Greek Pastitsio
Step aside, regular lasagna – let me introduce you to Greek Pastitsio, the magnificent Greek pasta bake that’s about to become your new favorite comfort food. This layered masterpiece combines perfectly spiced meat sauce, creamy béchamel, and tender pasta into what can only be described as pure deliciousness.
Why We Love This Greek Pastitsio Recipe
Think of pastitsio as a Greek-style lasagna. What sets it apart from other lasagna recipes, though, is the unique combination of warm spices like cinnamon and nutmeg, which add an intriguing depth that you won’t find in typical Italian pasta bakes.
The base layer features bucatini pasta – those lovely long tubes that catch sauce in their hollow centers – tossed with egg whites for structure. This is topped with a richly seasoned meat sauce that’s almost like a cross between Greek-style bolognese and moussaka filling. But the crown jewel is the thick layer of béchamel sauce, made extra luxurious with egg yolks and Parmesan cheese, which bakes into a gorgeous golden crust while staying perfectly creamy underneath!
Ingredients You Need
For the Meat Sauce
- Vegetables: Combine onion, celery, carrots and garlic to make a flavorful base to the sauce, commonly referred to as a “mirepoix”.
- Ground Beef: Ground beef makes up the rich meat sauce!
- Red Wine: Use a dry red wine that you enjoy to drink. If you don’t want to cook with alcohol, replace it with chicken or beef broth.
- Salt & Pepper: To taste!
- Oregano: I used dried oregano here for an herby addition.
- Cinnamon Stick: A cinnamon stick infuses a gentle, warming spice.
- Bay Leaves: For added depth of flavor!
- Crushed Tomatoes: I used canned Tuttorusso Tomatoes here, since they are high quality and add loads of flavor.
For the Bechamel Sauce
- Butter & Flour: Combine butter and flour to create a creamy roux, which will thicken this sauce up to perfection.
- Milk: Preferably whole milk here, for the richest flavor.
- Salt & Pepper: To taste.
- Nutmeg: I like to add freshly grated nutmeg, but dried will work in a pinch.
- Egg Yolks: Egg yolks are added to create structure once the Greek pastitsio is baked.
- Parmesan Cheese: For added flavor! I like to use freshly grated, since it melts into the sauce more seamlessly.
For the Pasta
- Bucatini Pasta: This is traditional, but you can use penne or ziti instead.
- Egg Whites: Egg whites will coat the cooked noodles and create structure, to keep them in place after being baked.
- Parmesan Cheese: For that extra layer of flavor!
How to Make Greek Pastitsio
Prep the Meat Sauce
- Cook the Mirepoix & Beef: Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, carrot and celery and cook for 2-3 minutes until onion is softened and translucent. Add garlic and the ground beef. Cook the meat, breaking it up as you go, until browned.
- Add Seasonings & Wine: Season with salt, black pepper, oregano cinnamon and bay leaves. Add wine and cook until the wine has mostly evaporated.
- Add Tomatoes: Add Tuttorosso Italian Inspirations Crushed Tomatoes Chunky Style in Puree with Sweet Basil into the skillet. Rinse the can with water and pour it back into the skillet. Stir well, cover, and let the sauce simmer for about 30-40 minutes over low heat. Stir occasionally and cook until the sauce thickens. Remove from the heat and let it cool. It can be prepared ahead of time.
Make the Bechamel Sauce
- Make Roux: Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add in the flour mixture and whisk to combine and cook for a couple of minutes.
- Add Milk: Gradually pour in the milk while whisking continuously. Cook until the sauce thickens and coats the back of the spoon.
- Season: Remove from heat. Season with salt and black pepper, and nutmeg. Add the egg yolks while whisking vigorously. Add the parmesan cheese and continue to whisk.
Prep Pasta & Assemble
- Cook Pasta & Add Egg Whites: Boil pasta until Al dente, drain, and then place them back in the pot. Drizzle with olive oil and stir through the egg whites.
- Preheat: Preheat the oven to 350°F degrees.
- Place in Baking Dish: Transfer pasta evenly to a large 9×13 baking pan and sprinkle over 1 cup parmesan cheese.
- Add Sauce Layers: Spoon all the meat sauce evenly over the pasta then continue with the bechamel sauce. Sprinkle more cheese over the béchamel.
- Bake: Bake for 45-50 minutes until deeply golden.
- Cool to Set: Remove the dish from the oven and allow it to cool for at least 1 hour before cutting.
- Slice & Enjoy: Slice into portions and serve garnished with fresh parsley.
Tips for Success
- When making bechamel sauce, it is important to whisk it constantly while cooking to prevent lumps. Make sure to whisk vigorously after adding the egg yolks too, to prevent them from becoming scrambled!
- Don’t skip the resting time after baking! The Greek pastitsio needs this time to set properly before serving. If you cut into it too soon, it will be more saucy and difficult to keep in its layers.
- Cook pasta just until al dente as it will continue cooking in the oven, and you don’t want it to be too soft!
- I recommend grating your own parmesan cheese rather than using pre-grated for better melting.
Serving Suggestions
This Greek pastitsio is definitely going to the star of any meal, but you can accompany it with other dishes, especially if feeding a crowd! Here are some of my favorite ways to serve it:
- With a salad: Serve with a side salad like cucumber and chickpea salad, easy quinoa salad or spanakopita pasta salad!
- With lightly cooked vegetables: Add a side of lemony green beans or balsamic marinated mushrooms.
- Add a side of bread: Accompany with warm pita bread or garlic parmesan popovers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Pastitsio, sometimes spelled “pastizio” or “pastichio”, is a Greek baked pasta that consists of layers of pasta, meat tomato sauce, and bechamel sauce. It is creamy, flavorful and super comforting!
If you’d like to make it ahead of time, I recommend prepping the meat sauce and bechamel sauce the day before and storing them separately in airtight containers in the fridge until the next day. Then, you can prep the pasta layer, add the sauce layers, and bake!
Definitely! If you’d like to freeze it, store in a freezer safe container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and heat in the oven until heated through and serve!
More Comfort Food Recipes to Try
Greek Pastitsio Recipe
Ingredients
For the Meat Sauce
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 1 carrot finely chopped
- 1 celery stalk finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
- 1 cup red wine
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
For the Bechamel Sauce
- 12 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3/4 cup all purpose flour
- 6 cups milk
- kosher salt to taste
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg
- 2 egg yolks
- 1/3 cup parmesan cheese
For the Pasta
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 500 grams Bucatini pasta No 2
- 2 egg whites
- 1 cup parmesan cheese
Instructions
For the Meat Sauce
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, carrot and celery and cook for 2-3 minutes until onion is softened and translucent. Add garlic and the ground beef. Cook the meat, breaking it up as you go, until browned.
- Season with salt, black pepper, oregano cinnamon and bay leaves. Add wine and cook until the wine has mostly evaporated.
- Add Tuttorosso Italian Inspirations Crushed Tomatoes Chunky Style in Puree with Sweet Basil into the skillet. Rinse the can with water and pour it back into the skillet. Stir well, cover, and let the sauce simmer for about 30-40 minutes over low heat. Stir occasionally and cook until the sauce thickens. Remove from the heat and let it cool. It can be prepared ahead of time.
For the Bechamel Sauce
- Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add in the flour mixture and whisk to combine and cook for a couple of minutes.
- Gradually pour in the milk while whisking continuously. Cook until the sauce thickens and coats the back of the spoon.
- Remove from heat. Season with salt and black pepper, and nutmeg. Add the egg yolks while whisking vigorously. Add the parmesan cheese and continue to whisk.
For the Pasta
- Boil pasta until Al dente, drain, and then place them back in the pot. Drizzle with olive oil and stir through the egg whites.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F degrees.
- Transfer pasta evenly to a large 9×13 baking pan and sprinkle over 1 cup parmesan cheese.
- Spoon all the meat sauce evenly over the pasta then continue with the bechamel sauce. Sprinkle more cheese over the béchamel.
- Bake for 45-50 minutes until deeply golden.
- Remove the dish from the oven and allow it to cool for at least 1 hour before cutting.
- Slice into portions and serve garnished with fresh parsley.