Greek Pastitsio Bake with penne pasta, seasoned ground beef and a rich béchamel sauce baked in the oven until crispy.
We love baked pastas here including Baked Mac and Cheese, Baked Million Dollar Spaghetti and Ultimate Meat Lasagna because they have crispy toppings and can feed a huge crowd!
Greek Pastitsio Bake
We love Pastitsio in part because it’s so delicious and shamelessly in part because the name is so much fun to say. Ten years ago I was researching pasta bake recipes for a friend who was about to give birth when I came across a list of pasta bakes from around the world.
We tested over 20 of them and Pastitsio became a household favorite. It does take a bit more effort than your classic lasagna recipe, but this is like an authentic greek lasagna recipe and it has the added benefit of being a new flavor!
Some people refer to Pastitsio as Pistachio Greek Lasagna so if you’ve ever eaten that in a Greek restaurant this is the recipe for you! There is a second sort of “Greek Lasagna” recipe and I have that one coming to you soon too. That one is called Moussaka.
Moussaka is made without pasta. It includes eggplant in the meat mixture and is frequently topped with deliciously browned slices of potato. I actually grew up eating this dish, so I can’t wait to share it with you all.
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What is the difference between Pastitsio and Moussaka?
Moussaka contains eggplant and potatoes but it doesn’t have a pasta base. Both recipes include a creamy baked béchamel sauce as the topping and a tomato and meat filling.
Can you use all beef or all lamb?
Yes, you absolutely can alter the meat for your tastes. Please remember for an authentic flavor the dish is made using lamb. I use a mixture of beef and lamb as lamb can be rather expensive and is also a very strong flavor. The mixture of the two meats is a delicious combination.
Can you freeze Pastitsio?
Absolutely! This dish is perfect for freezing. Make sure all the layers are independently cooled. Refrigerator level cold is best. Then layer the meat sauce over the pasta until it has FULL coverage. We don’t want the milk sauce to leak into the pasta layer. Finally pour over the white sauce and freeze, covered.
To cook, thaw it in the refrigerator the night before. Cook for an additional ten minutes longer than described in the recipe card.
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How to slice cleanly:
- Just like lasagna the cleanest slices are if you can allow the mixture to cool for 10-15 minutes after cooking and before serving.
- Make sure to clean your knife in between slices.
- Sacrifice the first slice, I usually keep this slice for myself. By getting the first slice out it makes removing the later slices much easier.
How to reheat Pastitsio:
I generally over it with a soaking wet (but not dripping wet) paper towel and microwave. This creates steam in the microwave which prevents the Pastitsio from drying out.
Greek Pastitsio Bake
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground lamb
- 1 pound ground beef
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 15 ounces tomato sauce
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 pound penne pasta cooked, not rinsed
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup flour
- 3 cups whole milk
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup parmesan cheese
Instructions
Add the beef and lamb to the pan on medium high heat and cook until browned, another 5-7 minutes, breaking it apart as it is cooking.
Drain the oil and add the olive oil to the pan on medium heat with the onions and bell peppers and cook for 5-7 minutes.
Add in the garlic, tomato sauce, tomato paste, salt, pepper, cinnamon and bay leaf and cook on medium-low for 20 minutes, until thickened (halfway between pasta sauce and tomato paste).
While the tomato sauce is simmering, in a separate dutch oven add the butter and flour on medium heat and whisk well until melted and combined, 1-2 minutes.
Add in the milk slowly while whisking until fully combined then cook on low heat for 10-12 minutes or until thickened.
Let cool for 10 minutes, then add in the salt, pepper, eggs, and parmesan cheese.
Layer the pasta first, then the meat sauce, then the béchamel sauce and bake at 350 degrees uncovered for 50-60 minutes.
This is an extraordinarily delicious recipe!!! My personal preference is to use all lamb for an authentic Greek flavor. A half-recipe fits in a 9×9 pan and is perfect for a small family. Thanks for sharing this treasure!
Does this freeze well?
This dish is perfect for freezing! I give some tips and tricks up in the post. Enjoy!
OMG… This is seriously the best thing I’ve ever made! It’s both mine and my hubby’s absolute favorite dish. So good! I follow the recipe exactly, and it‘s perfect! I hate chunks of tomatoes and tomatoes seeds. So I’m thrilled that I found this recipe using a red bell pepper instead of tomato. What a great substitution! Thank you for this amazing recipe!
You’re welcome, Briana. I’m glad you enjoy it so much.
Im wanted to make this for my family but am a little afraid of the cinnamon. Is it strong? Can I sub another spice?
It’s not strong at all but does add to the overall dish. I hope you all enjoy it!
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I tagged you on Insta and FB. This is delicious. SO crave-able. I used frozen gyro meat that was a little freezer-burned (hence looking for a way to use it outside of the typical gyro with tzatziki). Ummmmmm…..I will be hoping for freezer-burned gyro meat from now on. My husband, 11 y/o, and 9 y/o LOVED this! Thank you! I had just learned about Pastitsio on a Beat Bobby Flay episode…I had no idea it would be this delicious!
I’m so glad you all loved it so much!
As my husband is a hunter, I used 2 lbs of ground venison. It turned out really good, but makes a lot. Next time I think I will make a 1/2 recipe.
Your recipe is somewhat authentic, but my Greek Yiayia and all of my thias taught me to use kefalotyri imported from Greece instead of Parmesan. And I have never seen a recipe with peppers in it either. But I am one for innovation, so what the heck! I’ll try adding peppers.?
Enjoy!
The 9×13 pan was way too small! Once I put the pasta in, there wasn’t much room left for the other ingredients. So I went with a larger pan. It did need more sauce so added a 15 oz can of tomato sauce. It’s in the oven now and can’t wait to try it!
I hope you enjoyed!
I had the same problem! Yet, I do not have a larger pan, so I opted to put an aluminum covered cookie sheet underneath to catch the drippings. I have a larger pan on order as I always have the same problem with my lasagna. This gave me the excuse to get one ?. I also thought the meat mixture was quite dry, so I added another 15 oz. can of tomato sauce and 1/4 cup of tomato paste. I also thought the mixture needed more, taste, so I added a pinch of Italian seasoning, dill, sage, garlic powder, lemon juice and a glug or two of red wine. It’s in the oven now, but the bit of mixture I tasted was very good.
Made this tonight & it was a big hit! Only downside is some of the pasta was dried out. Any advice for preventing that? Next time i just intend to make more tomatoes sauce and mix it through the pasta. But if there is a way to keep the layers and not have crunchy pasta, I’d love to try!
That sounds like a great idea about the sauce but you can also add a bit of water to the bottom of the pan too. I’m so glad you all enjoyed it!
I am Egyptian and our version is to split the Bechamel sauce in half, add first half to the pasta and keep the other to the top of the casserole. We also layer one pasta, them beef with te sauce then the other half of pasta then the rest of the Bechamel. It never turn dry in the bottom ?
Hi Sabrina, this recipe sounds absolutely amazing. I love all the flavours you have included, and can’t wait to get cooking. Quick question, do you feel that 15 minutes is an adequate amount of time for prep? It took me 15 minutes just to read the ingredient list haha! Just kidding :). Will let you know how I go!
Haha, I promise not to set a timer for you. Work at your own pace. Enjoy!
Ive made this twice with pork and beef instead of lamb and it is beautiful and delicious!
Thanks for dropping by to let me know! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Hi I’m in the process of cooking this and wondered if I cook the pasta before putting it in the oven?
Thanks
Yes, cook it but don’t rinse it. Enjoy!