Pastitsio Recipe
on Dec 06, 2024, Updated Jan 11, 2025
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You’ve been waiting for this Pastitsio recipe, and I am finally delivering 😅! This dish is a true classic—what Greeks often refer to as their version of lasagna! This is the version my mom learned to make when we lived in Heraklion, Crete 🇬🇷.
As many of you know, we moved to Crete because of my dad’s water polo 🤽 career. After competing in the Olympics 🥇, he became a coach for the Greek men’s team, which brought our family to Greece. While he was coaching, my mom spent time with the other team families and immersed herself in the art of authentic Greek cooking. Greece quickly became home 🏠, and the team and their families became like our own.
This is one of many recipes that has been passed down to me, and I’m honored to continue cooking alongside my mom and sharing our traditions with the world ❤️.
Why You’ll Love This Pastitsio Recipe
This Greek Pastitsio recipe is the truest form of indulgence. The layers of Greek bucatini-style pasta 🍝 are drenched in a rich meaty sauce, and topped with a thick layer of béchamel— to create the absolute perfect dish.
Recipe Tips
- You can prep the meat sauce and béchamel the day before and assemble the Pastitsio recipe the following day if you want to be completely stress-free. Simply warm up the meat sauce and béchamel on low heat, assemble and bake!
- Alternatively, you can assemble the Pastitsio recipe the day before, cover it, and leave it in the fridge. The following day bake it as usual.
- Spices 🧂 like cinnamon and clove are traditional to most Greek meat sauces and what give the Pastitsio recipe a distinctive and rich flavor. My family prefers the sauce without it but feel free to add it in if you want a more traditional version.
- Kefalotyri cheese 🧀 is typically used in a Pastitsio recipe but if you don’t have access to it, Parmigiano Reggiano or Mozzarella is what I usually use or have on hand.
How to Prepare
🫒 Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat.
🥩 Add the ground meat and break it up. Fry the ground meat for about 10 minutes or until it begins to pop. The water should completely evaporate and the pan should be dry.
🧅 When the water has evaporated, reduce the heat to medium-low and add the onions. Then, add in the garlic and stir.
🧂 Then add the oregano, paprika, salt, and pepper, and stir.
🍷 Next, add in the red wine and let it evaporate by cooking it for another few minutes.
🍅 Stir in the tomato paste and cook for another minute. Add in the tomato sauce and cook the sauce for 10-20 minutes on low heat or until thick.
🧀 Take the meat sauce off the heat and stir in 1/4 cup of grated mozzarella cheese and then let the meat sauce cool and thicken.
🧈 While the meat sauce is cooking or cooling, get started on the béchamel sauce by melting butter in a big pot over medium heat.
🥛 Next, stir in the flour (it should look like a thick paste). Switch to a whisk and gradually add in the milk as you vigorously whisk the whole time.
🥄 Once the milk has finished, whisk for a few more minutes until the sauce has fully thickened and coats the back of a wooden spoon. Take it off the heat.
❄️ Next, add the salt, and then stir in the Parmigiano Cheese (or Kefalotyri) and let the sauce cool for 5 minutes.
🥚 Then, whisk in the egg yolks quickly, place the lid on, and set aside.
🌡️ Preheat the oven to 400F (200C)
🍝 In boiling salted water, boil the Greek pastitsio pasta until al-dente.
💦 When the pasta is boiled, strain the water and add a drizzle of olive oil to the pasta.
🥚 Add in two room temperature whisked egg-whites (our binder) and stir it well immediately so that the pasta gets fully coated.
👩🍳 Start assembling your Pastitsio recipe, by pouring the pasta out into a large rectangular baking dish with higher sides.
➡️ Use tongs to lay out the pasta so they are all in one direction because we want to see the uniform pasta holes when we cut into the Pastitsio.
🧀 Add a handful of grated mozzarella cheese on top of the pasta.
🥄 Pour the meat sauce onto the pasta making sure to cover the pasta fully and smooth it out with the back of a spoon or spatula.
🧈 Next, pour the bechamel sauce on top of the meat sauce making sure to smooth it out so that it covers the meat fully.
🔥 Add more grated mozzarella (enough to cover the top) and bake UNCOVERED at 400F (200C) until golden and bubbly. This can take anywhere from 40-60 minutes depending on the oven.
🔪 Let it cool for a minimum of 30 minutes, then slice up and enjoy!
Nonna’s Tip 🏛️
Kefalotyri cheese is typically used in Pastitsio but if you don’t have access to it, Parmigiano Reggiano or Mozzarella is what I usually use or have on hand.
Variations and Substitutions for Greek Pastitsio Recipe
Whether you’re looking to cater to dietary preferences, explore different flavor profiles, or simply put your own twist on this Greek classic, there are numerous variations and substitutions you can consider. From vegetarian alternatives to changes in cheese, spices, and even pasta types, there are lots of possibilities.
- You can try using a plant-based meat alternative if you’re vegetarian or even lentils.
- Experiment with different cheeses 🧀 for the béchamel topping. Parmigiano, Pecorino Romano, in addition to or instead of the traditional Kefalotyri cheese.
- While bucatini-style pasta is traditional, you can use other pasta🍝shapes like penne, rigatoni, or ziti. Make sure they all face one direction for presentation when cutting.
- Opt for whole wheat 🌾 or gluten-free pasta for dietary restrictions.
- Traditionally we use red instead of white wine. Use unsalted broth if you are alcohol-free.
Best Served With
Pastitsio pairs wonderfully with a variety of Greek 🇬🇷 and Mediterranean side dishes that complement its rich flavors and hearty nature.
- My refreshing yogurt-based Creamy Greek Salad 🥗would be the perfect salad to accompany Pastitsio.
- An assortment of roasted Mediterranean vegetables 🫑 like bell peppers, zucchini, and eggplant with olive oil, herbs, and garlic.
- My Simple Green Salad is a Bulgarian 🇧🇬 staple, you can omit the eggs in this salad for the perfect paring to Greek Pastitsio.
Similar Recipes
If you love Pastitsio, you’ll love some of my other hearty ground meat recipes such as:
Common Questions
Yes, you can prepare the meat sauce and béchamel a day in advance and assemble the dish the following day to save time. You can also assemble the day before, store in the fridge covered, and bake the following day. The cooked Pastitsio keeps in the fridge for 4 to 5 days, or in the freezer for 3 months (thaw then reheat covered in the oven).
Certainly, you can use ground beef, lamb, pork, or a combination of these meats based on your preference.
No, if you don’t enjoy the flavors of cinnamon and nutmeg, you can omit them from the recipe for a variation that suits your taste.
Gradually add the milk to the roux (flour and butter mixture) while whisking constantly to prevent lumps from forming. Make sure the milk is at room temperature or slightly warmed before adding it to the roux. If the béchamel sauce becomes lumpy, you can pass it through a sieve.
Yes, you can make a vegetarian Pastitsio by substituting the meat with ingredients like lentils or plant-based ground meat alternatives.
Traditional Pastitsio uses bucatini-style pasta, like Misko Pasticcio Pasta 2 but feel free to use a pasta shape like La Molisana Zitoni Napoletani N.8A. You can find Greek Pastitsio pasta #2 in Highland farms, Adonis, or any Greek specialty store. But you can also use other tubular pasta shapes like penne or ziti for a similar texture.
To achieve a crispy top, bake the Pastitsio uncovered during the final stage of cooking. If it’s not browning to your liking, you can briefly broil it, but be sure to watch it closely to prevent burning.
Yes, you can freeze leftover Pastitsio in an airtight container for up to 2-3 months. Thaw it in the refrigerator before reheating in the oven or microwave.
Unsalted broth of choice.
Greek Pastitsio Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
Meat Sauce
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 454 grams ground beef , or pork
- 1 onion, finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic , finely diced
- 1 teaspoons salt, to taste
- 1 teaspoons dry oregano, to taste
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ¼ cup wine, red or white
- 1 teaspoon tomato paste
- 2 cups tomato sauce, we use our homemade sauce which has salt, basil and tomatoes only
- ¼ cup mozzarella, optional
Béchamel Sauce
- ⅓ cup unsalted butter
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups milk , 2% or whole
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 pinch salt , to taste
- ¼ cup Parmigiano Reggiano (grated), or Greek Kefalotyri
Additional Ingredients
- 350 grams Greek pastitsio pasta, boiled in salted water to al-dente
- 1 drizzle olive oil
- 2 egg whites
- 2 cups mozzarella cheese , or Greek Kefalotyri cheese which is traditional
Instructions
The Meat Sauce
- Heat the olive oil in a large pan (with high sides) over medium-high heat. Add the ground meat and begin to break it up. Fry the ground meat for about 10 minutes or until it begins to pop. The water should completely evaporate and the pan should be dry.
- When the water has evaporated, reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the onions. Add in the garlic and stir. Add the oregano, paprika, salt, pepper and stir.
- Add in the red wine and let it evaporate by cooking it for another few minutes.
- Stir in the tomato paste and cook for another minute. Add in the tomato sauce and cook the sauce for 10-20 minutes on low heat or until thick.
- Note: Spices like cinnamon and clove are traditional to most Greek meat sauces and what give Pastitsio that distinctive and rich flavor. My family prefers the sauce without it but feel free to add it in if you want a more traditional version.
- Take the meat sauce off the heat, stir in 1/4 cup grated Mozzarella cheese as it acts as a binder (you can omit, it's optional). Let the meat sauce cool and thicken.
Béchamel Sauce
- While the meat sauce is cooking or cooling, you can get started on the béchamel sauce.
- On medium heat, add the butter to a big pot and let it melt completely.
- Stir in the flour, it should look like a thick paste. Switch to a whisk and gradually add in the milk as you vigorously whisk the whole time.
- Once the milk has finished whisk for a few more minutes until the sauce has fully thickened as you stir the whole time. It should coat the back of a wooden spoon. Take it off the heat.
- Next, add the salt and stir in the Parmigiano Cheese (or Kefalotyri). Nutmeg is also traditional but we leave it out.
- Let the sauce cool for 5 minutes. Then, whisk in the egg yolks quickly. Place the lid on and set aside. Set aside and start on the pasta.
- Note: if the sauce gets too thick as it cools, just reheat on low heat until it's pourable. If the béchamel sauce is lumpy, feel free to pass it through a strainer to smooth it out.
Additional Steps + Assembly
- Preheat the oven to 400F (200C)
- In boiling salted water, boil the Greek pastitsio pasta until al-dente. We like to boil it for about 6 minutes from the boiling point.
- Note: if you can't find Pastitsio pasta, use ziti, bucatini, or penne.
- When the pasta is boiled, strain the water and add a drizzle of olive oil to the pasta. Then add in 2 room temperature whisked egg-whites (our binder) and stir it well immediately so that the pasta gets fully coated.
- Pour the pasta out into a large rectangular baking dish with higher sides. I use a 9 by 13 inch dish which is 3 inches deep.
- We like to take the tongs (or clean hands) and turn each pasta noodle all in one direction (you don't have to if you don't want to). We lay out the pasta so they are all in one direction because we want to see the uniformed pasta holes when we cut it.
- Add a handful of grated mozzarella cheese on top of the pasta.
- Pour the meat sauce onto the pasta making sure to cover the pasta fully and smooth it out with the back of a spoon or spatula.
- Pour the bechamel sauce on top of the meat sauce making sure to smooth it out so that it covers the meat fully.
- Add grated mozzarella (enough to cover the top) and bake UNCOVERED at 400F (200C) until golden and bubbly. This can take anywhere from 40-60 minutes depending on the oven.
- Let it cool for a minimum of 30 minutes and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This looks delicious. What kind of tomato sauce do you recommend?
Hi Maria, any PLAIN sauce will work. Mine has tomatoes, salt and basil in it only as we make it homemade. You can use any with clean ingredients.
Unreal! I could eat the bechamel straight from the pot!
I just made this recipe for dinner, and it is honestly one of the best things I have ever tasted. The tender pasta, the meat sauce, and the creamy, dreamy bechamel sauce…absolute perfection. It is definitely a recipe that’s worth the effort-you won’t regret it!