Traditional Greek moussaka is pretty hard to beat. Layered like lasagne, eggplant and meat combine to create a mouth-watering dish. If youāve made moussaka to impress your family, you might be keen to find out the best way to store your leftovers. So…
Can You Freeze Moussaka?
Yes, you can freeze moussaka for up to 3 months. Itās possible to freeze a whole tray of moussaka or portioned leftovers, whichever you prefer. You should wrap it well to protect it from freezer burn before placing it on a flat surface in the freezer for several months.
Do Does Moussaka freeze well? Yes
Can you refreeze Moussaka? Yes
How to Freeze Moussaka
Moussaka is an excellent dish to prepare for a special family meal, and the leftovers can be reheated and enjoyed for a tasty lunch or quick dinner option later in the week. To freeze moussaka successfully, you can follow the steps listed below.
- Cool: Once baked, you will need to allow your moussaka to cool before you freeze it. Place the dish on the countertop for an hour or so, and it should have cooled sufficiently.
- Split Into Portions: If you like the idea of enjoying leftover moussaka for an easy lunch or dinner option, you can split it into portion sizes before you freeze it. Decide on the size of each portion and place each of them into suitably sized freezer-safe containers.
- Label and Freeze: Whether youāre freezing an entire tray of moussaka or individual portions, seal the container (or wrap the entire tray). Then, write todayās date, as well as the use-by date on the wrapping, before transferring your moussaka to a flat surface within the freezer.
3 Tips for Freezing Moussaka
Now you know how to freeze it, we’ve got our 3 top tips which we strongly recommend following when freezing moussaka to have the best results:
Freeze Moussaka Uncooked
While most people freeze cooked moussaka leftovers, itās also perfectly safe to freeze uncooked moussaka. You will need to ensure the dish is suitably wrapped and protected from freezer burn before adding it to the freezer.
Enjoy it Cold
In some parts of the Arabic world, moussaka is best served cold. If you fancy trying moussaka in this way, you can remove your leftovers from the fridge without reheating them to see what all the fuss is about!
Refrigerate Leftovers
Your moussaka leftovers should be good in the fridge for 3-4 days. So, if you only have a small amount of moussaka remaining, or you think you will enjoy all of the leftovers within this time frame, you can skip the freezing process altogether and simply store your moussaka in the fridge.
How Long Can You Freeze Moussaka?
You can freeze moussaka for around three months.
Uncooked or cooked moussaka can be frozen for the same amount of time. You can also store moussaka leftovers in the fridge for 3-4 days, which will save you from freezing them if you think you will enjoy them within a few days of preparing the dish.
How Do You Defrost Moussaka?
The best way to defrost moussaka is to remove it from the freezer the night before you plan to reheat it, placing it in the fridge to thaw. However, if youāre pressed for time, you can defrost moussaka in the microwave on a low setting.
Whichever way you opt to defrost moussaka, you should ensure it has thoroughly thawed before you reheat it to ensure it is cooked thoroughly right the way through.
Can You Refreeze Moussaka?
Moussaka that has been stored correctly and thawed in the fridge can technically be frozen more than once. But doing so is likely to affect its taste and texture. Essentially, the more you freeze a dish, the more moisture is added.
This can cause your moussaka to soften and even go mushy, particularly if you refreeze it several times. The best way to deal with your moussaka leftovers is to split them into individual portions, so you can easily remove what you need from the freezer at any given time.
Does Moussaka Freeze Well?
Whether cooked or uncooked, moussaka freezes really well. You need to make sure it is well wrapped and protected from freezer burn before placing it on a flat surface in the freezer.
Providing you follow the instructions listed above, you can effortlessly freeze moussaka for several months without worrying about a deterioration in its taste or texture.
Moussaka Freezer Recipe
If you’re after a classic, Greek moussaka recipe that also keeps well when stored in the freezer then this is it. It won’t take too long to prepare, it isn’t fussy and it ensures you have a hearty, delicious meal ready in the freezer.
Freezer-Friendly Moussaka Recipe
8
servings35
minutes2
hours2
hours35
minutesLayers of aubergine, lamb mince and potato can only mean one thing… Moussaka!
Keeps the screen of your device ON
Ingredients
6tbsp Olive Oil
3 Aubergines, Cut Into 5mm Rings
800g Lamb Mince, Low Fat
1 Onion, Diced
3 Garlic Cloves, Sliced
1tbsp Dried Oregano
1tsp Ground Cinnamon
1 Bay Leaf
150ml Red Wine
1 Tin Chopped Tomatoes
1tbsp Tomato Puree
500g Potatoes, Peeled and Sliced Into 5mm Rings
- For the Bechamel Sauce
40g Butter
40g Plain Flour
450ml Milk
40g Parmesan, Grated
Black Pepper
Salt
Directions
- Add a glug of the olive oil into the largest frying pan you have over a high heat and cook the aubergine rings for 5 minutes or so until softened. You will need to do this in batches as the aubergine must be fried in a single layer. Once a batch has finished frying, transfer it a plate with some kitchen towel to soak up the excess oil.
- In a large saucepan or casserole, add another glug of the oil and fry the mince for 10 minutes until all the pink has gone and it is turning golden brown. Remove and place it into a bowl.
- In the same pan, add in your onion with a pinch of soft and cook over a medium heat until softened. You shouldn’t need to add any further oil as the fat from the mince will have rendered out. Once soft, add in the garlic, oregano, cinnamon and bay leaf along with the browned lamb mince.
- After a couple of minutes, pour in the wine and allow it to bubble and reduce. Add in the tinned tomatoes and puree along with 175ml of water. Season with a liberal pinch of salt and black pepper. Turn the heat down and simmer for 20 minutes until it has thicked up.
- Preheat the oven to 200C / 180C fan.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil then add the potato rings. Cook for 6 minutes until just cooked through. You don’t want to overcook them otherwise they will become too delicate to handle. Drain and leave to steam dry for at least 10 minutes.
- You now need to make the bechamel sauce. Melt the butter in a saucepan then stir in the flour. Remove from the heat then slowly pour the milk in while continously whisking. Return it to the heat and simmer for 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the parmesan and plenty of black pepper.
- It’s finally time to assemble the moussaka! Grab a large overproof dish, spoon some of the meat into the bottom of the dish then layer it with aubergine and then some potato and then repeat until you have run out of everything. You should finish with a layer of aubergine. You can then pour the bechamel over the took.
- Place the dish into the centre of your hot oven and cook for 50 minutes. Keep a close eye on it as you don’t want to burn the top. If it starts to turn dark brown then simply cover with a sheet of tin foil.
Notes
Related FAQs
If you’ve still got questions about freezing moussaka or aubergine in general, then these may help:
Yes! Moussaka can either be frozen when it is assembled or it can be frozen once it has cooked. If freezing after cooking, the most important thing is to ensure it has cooled to room temperature before placing it in the freezer.
Yes, moussaka made solely with vegetables can be frozen much like a meat moussaka. Once cooled, wrap it and then place it into the freezer. It will keep for a little longer than a meat moussaka.
If you think you’ll eat the leftovers in the next few days then you can keep it in the fridge instead of the freezer where it will remain good to eat for around 5 days.
