High-Protein Moussaka with Cottage Cheese Topping

Notes from the kitchen

Portioning

Cut the rested pan 4 x 2 for eight even squares. For exact servings, weigh the empty dish before you build, weigh the baked moussaka in the dish, subtract, and divide by eight. The 446-calorie figure assumes 96% lean beef, 2% cottage cheese, and eggplant that was drained well.

Ingredient notes

The eggplant and the marinara carry most of the fat in this recipe, and both vary a lot by brand. The macros assume drained jarred eggplant at about 70 calories per 100g and a marinara near 70 calories per half cup. Check your labels, and press the eggplant between paper towels if it comes packed in oil. To skip the jar, slice two large eggplants (about 1 kg) into 1/2-inch rounds, spray with oil, and roast at 425F for 25 minutes alongside the potatoes. 93% lean beef works too and adds roughly 30 calories and 3g fat per square.

Storage and reheating

Cool the pan to room temperature within 2 hours, then refrigerate covered at 40F or below for up to 4 days. Reheat one square in the microwave for 2 minutes, rest 30 seconds, then go another 45-60 seconds until hot in the middle. Cooled squares freeze well wrapped individually for up to 3 months; thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

Waste plan

The recipe uses two full 1 lb packages of beef, one 24 oz jar of marinara, and one 16 oz container of cottage cheese. The potatoes come from a 5 lb bag, and the rest of that bag keeps for weeks in a cool, dark cupboard. The jarred eggplant is the only ingredient that may leave a partial jar, and it keeps in the refrigerator for a week for salads or sandwiches.