The BEST easy ratatouille recipe

This easy ratatouille recipe is a hearty French dish that celebrates summer vegetables. Fragrant with fresh herbs and garlic, this delicious vegetable stew is a hearty meal of eggplant, zucchini, onions, peppers and juicy tomatoes. This recipe is a variation on the traditional method, streamlining it to make it a little quicker without sacrificing taste.

I’ll give you variations and substitutions where I can, plus helpful tips and tricks for success. Read on for this info as well as the recipe. If you’d like to skip straight to the recipe, use the jump to recipe button at the top of the post.

You may also be interested in my squash fritters and my miso eggplant recipes. For ease of browsing, you can find all of my vegetable recipes in one place.

Much like my eggplant caponata recipe, ratatouille can be eaten on its own, with beans, pasta, on crostini or even as a side dish. It utilizes all of the wonderful produce of summer in a healthy vegan dish that is absolutely delicious and gluten-free.

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Why you should make this recipe

• Quick & Easy – My easy ratatouille recipe is done in under an hour.
• Versatile – You can enjoy this recipe warm or room temperature. It can be eaten as is, with pasta, as a side dish, or even tucked into a crusty ciabatta roll for a tasty sandwich.
• Good for you – This dish is packed with nutrient-dense vegetables in a rainbow of colors.

Easy ratatouille recipe

This ratatouille recipe uses the best of summers produce to make a delicious, good-for-you meal in under an hour.

I’ve broken down this recipe into 2 major steps to make it quicker and easier to make than the traditional method – oven roasting and stovetop.

The vegetables that contain more moisture (eggplant and zucchini) get a head start in a hot oven, while the remaining veggies are sautéed on the stovetop in a Dutch oven.

If you are lucky enough to have a bountiful garden, this hearty dish is an excellent way to use up your vegetables.

What is ratatouille?

Ratatouille is a classic French vegetable stew. Some purists believe that the vegetables should be cooked separately, and then stirred together to finish the dish, in order to be able to taste each vegetable on its own. While I can’t disagree with that, I also rarely do it.

Cooking ratatouille the traditional way can be a lengthy process, and we don’t often have that kind of time during the week.

Another variation on the classic chunky vegetable stew is turning it into a layered vegetable dish. This is actually a “tian” and not a traditional ratatouille. While it is beautiful, it’s not the classic French stew.

Ingredients

There are many variations on this dish, but what they all have in common is the basic list of ingredients: zucchini, summer squash, tomato and eggplant.

• Eggplant – Roasting the eggplant helps this veggie take on a bit of caramelization.
• Zucchini and yellow summer squash – I use both so I can make it as colorful as possible.
• Tomatoes – Fresh, ripe tomatoes are what gives this dish amazing flavor. You can substitute canned tomatoes, if fresh aren’t an option.
• Bell pepper – Red, orange or yellow peppers give lots of color and sweetness to this easy ratatouille.
• Onion and garlic – Because they go in almost everything.
• Olive oil – My absolute favorite is arbequina olive oil from Spain.
• Herbs – Basil, thyme, parsley and bay leaves. You can also use herbes de Provence, savory, rosemary, or marjoram.
• Salt and pepper – We season everything!

As long as you are cooking, enjoying the process and the food tastes good, do whatever makes you happy.

Ratatouille is one of those dishes that people don’t make often enough. This one is a variation on Julia Child’s recipe. I changed a few things to make it more to my taste, feel free to do the same from here. More of what you like, less of what you don’t.

How to make this ratatouille recipe

I’ve made a few changes to the traditional method of making ratatouille. The biggest change to the traditional ratatouille recipe is roasting some of the vegetables. Roasting the eggplant and squash reduces the amount of time you are standing in front of the stove (always a win).

1. First, dice the eggplant, zucchini and summer squash. Then toss with a few tablespoons of olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Roast them in a hot oven for 15 – 20 minutes, until softened and just starting to brown.
2. Chop onions and peppers and sauté them in a Dutch oven while the other vegetables are roasting.
3. Next, combine all of the veggies in the pot and let them simmer together until the tomatoes break down and release their juices.
4. The remaining veggies for this easy ratatouille recipe will be broken down slowly in olive oil. Once everything has come together, top with more fresh herbs.

I’ve made ratatouille the traditional way for the better part of my professional cooking life and it is wonderful, but this way is much quicker and easier.

Ratatouille recipe FAQ’s

Variations and substitutions

• If you are not a fan of eggplant, double the zucchini in the recipe.
• Fresh summer tomatoes are ideal, but you can substitute good quality canned tomatoes if needed.
• Use whatever fresh herbs you have, or like. I used thyme, bay leaves, parsley and basil. You can also use oregano, herbes de Provençe, marjoram or savory.

Serving suggestions

This easy ratatouille recipe can be eaten warm, at room temperature or even cold. It’s even better the next day, so plan ahead, if possible.

It is substantial enough to stand on its own as a stew, but here are a few more ways to serve it:

• Alongside roast chicken as a side dish.
• Try tossing it with pasta and giving it a sprinkle of Parmesan.
• Serve it tucked into a crusty ciabatta roll for a delicious sandwich.
• On sliced, toasted baguettes or crostini as an hors d’oeuvre like a bruschetta. 
• Pile it on top of warm, cheesy polenta or a hearty grain like farro or freekeh.

This easy recipe is the epitome of summer, there really is no wrong way to enjoy it. Make a night of it and watch the Ratatouille movie while you’re enjoying your delicious dinner!

Helpful tools and equipment

• Dutch oven – This cast iron Dutch oven pot is perfect for making stews, soups and chili, plus it’s easy on the wallet.
• Le Creuset Dutch oven – This is the Dutch oven that I own and used in this recipe. It’s not inexpensive, but it’s worth every penny. This is a pot you hand down to the next generation.
• Commercial sheet pans – These are heavy-duty sheet pans that won’t warp in a hot oven. Every professional kitchen uses this type of baking sheet.
• Chef’s knife – This is the same knife I have used for 20 years. It is a workhorse, and if you take care of it, you’ll never need to buy another knife.

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Easy ratatouille recipe

Cheryl Bennett

This easy ratatouille recipe is the perfect way to use your end of summer vegetables from the garden.

4.74 from 15 votes

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Course Dinner

Cuisine French

Servings 8 cups

Calories 130 kcal

Equipment

• Lodge 7.5 Quart Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven. 
• Wusthof Classic 8-Inch Chef’s Knife

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 lb. eggplant diced / 1 large
• 1 lb. zucchini diced / 2 medium
• 1 bell pepper diced
• 1 large onion diced
• 4 cloves garlic smashed
• 3/4 lb. firm ripe tomatoes, peeled & seeded, chopped (*see note)
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1 – 1 1/2 tbsp. kosher salt
• 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 3 – 4 sprigs of fresh thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 tbsp. minced parsley
• 1 tbsp. basil finely sliced (chiffonade) or torn

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 375°F / 190°C. Toss eggplant with 2 tablespoons olive oil, a pinch of salt and pepper.
• Place eggplant on sheet pan and roast in oven for 20 minutes.
• Toss zucchini and summer squash with 2 tablespoons olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper.
• Place zucchini and summer squash on sheet pan and roast for 15 minutes.
• While eggplant, zucchini and summer squash are roasting, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat.
• Add onions and peppers to pot and sauté for 10 minutes until softened, but not browned. 
• Add garlic, thyme & bay leaves, season with salt and pepper.
• Add tomatoes and cook over medium-low heat for 10 – 15 minutes until tomatoes have released their juices, then raise heat and simmer for several minutes to allow some of the liquid to evaporate, if desired. (*see note)
• Remove eggplant, zucchini and summer squash from the oven and add to the pot. Stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning.
• Let simmer for a few minutes allowing flavors to combine, remove from heat and stir in parsley and basil.

Video

Notes

To peel tomatoes – Bring a pot of water to a boil. While you are waiting for the water, fill a large bowl with ice water. Cut a shallow "x" in the bottom of the tomatoes. Drop into boiling water for 45 seconds – 1 minute. Remove the tomatoes from the boiling water and immediately plunge into the ice bath. The skins will slip right off. If they do not, leave the tomatoes in the ice bath for a few minutes, until the skin starts to pull back from the flesh of the tomato. At this point, they will be easy to peel.

*The longer you simmer the ratatouille, the more it will break down. If you like chunks of vegetables, don't let it simmer too long. If you'd prefer a stew of very soft vegetables, let the ratatouille simmer up to one hour.

** If your tomatoes do not release enough liquid, add 1 cup of canned CRUSHED TOMATOES to the pot.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cupCalories: 130kcalCarbohydrates: 12gProtein: 2gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 8gSodium: 714mgFiber: 3gSugar: 5g

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Originally published 7/19/12.