Pastitsio Nistisimo (Vegan) and Vegetarian

ByIvy Liacopoulou
26 Comments
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Pastitsio nistisimo (pr. Pah-STEE-tsio Knee-STEE-see-moh) is a vegan pasta casserole dish made with tubular pasta, vegetable filling and topped with a vegan faux béchamel sauce. 

Pastitsio nistisimo image

The same dish can be made vegetarian using the same filling but adding a real Greek béchamel sauce on top.

This is a staple food for all Greek families and I cannot think of anybody who does not like this dish.

However during lent we abstain from eating any kind of meat or products derived from animals and although I have seen some vegetarian recipes, my recipe does not have a vegetarian béchamel on top but includes a topping without any milk or eggs in the "faux béchamel".  Think of Shepherd's Pie.

For this reason I decided to make my own recipe which we can enjoy during Lent.

To replace the meat sauce, I decided to make a vegetable sauce and added a variety of vegetables and herbs. 

Although normally I would  add only the passata tomatoes, I decided to added an extra cubed tomato for some extra  colour in the dish and the carrots, combined with the onions, added a lovely sweetness to the filling. 

You can use the same filling to make a vegan Moussakas or vegan Papoutsakia.

pastitsio filling image

Although I do not have a garden but merely a small balcony, I grow a few herbs in pots and I’ve recently bought some more herbs so you will be seeing a lot of these in my recipes and of course the difference is amazing.

In this recipe, I used fresh parsley, oregano and thyme from my pots and laurel I picked that morning after walking at Hymettus mountain, which added a lovely aromatic taste to the sauce.

parsley and dill image

At the end of the post you will find the Vegan pastitsio.

As I have never posted a vegetarian pastitsio, here is my recipe:

Vegan pastitsio image

Vegetarian Pastitsio

Yield: 8
Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes

This vegetarian pastitsio is made with a layer of tubular pasta, a vegetable sauce in the middle, a second layer of pasta and toped with a regular Greek bechamel sauce.

5.0 Stars (1 Review)

Ingredients

  • 500 grams tubular pasta No. 2 or penne rigate
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 2 tablespoon olive oil
  • ½ cup of grated graviera or myzithra cheese

Vegetable filling:

  • 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
  • 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 small aubergine (eggplant), cut into small cubes
  • 2 courgettes (zucchini), finely chopped
  • 1 small carrot, grated
  • 200 grams pleurotus (oyster) mushrooms, cut into small pieces
  • 1 small tomato, peeled and cubed
  • ¼ cup finely chopped celery rib
  • ½ cup white dry wine
  • ½ cup tomato passata (purée)
  • 1 tablespoon sea salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1 sprig fresh oregano, finely chopped (or a pinch of dried oregano)
  • 1 sprig fresh thyme, finely chopped (or a pinch of dried thyme)
  • 1 bay leaf
  • ½ cup parsley, finely chopped
  • ½ cup dill, finely chopped

Béchamel sauce:

  • 1 litre milk
  • 60 grams extra virgin olive oil (or butter) ratio tested
  • 60 grams all-purpose flour
  • 3 eggs (reserve 2 egg whites)
  • ½ teaspoon (or more) salt, (depending on the saltiness of cheese added)
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ½ cup grated graviera, halloumi, kefalotyri or dried myzithra cheese (you can also use pecorino or parmesan)

Instructions

Prepare the vegetable filling:

  1. Heat the olive oil in a sautéing pan and sauté the onion until soft. Add the garlic and sauté for a few seconds until fragrant.
  2. Add the eggplant (aubergine), the mushrooms, the carrots and the zucchini (courgettes) as well as the celery and sauté until they are soft.
  3. Add the wine and cook for a few minutes for the alcohol to evaporate and then add the tomato as well as the passata, bay leaf, oregano, oregano and thyme.
  4. Season with salt, pepper, cinnamon and allspice, add the water and simmer until the vegetables are cooked and remain with a thick sauce.
  5. When they are cooked discard the bay leaf and mix in the parsley.

Cook the pasta:

  1. Meantime, bring the water to a boil, add salt and cook the pasta al dente, a few minutes less than the package instructions.
  2. Remove from the heat and cool the pasta under running water  Drain, and wet the pasta with the olive oil. When ready to use beat the egg whites and add it to the pasta, together with the cheese and a couple tablespoons béchamel sauce and mix.

Prepare the béchamel sauce.

Assembling the dish:

  1. Layer half of the pasta in a 32 x 23 x 6 cm (12.5 x 9 x 2.3 inch baking tin and add the vegetable filling on top.
  2. Add the remaining pasta on top and cover with the béchamel sauce.
  3. Sprinkle with some grated cheese and some cinnamon on top.
  4. Bake in a preheated oven to 180o C / 350o F (or 160o C / 325o for a convection oven) for about 45 minutes or until golden on top.
  5. Let it cool before cutting into portions.
Nutrition Information
Yield 8 Serving Size 1
Amount Per Serving Calories 545Total Fat 26gSaturated Fat 9gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 15gCholesterol 109mgSodium 2094mgCarbohydrates 54gFiber 5gSugar 11gProtein 22g

"These values are automatically calculated and offered for guidance only. Their accuracy is not guaranteed."

Did you make this recipe?

Tried this recipe? Tag me @ivyliac and use the hashtag #kopiaste!

© Ivy Liacopoulou
Cuisine: Greek Cuisine
Vegan pastitsio image

Pastitsio Nistisimo (Vegan)

Yield: 8
Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes

Pastitsio nistisimo (pr. Pah-STEE-tsio Knee-STEE-see-moh) is a vegan pasta casserole dish made with tubular pasta, vegetable filling and topped with a vegan faux béchamel sauce  The same dish can be made vegetarian using the same filling but adding a real bechamel sauce on top.

5.0 Stars (1 Review)

Ingredients

  • 500 grams of tubular pasta No. 2 or penne rigate
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 2 tablespoon olive oil

Vegetable Filling:

  • 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
  • 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 small aubergine (eggplant), cut into small cubes
  • 2 courgettes (zucchini), finely chopped
  • 1 small carrot, grated
  • 200 grams pleurotus (oyster) mushrooms, cut into small pieces
  • 1 small tomato, peeled and cubed
  • ¼ cup finely chopped celery rib
  • ½ cup white dry wine
  • ½ cup tomato passata
  • 1 tablespoon sea salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1 sprig fresh oregano, finely chopped (or a pinch of dried oregano)
  • 1 sprig fresh thyme, finely chopped (or a pinch of dried thyme)
  • 1 bay leaf
  • ½ cup parsley, finely chopped

Faux Béchamel Sauce:

  • 4 medium potatoes, peeled and boiled
  • ¾ cup blanched almonds
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon vinegar

For the Roux:

  • 50 grams extra virgin olive oil
  • 50 grams all-purpose flour
  • About 5 cups of the potato water
  • 1 tablespoon sea salt
  • White pepper to taste (optional)
  • ¼ teaspoon nutmeg

To sprinkle on top:

  • Dried bread crumbs
  • Cinnamon

Instructions

Prepare the pasta:

  1. Heat some water in a pot and when it comes to a boil add the salt and cook the pasta, according to the package instructions.
  2. Add cold water, drain and add the olive oil to coat the pasta. Set aside until ready to use.

Prepare the vegetable filling:

  1. Heat the olive oil in a sautéing pan and sauté the onion until soft. Add the garlic and sauté for a few seconds until fragrant 
  2. Add the eggplant (aubergine), the mushrooms, the carrots and the zucchini (courgettes) as well as the celery and sauté until they are soft.
  3. Add the wine and cook for a few minutes for the alcohol to evaporate and then add the tomato as well as the tomato puree, bay leaf, oregano and thyme.
  4. Season with salt, pepper, cinnamon and allspice, add the water and simmer until the vegetables are cooked and remain with a thick sauce.
  5. When they are cooked discard the bay leaf and mix in the parsley, dill, oregano, rosemary and thyme.
  6. Cook the pasta: Meantime, bring the water to a boil, add salt and cook the pasta al dente, a few minutes less than the package instructions 
  7. Remove from the heat and cool the pasta under running water  Drain, and wet the pasta with the olive oil. When ready to use beat the egg whites and add it to the pasta, together with the cheese and a couple tablespoons béchamel sauce and mix.

Prepare the béchamel sauce.

  1. Peel, wash and cut potatoes into smaller pieces  Bring to a boil, reduce heat and then simmer until the potatoes are soft.
  2. Drain the potatoes but reserve the boiling potato water.
  3. In a food processor add the almonds, garlic, olive oil and vinegar and mix until they are pureed, adding a few tablespoons of the potato water, if necessary 
  4. In a separate saucepan prepare the roux. Heat the olive oil over medium heat and mix in the flour, a pinch of salt and the nutmeg and keep mixing until the flour starts roasting and turns into a light brown colour 
  5. Add the potato water and mix to get a thick sauce  If needed add some more water. Add the hot potatoes and with a hand mixer, puree them in the roux (or you can do this separately and combine) 
  6. Add the puréed almonds as well, season with salt and white pepper, mix and set aside.

Assembling the dish:

  1. Layer half of the pasta in the Pyrex and add the vegetable filling on top.
  2. Add the remaining pasta on top and cover with the béchamel sauce.
  3. Sprinkle with some grated cheese and some cinnamon on top.
  4. Bake in a preheated oven to 180o C / 350o F (or 160o C / 325o for a convection oven) for about 45 minutes or until golden on top.
  5. Let it cool before cutting into portions.
Nutrition Information
Yield 8 Serving Size 1
Amount Per Serving Calories 671Total Fat 28gSaturated Fat 4gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 23gCholesterol 5mgSodium 2746mgCarbohydrates 90gFiber 11gSugar 8gProtein 17g

"These values are automatically calculated and offered for guidance only. Their accuracy is not guaranteed."

Did you make this recipe?

Tried this recipe? Tag me @ivyliac and use the hashtag #kopiaste!

© Ivy Liacopoulou
Cuisine: Greek Cuisine / Category: Main Dish
Collage Vegan and Vegetarian pastitsio image

Kopiaste and Kali Orexi!

signature Ivy

More Pasta

26 Comments

  3. I wasn't aware the Orthodox Lent didn't allow dairy until you informed me. I am not sure if the Catholic one does, but I remember people in Mexico eating cheese during Lent. LOL that's what I get for not being religious :-p This pastitsio sounds really good. I guess I will have to try to make some soon since I have seen a lot of recipes for it around lately. Great entry for PPN 🙂

  4. I particularly love the heart photo and what a fantastic bechamel for the pastitsio too.

    Thanks for sharing with Presto Pasta Nights.

  5. I have been waiting to see this delicious dish after you hinted with your bechamel sauce. It does sound delicious and I can see why the family would rave about it and want seconds.

  7. I have never heard of this dish, but then i am not a greek, it looks so yumm, it islike a real comforting food.
    Yeah i too don't have fancy camera or lights etc.... and not photoshop, i am giving hints to my hubby to buy photoshop 🙂

  8. This sounds delicious ... telika to pastitsio mas mporei na parei polles morfes! Love this one Ivy; it is flavorful and hearty and I am sure you do not even notice the missing meat, or even want it in any way.

  10. What a great dish for Lent Ivy - I have never heard of this before and it's always lovely to keep learning new dishes 😀 Nice click too

    Rosie x

  14. I like the vegetarian version Ivy. I see that u used the vegan bechamel in this! I never had pastitsio before.

    I saw your pic in the gallery .. very nice idea!

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