{"id":80016,"date":"2023-05-13T17:16:34","date_gmt":"2023-05-13T15:16:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ellerepublic.de\/?p=80016"},"modified":"2025-07-14T17:11:32","modified_gmt":"2025-07-14T15:11:32","slug":"egyptian-eggplant-moussaka","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ellerepublic.de\/en\/egyptian-eggplant-moussaka\/","title":{"rendered":"Vegan Egyptian Eggplant Moussaka (Mesaka\u2019a)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Most of us are familiar with Greek moussaka, but do you also know the Egyptian version?Egyptian Moussaka, which is called Eggplant Mesaka\u2019a is the cousin of this popular Mediterranean dish and a delicious way to enjoy eggplant. This vegan dish however differs as there is no ground meat, potatoes or b\u00e9chamel sauce. Rather it is a simple aubergine dish prepared with spices, tomatoes, sweet peppers and in this case \u2014 also chickpeas. Simple, yet delicious.<\/p>\n

What is Egyptian moussaka (Mesaka\u2019a)<\/h2>\n

Egyptian moussaka (mesa\u2019ah) is a close cousin of the more common Mediterranean moussaka. Mesaka\u2019a is made of layers of fried or roasted eggplants, a mix of sweet and spicy peppers, and is delicious layer of richly spiced tomato sauce. It\u2019s a simple dish that varies from family to family and it can be made with or without ground meat. It’s also one of those dishes that gets better with time, making it a great make ahead dish that stores well in the fridge for up to 3 days.<\/p>\n

Vegan Mesaka\u2019a ala Elle<\/h2>\n

In this completely vegan version, spices are plenty, spicy pepper is replaced with chili spice, smoked paprika adds a little extra depth, almonds for a little extra crunch and chickpeas make this dish hearty enough to be enjoyed as a main, even on its own.<\/p>\n

\"Roasted<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Preperations<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Preperations<\/a><\/p>\n

How to serve Eggplant Mesaka\u2019a<\/h2>\n

You can serve this eggplant with chickpeas in tomato sauce dish as a main dish or appetiser as part of a mezze. Simply sprinkle it with a little fresh parley and serve warm, at room temperature or even cold. You can enjoy it on it\u2019s own, with rice, or your favourite flatbread and perhaps a side salad.<\/p>\n

\"Vegan<\/a><\/p>\n

How to adapt this recipe<\/h2>\n

Dishes like this are easy to adapt with the simple changes. You can make the flavours bolder by adding more spices, more garlic, even increasing the heat. Here are a few ideas:<\/p>\n