Pastitsio
Greek baked pasta with a layer of cheesy tubular noodles, a warmly spiced beef and tomato sauce and a thick, golden bechamel crown.
By Theo Brandt, Test Kitchen Lead & Cheese Specialist
Published September 6, 2025
- Prep
- 45 min
- Cook
- 1 hr 45 min
- Total
- 2 hrs 30 min
- Servings
- 10
- Level
- Advanced
Pastitsio is often called Greek lasagna, but it has a personality all its own. Long tubular pasta is tossed with egg white and grated cheese so it binds into a firm bottom layer, then topped with a beef and tomato sauce warmed with cinnamon, a hint of clove and red wine.
The finishing touch is a generous, thick bechamel enriched with eggs and kefalotyri, which bakes into a tall, golden, custardy crown that slices cleanly once rested.
It is a showpiece for Sunday dinners and holidays, and it feeds a crowd with leftovers to spare. Serve squares of it with a crisp cucumber and tomato salad, olives and a glass of Greek red wine.
- Tall golden bechamel crown
- Cinnamon-spiced meat sauce
- Feeds a crowd
Ingredients
Directions
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the beef and cook, breaking it up, until browned, 7 to 8 minutes. Add the onion and cook until soft, 5 minutes, then stir in the garlic and tomato paste for 1 minute.
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