This recipe came to me in a dream and was tweeked while sitting around the pool in Panama. I couldn’t wait to get home and try it out! It came out better than I could have imagined. You won’t believe it’s dairy-free!
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- EGGPLANT
- 2 large eggplants (about 2¾ pounds), unpeeled and cut lengthwise into ½-inch slices
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- TEMPEH SAUCE
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ medium yellow onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 - 8 oz. package Soy Tempeh, crumbled
- 2 portobello mushrooms- finely chopped
- 2 assorted peppers- yellow, orange and green- chopped
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
- Pinch of ground cloves
- ? teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus to taste
- Freshly ground pepper
- 1 cup fire roasted tomatoes
- 5 sundried tomatoes- pureed
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 bay leaf
- CASHEW SAUCE
- 1 ? cups cashews- soaked for 2 hours in water
- 1 ? cups water
- 1 teaspoons sea salt
- ? teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 Tbs. Nutritional yeast
- TOPPING
- ? cup Breadcrumbs (use gluten-free breadcrumbs to make this recipe gluten-free)
- ? t. salt
- ? t. ground garlic
- olive oil
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
- To Bake the Eggplant: Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F. Brush the eggplant slices on both sides with the oil and lay on 2 small or 1 large parchment lined baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper.
- Cover with foil and bake until the eggplant is soft, about 25 minutes. Set aside covered.
- To make the Tempeh Sauce: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, until lightly browned, about 4 minutes.
- Add the peppers and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add the tempeh, oregano, allspice, cloves, and cinnamon. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes.
- Add the portobello mushrooms, fire-roasted tomatoes, and salt, and cook for 5 more minutes.
- Add the tomato paste, sun-dried tomatoes, and bay leaf and bring to a simmer. Cover, and cook until the sauce is thickened and fragrant, about 15 minutes.
- To make the Cashew Sauce: Drain the cashews.
- In a food processor, pulse the cashews until finely chopped.
- Add the water, salt, nutritional yeast and nutmeg.
- To toast the Bread Crumbs: Coat the bottom of a heavy skillet with olive oil.
- Add the Breadcrumbs, garlic and salt, and lightly brown for 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Add 2 tablespoons of chopped parsley.
- Assemble the Moussaka. Lower the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 x 13 x 2-inch casserole dish with olive oil. Scatter ? of the breadcrumbs over the bottom of the pan. Lay half of the eggplant in the pan, overlapping the slices if needed. Spread half of the tempeh sauce evenly over the eggplant, Repeat with the remaining eggplant and tempeh sauce. Pour the cashew sauce over the layered mixture and smooth with a rubber spatula. Sprinkle with the remaining breadcrumbs and bake, uncovered, until lightly browned, about 45 minutes.
- Remove the moussaka from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes.
Step-By-Step Photo Instructions
Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F. Brush the eggplant slices on both sides with the oil and lay on 2 small or 1 large parchment lined baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper.
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Cover with foil and bake until the eggplant is soft, about 25 minutes. Set aside covered.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, until lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Add the peppers and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Add the tempeh, oregano, allspice, cloves, and cinnamon. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes. Add the Portobello mushrooms, fire-roasted tomatoes, and salt, and cook for 5 more minutes.
Add the tomato paste, sun-dried tomatoes, and bay leaf and bring to a simmer. Cover, and cook until the sauce is thickened and fragrant, about 15 minutes.
Drain the cashews. In a food processor, pulse the cashews until finely chopped. Add the water, salt, nutritional yeast and nutmeg.
Coat the bottom of a heavy skillet with olive oil. Add the Breadcrumbs, garlic and salt, and lightly brown for 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Add 2 tablespoons of chopped parsley. Lower the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 x 13 x 2-inch casserole dish with olive oil. Scatter ? of the breadcrumbs over the bottom of the pan. Lay half of the eggplant in the pan, overlapping the slices if needed. Spread half of the tempeh sauce evenly over the eggplant.
Repeat with the remaining eggplant and tempeh sauce. Pour the cashew sauce over the layered mixture and smooth with a rubber spatula.
Sprinkle with the remaining breadcrumbs and bake, uncovered, until lightly browned, about 45 minutes
Remove the moussaka from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes. Enjoy!
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