Greek Lasagna (Pastitsio)
Greek Pastitsio – You’ll love this Greek-style lasagna recipe! It features layers of tender pasta, zesty meat sauce, shredded cheese, and a creamy bechamel sauce, all baked together for a deliciously comforting dish.
Why We Love This Classic Greek Pastitsio Recipe
A popular dish at Greek restaurants, Pastitsio is a rich and hearty lasagna-style recipe with a Mediterranean twist. It’s made with a layer of tender bucatini pasta on the bottom, zesty Greek meat sauce in the middle, and a creamy bechamel cheese sauce baked to perfection on top!
Our classic Greek Pastitsio recipe is great to serve at Sunday dinner with the family. Not only will you all enjoy a deliciously comforting meal together, but pasticcio also makes marvelous leftovers!
This Greek bechamel sauce lasagna can even be prepared ahead to save yourself a bit of time on the day you plan to eat it. Either make it the day before, or you can freeze (before or after baking!) and have it ready to enjoy for up to 2 months.
What is Bucatini?
Bucatini is a long spaghetti-like pasta. However, it has a hole running through the middle, like a thin straw. This allows the sauce to get inside the pasta to add flavor in every bite.
You can find bucatini with a fine hole or sometimes with a larger hole through each strand. Choose whichever version you prefer!
No bucatini? No problem. Penne pasta and ziti are similar in that the noodles have holes through the center, so the same saucy noodle goodness is achieved throughout the Pastitsio.
Ingredients You Need
For the Pasta Layer –
- Bucatini pasta – or other pasta with a hole running through the center
- Egg whites – with yolks reserved
- Feta cheese – crumbled
- Shredded Italian blend cheese – that includes mozzarella, provolone, asiago, romano, and parmesan cheese
To make the Meat Sauce –
- Butter – unsalted
- Onion – peeled and chopped
- Garlic – minced
- Ground beef – we suggest a lean beef, such as 90-95%
- Spices – ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, salt and pepper
- Tomato sauce – canned
For the Béchamel Sauce –
- Butter – unsalted
- All-purpose flour
- Milk – whole milk is best
- Egg yolks – reserved from the making the pasta layer
- Seasonings – salt and ground nutmeg
How to Make Authentic Greek Lasagna (Pastitsio)
First, soak the bucatini pasta. Set out a deep 9X13 inch casserole dish. Add the bucatini pasta and cover it with very hot tap water. (It does not need to boil.)
Mix in a pinch of salt so the noodles don’t stick together. Then let it soak for 30-40 minutes while you prep and make the sauces.
Next, make the meat sauce. Sauté butter, onions, and garlic in a large saucepan for 3-5 minutes. Then add in the ground beef and spices, and cook to brown the meat. Add in the tomato sauce and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring regularly. Taste and season as needed.
Make the creamy bechamel sauce as you prepare the meat sauce. Set a separate pot over medium heat, and add the butter and flour. Whisk well and cook the roux for 1-2 minutes as you whisk constantly – do not let it brown.
Once it thickens, whisk in the milk, salt, and nutmeg. Let the bechamel thicken into a gravy-like consistency, then immediately turn off the heat. Whisking vigorously, add the egg yolks to the mixture. Lastly, stir in 1 cup of the shredded cheese blend. Keep stirring until the cheese has melted and the bechamel is smooth and creamy.
Drain and prep the pasta. It’s ok if a little water is left in the dish.
Toss the soaked pasta with the egg whites and feta cheese. Spread out in an even layer, and sprinkle the top of the pasta with 2 cups of shredded cheese.
Layer the Greek lasagna. Spread all of the meat sauce over the layers of pasta and cheese in the baking dish. Then gently pour and spread the bechamel over the meat sauce.
Finally, sprinkle the last 1 cup of shredded cheese over the bechamel sauce lasagna.
Get the Complete (Printable!) Greek Lasagna Recipe Below. Enjoy!
Bake the Pastitsio. If you are using a standard 9X13 inch dish, set it on a rimmed baking sheet. There’s no need for the baking sheet if you have a deep-dish pan. Bake uncovered, on the lowest rack, for 30-40 minutes.
Pro Tip: The top should be golden brown… If it starts to turn dark too quickly, cover loosely the top with a piece of foil.
Rest and serve. Let the Pastitsio sit untouched for at least 20 minutes before cutting and serving. This helps the pasta, meat sauce, and cheese all settle together so the Greek lasagna cuts smoothly and stays firm.
Recipe Variations
- Pasta – Use any medium-sized noodles that have holes and can soak up all the sauciness. Penne, ziti, and rigatoni are good options.
- Protein – Swap ground beef in the meat sauce with ground chicken, ground turkey, ground pork or veal.
- Vegetarian – Or, completely leave out the meat and make this bechamel sauce lasagna with marinara sauce.
- Sauce – Save yourself some time and use your favorite jarred pasta instead of homemade sauce.
- Gluten-free – Simply use your favorite GF bucatini penne pasta, and swap all-purpose flour for gluten-free alternative flour.
Serving Suggestions
We love to enjoy this warm, comforting dish with a cold and refreshing Horiatiki (Greek Village Salad) or simple green salad topped with a bright and zesty Greek Salad Dressing.
For an extra filling meal, you can also serve Greek lasagna with a side of Greek Lemon-Garlic Potatoes. And is it really pasta night without a basket of fresh baked Homemade Breadsticks or thick slices of Garlic Bread on the table? I think not!
Frequently Asked Questions
This lasagna will keep well in the fridge for 3-4 days. Allow leftovers to cool completely before transferring to an airtight container and refrigerating.
You can easily freeze Greek lasagna before or after baking! To freeze before baking I recommend preparing the dish in a freezer-safe pan that you can then heat in the oven when ready to serve. If freezing leftovers, allow them to cool and transfer to a freezer-safe container that seals. Freeze Pastitsio for up to 2 months. Defrost in the fridge overnight before heating per the recipe instructions.
Looking for More Deliciously Comforting Dinner Recipes? Be Sure to Also Try:
- Baked Ziti with Ricotta and Sausage
- Supreme Pizza Lasagna
- Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti with Rotel (Casserole Recipe)
- No-Boil Chicken Parmesan Pasta Recipe
- Cheesy Chicken Alfredo Pasta Bake
Get the Complete (Printable!) Greek Lasagna Recipe Below. Enjoy!
Greek Lasagna (Pastitsio)
Ingredients
For the Pasta –
- 12 ounces bucatini pasta or penne
- 2 large egg whites save the yolks
- 6 ounces crumbled feta cheese
- 4 cups shredded Italian blend cheese divided
For the Meat Sauce –
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 large onion peeled and chopped
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 pounds lean ground beef
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 30 ounces tomato sauce
- Salt and pepper
For the Bechamel –
- ½ cup butter
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 4 cups whole milk
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
Instructions
- Soak the Pasta: Set out a 9X13 inch (3 quart) baking dish. (Use a deep-dish pan if you have one.) Place the bucatini in the dish and cover with very hot tap water. Add a teaspoon of salt and mix the pasta around so it doesn’t stick together. Then let it soak for 30-40 minutes while the sauces are cooking.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Chop all produce.
- Make the Meat Sauce: Set a large 6 quart pot over medium heat. Add the butter, onions and garlic. Sauté for 3-5 minutes, then add in the ground beef, cinnamon, nutmeg, and 1 teaspoon salt. Break the beef into small pieces with a wooden spoon as you let it brown. Once the ground beef is cooked through, add in the tomato sauce. Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring regularly. Taste, then add salt and pepper as needed.
- Make the Bechamel: Set a separate pot over medium heat. Add the butter and flour. Whisk well as the butter melts to remove all clumps. Cook the roux for 1-2 minutes, do not let it brown. Once it thickens, whisk in the milk, salt, and nutmeg. Stir and let the bechamel thicken into a gravy-like consistency. Then turn off the heat. Whisking vigorously, add in the egg yolks. Whisk well so they fully incorporate. Finally stir in 1 cup of shredded cheese blend. Stir until the cheese has melted and the bechamel is smooth.
- Drain and Prep the Pasta: Carefully drain the salt water off the pasta. It’s ok if a little water is left in the dish. Then toss the soaked pasta with the egg whites and feta cheese. Spread them pasta out in an even layer. Then sprinkle the top of the pasta with 2 cups of shredded cheese.
- Layer All: Next spread the meat sauce over the cheese layer in the baking dish. Then gently spread the bechamel over the meat sauce. Finally sprinkle the last 1 cup of shredded cheese over the bechamel.
- Bake: If you are using a standard 9X13 inch dish, set it on a rimmed baking sheet. (No need for the baking sheet if you have a deep-dish pan.) Bake uncovered, on the low rack, for 30-40 minutes. The top should be golden brown. If it starts to turn dark too quickly, cover loosely with a piece of foil.
- Rest: Let the Pastitsio rest for at least 20 minutes before cutting and serving.
Maybe I missed it, but adding cheese to the béchamel was not listed in the recipe, so I kept going back to make sure. Mine is in the oven fingers crossed!
Hi Dani,
That is correct, the only cheese is added to the pasta mixture, not the creamy sauce. How did it turn out?
wonderful, what a creative lasagna! Love this Greek version, feta is a great choice, thank you!
Can’t wait to try this, I know it’s going to be a hit!
Thanks for including the freezing instructions. My sister is having a baby in a couple of weeks and this is on the menu for her family!
This has got to be one of the tastiest lasagna recipes that I have found, that is also very very easy! Love it!