Keto Moussaka with Zucchini and Mince
There’s an old saying that only a person who can cook up a mean moussaka knows their way around the kitchen. It’s funny, because it’s true; this dish seems simple enough, but getting everything right takes some practice and patience.
Equipment
- 1 Medium frying pan
- 1 Baking dish
Ingredients
For the base
- 450 grams Zucchini (cubed)
- 400 grams Minced meat (see notes for details)
- 2 medium Carrots
- 1 medium Onion
- 1 tbsp Seasoning (equal parts salt, red pepper, black pepper, cumin, chilli flakes)
For the topping
- 250 grams Ricotta cheese
- 2 large Eggs
- 1 pinch Salt
- 5 grams Baking powder (only add at the very last moment)
Instructions
- Cut the onion and carrots into small cubes
- Prepare a medium pan and sauté them in olive oil for a few minutes until they change texture. Should take about 5 minutes or so at a low flame
- Add the mince and stir often until the meat changes color and goes crumbly (see image in notes). Add the cumin as you’re stirring to really open the aroma and disperse it evenly throughout the entire dish. This step takes about 10 minutes
- Add salt, red pepper, black pepper and (optionally) chili flakes about a minute before taking the pan off the stove
- Preheat your oven to 350 F (180 C). In the meantime, peel and cut your zucchini into medium cubes
- Place the zucchini on the bottom of a (traditionally) rectangular oven-safe container. Drizzle some olive oil and salt. Finally, add the contents of your pan on top, making sure the mince is evenly distributed
- Bake for a total of 35 minutes - only open once at the 20-minute mark to stir
- Finally, let’s prepare the topping. Mix ricotta, eggs, salt and baking powder. Make sure to put the last ingredient in right before the mixture goes in the oven so that it actually rises
- Once the 35 minutes from step 7 are up, take the tray out of the oven, pour the ricotta mixture evenly on top and put it back in for another 15 minutes
Notes
Correct mince color
*About the meat you use: I advise you to ask your local butcher to make the mince from actual meat in front of you. Do not buy ready-made mince as it’s often sub-par quality and features various additives to keep it from going bad. Mine was made from 100% pork shoulder, but you could also mix pork & beef in a 40/60 ratio. It’s important to have enough fat in the mince so that it doesn’t dry out too much during the cooking process.
*About the meat you use: I advise you to ask your local butcher to make the mince from actual meat in front of you. Do not buy ready-made mince as it’s often sub-par quality and features various additives to keep it from going bad. Mine was made from 100% pork shoulder, but you could also mix pork & beef in a 40/60 ratio. It’s important to have enough fat in the mince so that it doesn’t dry out too much during the cooking process.
