongst the best I've tried. I love rich food and the original recipe is awesome - but for those trying to cut down on the calories or richness: 1) the olive oil can easily be halved when frying eggplant, or elimated altogether in favor of olive oil cooking spray, done under the broiler, 2)the bechamel sauce can also be reduced by at least a third, as there is more than is reasonably required, and 3) the cheese can be cut down to 1 cup total, and any kind of cheese works well, I've tried with Mozz, Cheddar...it's all good! Guaranteed to be a favorite for adults and kids alike.

Wow. I rarely take the time to review recipes and feel guilty because I rely so heavily on the reviews of others. This recipe deserved taking the time to review. We followed a low-fat version and broiled the eggplant after brushing with olive oil and a sprinkle of salt, pepper and italian seasonings. We did not use butter to brown the sirloin and added the equivalent of egg beaters instead of a whole egg. For the bechamel sauce I used 1/2 of the called for butter and actually used Smart Balance (which does excellent as a substitute for most butter recipes). I used skim milk and added 1/2 cup of fat-free half-n-half. Otherwise, I made the bechamel exactly the same - no additional eggs. I also used less than the called for parm cheese but honestly can say we didn't miss it. This recipe was more than a "keeper". It is now going to be a part of our regular rotations.

I made this recipe for dinner with a friend and she got hooked on all things eggplant as a result. The flavor was perfect, much like moussaka I've had at Greek restaurants, but it came out a little runny. I will let the eggplant drain longer next time. The yolks in the bachamel sauce were a good idea, as was cutting out the butter. Make sure you give yourself a lot of time for this recipe. It's worth it!

Great recipe, thanks!

This was great. Use lamb instead of beef for more authentic flavor. I doubled the spices, including the garlic, and baked, instead of fried, the eggplant, as other reviewers suggested. Makes a lot of bechamel sauce, OK with me.

This was pretty good. It was a little bit runny so it was difficult to cut. It tasted wonderful as leftover.