Greek
Vegan Greek Pastitsio Recipe
Prep
40 minutes
Cook
35 minutes
Yield
8
Okay, you know those recipes that bring you right back to your roots and quite often make you feel butterflies in your belly as all the memories flow into your mind from growing up eating delicious meals with your family? This Greek Pastitsio Recipe is one of them. I immediately have visions of my mother or grandmother cooking me this dish almost every week. It was my brother’s favorite meal growing up, and it still might be, to be honest. My mom would make a huge serving of this dish and it still wouldn’t last more than a day or two.
One of the key ingredients of this dish is the bechamel sauce. Which if you’ve been following along, I recently just posted a recipe for as well. Bechamel is often known as being made with flour and milk, however, I’ve made a really great vegan version that you can use on anything. The secret ingredient is the nutmeg that adds a pop of flavor you never knew you needed.
The background of this Greek Pastitsio Recipe
Growing up in a small city with minimal multiculturalism, I was really the odd one out when it came to dishes and foods. People would often talk about special cookies their grandparents would make for them… meanwhile, I would hide in the corner at school eating my moussaka or pastitsio praying no one would come over and make fun of me. I wasn’t really a sweet tooth. I’d be the one eating ribs, lasagna and pizza for breakfast (pre-vegan days).
This recipe will bring your family so much joy and if not only that, it will bring a part of me to your dinner table. My intense passion for cooking really dives deep and it means so much to me when you make my recipes. Let this recipe be my gift to you and help you show your family that plants can, and are delicious.
Why you’ll love this recipe:
Other than the fact that this Greek Pastitsio recipe is being delivered to you right from my roots, there are so many other reasons you’ll love it:
- It’s nourishing
- It’s comforting
- It’s great for meal-prep or a make-ahead dinner (you can even make it and freeze it to bake for later)
- A pretty big crowd-pleaser
- You get to experience parts of Greece without having to leave your home
This Greek Pastitsio Pasta Recipe is so damn tasty. I seriously feel so blessed to have this platform to share it with you. You make it up in layers with bechamel, sauce, pasta, sauce, and although it’s easy, it’s mighty delicious.
My other fav Greek recipes:
- Creamy Vegan Greek Lemon Rice Soup
- Plant-Based Greek Moussaka
- Pearl Couscous Greek Salad with Tofu Feta
Vegan Greek Pastitsio Recipe
Your Greek mommy that is. 😍 Step into my kitchen to learn how to make yummy Greek food. 🍽️💃
Ingredients
- 1 serving Vegan Meat Sauce
- 2 servings Vegan Bechamel Sauce + 1 extra cup almond milk
- 1 cup grated plant-based parmesan
- 300 g cooked Pastitsio Noodles
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350F and place a 13″L x 7.75″W x 2.25″H baking dish onto a baking sheet, set aside.
- Prepare the meat sauce as instructed and let simmer on low till needed.
- Cook noodles as instructed on the package. You want the noodles slightly al dente. Strain and set aside.
- Prepare bechamel until you've reach the silky smooth consistency. The only adjustment to be made to this recipe is to add 1 extra cup of almond milk and 1 cup of vegan parmesan.
- To assemble, add 1 cup meat sauce to the base on your casserole dish and evenly distribute. Now add all your pasta and ensure everything is even, avoiding any large holes or gaps. Pat down evenly using a spoon before pouring over all your bechamel sauce.
- Bake in the oven for 40 minutes or until the bechamel sauce has gone completely golden and begins to bubble.
We love pastitsio and make it for special occasions. One of my guests is not only vegan but also gluten free. Any suggestions on what GF pasta works best for this?
Good question! I would try and find GF bucatini, rigatoni or spaghetti!