Pastitsio Recipe (Greek Pasta Bake)

I learned to make this dish from my Greek aunt, who firmly believed that every girl needed to know how to cook for her future Greek husband (imagine that!). Well, I married an American who also cooks! But I kept her recipe, and I’m so glad I did. Unlike traditional pastitsio, which has distinct layers, this version combines the pasta and meat sauce before adding the creamy topping.

This isn’t a 30-minute dinner, but don’t let that scare you! Much of the cooking time is hands-off, and you can prepare the casserole ahead of time. It’s a wonderful choice for Sunday dinners, holidays, or whenever you’re feeding a hungry crowd.

🔎 What Is Pastitsio?

Pastitsio (pronounced pah-STEET-see-oh), sometimes spelled pastichio, is a Greek baked pasta dish traditionally made with tubular pasta, a seasoned ground meat sauce, and a thick béchamel topping.

Often called Greek lasagna, pastitsio is a favorite at Greek family gatherings and celebrations. Traditional versions have distinct layers, while my family’s recipe mixes the pasta and meat sauce together before adding the creamy topping. The result is just as comforting and a little easier to assemble.

📝 Ingredients, Substitutions and Swaps

There are three main components to this Greek pasta bake: the meat sauce, the pasta, and a rich, creamy béchamel topping. You’ll find the exact measurements in the printable recipe card below.

✔️ For the Meat Sauce:

• Ground Beef: Lean ground beef makes a hearty, flavorful sauce without too much excess fat. Ground lamb or a combination of beef and lamb also works deliciously.
• Onion and Garlic: Build the savory flavor of the meat sauce.
• Dry Red Wine: It adds depth and a little acidity to cut the richness of the dish. No wine? Use beef or chicken broth.
• Crushed Tomatoes: Create the tomato base. Canned tomatoes work beautifully here.
• Spices: Cinnamon gives pastitsio its distinctive warmth without making the sauce sweet or overpowering. Oregano and thyme add herbal flavor, while a pinch of cayenne provides subtle heat.
• Olive Oil, Salt, and Black Pepper: For sautéing and seasoning.

✔️ For the Creamy Béchamel:

• Half-and-Half: Creates a rich, creamy sauce. Warm it before adding it to the butter and flour mixture.
• Butter and All-Purpose Flour: Cook together to form a roux, which thickens the béchamel.
• Parmesan or Kasseri Cheese: Kasseri is a semi-firm Greek cheese with a slightly salty, buttery flavor. Parmesan is a delicious, readily available alternative. I usually use Parmesan because Kasseri can be difficult to find.
• Eggs: Help the béchamel set into a tender, custard-like topping that holds its shape when sliced.
• Greek Yogurt: Adds richness, body, and a pleasant tang that balances the sauce.
• Nutmeg, Salt, and Black Pepper: Season the creamy topping.

✔️ For the Pasta:

• Penne, Ziti, or Bucatini: Traditional Greek pastitsio is usually made with long, hollow pasta, often sold as Greek macaroni or pastitsio No. 2. I prefer short pasta like penne or ziti because it’s easy to find and works beautifully in this version.

🔎 How to Make Pastitsio

This recipe has three main steps: preparing the meat sauce, making the béchamel, and assembling and baking the casserole. See the printable recipe card below for exact ingredients, instructions, and cooking times.

✔️ Prepare the Meat Sauce:

1. Sauté the onions: Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion and cook for 4-5 minutes, until softened and translucent.
2. Brown the beef: Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it into smaller pieces with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink.

3. Build the flavor: Pour in the red wine and cook for about 2 minutes. Add the garlic, cinnamon, oregano, thyme, and cayenne. Continue cooking for 3-4 minutes.
4. Simmer: Add the crushed tomatoes, season with salt and pepper, and simmer over low heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Chef’s Note: The sauce should be thick and flavorful, not watery. Excess liquid can make the finished casserole difficult to slice.

✔️ Make the Béchamel:

1. Warm the half-and-half: Heat it in a small saucepan until it begins to simmer, or warm it in the microwave.
2. Make the roux: Melt the butter in a medium saucepan. Add the flour and whisk constantly for about 2 minutes. Cooking the flour removes its raw taste.

3. Thicken the sauce: Gradually whisk in the warm half-and-half. Continue cooking and stirring for 5-6 minutes, until smooth and thickened. Season with nutmeg, salt, and pepper.
4. Add cheese and meat sauce: Stir in ¾ cup of the grated cheese and ½ cup of the prepared meat sauce. Remove from the heat.

5. Finish the béchamel: Allow the sauce to cool for about 10 minutes. Whisk in the beaten eggs, then stir in the Greek yogurt until combined.

Chef’s Note: Don’t rush the cooling step before adding the eggs. If the sauce is too hot, the eggs can scramble instead of incorporating smoothly.

✔️ Assemble and Bake

1. Preheat the oven: Set the oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. Cook the pasta: Boil the pasta in well-salted water until just al dente. Drain thoroughly.
3. Combine: Toss the pasta with the remaining meat sauce until evenly coated.

4. Assemble: Transfer the pasta mixture to a large, deep baking dish (approximately 9½ × 13 inches). Spread the béchamel over the pasta in an even layer.
5. Add the cheese: Sprinkle the remaining ¾ cup of grated cheese over the top.
6. Bake: Bake for approximately 1 hour, until golden brown and bubbly.
7. Rest: Let the pastitsio rest for at least 10 minutes before cutting and serving.

Chef Kathy’s Tips for the Best Pastitsio

• Use a deep baking dish: This recipe makes a generous casserole. Choose a baking dish deep enough to hold the pasta and béchamel with some room at the top for bubbling. Place it on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any spills.
• Undercook the pasta slightly: It continues cooking in the oven. Pasta that’s already soft before baking can become mushy.
• Let the meat sauce reduce: A thick, well-seasoned sauce produces a more flavorful casserole that holds together better when sliced. If the sauce is watery, let it simmer a little longer before assembling.
• Add the warm half-and-half gradually: Whisking while adding the liquid helps prevent lumps in the béchamel.
• Cool the béchamel before adding the eggs: The eggs help the creamy topping set during baking, but adding them to a sauce that’s too hot can cause them to scramble.
• Don’t skip the Greek yogurt: It adds richness and a little tang that balances the meat sauce and cheese.
• Why add meat sauce to the béchamel? That small amount seasons the topping, ties the flavors together, and gives the béchamel its pale rosy color. It’s a distinctive part of this version of pastitsio.
• Let it rest before slicing: The casserole needs time to settle after baking. Wait at least 10 minutes, or a little longer if you want particularly neat slices.

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Tested in Kathy’s kitchen. What cooking means to me.

🔎 What to Serve with Pastitsio?

Pastitsio is a hearty meal on its own, so I like serving it with something fresh and simple. My Chopped Greek Salad makes an excellent side dish. For a larger Greek-inspired dinner, add my Greek Spanakopita.

If you’re planning a full Greek menu, finish with homemade Baklava.

✔️ Make-Ahead, Storage, Freezing & Reheating

• Make-Ahead: Assemble the casserole up to 1 day in advance. Cover tightly and refrigerate. Remove it from the refrigerator 30-45 minutes before baking to take some of the chill off. A cold casserole may need additional oven time.
• Prepare the Meat Sauce Ahead: The meat sauce can be made 1-2 days in advance and kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
• Storage: Refrigerate leftover pastitsio in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
• Freezing: Cool the baked casserole, wrap tightly, and freeze for up to 2 months. Individual portions are especially convenient for future meals.
• Reheating: Thaw frozen pastitsio overnight in the refrigerator. Reheat covered in a 300°F (150°C) oven until heated through. Individual portions can also be reheated in the microwave.

💛 Conscious Bites

Your priorities, your recipe. Learn about Intentional Cooking.

Community, Culture & Tradition: Recipes are one of the ways we keep family traditions alive. This pastitsio was passed down to me by my Greek aunt, and although times and expectations have changed, sharing the food we grew up with is a tradition worth keeping.

Finances: Pasta and canned tomatoes help stretch two pounds of ground beef into 10 satisfying servings. Freeze individual portions for another meal and get even more value from the ingredients.

Time & Convenience: Not every family dinner needs to be fast. Sometimes the smartest shortcut is making dinner ahead. Assemble this casserole the day before, then let the oven do the work when you’re ready to eat.

Hosting this year?

Which Thanksgiving Are You Hosting?

I wrote four complete menus so you can plan only the dinner you can actually pull off. Each one has its own shopping list, oven schedule and hour-by-hour plan.

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Cooking for 2–4

Menu 1 · Turkey breast, one oven, planned leftovers

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A classic dinner for 8–12

Menu 2 · Brined turkey, half the work done Wednesday

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A big crowd, 12–16

Menu 3 · Ham and slow cooker turkey; guests bring the rest

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Vegetarian guests

Menu 4 · Stuffed acorn squash with mushroom gravy

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Free 40-page printable, with a thawing chart, a “What can I bring?” sheet and my fixes for when things go sideways.

Pastitsio Recipe (Greek Pasta Bake)

5 from 2 reviews

Chef Kathy McDaniel Developed & tested in her kitchen

This comforting Greek pasta bake combines tender pasta with a savory, cinnamon-spiced ground beef and tomato sauce, topped with a creamy Parmesan béchamel enriched with Greek yogurt. Baked until golden brown, it’s a delicious make-ahead meal that feeds a crowd.

Print Pin

Prep 20 minutes mins

Cook 1 hour hr 45 minutes mins

Total 2 hours hrs 5 minutes mins

Makes 10 servings

Ingredients 

1x2x3x

For the Meat Sauce

• ▢ 3 tablespoons olive oil
• ▢ 1 onion, chopped
• ▢ 2 pounds lean ground beef
• ▢ ½ cup dry red wine
• ▢ 4 cloves garlic, minced
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ▢ 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• ▢ 3 sprigs fresh thyme
• ▢ Pinch of cayenne pepper
• ▢ 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
• ▢ Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

For the Béchamel Sauce

• ▢ 2½ cups half-and-half
• ▢ 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• ▢ ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• ▢ Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• ▢ 1½ cups freshly grated Parmesan or Kasseri cheese, divided
• ▢ 2 large eggs, beaten
• ▢ ⅔ cup plain Greek yogurt

For the Pasta

• ▢ 12 ounces bucatini, penne, or ziti

Instructions 

Make the Meat Sauce

1. In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and sauté until translucent, about 4–5 minutes.
2. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink.
3. Stir in the red wine and cook for about 2 minutes. Add the garlic, cinnamon, oregano, thyme, and cayenne. Continue cooking over medium heat for 3–4 minutes.
4. Add the crushed tomatoes and season with salt and black pepper. Simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes. Set aside.

Make the Béchamel

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Heat the half-and-half in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until simmering, or warm it in the microwave.
2. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour and cook over medium heat for about 2 minutes, whisking constantly.
3. Gradually add the warm half-and-half while whisking constantly. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until thickened, about 5–6 minutes. Season with nutmeg, salt, and black pepper.
4. Stir in ¾ cup of grated cheese and approximately ½ cup of the meat sauce. Remove from the heat and cool for about 10 minutes.
5. Whisk in the beaten eggs, then add the Greek yogurt and mix until combined.

Assemble and Bake

1. Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until just al dente. Drain.
2. Toss the pasta with the remaining meat sauce and transfer to a 9½ × 13-inch baking dish with enough depth to accommodate the topping.
3. Spread the béchamel over the pasta and sprinkle with the remaining ¾ cup of grated cheese.
4. Bake for 1 hour, or until golden brown and bubbly. Rest for 10 minutes before cutting and serving.

Chef’s Notes

• Pasta: Short penne or ziti works well if traditional Greek tubular pasta is unavailable.
• No wine, no problem: Substitute beef or chicken broth for the red wine if preferred.
• Ground Meat: You can substitute the lean ground beef with ground lamb or a combination of both. Ground chicken or turkey can also be used.
• Don’t Overcook the Pasta: Cook the pasta just until al dente, remember that the pasta will soften during baking.
• Make-Ahead: Assemble the casserole up to 1 day in advance. Cover tightly and refrigerate. Remove it from the refrigerator 30-45 minutes before baking to take some of the chill off. A cold casserole may need additional oven time.
• Prepare the Meat Sauce Ahead: The meat sauce can be made 1-2 days in advance and kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
• Storage: Refrigerate leftover pastitsio in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
• Freezing: Cool the baked casserole, wrap tightly, and freeze for up to 2 months. Individual portions are especially convenient for future meals.
• Reheating: Thaw frozen pastitsio overnight in the refrigerator. Reheat covered in a 300°F (150°C) oven until heated through. Individual portions can also be reheated in the microwave.

 

Nutrition

Calories: 514 kcal, Carbohydrates: 33 g, Protein: 34 g, Fat: 26 g, Saturated Fat: 13 g, Trans Fat: 1 g, Cholesterol: 134 mg, Sodium: 385 mg, Potassium: 544 mg, Fiber: 2 g, Sugar: 2 g, Vitamin A: 538 IU, Vitamin C: 2 mg, Calcium: 288 mg, Iron: 3 mg

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Originally published in 2021, this Pastitsio Recipe was updated in November 2026 with new step-by-step photography, additional chef tips, and helpful cooking information. The original recipe remains unchanged.

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