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    Home » Recipes » Slow Cooker

    Published on Sep 3, 2017. Modified on Nov 3, 2024 by bakingqueen74. This post may contain affiliate links. 15 Comments

    Slow Cooker Moussaka

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    Jump to Recipe

    Autumn means it is time to start using the slow cooker more often again (even though I’ve naturally been baking in mine over the summer anyway), so today I am sharing my recipe for Slow Cooker Moussaka, which is a great family meal option, made with lamb and aubergines.

    Slow Cooker Greek Lamb Moussaka
    Jump to:
    • What is moussaka
    • Ingredients
    • Step by step
    • Healthy option
    • Does the top go crispy in the slow cooker
    • Recipe
    • Reviews

    What is moussaka

    Moussaka is a Greek dish made with lamb or beef mince (ground lamb or beef) in a rich tomato sauce spiced with cinnamon, layered with aubergine (eggplant) and a thick layer of béchamel sauce.

    Traditionally it is made with lamb but you can also switch the lamb for beef if you can’t get lamb easily.

    Often moussaka also includes a layer of potatoes.

    Now, potatoes can be tricky to cook in the slow cooker so I omit them from my recipe.

    It is good too to leave the potatoes out if you are trying to cut down on carbs!

    Perfect for the slow cooker and it makes a lovely change from slow cooker lasagne and slow cooker shepherds pie for a family meal!

    Ingredients

    Here is what you will need for this recipe, with some notes on the ingredients. You’ll find the quantities in the recipe below.

    Fresh ingredients for making moussaka, labelled;
    Fresh ingredients for making moussaka.
    Store cupboard ingredients for making moussaka, with labels.
    Store cupboard ingredients for this moussaka recipe.
    • fresh aubergines (eggplant) – one of the key ingredients in moussaka.
    • minced lamb (ground lamb) – alternatively you could replace the lamb with beef mince (ground beef) if you like. I use 20% fat lamb mince.
    • red onions – typically used in Greek dishes.
    • tin of plum tomatoes – whole plum tomatoes add a little bit more body to the sauce. You could replace this with another tin of chopped tomatoes.
    • tin of chopped tomatoes – I like to use the Italian finely chopped tomatoes but it doesn’t make much difference if you use the normal kind.
    • olive oil – to brush onto the aubergine slices.
    • garlic – adds a hit of flavour to the sauce.
    • dried oregano – adds flavour to the meat sauce. It has a pungent, aromatic scent and flavour.
    • ground cinnamon – this adds the typical Greek flavour to the moussaka.
    • half fat creme fraiche – I normally use reduced fat creme fraiche for this recipe. If you prefer you can use the full fat version.
    • grated nutmeg – typically used in béchamel sauce to add flavour.
    • mature (sharp) cheddar cheese – sprinkled over the top. If you prefer another kind of cheese you can substitute it here.

    Step by step

    To make moussaka in a slow cooker first roast slices of aubergine (eggplant) in the oven. Brush them with oil and bake for 30 minutes.

    Next make up the lamb sauce ingredients. Brown the lamb mince in a large pan until no pink remains. Drain the fat and transfer the mince to a mixing bowl.

    Add the red onion, plum and chopped tomatoes, garlic, oregano, cinnamon, and salt and pepper to your taste, and mix well. 

    Lightly oil the base of your slow cooker and layer half of the roast aubergine slices in it.

    Pour in the lamb sauce, then top with the remaining aubergine slices.

    It looks delicious even before you start cooking it I think!

    Slow Cooker Moussaka - a Greek lamb and aubergine dish

    Pour the creme fraiche into a bowl and use a few splashes of water to loosen it up to a pouring consistency. Season with salt and pepper and grate in a little fresh nutmeg. Stir well.

    Pour the sauce on top of the second aubergine layer and spread it evenly with a spoon.

    Sprinkle the cheese on top.

    Cook on high for an hour or so and then switch to low for a further 6 hours.

    Healthy option

    My version of slow cooker moussaka is lightened up a little from the traditional dish.

    This is because I make the sauce with half fat creme fraiche, sprinkle a lower fat mature cheese on top, and also less olive oil used to cook the aubergines.

    These options all reduce the fat content slightly, however you can use the normal versions instead if that is not a concern to you.

    You wouldn’t know about these healthy twists from looking at or eating the dish, they are just a few healthy switches to make it a great versatile family meal really.

    Just look at the results you get in the slow cooker, such a rich and enticing dish to come home to.

    Slow Cooker Moussaka - a Greek lamb and aubergine dish

    On an autumn evening moussaka is a lovely comforting dish to warm you up at the end of a long day.

    The mildly spiced lamb sauce goes down well with my children too, we all love dipping crusty bread in to mop up the last of it on their plates.

    It is excellent to find a family dish which is not too difficult to make that the whole family enjoys!

    Slow Cooker Moussaka - a Greek lamb and aubergine dish

    Does the top go crispy in the slow cooker

    As you can see, the top of the moussaka even browns up on top during cooking in the slow cooker.

    I didn’t even need to use a tea towel under the lid to stop water dripping on top of the dish. 

    As it browns itself, it means you don’t need to stick the moussaka under the grill and risk your slow cooker pot cracking either. Result!

    As you dig in you can see the layers of aubergine, lamb sauce, and then the creamy white sauce on top.

    Spoon into your dishes and enjoy with green veg and of course bread on the side to mop up the juices!

    Slow Cooker Moussaka - a Greek lamb and aubergine dish

    Pin my Slow Cooker Moussaka for later!

    Slow Cooker Moussaka - a Greek dish of ground lamb with aubergine/eggplant and a thick creamy sauce

    Recipe

    Close-up of moussaka in serving dish, being served,

    Slow Cooker Moussaka

    Moussaka is a delicious Greek lamb dish with layers of aubergine and a creamy white sauce, ideal for a family meal. This slow cooker moussaka is excellent as a one-pot meal.
    4.86 from 21 votes
    Print Pin Rate Save Saved!
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Slow Cooker
    Prep Time: 50 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 7 hours hours
    Total Time: 7 hours hours 50 minutes minutes
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 601kcal
    Author: Lucy Allen | BakingQueen74

    Ingredients

    For the aubergine layer:

    • 2 aubergines sliced
    • 2 tsp olive oil

    For the lamb sauce:

    • 500 g lamb mince I used 20% fat mince
    • 2 red onions thinly sliced
    • 1 tin plum tomatoes 400 g
    • 1 carton chopped tomatoes I used Cirio polpe fine – finely chopped tomatoes, 390 g
    • 2 cloves garlic crushed
    • 1 tsp dried oregano
    • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
    • salt and pepper

    For the white sauce:

    • 300 ml half fat creme fraiche
    • salt and pepper
    • grated nutmeg a tiny amount
    • 40 g lighter mature cheddar
    UK Measurements – US Measurements

    Equipment

    large oval slow cooker
    large oval slow cooker

    Instructions 

    • Brush the aubergine slices with the olive oil and roast at 180℃ / 350℉ for 30 minutes, turning over half way through the cooking time.
      2 aubergines, 2 tsp olive oil
    • Brown the lamb mince in a large pan until no pink remains.
      500 g lamb mince
    • Drain the fat and transfer the mince to a mixing bowl.
    • Add the red onion, plum and chopped tomatoes, garlic, oregano, cinnamon and salt and pepper to your taste, and mix well.
      2 red onions, 1 tin plum tomatoes, 1 carton chopped tomatoes, 2 cloves garlic, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, salt and pepper
    • Lightly oil the base of your slow cooker and layer half of the roast aubergine slices in it.
    • Pour in the lamb sauce, then top with the remaining aubergine slices.
    • Pour the creme fraiche into a bowl and use a few splashes of water to loosen it up to a pouring consistency. Season with salt and pepper and grate in a little fresh nutmeg. Stir well.
      300 ml half fat creme fraiche, salt and pepper, grated nutmeg
    • Pour the sauce on top of the second aubergine layer and spread it evenly with a spoon.
    • Sprinkle the cheese on top.
      40 g lighter mature cheddar
    • Cook on high for an hour or so and then switch to low for a further 6 hours.

    Notes

    I made this in an oval 3.5 litre slow cooker and it served two adults and two children with an additional serving left over.
    Did you try and love this recipe?Then please leave a star rating and comment below to let me know how you got on!

    Slow Cooked Challenge September 2017

    The Slow Cooked Challenge had a nice summer break while we all enjoyed summery salads and lighter foods but now it is back with a new logo! Now that Janice from Farmersgirl Kitchen has handed the Slow Cooked Challenge over to me I thought it would be good to give it a fresh look to reflect that.

    If you are wondering what the Slow Cooked Challenge is, it is a monthly blog challenge for food bloggers, in which recipes made using a Slow Cooker/Crockpot, or using a Slow Cooker function in an Instant Pot or Multi Cooker, or by slow cooking in the oven or Aga, or any other slow method of cooking you can think of, are welcome! There is no theme for the recipes, you can link up any kind of slow cooked recipe. I look forward to seeing your Slow Cooked dishes!

     

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Susan Mccann says

      April 28, 2024 at 8:57 pm

      Thank you .I’m complete beginner to slow cooking…thank you for recipe………I did with Quorn mince as my best friend is vegetarian.

      Reply
      • bakingqueen74 says

        April 29, 2024 at 2:41 pm

        that’s wonderful Susan, I bet the Quorn version was great as a veggie option!

        Reply
    2. Kate Humphrey says

      March 14, 2024 at 7:05 pm

      If u precook everything will it not get mushy in the slow cooker for all of that time?

      Reply
      • bakingqueen74 says

        March 16, 2024 at 12:46 pm

        Hi Kate, the meat is just browned then the rest of the cooking is in the slow cooker. It doesn’t go mushy it just goes nice and tender! I roast the aubergine slices so they don’t go mushy!

        Reply
    3. Jay says

      October 13, 2019 at 6:56 pm

      Tried this the other day, whilst it was tasty, I think I will add a bit of tomato paste to thicken it up a little as I found there was too much liquid

      Reply
    4. May EatCookExplore says

      October 31, 2017 at 9:51 pm

      I would never have thought to make this in a slow cooker. I am getting so many ideas from your recipes.

      Reply
    5. Julie says

      October 11, 2017 at 7:33 am

      Made this last night. It was superb. Our visitors loved it. Well done.

      Reply
      • bakingqueen74 says

        October 11, 2017 at 6:28 pm

        Brilliant Julie I am so glad you enjoyed it! It’s a real family favourite here.

        Reply
    6. Eb Gargano | Easy Peasy Foodie says

      September 19, 2017 at 8:55 am

      What a totally fab idea for the slow cooker! I really love moussaka, but for some reason it’s never occurred to me to try a slow cooked version (It think possibly because I have a super speedy version we all love rather a lot!), but I really should try this. I do a very similar thing for my topping too – only I use the full fat creme fraiche 😉 Thanks for inviting me to link up – I will definitely have more to link up in the coming months – I love slow cooking!! Eb x

      Reply
    7. Petra says

      September 14, 2017 at 9:14 am

      I love a good moussaka and this looks delicious! I bet the house smelt gorgeous. 🙂

      Reply
    8. Corina Blum says

      September 14, 2017 at 8:43 am

      It looks gorgeous! I think it’s a great idea to use the slow cooker for a moussaka as the lovely flavours must really soak into the aubergine slices. Thanks so much for sharing with #CookOnceEatTwice x

      Reply
    9. Monika Dabrowski says

      September 14, 2017 at 7:22 am

      I love moussaka but never had it slow cooked, I can imagine though that after hours of cooking it probably has a melt-in-your mouth effect, which is exactly how it should be.

      Reply
      • bakingqueen74 says

        September 14, 2017 at 7:53 am

        I haven’t had it for ages before this! It was really melt in the mouth, definitely making it more often now. Thanks Monika!

        Reply
    10. jenny paulin says

      September 13, 2017 at 8:41 pm

      funnily enough I have never eaten or made moussaka before. However , I am tying some new recipes this week and that is on my list, although with beef as we don’t like lamb and I was going to oven bake mine. However, now I am thinking aha! I could make it in the slow cooker! thanks for the inspiration! x

      Reply
      • bakingqueen74 says

        September 14, 2017 at 7:54 am

        Thanks Jenny, drooling at your mars bar and banana cake x

        Reply
    4.86 from 21 votes (15 ratings without comment)

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    Hi, I'm Lucy! I'm a slow cooker addict, food blogger and also a busy working mum of two. I hope you'll enjoy the recipes I create and post which are perfect for busy families.

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