Lebanese Moussaka is a vegan dish that is mixed with eggplant, chickpeas, onion, garlic, and tomatoes. It is called Maghmour which pairs well with pita bread or rice.

Lebanese and Levantine foods offer one of the best vegetarian dishes you will ever try. The Levantine cuisines, such as Jordanian, Syrian or Lebanese, are quite similar to Mediterranean foods. It is healthier, flavorful, and rich in herbs and spices.

As you know, Eggplant is one of my favorite vegetables which I use in most of my dishes. Fortunately, in the Middle East, we have many delicious eggplant dishes like Baba Ganoush or Makdous.

In my experience, some countries have their version of moussaka. But, in this post, I want to share with you one amazing Lebanese dish that I tried in Amman, Jordan called Maghmour. And yes, we have a lot of Lebanese food in Jordan, which is popular among locals.

What is Lebanese Moussaka?

The Lebanese Moussaka, also known as Maghmour, is an eggplant vegan dish mixed with chickpeas. It is sautéed in the pan with garlic, onion, and chopped tomatoes. After that, water is added along with tomato paste to simmer the chickpeas.

If you tried with Mediterranean or Greek cuisines, then I am sure you are familiar with Greek Moussaka, which is like a layer with eggplant and bechamel sauce. The only difference is that the Greek version does not use tomato sauce. Also, the Lebanese version does not contain ground beef since this is a vegan dish.

This is one of my favorite eggplant recipes because not only it is delicious, purely vegan but it is highly nutritious. You get a good amount of Vitamin A and C from the eggplant and fiber and protein from the chickpeas.

This is a recipe that l learned from my father, which I am sure you will love this moussaka dish.

Recipe Ingredients

The recipe ingredients of my Lebanese Moussaka is simple since they are purely vegetarian.

• Eggplant
• Chickpeas
• Garlic
• Red Onion
• Olive oil
• Tomato Paste
• Spices- Cumin, Cinnamon and Curry powder.
• Water
• Vegetable oil- For frying the eggplant
• Seasoning for Taste- Salt, Black Pepper and Brown sugar

Step by Step Instruction

Here are the step on how to cook this delicious Lebanese Moussaka or Maghmour.

I. Frying the Eggplant

• Firstly, I pour vegetable oil into the pan to prepare to fry the eggplant. I slice the eggplant into a circle shape but you can use the slice in any shape as you like.
• Once the oil is hot, that is when I add each slice of eggplant into the pan. Remove each eggplant when both turned brown.
• Before you transfer the fried eggplant to the plate, add a paper towel to help absorb the excess oil. Set aside for the next step.

Note: One downside of frying the eggplant is that you need a lot of vegetable oil since the eggplant absorbs a lot of oil when frying. If you prefer less messy, you can bake it in the oven at 180 C or 356 F in 20 minutes. Just drizzle the eggplant with olive oil before baking it.

II. Cooking the chickpeas and the rest of the ingredients.

• In the next step, you need a separate pot where you cook the chickpeas, onion, tomatoes, and the rest of the ingredients.
• Add olive oil to the pot, and once it becomes hot, add the chopped garlic, onion, and tomatoes. Give a stir for several minutes till it turns translucent and soft.
• Next, I added the chickpeas and tomato paste. Stir again before you pour water. Let it simmer for 10 minutes or when the chickpeas become soft.
• Add all the spices and the fried eggplant. Stir to combine for few minutes to help them absorb the flavor of the eggplant.
• Lastly, before you turn off the heat, season it with salt, black pepper, and sugar for taste. Serve with pita bread or rice.

Variation

• If you want to add some spiciness, add cayenne pepper powder or red chilies.
• You can add other vegetables such as okra or green bell pepper.
• I am using Extra Virgin Olive Oil since it gives a better flavor to this dish.
• In this recipe, I am not making it into a stew or soupy since less sauce gives a stronger taste. If you want to make it into a stew, add more water or tomato sauce.
• As mentioned in the previous paragraph, you can bake the eggplant in the oven instead of frying.

Substitution

• I am using canned chickpeas since it is easier and faster to cook. But if you prefer to use dry chickpeas, that is fine. But make sure you boil it using a pressure cooker to make it soft right away
• Instead of tomato paste and water, you can use either tomato sauce or canned diced tomatoes.

Frequently Asked Questions (Faqs)

Other Eggplant Recipes to try

Here are more foreign eggplant recipes from around the world to try

• Makdous (Pickled Eggplant)
• Brinjal Masala
• Roasted Aubergine Dip (Baba Ganoush)

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