A simple authentic recipe for Pastitsio- a baked Greek pasta dish with a rich flavorful lamb (or beef) bolognese infused with Greek spices and flavors. Perfect for entertaining!
A friend introduced Pastitsio to me a couple of years ago and I was instantly smitten. Deep, rich and hearty, this baked pasta dish has roots in Greece and the Middle East. It is perfect for special occasions or entertaining where you can share, and not be temped to devour the entire thing because believe me, you will want to. The last time I made this I immediately packaged up ⅔ of it to give to friends. You could also freeze half to save for later.
Ground lamb (or beef) is cooked with onion, garlic and spices then simmered with tomato sauce and infused with cinnamon until it becomes a deep, rich, Greek-style “bolognese” – the flavorful base of the dish. Add cooked penne to the meaty hearty sauce, and top it with a nutmeg infused béchamel, before going into the oven to bake. When it comes out, it’s bubbly and golden.
If you are a fan of the Rustic Eggplant Moussaka here on the blog, you will love this. It’s simpler but has the same authentic flavors.
Also, if you liking my new favorite 12 inch skillet as much as I am, be sure to check out Smithey Ironware– a great little company out of Charleston. I love cooking in this skillet and the design is beautiful!
I prefer to use sustainably raised, locally grown, American lamb, which is raised closer to home compared to imported lamb that travels from great distances to get here. For one, it’s fresher but more importantly, it supports our local community. It’s produced in nearly every state and is available fresh year round, just check your local farmers market. In years past we’ve bought ½ or ¼ of a lamb locally and kept it frozen, which is always an option too.
American lamb is always raised hormone-free and producers go to great lengths to give their animals healthy, comfortable lives, letting them graze and forage on a variety of nutrient-dense grasses and legumes – producing succulent, sweet and tender meat.
It starts with making the falvorful Lamb bolognese
.
Toss in the cooked pasta.
Top with the creamy Bechamel Sauce.
Sprinkle with cheese.
The bake the Pastitsio until golden and bubbly.
Your home will smell incredible.
It’s a pretty rich dish so serve it up with a leafy green salad.
More Ground Lamb Recipes:
- Turkish Lamb Wraps!
- Middle Eastern Meatball Soup
- Lamb Meatballs with Indian Curry Sauce
- Pastitsio | Baked Greek Pasta with Lamb
- Grilled Lamb Kofta Wraps
- Grilled Lamb Burger with Harissa Aioli
- Grilled Lamb Kebabs with Herb Salad and Yogurt Sauce
- Thai Larb Salad
- Turkish Cabbage Rolls
One of my favorite baked pasta recipes ever! I hope you give Pastitsio a try!
xoxo
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Pastitsio | Baked Greek Pasta with Lamb
- Prep Time: 45
- Cook Time: 30
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: 10
- Category: Main
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: Greek
Description
Pastitsio! A delicious Greek inspired, baked pasta dish made with penne pasta, lamb bolognese and a béchamel sauce.
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt, more to taste
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
Bechamel:
- 3 tablespoons olive oil or butter
- 2 ½ cups whole milk
- ¼ teaspoon white pepper
- ½ cup plain greek yogurt
- 2 extra large eggs, beaten
parmesan for sprinkling
Garnish : 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
Instructions
Start the lamb bolognese: heat oil in a large heavy bottom pot or dutch oven over medium high heat. Add the onion, ground meat and salt, breaking up the meat with a metal spatula. Cook 10-12 minutes, stirring often until onions are tender and meat is browned. Drain any fat. Splash with the red wine and cook until evaporated, about 2 minutes, then add garlic and cinnamon, cumin, oregano and pepper. Sauté for 2 minutes until garlic is fragrant. Stir in crushed tomatoes and tomato paste and simmer on low heat, covered, for 20 minutes. Taste, add more salt if you like.
Preheat oven to 400 F
While this is simmering, boil the pasta water and make the béchamel sauce. Heat the oil in a medium pot, over medium heat. Whisk the flour into the oil into a smooth paste and cook for 60 seconds. Whisk in 1 cup milk until smooth and thickened, then immediately, add the remaining 1 1/2 cups milk and whisk until smooth and thickened again. Add salt, nutmeg, white pepper and parmesan, and stir until cheese melts and sauce is smooth. Set aside and let cool for 10 minutes.
Cook the pasta and drain.
Once the béchamel has cooled 10 minutes ( warm is ok, just not hot), stir int the yogurt and beaten egg.
Add the cooked pasta to the Bolognese sauce and mix. Pour into a large greased baking dish (9×13) or 12 inch oven proof skillet. Top with the béchamel sauce covering it evenly. Sprinkle with ½ cup more parmesan and scatter with fresh thyme leaves. Bake 30 minutes or until golden and bubbly.
Enjoy!
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1.5 cups
Keywords: pastitsio, pastitsio recipe, baked pasta with lamb, greek pasta, greek pasta recipe lamb,
I happened to have ground pork, used that. Made the bechamel sauce with 2% milk and olive oil and a little bit of butter. The other thing I used was chickpea penne. Delicious!
★★★★★
Perfect!
I followed this recipe precisely and found that the bechamel sauce collapsed on the meat and noodles. I suspect that the recommended heat was too high and the dish was over cooked. In the future, I will follow my tried and true recipe for pastitsio substituting round lamb for ground beef and bake it at 375 instead of 400.
★★★
What is the best way to make this ahead? Freeze after Bechamel sauce has cooled?
★★★★★
I would almost bake this, then freeze, then thaw and reheat. But honestly, I’m not an expert in the freezing department- you probably know more than me. 🙂
Thanks 🙂 Making three of these for a charity/neighborhood food event.
OMG followed this recipe for dinner and it was amazing!!! Soo delicious, We love lamb and of course any kind of pasta and this was hands down the best combination of two, I’ve ever cooked. The bechamel sauce is heaven! Love all your recipes. Sissy
★★★★★
Yesterday, I made this recipe as written, although halved since there are just two of us. I used ground beef since I didn’t have ground lamb on hand and sour cream in place of greek yogurt for the same reason. I would add a little acid when serving next time, maybe greek olives or a squeeze of lemon.
Delicious!
★★★★★
Could you sub lentils for the meat to make it veg?
I don’t see why not? Just make sure it’s seasoned generously. 🙂
This was absolutely delicious! I didn’t have crushed tomatoes so I used a jar of marinara. And I didn’t have plain yogurt so I used whole milk sour cream. Kept everything else the same. So good! Will definitely make it again.
★★★★★
Really good, just a little heavy on the parmesan compared to other versions I’ve had. I know it’s Greek equivalent of lasagna or baked ziti, though, and everyone has their own take on it. I’m curious to try it again with Kasseri cheese. Also it was my first bechamel sauce, so I really appreciated the clear instructions!
★★★★
Beautiful, Kallos. Trust me, I can cook Greek, and this is a recipe that my wife said that we must keep, in my keepers file. Easy to modify with what you have to hand, if you stick to the basic flavour ratios. Passata sauce and one lonely tomato instead of a can. I went with red lentil penne pasta to make it completely gluten free, which was needed for our guest. Worked beautifully. Thank you, it’s a keeper.
Cheers from New Zealand ;^)
★★★★★
Cheers Conrad, Glad you both enjoyed!
Our local Italian restaurant currently has a limited menu & the Pastitsio is no longer. I have been waiting on fall weather to try yours. So divine! Exactly what I had been missing. The nutritionist in me made just a few swaps. Whole wheat flour & almond milk for a lighter bechamel. Whole wheat penne. Paired w/ a simple salad gives balance to the delicious richness. So grateful for your inspiring recipes! xoxo
★★★★★
Love how you lightened this up! Thanks for sharing- I will have to try that!
I halved the recipe and made the following subs: a can of whole tomatoes whizzed into ‘crushed’ with my stick blender; a bit of beef stock with a lemon squeeze instead of wine, and a spoon of sour cream and a dab of butter in 2% milk. Did not have tomato paste but the stock helped deepen the flavor, as did the simmer time. I added a little more cinnamon, cumin, and nutmeg than called for. It was wonderful paired with some steamed broccoli with lemon butter. Thanks for making a pandemic day so much brighter with this lovely recipe. Looking forward to those leftovers, too!
★★★★★
Thanks for sharing!
This was awful and a waste of money
Oh no! I’m sorry this didn’t work for you. Can you be more specific about what happened?
My whole family absolutely loved this!
★★★★★
Awesome great to hear! 🙌
Could I sub sour cream for the yogurt? Thanks in advance, excited to make this
I think so!
This was so delicious! And very easy to follow directions!
★★★★★
thanks so much Aashoo- glad you liked it!
This is one of the best recipes I have ever made. My son begged me to make it again within days of our first try. It is so delicious, comforting, and hearty. Can’t say enough good things about this recipe — a great family meal, perfect for a dinner party as it shows off well. Thank you for giving us this new beloved recipe for family dinners.
★★★★★
Yay Lindsay! So happy you all liked it!
Bit confused about the quantity of garlic. Ingredients say 6 cloves, but it’s listed twice. Am I really putting 12 cloves into the lamb bolognese? Sorry if I’m missing something.
Sorry about that, I fixed the recipe!
Very good. I will make it again. Couldn’t find ground lamb. Will order next time Can’t wait.
thanks John Sutter
★★★★★
Thanks so much John!
My husband doesn’t care for lamb – could beef be substituted?
Yes, beef would work too, or you could do a blend.
Really nice. I didn’t have Parmesan so I used fresh pecorino instead, which didn’t melt very well but that was my own fault 🙂 The bechamel sauce was nice and rich and set well. I also used an extra half cup of red wine to use up a bottle. Very nice. Will make again.
★★★★★
OMG. I love, love, love this recipe!!!
Made it tonight and it looks exactly like your photo and taste amazing!
★★★★★
Oh Good! It’s a keeper, glad you enjoyed!
I highly recommend this recipe. It’s a fantastic, flavorful meal with many flavors dancing a Greek dance on your tongue.
It takes some work, but it definitely pays off in the end. Everyone was extremely happy and wanted second helpings!
A rousing success. I have made an Italian pastichio but this version has interesting spices and a richer bechamel sauce.
I can’t wait for leftovers!
★★★★★
Thanks so much- Im so glad you liked it!
Lovely recipe and made enough for 6 man sized servings. It has been added to our family cook book
★★★★★
Thank you for this delicious Greek recipe! Tastes just like the Pastitsio that I enjoyed some years ago ?
This was awesome! I had seen other recipes for this dish but was always hesitant to make because the cinnamon had me concerned. The cinnamon is absolutely needed for the flavor profile…do not be afraid people???? I halved the recipe and it came out perfect. Adding to my rotation, thanks for the great recipe!
★★★★★
Awesome Kelly. Yes… the Cinnamon and Nutmeg both totally make it.
I am making this recipe now…it looks and smells like it’s going to be delicious. I noticed in the directions for the Bechemal sauce, you said to add “white pepper,” but the amount and the white pepper is not listed in the ingredients. I also noted that the ingredients listed “1 TBSP tomato paste,” but the directions don’t include when or where to add it. Thank you for what looks like a great recipe.
★★★★
I am making this recipe now…it looks and smells like it’s going to be delicious. I noticed in the directions for the Bechemal sauce, you said to add “white pepper,” but the amount and the white pepper is not listed in the ingredients. I also noted that the ingredients listed “1 TBSP tomato paste,” but the directions don’t include when or where to add it. Thank you for what otherwise looks like a great recipe.
Thanks just fixed it!
It’s the perfect time of year for these hearty dishes. All we really want is comfort food! Looking forward to trying it.
★★★★★
Yes, so true! Thanks Nick.
Absolutely superb. It was just my wife and I so I cut the recipe in half and baked it in a 8 inch skillet. Quite delicious. Just writing this comment makes me want to go to the refrigerator and heat up the leftovers for lunch.
★★★★★
Thanks Terry! Appreciate the comment an glad you enjoyed. Hope you are having a beautiful winter over there on the east side!
Hi Sylvia,
I really liked this dish so I had to make it again. I decided to go for a more Asian/Indian styled flavor. I swapped out the olive oil for ghee. I used Chinese 5 spice and fenugreek instead of cinnamon and oregano. For the béchamel sauce I warmed the milk and put 4 whole star anise and some orange peel with the pith removed in it. I let it infuse for about 20 minutes. I also held the nutmeg. It came out delicious. I like prowling through your recipes and then go play in the kitchen. I have a lot of fun. It has been cold here in Maine. Gives me a good excuse to stay indoors and cook.
I made it tonight and it was delicious. It was my first time making lamb and I was a little worried but the mix of spices had me excited to try it. It came out great and I definitely had more than one portion because it was just that tasty! I subbed sour cream for yogurt since I didn’t have any.
★★★★★
Just made this ! I was hungry and didn’t want to go out for lunch, I saw this, it looked yummy and it came together quickly. It was delicious! I too cut down on the salt. Just used it in the sauce. This was awesome!
★★★★★
Just made this. It’s delicious but holy sodium! I used about 2/3 the salt that the recipe calls for and it is still plenty seasoned. I would probably use 1/2 the salt next time.