Greek Lasagna (Pastitsio)
by Sommer Collier — last updated on Mar 25, 2025 
Greek Pastitsio – You’ll love this Greek lasagna recipe! It features layers of tender pasta, zesty meat sauce, shredded cheese, and a creamy béchamel sauce, all baked together for a deliciously comforting dish.
Why We Love This Classic Greek Pastitsio Recipe
A popular dish at Greek restaurants, Pastitsio is a rich and hearty lasagna-style recipe with a Mediterranean twist. It’s made with a layer of tender bucatini pasta on the bottom, zesty Greek meat sauce in the middle, and a creamy béchamel cheese sauce baked to perfection on top!
Our classic Greek lasagna Pastitsio recipe is great to serve at Sunday dinner with the family. Not only will you all enjoy a deliciously comforting meal together, but pasticcio also makes marvelous leftovers!
This Greek bechamel sauce lasagna can even be prepared ahead to save yourself a bit of time on the day you plan to eat it. Either make it the day before, or you can freeze (before or after baking!) and have it ready to enjoy for up to 2 months.
What is Bucatini?
Bucatini is a long spaghetti-like pasta. However, it has a hole running through the middle, like a thin straw. This allows the sauce to get inside the pasta to add flavor in every bite.
You can find bucatini with a fine hole or sometimes with a larger hole through each strand. Choose whichever version you prefer!
No bucatini? No problem. Penne pasta and ziti are similar in that the noodles have holes through the center, so the same saucy noodle goodness is achieved throughout the Pastitsio.
Ingredients You Need
- Bucatini pasta – or other pasta with a hole running through the center
- Egg whites – with yolks reserved
- Feta cheese – crumbled
- Shredded Italian blend cheese – that includes mozzarella, provolone, asiago, romano, and parmesan cheese
- Butter – unsalted
- Onion – peeled and chopped
- Garlic – minced
- Ground beef – we suggest a lean beef, such as 90-95%
- Spices – ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, salt and pepper
- Tomato sauce – canned or fresh crushed tomatoes
- Butter – unsalted
- All-purpose flour
- Milk – whole milk is best
- Egg yolks – reserved from the making the pasta layer
- Seasonings – salt and ground nutmeg
How to Make Authentic Greek Lasagna (Pastitsio)
- First, soak the bucatini pasta. Set out a deep 9X13 inch casserole dish. Add the bucatini pasta and cover it with very hot tap water. (It does not need to boil.) Mix in a pinch of salt so the noodles don’t stick together. Then let it soak for 30-40 minutes while you prep and make the sauces.
- Chop the onion and garlic.
- Next, make the meat sauce. Sauté butter (or olive oil if you prefer) onions, and the chopped garlic in a large saucepan. Then add in the ground beef and spices, and cook to brown the meat. Add in the tomato sauce and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring regularly. Taste and season as needed.
- Make the creamy béchamel sauce as you prepare the meat sauce. In a separate large skillet or large pot over medium heat, whisk together the butter flour and cook the roux for 1-2 minutes as you whisk constantly – do not let it brown. Once the sauce is thick, add in the milk and spices. Let the béchamel thicken into a gravy-like consistency, then immediately turn off the heat. Whisking vigorously, add the egg yolks to the mixture. Lastly, stir in 1 cup of the shredded cheese blend until the béchamel is smooth and creamy.
- Drain and prep the pasta. It’s ok if a little water is left in the dish. Combine the soaked Pastitsio noodles with the egg whites and crumbled feta cheese. Spread out in an even layer, and sprinkle the top of the pasta with 2 cups of shredded cheese.
- Layer the Greek lasagna. Spread all of the meat sauce over the layers of pasta and cheese in the baking dish. Then gently pour and spread the creamy bechamel sauce over the meat. Top it off with shredded cheese and some freshly ground black pepper.
- Bake the Pastitsio uncovered, on the lowest rack, for 30-40 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Let the Pastitsio rest for at least 20 minutes before cutting and serving. This helps the pasta, meat sauce, cheese all settle together so the Greek lasagna cuts smoothly and stays firm.
Get the Complete (Printable!) Greek Lasagna Recipe Below. Enjoy!
Serving Suggestions
We love to enjoy this warm, comforting dish with a cold and refreshing Horiatiki (Greek Village Salad) or simple green salad topped with a bright and zesty Greek Salad Dressing. Sprinkle some fresh parsley ontop of your Pastitsio for some extra flavour!
For an extra filling meal, you can also serve Greek lasagna with a side of Greek Lemon-Garlic Potatoes. And is it really pasta night without a basket of fresh baked Homemade Breadsticks or thick slices of Garlic Bread on the table? I think not!
Recipe Variations
- Pasta – Use any medium-sized noodles that have holes and can soak up all the sauciness. Penne, ziti, and rigatoni are good options.
- Protein – Swap ground beef in the meat sauce with ground chicken, ground turkey, ground pork or veal.
- Vegetarian – Or, completely leave out the meat and make this bechamel sauce lasagna with marinara sauce.
- Fresh tomatoes – Save yourself some time and use your favorite jarred pasta and a hint of tomato paste instead of homemade sauce.
- Gluten-free – Simply use your favorite GF bucatini penne pasta, and swap all-purpose flour for gluten-free alternative flour.
- Cheese – Swap the Italian blend for traditional Greek cheese like kefalotyri cheese.
- Sauce – Add some bay leaves and red wine to your meat sauce for an extra boost of flavor.
Frequently Asked Questions
This lasagna will keep well in the fridge for 3-4 days. Allow leftovers to cool completely before transferring to an airtight container and refrigerating.
You can easily freeze Greek lasagna before or after baking! To freeze before baking I recommend preparing the dish in a freezer-safe pan that you can then heat in the oven when ready to serve. If freezing leftovers, allow them to cool and transfer to a freezer-safe container that seals. Freeze Pastitsio for up to 2 months. Defrost in the fridge overnight before heating per the recipe instructions.
Yes! You can fully assemble the Pastitsio, cover it tightly, and refrigerate it for up to 2 days before baking. When ready, bake as directed, adding an extra 10-15 minutes if it’s coming straight from the fridge.
Both are classic Greek casseroles with hearty layers of meat sauce and creamy béchamel. The key difference is that Pastitsio is made with pasta, while Moussaka swaps the pasta for layers of eggplant or potatoes.
Pastitsio and lasagna are both layered, baked dishes with meat sauce, but they have a few differences. Pastitsio is a Greek casserole made with tubular pasta, spiced meat sauce, and a rich, creamy béchamel sauce on top. Lasagna, on the other hand, is Italian and uses flat lasagna noodles, ricotta or mozzarella cheese, marinara sauce, and sometimes a béchamel layer depending on the version. The spices and cheeses used also vary, giving each dish its distinct flavor profile.
Looking for More Deliciously Comforting Dinner Recipes? Be Sure to Also Try:
- Baked Ziti with Ricotta and Sausage
- Supreme Pizza Lasagna
- Lamb Gyro Recipe
- Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti with Rotel (Casserole Recipe)
- No-Boil Chicken Parmesan Pasta Recipe
- Cheesy Chicken Alfredo Pasta Bake
Greek Lasagna (Pastitsio)
Video
Ingredients
For the Pasta –
- 12 ounces bucatini pasta or penne
- 2 large egg whites save the yolks
- 6 ounces crumbled feta cheese
- 4 cups shredded Italian blend cheese divided
For the Meat Sauce –
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 large onion peeled and chopped
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 pounds lean ground beef
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 30 ounces tomato sauce
- Salt and pepper
For the Bechamel –
- ½ cup butter
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 4 cups whole milk
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
Instructions
- Soak the Pasta: Set out a 9X13 inch (3 quart) baking dish. (Use a deep-dish pan if you have one.) Place the bucatini in the dish and cover with very hot tap water. Add a teaspoon of salt and mix the pasta around so it doesn’t stick together. Then let it soak for 30-40 minutes while the sauces are cooking.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Chop all produce.
- Make the Meat Sauce: Set a large 6 quart pot over medium heat. Add the butter, onions and garlic. Sauté for 3-5 minutes, then add in the ground beef, cinnamon, nutmeg, and 1 teaspoon salt. Break the beef into small pieces with a wooden spoon as you let it brown. Once the ground beef is cooked through, add in the tomato sauce. Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring regularly. Taste, then add salt and pepper as needed.
- Make the Bechamel: Set a separate pot over medium heat. Add the butter and flour. Whisk well as the butter melts to remove all clumps. Cook the roux for 1-2 minutes, do not let it brown. Once it thickens, whisk in the milk, salt, and nutmeg. Stir and let the bechamel thicken into a gravy-like consistency. Then turn off the heat. Whisking vigorously, add in the egg yolks. Whisk well so they fully incorporate. Finally stir in 1 cup of shredded cheese blend. Stir until the cheese has melted and the bechamel is smooth.
- Drain and Prep the Pasta: Carefully drain the salt water off the pasta. It’s ok if a little water is left in the dish. Then toss the soaked pasta with the egg whites and feta cheese. Spread them pasta out in an even layer. Then sprinkle the top of the pasta with 2 cups of shredded cheese.
- Layer All: Next spread the meat sauce over the cheese layer in the baking dish. Then gently spread the bechamel over the meat sauce. Finally sprinkle the last 1 cup of shredded cheese over the bechamel.
- Bake: If you are using a standard 9X13 inch dish, set it on a rimmed baking sheet. (No need for the baking sheet if you have a deep-dish pan.) Bake uncovered, on the low rack, for 30-40 minutes. The top should be golden brown. If it starts to turn dark too quickly, cover loosely with a piece of foil.
- Rest: Let the Pastitsio rest for at least 20 minutes before cutting and serving.
I was traveling as a kid about 20 years ago somewhere in Greece (parga something), this was a dish we all ate and remembered it well – extremely good, so found this after searching that creamy lasanga I’d only had in this location and it came out great, very similar to what I can remember so thanks so much for the recipie my wife and me loved it, especially me!
(we put mozarella, romano cheese, and parmesano cheese into the sauce. we added slight amount of cayenne and a bit more of smoked paprika aswell was tasty. mixing the pasta with holes in the middle with very hot water and just letting them soak without boiling then rinsing off all water after 40min was genius, the pasta after oven was perfect!! Thanks again =) seek Jesus before it’s too late)
Maybe I missed it, but adding cheese to the béchamel was not listed in the recipe, so I kept going back to make sure. Mine is in the oven fingers crossed!
Hi Dani,
That is correct, the only cheese is added to the pasta mixture, not the creamy sauce. How did it turn out?
wonderful, what a creative lasagna! Love this Greek version, feta is a great choice, thank you!
Can’t wait to try this, I know it’s going to be a hit!
Thanks for including the freezing instructions. My sister is having a baby in a couple of weeks and this is on the menu for her family!
This has got to be one of the tastiest lasagna recipes that I have found, that is also very very easy! Love it!