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Lebanese Moussaka - Maghmour

A delicious vegan dish of roasted eggplants, bell peppers, tomatoes and chickpeas in a tangy tomato sauce. So full of flavor!
Course Main Course
Cuisine Middle Eastern
Diet Gluten Free, Halal, Vegan, Vegetarian
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Servings 6 people
Calories 292kcal
Author Farah Abumaizar

Ingredients

For the eggplant:

  • 2-3 medium sized eggplants about 1lb, 500g total
  • salt to sprinkle
  • 2 tablespoon olive oil

For the rest of the dish:

  • 2 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 yellow onions, thinly sliced
  • 6 garlic cloves, sliced
  • 2 tomatoes, diced in 1/2 inch cubes
  • 3 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses See Notes
  • 1 teaspoon seven spices or allspice
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 can crushed tomatoes 14.5 oz, 400 g
  • 1/2-1 cup water
  • 1 can chickpeas, drained. 14.5oz, 400g
  • 1 green bell pepper, diced

For garnish:

  • 1/4 cup chopped parsley
  • 1/3 cup toasted almond slivers or pine nuts

Instructions

To roast the eggplants:

  • Heat oven to 425 F (220C). Peel the eggplant, leaving some strips of skin attached. Dice into 1.5-2 inch cubes, and sprinkle generously with salt. Leave aside for 10 minutes or so while oven heats, over a colander if you can to get rid of some of the moisture.
  • Pat dry, and arrange single layer in a baking pan. Drizzle with olive oil, and toss with hands to coat evenly. Roast for 25-30 minutes, tossing around halfway through cooking time, until golden brown and cooked through. Reduce oven temperature to 350 F (180C). Alternately, You can air fry at 375 F (190C) for 15-18 minutes, shaking the air fryer basket several times throughout the process.

To assemble the moussaka:

  • Heat the remaining 2 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet or dutch oven (oven safe if you have) over medium high heat. Add the sliced onions and cook until caramelized and golden brown, 8-10 minutes, tossing frequently throughout.
  • Add the sliced garlic and diced tomatoes, then lower the heat to medium and simmer for five minutes.
  • Add the tomato paste to the pan, and saute for 30 seconds before adding the pomegranate molasses if using, along with the seven spices, cinnamon, pepper, and salt.
  • Add the crushed tomatoes and the water and simmer for a few minutes. Start with 1/2 cup of water, and if you feel the sauce needs to be looser add another 1/2 cup.
  • Add the roasted eggplants, drained chickpeas, and diced bell pepper to the sauce, toss to combine well and transfer to an oven safe baking dish if you need to. Cover loosely with foil. Bake for 30-35 minutes until bubbling.
  • Serve topped with chopped parsley, and toasted almond slivers or pine nuts (optional), preferably with basmati rice or vermicelli rice.

Video

Notes

  • Pomegranate Molasses is a common ingredient used in the Middle East that has a distinctive tangy sweet flavor. If you can't find it, you can leave it out, or add a splash of balsamic vinegar and a pinch of sugar to the sauce.
  • Enjoy this with Vermicelli rice, with pita bread, or plain!
  • You can add meat to this if you like, 1lb or 500g of ground beef or lamb that you add after caramelizing the onions, cook until brown, then continue with the recipe.
  • Making in advance: You can prepare the whole dish up until it's supposed to go in the oven, cover with foil and bake 1-2 days after prepping. 
  • Storing leftovers: Leftovers will last tightly covered in the fridge for 4-5 days. You can reheat in the microwave or on the stove top. This dish will freeze well, tightly covered container for 2-3 months. Thaw overnight before reheating.

Nutrition

Calories: 292kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Sodium: 554mg | Potassium: 1014mg | Fiber: 13g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 739IU | Vitamin C: 37mg | Calcium: 90mg | Iron: 4mg