Pastitsio is a comforting Greek lasagna with layers of pasta, a tantalizing cinnamon-spiked meat sauce, and creamy bechamel. I’m sharing my mom’s recipe, and it is a must-try! It is easier to make than you think, and you can prepare it in advance.
If I were to ask you about a dish that might have defined the holidays for you as a child, what would it be? For me, it’s Greek pastitsio, but in our Egyptian household, this casserole was known by a more literal name: macaroni béchamel. And it is all the comfort!
What is Greek pastitsio?
Pastitsio (pastichio/pasticcio/pastizio) is a Greek pasta bake or Greek lasagna made of layers of pasta, a delicious meat sauce, and a topping of creamy béchamel that gives it an extra luxurious silkiness and hearty finish. It’s one of those legendary dishes similar to moussaka, but of course there is no eggplant here.
Incidentally, the word pastitsio translates to “hodgepodge.” Aren’t the best of homemade casseroles basically a glorious hodgepodge?!
What is in pastitsio?
There are three different components or layers that make up this Greek lasagna recipe:
- Pasta. What kind of pasta to use? Traditionally, the pasta used in this dish is a thick bucatini-style pasta that’s referred to as “Pastitsio pasta No.2”. You can use penne or ziti pasta instead.
- Pastitsio meat sauce. The hearty meat sauce for this pastitsio recipe is made of lean ground beef that’s cooked in a tomato and red wine sauce with onions, garlic, bay leaves and warm spices like cinnamon, allspice, and a dash of nutmeg (the Greek’s use mainly cinnamon)
- Béchamel. Basic béchamel sauce is typically made of all-purpose flour cooked in fat and thickened with milk to create a creamy white sauce that serves as the topping for this Greek lasagna. Greek béchamel also included eggs, which I’ve kept pretty classic but used extra virgin olive oil instead of butter to lighten things just a touch. It’s the same beloved béchamel I use to give my Spanakopita-Style Baked Mac and Cheese its creamy top layer.
How to make pastitsio (Greek Lasagna):
Making this Greek pasta casserole is similar to assembling a lasagna dish.
First, prepare each component of the Greek lasagna–cook the pasta, make the meat sauce, and make the bechamel.
Use a large casserole dish or a 9 1/2 x13 baking dish. Give the dish a quick brush with some good extra virgin olive oil, then assemble the Greek lasagna layer by layer. Spread about one half of the cooked pasta first. Next, add the meat sauce and spread it well. Add the rest of the pasta on top of the meat sauce, then finally spread the bechamel sauce on top.
Bake your Greek pastitsio at 350 degrees F heated-oven for one hour or until the bechamel topping bubbles nicely and turns golden brown. Remove from heat and set aside for 10 minutes before serving.
Important tip: after baking, allow the pasta casserole to sit for at least 10 minutes before cutting it into pieces, the bechamel sauce needs the time to settle a bit.
Can you make it in advance?
If you need to prepare Pastitsio in advance, you can prepare the different components–pasta, meat sauce, and bechamel–the night before. Store separately in the fridge and assemble before baking. Or, you can certainly assemble the pastitsio in your casserole dish, but do not bake. Cover tightly and refrigerate. Bake the next day when you are ready.
Can you freeze it?
If you end up with leftovers, you can certainly freeze cooked pastitsio in portions and thaw in the fridge overnight. When ready, heat in a medium-heated oven until warmed through.
What to serve along?
You might find this Greek lasagna situation served next to the Easter leg of lamb, but it can be the main dish. You can add a couple of vegetarian small dishes to serve next to it. Here are a few ideas:
- Sides: grilled vegetables; baked zucchini; quick roasted tomatoes
- Salads: Greek salad; Balela salad; white bean salad
Watch the video for this pastitsio recipe
Greek Pastitsio Recipe
- Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
- Yield: 12 pieces 1x
Description
BEST Greek pastitsio recipe. Delectable and flavor-packed baked pasta with Greek-spiced meat sauce and a “lightened up” golden bechamel topping. A must-try!
Ingredients
- 3 1/2 cups uncooked Penne pasta
- Salt
- Private Reserve Greek extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tbsp grated Parmesan
For Meat Sauce
- 3 tbsp Private Reserve Greek extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped
- 1 1/2 lb lean ground beef
- 3 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
- Salt
- 1/2 cup red wine such as merlot
- 28 oz canned crushed tomatoes
- 2 dried bay leaves
- 3/4 tsp ground allspice
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- pinch sugar
For Bechamel
- 1/3 cup + 2 tbsp Private Reserve Greek extra virgin olive oil
- 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp salt, more if you like
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 4 cups 2% milk, warmed
- 2 large eggs
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Cook the pasta to al dante according to package instructions. Be sure to add salt and olive oil to the boiling water. Drain and transfer pasta to 9 1/2″ x 13″ baking pan like this one. While still hot, drizzle pasta with a little more extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle grated Parmesan. Toss to combine. Set aside for now.
- Make the meat sauce. In a large pan or skillet like this one, heat olive oil over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking. Saute onions until just golden, then add lean beef and garlic. Season with salt. Cook until meat is fully browned, tossing regularly and breaking up the meat with your wooden spoon (about 8 to 10 minutes). Carefully drain any excess liquid and return pan to heat. Add wine, crushed tomato, bay leaves, spices and pinch of sugar. Mix to combine. Bring to a boil for 5 minutes, then lower heat and let simmer for 10 to 15 minutes or so. Taste and adjust salt to your liking.
- While the meat sauce is cooking, prepare the bechamel. In a large saucepan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking. Stir in flour, salt and pepper. Cook until golden (if needed, added a little more olive oil). Gradually add the warmed milk, whisking continuously. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes, until smooth and thick. Add nutmeg.
- In a small bowl, whisk a small amount of the hot bechamel mixture with the 2 eggs in a small bowl. Then return all to the pan with the remaining bechamel mixture. Continue to stir or whisk the mixture bringing to a gentle boil for just 2 more minutes. Taste and adjust salt and pepper. Remove from heat and allow to cool and thicken a little more (you should have a creamy, thick and smooth bechamel sauce).
- Assemble the pastitsio. Top the cooked pasta with the meat sauce; smooth with a wooden spoon to fully cover the pasta. Now top the meat sauce with the bechamel topping. Again, smooth with your wooden spoon to cover the meat sauce evenly.
- Bake the pastitsio in 350 degrees F heated-oven for 1 hour until golden brown. Remove from heat and set aside for 10 minutes before serving. Cut into square pieces and serve.
Notes
- Pro Tips: 1. You can prepare Pastitsio the night before up to step #6. Cover tightly and refrigerate. Bake the next day when you are ready (budget 1 hour for baking per step #7.) 2.This recipe makes a large amount for big gatherings or if you like leftovers! But you can simply cut the recipe in half for a smaller crowd (you’ll need to watch baking time). 3. You can freeze leftovers in portions. Thaw in fridge overnight. When ready, heat in a medium-heated oven until warmed through.
- Featured Ingredients: Private Reserve Greek extra virgin olive oil (from organically grown and processed koroneiki olives); ground allspice; ground nutmeg.
- SAVE! Shop our Greek Olive Oil Bundle and our all-natural and organic spice collections: The Mediterranean Ultimate Spice Bundle; Mediterranean Essentials Bundle; or create your own 6-pack of spices!
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 1 hour and 15 minutes
- Category: Entree or Side Dish
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: Greek
*This post originally appeared on The Mediterranean Dish in 2017 and has recently been updated with new information for readers’ benefit.
How would this be if you were to replace the beef with lamb?
Delish :).
Add the cheese to the bechamel sauce and increase the salt in bechamel. Try adding one clove of finely chopped garlic also. I love sweet basil so I add that on top of the red sauce. Top with more grated cheese. If you don’t like so much oil make it with oil and butter.
Thanks for sharing your adaptations, Michele!
Made this yesterday. I was concerned about the ingredients used in this recipe from the beginning as it seemed to be missing something and called for too much of other ingredients here. First, I can cook and follow recipes so let’s start there. My dishes whether my own or recipes from the internet, I know what good food is, Yes Fact, Not an Opinion. Having said this; this recipe calls for way to much flour, olive oil and is missing key ingredients such as Greek Cheese to include Feta and Kefalotiri cheeses as well as Red Onion for flavor and not yellow onion for sweetness. Butter although not healthy as olive oil, adds tremendous flavor in all dishes, use sparingly. This recipe from the Mediterranean Dish lacks so much flavor and has zero savory tastes. Very disappointed. And all that oil, flour and milk is completely wrong on so many levels, complete waste of ingredients and money that just kills the flavor. Overall, the dish came together well, cooked fine and stayed together nicely but, No flavor compared to Greek Dishes and all the other Greek Pastitsio Recipes available. Don’t think I will try other recipes from this site and awful cook.
I think that, while you might dislike this particular recipe, you are dismissing all the other recipes too quickly. I hope you will reconsider, as I’ve made several dishes from this site, and they are wonderful!
You are doing something wrong, I’m not sure you understand this recipe. It doesn’t involve goats cheese as that flavour is too strong. I’m not sure about your claim to know what good food is at all.
I have tried many recipes from this site, and they all have been excellent! That being said, I was a bit disappointed with this one. With the delicious spices, I expected a lot more flavor, and I too was disappointed. Butter? I’m not sure what was missing, as you said, it all came together well , but it was not what I expected as far flavor that pops like most of the recipes on this site.
Has anyone ever used gluten free pasta and gluten free flour? Has it held up ?
I did. It was good. I used gf pasta by Rummo and a mix of 1 for 1 and all purpose gf flour by Bob’s red mill.
Would it be possible to substitue out the pasta and aybeuse potatoes instead? My mum won’t eat pasta but I’d lke to try a variation on this recipe. Any tips welome!
Hi, Dawn. I think you could give that a try. Not quite traditional pastitsio that way, but it seams like it could still be pretty delicious.
I made this for dinner last night and wow! It was delicious. I will be trying more of your recipes.
Yay! Thanks, Cheri!
I think i’m going to try this on Saturday! Question: when you put it in the oven do you leave it uncovered? or should i put foil over it?
Hi, Kim. I bake this uncovered. Hope you enjoy it!
Turned out pretty good, but needs to rest after removing from the oven for way longer than 10 minutes as suggested
For those who work in METRIC – I remeasured the cup measurements from cups to grams –
3 1/2 cups equals to around 350g dry pasta
For bechamel
75g flour
90g olive oil
1000g milk
Thanks for sharing!
Hi Suzy, I love your Best Vegetarian Moussaka Recipe! Since we’re vegetarians, I’m going to make this Pastitsio Recipe, but substitute the meat with lentils. Looks Amazing! I love all your recipes!
Awesome! Please come back and share your thoughts after you make it.
Delicious, not missing the cheese ,
Thanks, Nelly!
Hi I would love to make this but only have bucatini, how many oz would I use. Thanks so much
Hi, Melissa. I’ve never tried this recipe with bucatini, so I really can’t advise you here.
Looks very appetizing
Our dear Greek friend made this for us……it was her special family recipe and it was SO delicious. It was accompanied by a Greek salad dressed simply with Greek olive oil, oregano and salt. So much better than any Greek salad if have ever had before.
I have made the Pastitsio more than once. It is one of my favorites. There are numerous other recipes from you that I have made and every one of them has been a “keeper”. Mediterranean cooking is also very healthy and has made quite a difference in our eating habits. Thank you!
I love hearing that! Thank you!
I’m just curious,would a plant base milk work in place of regular milk ?
Hi, Georgeana. I’ve never personally made this one with a plant-based milk, so it’s hard for me to give a specific recommendation. If you give it a try, I’d love to hear how it turned out.
Hi, Georgeana – if you haven’t tried this with a plant-based milk, yes, it works beautifully. My daughter follows a dairy-free diet, and I’ve made many a Bechamel sauce, white “cream” gravy, etc., etc., substituting plant-based milk. We’ve used soy, almond, and oat-based. Don’t think I’d recommend coconut with this (though coconut works great with Indian food/curries, etc.!). Just be sure to use a NON-SWEETENED milk (you don’t want any sugar, vanilla, or other flavoring! Ugh! Ask us how we discovered THAT crucial bit of information! lol). Take care!! ~Chrissie
My first attempt at this dish and it was AMAZING, loved by all, many thanks for sharing.
Yay! 🙂