Eggplant-Potato Moussaka
This vegan moussaka layers roasted eggplant, potatoes, and zucchini with a cinnamon-spiked fire-roasted tomato sauce and a creamy cashew tofu cream that goes golden under the broiler. A Veganomicon classic, fully updated.
Ingredients
Vegetable layer:
- 1 pound eggplant
- 1 pound zucchini
- 1½ pounds russet or large baking potatoes
- 3 tablespoons olive oil plus more for brushing and pans
- Sea salt
Sauce:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- ½ cup finely chopped shallot
- ⅓ cup dry red wine
- 3 15-ounce cans diced fire-roasted tomatoes
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 bay leaves
- 1½ teaspoons salt
Cashew tofu cream:
- ½ cup unroasted cashews soaked in cold water until softened (about 20 minutes)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 12 ounces soft silken tofu
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon arrowroot powder
- 2 cloves garlic peeled and chopped
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon salt
For assembly:
- Olive oil for the pan and drizzling
- ½ cup fine dried vegan bread crumbs
- ¼ cup pine nuts
- Dried oregano
- Freshly grated nutmeg
- Parsley for garnish
Instructions
Prepare the vegetables
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line three large baking sheets with parchment paper and brush generously with olive oil.
- Wash the eggplant and zucchini and trim the stems. Scrub and peel the potatoes. Slice the eggplant, zucchini, and potatoes lengthwise into approximately ¼-inch-thick slices.
- Arrange each vegetable on its own baking sheet in a single layer — do not overlap. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with a little sea salt.
- Roast the eggplant and zucchini for about 15 minutes, until tender. Roast the potatoes for 20 to 22 minutes, until easily pierced with a fork. Remove from the oven.
Make the tomato sauce
- Place the olive oil and garlic in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Cook for about 30 seconds, until fragrant, then add the shallot and cook until soft and translucent, 3 to 4 minutes.
- Add the wine and simmer for about 2 minutes to reduce slightly. Stir in the tomatoes, oregano, cinnamon, bay leaves, and salt. Partially cover and simmer over medium-low heat for 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly reduced. Turn off the heat and remove the bay leaves.
- Make the cashew tofu cream
- In a food processor, blend the drained cashews with the olive oil, scraping down the sides as needed, until a creamy paste forms. Add the tofu, lemon juice, arrowroot, garlic, oregano, nutmeg, and salt. Blend until completely smooth and creamy.
Assemble the moussaka (opa!)
- Lightly oil a deep 9 x 13-inch casserole dish. Preheat the oven again to 400°F if needed. Spread about ¼ cup of the sauce on the bottom of the pan. Layer in this order: eggplant, potatoes, about one-third of the sauce, half the breadcrumbs, all of the zucchini, eggplant, potatoes, remaining sauce, remaining breadcrumbs.
- Spread the cashew tofu cream evenly over the top with a spatula. Scatter with pine nuts, drizzle lightly with olive oil, and dust with dried oregano and a small pinch of nutmeg.
Bake
- Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 15 minutes. Broil for 2 to 4 minutes, watching closely, until browned in spots.
- Let cool for at least 10 minutes before slicing to allow the topping to set.
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