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Like me, do you love moussaka but don’t love the hassle of making it? Then I’ve got the perfect quick meal for you … it’s ‘almost’ one-pot, it’s got all the flavours of a lovely Greek moussaka but it takes barely 30 minutes to make!
This past week, Mr. Scrummy and I were lucky enough to spend a few days in Paris. As usual when we go on a city break, we walked our legs off wandering through the streets around all the famous sights and then made a ridiculous amount of effort chasing down all the best food experiences. Maybe it’s just me (surely not?) but I always hate the thought of visiting a new place and feeling like I haven’t found the best food it has to offer!
Although we did have one dud meal (boo hoo), it isn’t hard at all to enjoy great food in Paris. There are crowded bistrots on every corner, a whole street full of crepe restaurants (seriously), it seems almost impossible to find a pastry that isn’t delicious and our hotel served macarons at breakfast, for goodness sake. We even managed to track down the restaurant where we got engaged on New Year’s Eve, 2012. We enjoyed our happy memories and chatting to the owner who actually remembered us including exactly where we sat and had the best meal of our stay (awwww …).
So a great time was had by all (i.e. me and Mr. Scrummy) and when we got home of course I wished I was still there. I certainly wasn’t ready to start cooking my own meals again, but second best was finding something easy and really tasty for dinner.
Enter this simple and delicious moussaka penne!
Moussaka has been one of my favourite meals for years. I love the combination of the rich cinnamon-infused meat sauce, the smoky aubergine (eggplant!) and cheesy béchamel topping. What I don’t love though is the time it takes to make.
So how about combining all the FLAVOURS of a moussaka in a much simpler pasta dish? You cook up some diced aubergine and onion, add canned tomatoes and tomato puree, oregano and spices, then toss with penne pasta and sprinkle generously with feta cheese. Then hey presto, you’ve got a quick, hearty meal with classic Greek flavourings. There’s no need to mess around pre-cooking aubergine and making a finicky sauce.
Apart from the other pot you use to cook up the pasta, this is essentially a one-pot meal. I loved it. Mr. Scrummy wasn’t so convinced, I must admit, saying that it made him feel disappointed because it TASTED like a moussaka but wasn’t. But to me that’s the beauty of this easy meal, perfect for mid-week or any other time you want to whip up a quick but tasty dinner.
So what side of the fence do you sit on? Do you like the sound of this, or would you rather make a bit of extra effort and make the real thing? I actually like both, and will still go the extra mile and make this skinny chicken moussaka sometimes, too (which is in itself an easier version of moussaka with a yoghurt topping instead of a traditional heavier béchamel).
Having this again tonight as half of the sauce is still in the fridge. Mr. Scrummy reckons he isn’t a fan of penne, though, so I might make it with a different kind of pasta to see if he likes it any better that way. 😉
Hope you’re tempted to give this a go some time this week – I bet you’ve already got most of the ingredients you need! 🙂
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 4
- a large drizzle of olive oil
- 1 large onion, chopped finely
- 1 large aubergine (eggplant), diced (about 1cm²)
- 250 grams/8 ounces lamb or beef mince
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- about ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon allspice
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 400 gram/14 ounce can chopped tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon tomato puree
- small bunch of parsley, washed and chopped
- 300 grams/10 ounces dried penne (or other pasta of your choice)
- about 200 grams/7 ounces feta, crumbled
- Heat the olive oil in a large pan with a lid on a medium heat. Add the onion and aubergine and cook, stirring regularly, for 2 or 3 minutes. Then reduce the heat to medium, put the lid on the pan and cook for about another 5 minutes, stirring every now and again.
- Add the meat and brown for a couple of minutes, then add the garlic, cinnamon, allspice and oregano. Stir for a minute, then add the tomatoes and tomato puree. Stir again, then leave to cook with the lid on for about ten minutes, stirring every now and again. Then stir in most of the parsley and season to taste.
- Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to the packet instructions, then drain, reserving a bit of the cooking water.
- Tip the cooked pasta into the meat sauce along with some cooking water to make the sauce nice and silky.
- Serve out the pasta into bowls, then sprinkle with the feta cheese and the rest of the parsley. Enjoy!
I use beef mince when I make this, as I prefer it to lamb and, in any case, moussaka in Greece is more often than not made with beef and not lamb, contrary to popular belief! The choice is ultimately yours, though. Both beef and lamb work well.
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I love using eggplant because it is cheap and it goes with anything! I have always wanted to try and make moussaka and now I have a great recipe! I might use spaghetti squash instead of pasta as I am trying to stay away from gluten for a while. Thanks for a great recipe!
Oooh, really happy you like this, Jennifer! Thanks so much for giving me an idea for another way to make this. I think the spaghetti squash would work really well! 🙂
What a great way to have moussaka without all the hassle. I do love it, but it does take a fair bit of effort to make.
Thanks, Dannii … really happy you can see the beauty of this!! 🙂
You always have such wonderful pasta dishes!! I am loving everything about this scrumptious penne!
Hi Annie! Thank you so much for the ‘pasta compliment’ … teehee! I do love a good dish of pasta every now and again, and especially a nice cheesy one! 😉
Hi Helen, this is brilliant, I love a great meal that comes together quickly.
Thank you so much, Cheri! I must admit I was pretty pleased with myself to have found this! 🙂
You guys have such a fun life!! Is Paris as magical when you live close by? haha! I would want to go all the time! I’ve never made a moussaka before and have only heard of it because they served it in the college cafeteria but this looks 1000 times better than that! I love seeing new ways to enjoy penne!
Hi, Izzy! I’m glad our life sounds so fun … to be honest though it probably isn’t as fun as it sounds … I just miss out all the (many) dull parts in my blog posts … hahaha!
Interesting point though about whether a place is as magical when you don’t live far. Strangely enough, I don’t think British people think of Paris as being all that close. It’s pretty easy (and often cheapish) to get there these days by the channel tunnel, but we don’t go there all the time. Still seems like a big deal!
Really glad you like the idea of this moussaka penne … I loved it!
Oh I love Paris – just a stunning city! And you guys got engaged there…. how romantic!
I love moussaka, but I’ve never made it myself! This dish looks incredible and paired with the pasta, it looks and sounds delicious!
Thank you, Kathleen! Paris sure is stunning. I’ve been there a few times now but could still go back there again and again!
OMG this is so wonderful Helen! And you got to go to Paris! Ahhh #jealous! I love the eggplant in here! reminds me that I need to start adding it to more pasta dishes!!! YUM!
I love moussaka and haven’t had it since I moved from England. I have to try your recipe, I’m so excited 🙂
Oooh, that’s great, Janette! Let me know what you think if you do get around to making it! (my skinny chicken moussaka is really good, too, although I say it myself 😉
Paris must have been amazing! I would love to visit one day! 😀 This moussaka penne looks divine – love the idea, so delicious! I made your pastistio the other night for a family dinner and it was delicious. I really liked the easy yogurt topping, such a brilliant recipe Helen! Definitely going to try this penne now!
Ooh, that’s so exciting, Jess! Thanks so much for giving me your feedback … I’m really happy that you liked it! The yoghurt topping is so great, isn’t it?
Let me know what you think if you do get around to making this 🙂
This is such a great dish Helen! Love moussaka (it is very popular in Bulgaria), but I rarely make it! The combination with pasta sounds great! Can’t wait to try it!
Thanks, Sweet Mira! I’m realising how similar Bulgarian food is to Greek. Love both!
That is SO SWEET, going back to where you got engaged!! It’s hard to find a dud meal in Paris, I’m impressed that you found one – ha ha!!! OK, so this penne is just about the most genius pasta dish I’ve seen. I LOVE Moussaka and I need a fix but I DON’T have the energy to make it from scratch! So I really love this idea. 🙂 Pinning! I’ve gotta try this – maybe this weekend! (PS You know, I’ve made your 6 ingredient chocolate cake 3 times now. Obsessed!)
Yes, I guess finding the dud meal was quite impressive … trust us!!
Really happy that you like this enough to consider making it … and even happier that the 6-ingredient choc cake recipe has provided you with a bit of a ‘go-to’ option … I really love finding those sorts of recipes (oh and your Greek chicken wings have definitely become that for me … going to be making them again some time this week) 🙂
I’m all for this! It looks and sounds delicious! I love that it’s ready in 30 minutes and a great weekday meal.
Thank you, Thao! Glad you like this quick and easy pasta! 🙂
This looks delicious!! Moussaka is so yummy! There’s something absolutely delicious about eggplant and pasta together! I love this dish… I love that it has the flavours OF moussaka but it’s in a Pasta meal!! 😀 (I agree with you!)
Thanks, Dini! This really does work pretty well … hope you get around to trying it some time!
Sounds like you had a fantastic time in Paris, Helen! It’s on my list of places to go, and soon! This 30 minute meal sounds fantastic! This looks like the perfect comfort food dish. Love the touch of feta, too!
Thank you, Gayle! You really have to get Paris ticked off the list soon. It’s one of my favourite cities … it’s just wonderful and there’s amazing food and drink literally around every corner. 🙂
That looks fabulous! I love moussaka, but I never have the time to make it. Thanks for sharing.
You’re welcome, Tiff! Glad you like it! 🙂
Paris?? I am so jealous!!
But at least I can have a 30 minute meal now! Looks amazing!
Hi Cathleen! You just have to try to get to Paris some time … it’s such an incredible city for foodies! 🙂
A friend taught me how to make a similar one saucepan moussaka. It was delicious and easy!
Yes, this is definitely one of my new favourites!
Quick and delicious.. Love this mousska penne pasta.. Awesome!!
Hi, Arpita … and thank you so much!
I am ALWAYS in favor of the quicker option – so your version is what I would choose, Helen! Now let’s talk about the fact that that your hotel served macarons at breakfast, and – that whole street full of crepe restaurants! WOW!
Yeah, I sooo wish I was still there! It was just wonderful grabbing a macaron (well, ok then, 2 macarons) at breakfast each morning without any guilt!
Good thing I have some eggplant in the fridge! I’m going to have to make a meatless version, which will certainly be sacrilegious.. but you’ll forgive me, right?
Oh, a meatless version of this would work really well! Go for it! 🙂
I ADORE moussaka but hate the time it takes, this is going on next week’s menu!
Hello Sue! Really excited that you want to give this a go. Let me know what you think!
I feel like you just took me on a free trip to Greece with this recipe, looks absolutely mouth watering. And 30 minutes? I can make this in 30 minutes? Penne is my favorite noodle too, silly, but true. So many yummy ingredients in here, tastes like summer =)
I wish I could literally take you on a free trip to Greece, Laura 😉 But at least this comes close! I like penne a lot, too, especially with more chunky sauces. Really happy you like this!
Hi Helen,
The moussaka variant is brilliant!
And my husband really liked it!
Thanks for that.
Katleen
Hello Katleen!
I’m so happy to hear from you … and of course to hear that you made this and enjoyed it! Hope you and your family are well 🙂 xx
Hi Helen! This stopped me in my tracks – what a fantastic idea! Being part greek myself, I really crave moussaka sometimes. But guess what? I only actually prepare it (less than) a fraction of the time! Super intensive but always rewarding – yet this is so smart, so smart. I can have that satisfaction in a small amount of time now! I will be making this! Thank you for the smarts! 🙂
Hello, Danielle! Thank you so much for the lovely compliments on this dish and for passing by and commenting. I totally agree that making a moussaka is always worth it, but this will definitely do me as a second best when I just don’t have the energy. So happy you like it and hope you do give it a go some time!
Here on behalf of my friend who made this this week and said the fam LOVED IT!! 🙂 N x
Yippee!!! Thanks so much for the feedback, Dear Nagi! 🙂