Greek Pastitsio

Greek Pastitsio

Greek Pastitsio is one of those dishes we keep coming back to when we want to really impress people without letting on how much effort went in. It's layers of pasta, rich mushroom-based ragu, and the most gloriously creamy bechamel sauce, all baked together until golden and bubbling. Every bite has that deep, warmly spiced Mediterranean flavour; cinnamon, allspice, proper umami richness. It's genuinely stunning. We first made this for a dinner party and everyone was floored that it was totally plant-based. If you've got a big occasion coming up, or honestly just a Tuesday where you fancy something special, make this one.

Cook: 85 min
Serves 6

Before You Start

  • Preheat oven to 180°C
  • Food processor
  • Large baking dish greased with olive oil
  • Microplane or box grater for cheese

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 large onion
  • 500g chestnut mushrooms
  • 3 cloves of garlic
  • 2 tbsp tomato purée
  • 1 tbsp harissa paste
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • ½ tsp ground cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp nutmeg
  • 1 tsp white sugar
  • 120ml red wine
  • 1 x 400g can of puy lentils
  • 300g pasta - Greek Macaroni is traditionally used
  • 1 400g tin of tomatoes
  • 100g plant-based butter
  • 1 tsp dried mint
  • 100g plain flour
  • 750g oat milk
  • 3 tbsp Nooch
  • 75g plant-based parmesan
  • 75g plant-based cheese
  • 100g breadcrumbs

Method

1

Prep the veg

  • Dice the onion
  • Mince the garlic
  • Roughly chop the mushrooms or place in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped
  • Grate the cheese
2

Make the sauce

  • Heat a large frying pan over a medium heat with the olive oil
  • Add the onions and a pinch of salt and cook for a few minutes to soften
  • Add the mushrooms and cook for 10 minutes, until the liquid has evaporated and they are slightly caramelised
  • Add the garlic, tomato paste, harissa, oregano, cinnamon, nutmeg, sugar and cumin, stirring to coat
  • Pour in the red wine and bring to a simmer for 2 minutes
  • Add the chopped tomatoes and lentils, stir well and bring to a simmer for 10 minutes until slightly thickened
  • Taste and season with salt and pepper
3

Make the bechamel sauce

  • Heat a saucepan with the butter
  • When the butter has melted, add the flour and beat together to a smooth paste, then gradually pour in the milk, whisking until smooth
  • Keep whisking until thickened, for about 5 minutes
  • Stir through the mint, nutritional yeast, half the cheese and season with a pinch of salt and pepper
4

Cook the pasta

  • Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil and cook the pasta following packet instructions, or for 10 minutes until al dente
  • Drain the pasta and return to the pan
  • Add a spoonful of bechamel to the pasta and stir to coat
5

Assemble and Bake

  • Grease the baking dish with a drizzle of olive oil and arrange the pasta over the base
  • Spoon over the mushroom lentil sauce then finish with the bechamel sauce
  • Scatter over the remaining cheese and breadcrumbs and bake for 40 minutes until golden and bubbling
  • Leave to stand for 15 minutes before serving

Tips & Variations

  • Make it ahead: This is actually one of those rare recipes that tastes even better the next day. Assemble it fully, refrigerate overnight, then bake when you're ready. Takes all the stress out of dinner parties.
  • Mushroom texture matters: We really recommend pulsing the mushrooms in a food processor rather than chopping by hand. You get a much finer, meatier texture in the ragu and it holds together so much better in the layers.
  • Don't rush the bechamel: Stir it slowly and keep the heat gentle. A lumpy bechamel is heartbreaking at this stage of the recipe. Trust us on this one, patience here pays off massively when you see that golden top come out of the oven.

Why This Works

The trick here is getting the mushrooms properly cooked down so all that liquid evaporates and they go slightly caamelised. That's where the depth of flavour comes from. The cinnamon in the ragu is the other secret weapon. It sounds a bit out there, but it's totally traditional and it's what gives pastitsio that unmistakable warmth that keeps everyone going back for more.