Greek Pastitsio Pasta Casserole is super delicious with great Mediterranean flavors, baked to golden perfection with rich and beautiful béchamel sauce that will have everyone begging for seconds.
This hearty dish of layered ground lamb, ziti pasta, and cheese, all smothered in a rich bechamel sauce is as traditional to Greece as lasagna is to Italy. In fact, it's often referred to as Greek lasagna.
What is Pastitsio?
What’s fun about this recipe is that Pastitsio is translated to mean a “mess.” If you've ever made a baked pasta dish, and tried to cut out a perfect square, you’ve watched in horror as it collapses into a pile when you get it on a plate.
It will still taste delicious, but it’s so disheartening. Thus, it's best to let it cool completely, cut, and reheat. There won't be any mess there. 😉
It's time for Noodles Without Borders again!
Today I'm taking you on a tasting journey to Greece! In case you're new here, let me fill you in.
I started this monthly Noodles Without Borders in August with my friend Bobbi from Healthy World Cuisine. The idea is to cook pasta from around the world for as long as there is a supply of pasta recipes.
So buckle your seatbelts, it's going to be a long but delectable ride!
Why pasta?
Nothing quite warms the soul like a plate of pasta, whether it's baked, cooked in a soup, laced with a delicious sauce, or tossed with vegetables, cheese, pesto, or salad dressing. Don't you agree?
Life is a combination of magic and pasta. - Federico Fellini
If you’re a lover of lasagna and baked ziti or pasta casseroles in general, you have to try this Greek pasta recipe: Greek Pastitsio casserole!
You'll find it under different names (and using different types of pasta) like Greek lasagna, Greek Pastichio, Greek pasta bake, and Greek noodle moussaka.
How to make Greek Pastitsio Pasta Casserole?
This pasta casserole has a base of ziti, then a layer of cheese, a layer of ground lamb cooked with tomato, cinnamon, and oregano, more cheese, ziti, and then topped with béchamel sauce and, of course, more cheese.
*Keep scrolling to get the full (printable) recipe, ingredient amounts, and more tips, or click on the “Skip to Recipe” button at the top of the page.
- Cook pasta, drain and rinse with cold water. Cool the pasta down and stir in the beaten eggs and 1 teaspoon salt.
- Meanwhile, sauté the onions until translucent. Add the ground lamb and cook until browned. Stir in the tomato sauce, cinnamon, oregano, cumin, and salt and pepper to taste.
- Scoop half of the pasta into the bottom of a casserole dish. Sprinkle with cheese, then pour meat mixture to create an even layer and sprinkle with more cheese. Add the remaining pasta on top of the meat and sprinkle with cheese! Top with the béchamel sauce and with the remaining cheese.
- Bake for 45 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and golden on top.
Speaking of cheese, a confession: I couldn't find Kasseri or Kefalotiri cheese to make this pasta casserole as authentic Greek pastitsio as it gets and planned on using mozzarella (which I always have tons of in my fridge) only to find, halfway through the process, that I didn't have enough. Ugh. I used cheddar instead, and I don't think it altered the taste at all.
Béchamel sauce is a milk-based sauce with a pinch of nutmeg seasonings that is rich, smooth and helps fight off those winter blues. I hope you like my little rhyme there.
Why you need this Greek lasagna:
This Greek pastitsio recipe is at the top of my list for “big, hearty, warm-your-soul-with-some-pasta” recipes on my blog.
I live in Northern Indiana, and our winters here are so dang cold. You don’t want a salad or a healthy, light recipe for dinner after you’ve been running errands outside in the cold the whole day.
No, that’s nonsense. You want a big serving of this hot, melty, and perfectly seasoned pasta bake. Trust me, you do! It's the ultimate comfort food.
The final and top layer of this GREEK PASTITSIO recipe is a creamy, rich béchamel sauce. Cheese is your last step before placing your baking pan in the oven. This way, your Pastitsio comes out golden brown on top and extra luxurious.
What to serve with this pasta bake?
With any fantastic pasta dish, I usually recommend toasting up a quality loaf of bread, but this Greek pasta dish is super rich. Preparing just a light greens salad as a side would suffice.
It pairs great with wine, but do not expect to have room for dessert. But if you do after eating this meal, kudos to you!
Recipe notes:
- Traditional pastitsio uses Kasseri or Kefalotiri cheese. If you have trouble locating Greek cheese, sub with Romano pecorino, mozzarella, mild cheddar, or provolone.
- If you don’t want to use lamb (even though I highly recommend it), ground beef works too. Seasoned ground lamb is delicious with cumin, oregano, cinnamon, and garlic.
- You can use any tube style pasta such as penne, bucatini, or Misko.
- You'll need a deep baking dish, like a lasagna pan.
- If you want to get that great visual appeal when you slice it to serve, layer pasta in the same direction (wear a pair of rubber gloves).
- This dish freezes very well, in case you don't need to feed 8-10 people, or you can split the ingredients in half.
- Make it ahead: assemble it a day ahead and refrigerate it.
What other Greek recipes should I try?
- GREEK BEEF AND CHEESE TORTELLINI SKILLET
- MEDITERRANEAN HERB CHICKEN AND POTATOES
- HOMEMADE GREEK TZATZIKI SAUCE
- CLASSIC GREEK FRAPPE
- SKILLET ORANGE FILLO CAKE
Greek Pastitsio Pasta Casserole
EQUIPMENT
- Saucepans
- casserole dish
Ingredients
- 1 pound uncooked ziti pasta
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1-½ pounds ground lamb, or beef
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 can, 15 ounces tomato sauce
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- ¼ teaspoon cumin
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 4 cups shredded cheese, see tips below
- salt and pepper to taste
Béchamel sauce
- ½ cup butter, cubed
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 3 cups milk
- 2 large eggs, beaten
Instructions
- Cook pasta in salted water according to directions on the package. Drain and rinse with cold water. Cool the pasta down and stir in the beaten eggs and 1 teaspoon salt.
- Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large skillet. Add the onions and sauté until translucent. Add the ground lamb and cook with the onions until browned, breaking it down to crumble. Stir in the tomato sauce, cinnamon, oregano, cumin, and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for 5 minutes.
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a deep casserole dish with nonstick spray.
- Scoop half of the pasta into the bottom of your prepared dish. Sprinkle with 1 cup of the cheese. Pour the meat mixture to create an even layer and sprinkle with a cup of cheese. Add the remaining pasta on top of the meat and sprinkle with another cup of cheese! Top with the béchamel sauce and sprinkle with the remaining cheese.
- Bake 45 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and golden on top. Let sit at room temperature for at least 20 minutes before serving (or refrigerate to let the layers set and then warm up later to serve).
Notes
- Traditional pastitsio uses Kasseri or Kefalotiri cheese. If you have trouble locating Greek cheese, sub with Romano pecorino, mozzarella, mild cheddar, or provolone.
- You can use any tube style pasta such as penne, bucatini, or Misko.
- You'll need a deep baking dish, like a lasagna pan.
- If you want to get that great visual appeal when you slice it to serve, layer pasta in the same direction (wear a pair of rubber gloves).
- This dish freezes very well, in case you don't need to feed 8-10 people, or you can split the ingredients in half.
- Make it ahead: assemble it a day ahead and refrigerate it, then bake the next day.
- Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on products used.
Jodie Fitz says
YUM. Thanks for sharing at Reader Tip Tuesday.
We can't wait to see what you have to share at this week's party. xo
Jas says
The Greeks know how to enjoy food, that's for sure. 😀
acraftymix says
I could sure do with a plate full of your casserole right now. That looks so delicious Jas and I'm going to remember your tip for getting the cut pasta to look all square and nice 😉
Jas says
Only if you want perfectly stacked pasta, lol. Thanks, my friend! Hugs
DearCreatives (@DearCreatives) says
This recipe looks amazing, although I would try it with beef. Thanks for sharing at the #inspirationspotlight @dearcreatives pinned, and sharing.
Lily says
This is one of my favorite dishes to order from any Greek restaurant and you make look so easy! Pinned for later:)
Jas says
Hi Lily, this dish has its layers (literally, ha) but it's not hard to make. Hope you give it a try! 🙂
PantryPortfolio says
This is beautiful! A perfect dish for fall. Thank you for sharing at FiestaFriday!
Jas says
Super glad you like it! It is a perfect comfort dish for fall and winter. 🙂 xx
Helen at the Lazy Gastrome says
Jas - that looks so good! How do you do the fast little slide show? I like that. And thanks for sharing at the What's for Dinner party. I appreciate you being there every week!!
Jas says
Thank you, Helen! Do you mean the GIF? I upload my photos in Photoshop and create the GIF file from them. In lieu of a video which I still have to master (at some point, lol). 🙂
Jann Olson says
I’ve never heard of this, but it looks so interesting and yummy! Thanks for sharing with SYC.
hugs,
Jann
Jas says
A richer, but not less delicious, version of a classic pasta casserole. 🙂 Hope you'll give it a try!
passion fruit, paws and peonies says
I love this recipe - it is such a comforting meal and the sort of dish I'd order from a Greek restaurant with a crispy green salad - yum xx Maria
Jas says
It is, isn't it? Thanks for stopping in, Maria! x
Miz Helen says
Your Greek Casserole looks delicious and we will really enjoy this recipe! Thanks so much for sharing with us on Full Plate Thursday and have a great weekend!
Miz Helen
Jas says
Thank you, kindly!
Mary-The Boondocks Blog says
Jas this one is a big, big hit in our house. The only difference is that I use the thick spaghetti with the holes in them. Some of my friends also use an egg white to help the pasta to stick together. But I don't bother, I like my pastitsio to be messy! And I learned a few things too. I had no idea that's where the name came from. What kind of a Greek am I? We make this one twice a month and it is perfect comfort food!
Jas says
Like Misko pasta? I used something similar the first time I made it but it didn't hold its shape even though I mixed the pasta with a whole egg, as per this recipe. I don't mind messy pasta either, but when it's this pretty it's double-worthy of serving it to the guests. 🙂
Ron says
Boy, if you continue with the “Pasta Without Borders” posts until the pasta recipes run old, you’re going to be doing this forever. I like that. Great lovers of pasta in our house as well as lamb, so your Pastitsio will be on our table soon.
Jas says
It seems that way, doesn't it? LOL. I hope you'll enjoy this recipe as much as we did, Ron. Thanks for stopping in!
Healthy World Cuisine says
Jas, this is a stunning dish. Easy enough for weeknights and classy enough for guests. Love it! We also love lamb so this will for sure be a hit in our family. Pinning to all of our favorite boards.
Jas says
Thank you, my dear! It feeds a crowd but it easily freezes. 🙂