Lebanese Moussaka (Maghmour)

Name: Lebanese Moussaka (Maghmour)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients: 3 tablespoons olive oil; 1 small onion (diced); 5 cloves garlic (minced); 1 large eggplant (cut into 2 inch cubes); 1 teaspoon cumin; 1 teaspoon paprika; 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon; 1/2 teaspoon allspice; 1/4 teaspoon cloves; 1/4 teaspoon cayenne red pepper (optional); 1 tablespoon dried mint (or 3 tablespoons fresh mint); 1 - 15.5 oz can of chickpeas or about 1 cup dried chickpeas; 1-15 ounce can of diced tomatoes; 3 tablespoons tomato paste; Fresh parsley (garnish); Feta cheese (garnish)

Lebanese Moussaka, also known as Maghmour, is a warm, delicious vegan dish. Eggplant, warm spices, chickpeas along with diced tomatoes are simmered to create a flavorful dish. Finish off the dish with fresh parsley, and feta cheese and serve with pita bread. This is a budget-friendly meal that makes great meal-prep for the week ahead!

Prep15 min
Cook20 min
Total35 min
Makes6 servings
Calories111

Ingredients

6 servings

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion (diced)
5 cloves garlic (minced)
1 large eggplant (cut into 2 inch cubes)
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon cayenne red pepper (optional)
1 tablespoon dried mint (or 3 tablespoons fresh mint)
1 - 15.5 oz can of chickpeas or about 1 cup dried chickpeas
1-15 ounce can of diced tomatoes
3 tablespoons tomato paste
Fresh parsley (garnish)
Feta cheese (garnish)

Method

1
Optional Step: Salt the chopped eggplant and let it sit for 15 minutes to draw out bitterness and moisture. Pat dry before adding it to the skillet.
2
In a large skillet heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic sauté for 5 minutes.
3
Add the eggplant and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Saute the eggplant for 1520 minutes or until the eggplant is soft. Try not to stir the eggplant too much or too hard or it will break the eggplant down into a puree.
4
Add the cumin, paprika, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, cayenne pepper and dried mint. Stir well.
5
Stir in the chickpeas, diced tomatoes and tomato paste and stir well. Simmer for about 15-20 minutes to help the flavors develop. Serve warm with fresh parsley and feta cheese.

Notes

You also can roast the eggplant first instead of cooking in the skillet. To do this preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Coat with half the olive oil and roast in the oven until tender, about 25-30 minutes. Store this moussaka in an airtight container for up to 5 days. To reheat you can heat in a skillet, oven or microwave. If it is too thick you can add a bit of water or broth to loosen and thin it out. To freeze this, let it cool completely and then store in a freezer safe container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the fridge when you are ready to eat it and then reheat until heated through