Pastitsio (Greek Lasagna)
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Pastitsio (Greek Lasagna) – layers of pasta, rich spiced meat sauce, and creamy béchamel baked until golden and bubbling. One word: comfort.
If lasagna and moussaka had a beautiful, cinnamon-scented baby, this would be it.
Pastitsio is one of those “clear your schedule” recipes. Not because it’s difficult, it’s not, but because it deserves your time. We’re talking cozy, Sunday-dinner energy: long tubes of pasta stacked just so, a red wine meat sauce that smells like it’s been simmering in a Greek taverna all afternoon, and a thick, velvety béchamel that’s basically the crown on top.
Yes, it’s got steps. Yes, your sink will see some action. But when that golden, cheesy top comes out of the oven and you slice into those perfect layers? Worth. Every. Minute.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It’s like lasagna, but with way more flavor, warm spices, red wine, and a cheesy béchamel that basically deserves its own fan club.
- Feeds a crowd and still gives you leftovers, aka future-you’s favorite dinner.
- Perfect make-ahead meal. The flavors actually get better as it sits (like all the best things in life).
- It’s comfort food with flair, impressive enough for guests, cozy enough for pajamas.
- That first forkful? Pure layered bliss. And yes, everyone will ask for the recipe.
- Low and slow wins. This isn’t a 15-minute rush job — let the sauce simmer for at least 45 minutes so the spices and wine actually do their job.
- Red wine = essential. Go with something dry like Merlot or Cab Sauv, not the stuff labeled “cooking wine.” And yes, you can totally sip while you stir.
- Spices make it Greek. Cloves, allspice, cinnamon, use them sparingly, but don’t skip them. They give the sauce that distinct flavor that sets it apart from regular lasagna.
- Stick of cinnamon? Leave it in while it simmers, then ditch it. It’s for flavor, not for chewing (learned that the hard way).
- Taste and season at the end. Salt, pepper, maybe a tiny pinch more sugar, balance is everything once it’s reduced.
- Don’t be scared – It’s just a white sauce with better shoes. Whisk the butter and flour until smooth, then slowly add the milk to keep it lump-free.
- Nutmeg is non-negotiable. It’s the quiet backbone of every good béchamel.
- Temper those eggs like a pro. Add a ladle of hot béchamel into the eggs while whisking nonstop. This avoids scrambled egg disaster.
- Cheese boost: Kefalotyri gives it that salty tang. Sub with Parmesan if needed.
- Use a deep dish. Like, 3 inches deep. Trust me, this isn’t the time for a shallow baking pan.
- Pasta choices: Traditional pastitsio noodles look like thick bucatini. If you can’t find them, go with penne, ziti, or bucatini.
- Layer like you mean it. Pasta, meat, béchamel, spread each layer fully to avoid gaps.
- Let it rest. At least 30 minutes. This is the difference between clean slices and cheesy chaos.
Heat some olive oil in a big skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and break it up with your spoon, keep cooking until it’s browned and you’ve cooked off most of the liquid, about 10–15 minutes.
Next, toss in the chopped onion and cook until soft, then add the garlic. Once it smells amazing, pour in the red wine and stir to deglaze the pan. Scrape up the brown bits, that’s flavor gold.
Now add everything else: bay leaves, oregano, cloves, cinnamon (ground + stick), allspice, tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, water, sugar, salt, and pepper. Give it a good stir, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer gently (lid on) for about 45 minutes. Stir now and then. It should be thick and saucy. Don’t forget to pull out the bay leaves and cinnamon stick before assembling.
While the sauce is simmering, get your pasta going. Cook it until just al dente, drain, and let it cool.
In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk for 2–3 minutes until it smells slightly nutty. Slowly add the milk while whisking nonstop to avoid lumps. Add nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Let it simmer and thicken for 5 minutes.
Off the heat, stir in the grated cheese. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs and yolks. Now temper the eggs by adding one ladle of hot béchamel to the eggs while whisking. Do this again, then slowly stir the egg mixture back into the sauce. It should be creamy and thick, no scrambling allowed.
Preheat your oven to 350°F and grease a deep 9×13-inch dish (seriously, make sure it’s at least 3 inches deep or things will get messy).
Toss your cooked pasta with a bit of meat sauce, the egg whites, and cheese. Spread that evenly into the bottom of the pan. If you’re being fancy, you can line the pasta tubes up all nice and neat, I rarely bother, and it still tastes amazing.
Pour the rest of the meat sauce on top and smooth it out. Then go in with the béchamel, all of it, and gently spread it over the surface. Finish with a generous sprinkle of cheese.
Bake for 45–50 minutes until the top is golden and set. Then walk away for at least 30 minutes. It needs to rest so you can slice into perfect, layered squares instead of spooning out hot pasta lava.
What to Serve with Pastitsio
This is a full-on comfort meal, so you don’t need much, but if you want to round it out, here’s what pairs perfectly:
Greek Salad
No Knead Bread
Tomato Basil Salad
Baklava Recipe
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this ahead of time?
Yes, and you should. Pastitsio actually tastes better the next day. Assemble the whole thing, cover it, and pop it in the fridge overnight. Bake when you’re ready, just add 5–10 minutes to the bake time if it’s cold from the fridge.
Can I freeze Pastitsio?
Totally. Let it cool completely, then portion it out or wrap the whole thing tightly. Freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat in the oven at 350°F until warmed through. Pro tip: leftovers reheat best when covered with foil to keep that béchamel from drying out.
What if I can’t find Pastitsio pasta?
No stress, use bucatini, penne, or ziti. Just cook it al dente so it doesn’t turn to mush during baking. The texture still works beautifully.
I don’t cook with wine, what can I use instead?
Beef broth is your best sub. You’ll lose a little richness, but the spices and tomatoes still carry the flavor.
Can I make this gluten-free?
You can try it! Swap in gluten-free pasta and use a 1:1 gluten-free flour for the béchamel. Just keep a close eye on the sauce texture while whisking, some GF flours thicken differently.
What’s the difference between Pastitsio and Lasagna?
Think of Pastitsio as lasagna’s spiced-up Greek cousin. It swaps lasagna noodles for tube-shaped pasta, uses warm spices like cinnamon and cloves in the meat sauce, and finishes with a thick, cheesy béchamel instead of ricotta or mozzarella.
Can I use ground lamb instead of beef?
Absolutely, it’s actually more traditional in some regions of Greece. You can also do a 50/50 mix of beef and lamb if you want to ease into it.
Why is my béchamel lumpy?
Usually it’s from adding milk too fast or not whisking enough. Next time, pour slowly and whisk like you mean it. If it happens, just strain the sauce through a sieve, no one needs to know.
Can I skip the egg in the béchamel?
You can, but the sauce won’t set up quite as firm and structured. It’ll still taste good, just a bit looser, more like a Mornay than classic Greek béchamel.
Storage + Reheating
Fridge
Let leftovers cool completely, then store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. When you’re ready to reheat, cover with foil and warm in a 350°F oven until heated through, about 20–25 minutes. No foil = dried-out béchamel, and nobody wants that.
Freezer
Freeze fully cooled slices in airtight containers or wrapped tightly in foil and plastic wrap. They’ll keep for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then reheat in the oven like above. Works great for meal prep or lazy-night dinners.
More Delicious Recipes To Try
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Pastitsio (Greek Lasagna)
Video
Ingredients
Meat Sauce
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 pounds lean ground beef
- 1 large red onion (chopped)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- ½ cup red wine
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano (such as Greek or Mediterranean)
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 stick cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon allspice
- salt and pepper (to taste)
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 28 ounce crushed tomatoes
- 1 cup water
- 1 tablespoon sugar
Bechamel Sauce
- ½ cup butter (unsalted (8 tablespoons))
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 4½ cups milk (2%)
- salt and pepper (to taste)
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¾ cup Kefalotyri Greek cheese (or Parmesan, grated)
- 2 large eggs
- 2 egg yolks (reserve egg whites for pasta)
Pasta
- 1 pound Pastitsio pasta (or bucatini)
- ½ cup Kefalotyri Greek cheese
- 2 egg whites
Topping
- 1 cup Kefalotyri Greek cheese
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Instructions
Meat Sauce
- Brown the meat: Add the olive oil to a large skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Add the beef and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, breaking it up as you cook, until the meat is well browned.
- Cook onion and garlic: Add the onion, stir and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until the onion is soft and translucent. Stir in the garlic.
- Deglaze and add remaining ingredients: Deglaze the pan with the red wine, then add the bay leaves, oregano, cloves, cinnamon, allspice, salt, pepper, tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, water and sugar. Stir everything together well and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered for about 45 minutes or until the sauce has thickened, stirring occasionally. Remove the bay leaves and cinnamon stick and discard.
Bechamel Sauce
- Cook the pasta: Before starting the Béchamel sauce, cook the pasta as per package instructions until al dente. Drain and let cool.
- Make the bechamel: In a large saucepan melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk in the flour. Keep whisking for about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the milk, nutmeg, salt and pepper, then whisk everything together. Cook for another 5 minutes and whisk as necessary. Remove from heat and stir in the ¾ cup of Kefalotyri cheese.
- Combine with the egg mixture: In a medium size bowl whisk together the 2 eggs with the 2 egg yolks. Add a ladle of Béchamel sauce into the eggs and whisk briskly to avoid curdling the eggs. Add another ladle of sauce and whisk. Gradually add the egg mixture into the Béchamel sauce while stirring briskly.
Assembly
- Preheat oven: Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Grease the pan: Grease a 9×13-inch pan that's 3 inches deep with some olive oil. It's very important that the dish is 3 inches deep, otherwise not everything will fit.
- Prepare the pasta: Toss the cooked pasta with ½ cup of the meat sauce. Whisk the 2 egg white and toss it together along with ½ cup of Kefalotyri cheese. Transfer the pasta mixture to the prepared pan. You can arrange the pasta so that's they all go in the same direction.
- Top with remaining meat sauce: Top the pasta with the rest of the meat sauce and smooth out the surface.
- Finish with bechamel and cheese: Pour the Béchamel sauce over the meat sauce and smooth it out. Top with remaining Kefalotyri cheese.
- Bake: Transfer the pan to the oven and bake for 45 to 50 minutes until the top is golden brown and set.
- Let rest and serve: Let the pastitsio rest for at least 30 minutes before cutting into slices and serving.
Equipment
Notes
- Although you can use regular ground beef, I recommend using lean ground beef because the extra fat can make the Pastitsio somewhat greasy.
- Substitute Kefalotyri cheese with Parmesan cheese.
- If you find the béchamel sauce is not as smooth or thick enough, stir together a little more flour with cold milk, then add to the sauce and cook and stir until bubbly.
- Make sure to use a baking dish deep enough so that everything fits.
- Let the pastitsio cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing, so that it has time to set.
- Serve pastitsio with a nice Greek salad.
- Store leftover pastitsio in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. Reheat in a 350°F oven, covered until heated through.
- Cool completely before freezing by first placing in the fridge, if necessary. This pastitsio will freeze nicely in portions and placing in airtight containers. Thaw in the fridge overnight, before reheating.
Nutrition Information
Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.
