Ingredients

• 2 eggplant
• 2 tbsps olive oil
• 1 onion
• 2 garlic cloves
• 400 gms (0.89 lb) canned lentils
• 2 tbsps tomato paste
• 400 gms (0.89 lb) canned chopped tomatoes
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp oregano
• 0.5 tsp nutmeg
• 200 gms (0.44 lb) raw cashews
• 3 tbsps nutritional yeast
• 2 tbsps lemon juice
• 250 mls (1.04 cups) unsweetened almond milk
• 2 tbsps potato starch
• 1 tsp salt
• 0.5 tsp black pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Slice eggplants into 1 cm slices, brush with olive oil, and bake for 20 minutes until soft.
2. In a pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Sauté chopped onions and minced garlic until translucent.
3. Add the canned lentils, tomato paste, chopped tomatoes, cinnamon, oregano, and nutmeg to the pan. Simmer for 15 minutes until the mixture thickens.
4. In a blender, combine soaked cashews, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, almond milk, potato starch, salt, and black pepper. Blend until smooth to create the bechamel sauce.
5. In a baking dish, layer half the eggplant slices, spread the lentil mixture, and cover with the remaining eggplant slices.
6. Pour the cashew bechamel sauce over the top layer of eggplants.
7. Bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes until the top is golden and bubbly.
8. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Notes

• Traditional moussaka is a Greek dish; this version is vegan-friendly using lentils and cashew-based bechamel.
• Great for dinner parties or a family meal.
• Allow the moussaka to cool a bit before serving for better texture.