Best Pastitsio Recipe

Reminiscent of a Greek-style lasagna, Pastitsio is a layered pasta dish with spiced ground beef and pork layered with tubular noodles, parmesan cheese and topped with a decadent nutmeg spiced bechamel sauce. It's warm, comforting, and absolutely delicious. It's also relatively easy to make, perfect for a Sunday night dinner or even a weeknight meal if you plan ahead.

History of Pastitsio

The most popular contemporary version of pastitsio was invented by Nikolaos Tselementes, a French-trained Greek chef of the early 20th century. It is thought that he created the modern-day version with the rich, creamy bechamel sauce influenced by his French training.

The word pastitsio comes from the Italian word pasticcio, which is a large family of baked pies, often made with pastry and prepared with melted cheese or au-gratin. Pasticcio pies go back to the 16th century. It is thought that the original Greek version of Pastitsio used spiced beef and pasta and was topped with Greek cheese like mizithra or kefalotyri rather than a bechamel. The dish is popular in the Mediterranean, with each region having its own version.

Ground beef is spiced with cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg, which is also used in Greek beef stew, Stifado, in Greek kyma, which is a Greek-style Bolognese, and in Moussaka.

Jump to:

• History of Pastitsio
• Ingredients in Greek Pastitsio
• What is Béchamel/Mornay Sauce?
• How to Make a Greek Pastitsio
• How to Make a Bechamel Sauce
• Assembling the Pastitsio
• Pastitsio Substitutions
• What to Serve with Pastitsio
• Tips for the Best Pastitsio
• Pastitsio
• Related Recipes

Ingredients in Greek Pastitsio

Simple, wholesome ingredients and a little arm work make up this traditional Greek Pastitsio.

• ground beef - we use one pound of 93% lean ground beef to make Pastitsio.
• ground pork or sausage - adding one pound of ground pork or mild Italian sausage adds delicious flavor to the Pastitsio.

• onion - 1 large diced onion is sauteed to flavor the ground meat.
• olive oil - used to saute the onion and the ground beef.
• diced tomatoes and tomato sauce - 1 can of petite diced tomatoes plus 2 cups of tomato sauce is used to flavor the ground meat. For the tomato sauce, you can use jarred pasta sauce with garlic and onion flavors.
• garlic - we use 1 tablespoon of minced garlic to flavor the dish.
• orange zest - gives pastitsio its unique flavor profile combined with cloves, nutmeg, and allspice.
• dried oregano - preferably Greek oregano if you can find it. If not, any dried oregano will work.
• salt and pepper - to taste
• cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice - the combination of these warm spices make up the spiced beef layer in the pastitsio. We use both ground cinnamon and a cinnamon stick to infuse flavor. Additionally, a sprinkling of ground cinnamon and nutmeg is used on top of the bechamel before baking.
• red wine - we use 1 cup of red wine to flavor the ground beef and pork before layering it over the pasta
• grated parmesan cheese - is used to top the pasta layer as well as in the bechamel sauce.
• Tubular pasta - a traditional Pastitsio is made with bucatini pasta, however, any tubular-shaped pasta will work. We use penne pasta in this recipe, but you could also use mostaccioli, or ziti to make Pastitsio.

• Bechamel Sauce - a mixture of butter, flour, milk, eggs, and parmesan cheese makes up the creamy bechamel sauce that tops the meat and pasta dish giving Pastitsio its signature flavor.

What is Béchamel/Mornay Sauce?

The creamy white sauce that tops a Pastitsio is known as a Béchamel sauce or more technically a Mornay Sauce. Béchamel sauce is a silky white sauce made from milk and thickened with butter and flour.

It is one of the five mother sauces used in French cuisine, meaning it is a base used for other, more complex sauces such as Mornay or Alfredo, where cheese and eggs are added.

For the Pastitsio, we prepare a basic Béchamel sauce, then add grated parmesan cheese and eggs to thicken the sauce and add flavor. This transitions the sauce to a Mornay which is poured onto the Pastitsio and seasoned with nutmeg and cinnamon before baking.

How to Make a Greek Pastitsio

Preparing Pastitsio is relatively easy, but requires a little mastery in whisking the bechamel sauce to a perfect consistency.

Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onions and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes.

Next, add the ground beef and ground pork and brown until cooked through.

Flavor the meat by adding the garlic, orange zest, cinnamon stick, ground cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, allspice, oregano, salt and pepper and stir to combine.

Add the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce and red wine. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook for 25-30 minutes, stirring often until most of the liquid evaporates. Once the sauce is done, remove the cinnamon stick.

Cook the pasta until al dente. Drain the pasta, then allow the pasta to dry before assembling in the dish.

How to Make a Bechamel Sauce

Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat.

Add the four, whisking continuously to create a roux. Cook the roux for about 5 minutes, while whisking continuously to cook the raw flour.

Slowly add the milk and cream while whisking until smooth. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Stir continuously to keep it smooth.

Next, add salt, pepper, and grated parmesan cheese. Whisk until combined and smooth. Remove from the heat.

Add the beaten eggs and whisk until smooth.

Assembling the Pastitsio

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

In a 10x14" baking dish, layer 1 cup of the meat sauce in the bottom of the pan. Top with a thin layer of grated parmesan cheese.

Add the cooked and dried penne pasta, then another layer of parmesan cheese.

Next, add the top layer of the meat sauce and another layer of parmesan cheese.

Gently pour the bechamel sauce over the pastitsio and smooth the top with an offset spatula. If desired, you can poke 8 to 9 holes gently in the pastitsio to allow the bechamel to go through to the lower layers slightly.

Sprinkle the top with grated parmesan cheese and a touch of ground nutmeg and ground cinnamon.

Bake for 40 minutes at 375 degrees. Allow the pastitsio to cool for 30 minutes before slicing and serving.

Pastitsio Substitutions

You can lighten up a pastitsio by using ground turkey in the meat sauce.

For a dairy-free pastitsio, use plant-based butter, vegan parmesan, and oat milk to make the bechamel.

While bucatini pasta is traditionally used, any tubular-shaped pasta will work in a pastitsio. Try penne, ziti or mostaccioli

For a vegan pastitsio, substitute green lentils for ground beef, adding them to the sauce once they are fully cooked.

What to Serve with Pastitsio

Pastitsio is a comfort meal in itself, fulfilling all macros (carbs, fat, and protein). Serve it with a light Greek salad, some whole-grain bread, and a glass of red wine.

Additionally, serve pastitsio with a tangy Panzanella salad or a feta green bean salad.

Tips for the Best Pastitsio

The most important steps for a perfect Pastitsio include using dried cooked pasta noodles. If the noodles have excess moisture, the liquid will come out on top of the bechamel while it's baking.

Additionally, you want to cook the meat sauce long enough so that it is not overly saucy and the liquids concentrate the flavors and evaporate. This is again so that the excess juices don't come out on top of the pastitsio while baking.

If you notice some juices seeping through the bechamel sauce while baking, simply dab the top with a paper towel to absorb the excess liquid.

Related Recipes

Looking for other Greek beef recipes? Try these: