Easy Ratatouille Recipe  (2024)

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Easy Ratatouille Recipe – simple and elegant dish, mad with layered vegetables over tomato sauce, baked until tender. Topped with olive oil, herbs and cheese. Low carb and vegan option available.

Easy Ratatouille Recipe (1)

Serve as a main dish or a side dish. It goes well with all kinds of meat and seafood.

This dish could be prepared as a vegan or vegetarian. The addition of cheese on top is totally optional.

It also doesn’t have too many carbs, like 8 net carbs per serving. Ratatouille screams summer, just use your store bought or garden veggies to make this amazing, light and tasty dish. You can make a big batch and refrigerate for later.

Serve with your summer grilled meats like these Grilled Pork Chops or with a big slice of Crusty No Knead Dutch Oven Bread.

What is Ratatouille?

Ratatouille is a classic French stew from Provence, made with tomatoes, onions, squash, zucchini, eggplant and tomato sauce. Browned to perfection vegetables with tomato sauce, olive oil and herbs, this dish has a mild sweet and delicious taste. The name has nothing to do with the popular Disney movie ratatouille.

Layered or chopped?

You may have seen or tried the cubed vegetable version or the layered, round sliced vegetable version of this French Provencal dish.

In fact the dish I’m sharing with you today is called Tian and is pretty similar to Ratatouille, which is made with cubed vegetables.

The Tian dish is a layered dish that features thin vegetable slices atop a tomato sauce base.

Ratatouille, on the other hand, uses similar (or the same) ingredients but is made like a stew.

So today’s layered Ratatouille is technically called Tian.

Easy Ratatouille Recipe (2)

How to make this Easy Ratatouille Recipe

Ingredients:

The vegetables:

You can use a mandolin slicer for the vegetable rounds, but I personally prefer cutting them with my sharp knives.

  • Tomatoes
  • Zucchini
  • Eggplant
  • Squash (I did not have any today and did not use it)
  • Onion

The sauce:

  • Olive oil
  • Crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce
  • Onions
  • Garlic
  • Peppers (optional, I did not use any)
  • Seasoning for the sauce – I used a combination of dried basil, dried oregano, dried thyme and black pepper)
  • Salt
  • Sugar – to reduce the sourness from the tomatoes
  • Balsamic vinegar – adds some flavor

Easy Ratatouille Recipe (3)

Toppings:

You can skip the toppings, but I wouldn’t do so.

Make sure you drizzle some olive oil on top of the vegetables to keep them moist.

You can top the baked dish with chopped fresh herbs like parsley, thyme and basil. Adding some grated Parmesan will make it taste delicious.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 F.

Cook onion and garlic in 2 tbsp olive oil for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently.

Add tomatoes, salt, sugar and seasonings and simmer for 12-15 minutes, until thickened.

Cut vegetables into 1/8 inch thickness.

Pour sauce into a 2-3 quart baking dish (either round or square).

Arrange sliced vegetables alternating tomatoes, zucchini, eggplant and onion standing up on their sides. Cover and bake for 30 minutes.

Uncover and bake for additional 15-20 minutes, until tender.

Add salt and pepper on top. Drizzle with olive oil. Add grated Parmesan cheese and parsley (optional).

Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

More tender vegetables or harder vegetables?

If you prefer your vegetables tender, I’d cover the dish and bake covered with aluminum foil for 30 minutes, then remove the foil and cook for another 20 minutes.

If you’d like the vegetables to be “crunchy”, you can bake uncovered for the whole time.

! Cooking time may vary greatly, depending on the thickness of the vegetable slices, oven temperature and type of baking dish used.

Leftovers – how to store?

Store Ratatouille leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. If you happen to have a lot of leftovers, you can freeze for up to 1 month. Defrost in the fridge overnight and reheat on the stove top or in the microwave.

More Vegetarian Recipes:

  • Easy Bulgarian Baked Beans
  • Scalloped potatoes
  • Balsamic Brussel Sprouts With Tomatoes
Easy Ratatouille Recipe (4)

5 from 1 vote

Easy Ratatouille Recipe

Simple and elegant dish, mad with layered vegetables over tomato sauce, baked until tender. Topped with olive oil, herbs and cheese. Low carb and vegan option available.Serve as a main dish or a side. Goes well with meat and seafood.

Prep: 10 minutes mins

Cook: 50 minutes mins

Servings: 8

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Ingredients

  • 3 roma tomatoes, sliced
  • 1 large zucchini, sliced
  • 1 small eggplant, sliced
  • 1 onion, cut into thin rings
  • 14 oz can crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce
  • 1 onion, chopped (for the sauce)
  • 2 garlic cloves, pressed
  • 1/2 tsp sugar
  • 1/2 tsp balsamic vinegar
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp basil
  • 1/4 tsp thyme
  • 1/2 tsp oregano
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 3 tbsp olive oil, divided

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 375 F.

  • Cook onion and garlic in 2 tbsp olive oil for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently.

  • Add tomatoes, salt, sugar and seasonings and simmer for 12-15 minutes, until thickened.

  • Cut vegetables into 1/8 inch thickness.

  • Pour sauce into a 2-3 quart baking dish (either round or square).

  • Arrange sliced vegetables alternating tomatoes, zucchini, eggplant and onion standing up on their sides. Cover and bake for 30 minutes.

  • Uncover and bake for additional 15-20 minutes, until tender.

  • Add salt and pepper on top. Drizzle with olive oil. Add grated Parmesan cheese and parsley (optional).

  • Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Nutrition

Calories: 99kcal, Carbohydrates: 12g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 6g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 4g, Sodium: 217mg, Potassium: 442mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 7g, Vitamin A: 369IU, Vitamin C: 16mg, Calcium: 39mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Tried this recipe?Mention @cookinglsl or tag #cookinglsl!

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Easy Ratatouille Recipe (9)

Hi! I'm Mira.

I share simple, mostly low-carb and Keto recipes, that don't take a lot of time to make and use mostly seasonal, easy to find ingredients. I'm a supporter of healthy eating, but you'll also find some indulgent treats too.

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Easy Ratatouille Recipe  (2024)

FAQs

What are the two ways ratatouille is commonly served? ›

Ratatouille is usually served warm, but it can also be eaten cold as a refreshment on a hot summer day. Ratatouille is by its nature vegetarian and vegan, but it often accompanies grilled meat or fish.

What's the secret of a good ratatouille? ›

Ratatouille requires ripe vegetables, a liberal hand with the olive oil, and patience: only long, slow cooking will give you the creamy soft vegetables, and intense, almost jammy sauce that sings of the sun. Anything else is just plain vegetable stew.

What is the correct order of steps for making ratatouille? ›

Directions
  1. Step 1: Start with garlic and onions. TMB Studio. ...
  2. Step 2: Saute the vegetables. TMB Studio. ...
  3. Step 3: Add the stock and seasonings. TMB Studio. ...
  4. Step 4: Peel the tomatoes. TMB Studio. ...
  5. Step 6: Combine everything and serve. TMB Studio.
Apr 12, 2024

What can I substitute for eggplant in ratatouille? ›

To substitute for eggplant, I used carrots. As they cook, and the longer they cook, the more carrots become sweet. For onions, this is a sweet yellow onion. Then we come to one of the secrets of a successful ratatouille, in my opinion: adding a small amount of honey at the end, before serving.

What are the most common ingredients used in ratatouille? ›

Ratatouille is a classic French dish from the region of Provence that consists of eggplant, onions, bell peppers, zucchini, tomatoes, garlic, and herbs that are quickly seared and then gently stewed. The result is a creamy delicious mixture of fresh vegetables that serves as a wonderful main or side dish.

What meat goes best with ratatouille? ›

Ratatouille goes well with all kinds of grilled meats—I love it with flank steak, lamb, and veal, especially. A gourmet burger, served open face. Yes. A good steaky fish.

How to cut tomatoes for ratatouille? ›

Cut away any membrane, then chop into bite-size chunks. Score a small cross on the base of each of 4 large ripe tomatoes, then put them into a heatproof bowl.

What is inside of ratatouille? ›

Ratatouille is a bright and chunky summer vegetable stew, rich with olive oil and fragrant with garlic and herbs. Hailing from Provence, a region in the south of France near the Mediterranean Sea, ratatouille is a bright and chunky summer vegetable stew made with eggplant, zucchini, bell peppers, and tomatoes.

Is ratatouille a French or Italian dish? ›

Ratatouille (/ˌrætəˈtuːi/ RAT-ə-TOO-ee, French: [ʁatatuj]; Occitan: ratatolha [ʀataˈtuʎɔ]) is a French Provençal dish of stewed vegetables that originated in Nice and is sometimes referred to as ratatouille niçoise ( French: [niswaz]).

Is ratatouille worth making? ›

Ratatouille Is a Worthwhile Labor of Love. Cooked in olive oil with garlic, herbs, and wine, this late summer vegetable stew is rich, tender, and transcendent when made well.

What do you eat with ratatouille? ›

How to Serve Ratatouille. Ratatouille can be the main dish with a side of crusty bread or a salad accompanying a meal, but it's also good served over polenta, pasta, mashed potatoes, quinoa, and rice. Use it as a filling for omelets and tarts or as a side for grilled or roasted meats.

How long should ratatouille be in the fridge? ›

Ratatouille can keep for up to 5 days in the fridge. And the best thing is that it often gets better after a day or two in the fridge since the flavours from the ratatouille ingredients have time to meld together. Let it cool completely and store it in an airtight container.

Should I salt eggplant before ratatouille? ›

Not necessarily; it depends on what you're looking for in the finished dish. Though salting works when you want the eggplant to be creamy and tender — such as with parmigiana — in those cases where you want the eggplant to retain its shape and have a slightly firmer texture — such as ratatouille — you can skip it.

Why is my ratatouille watery? ›

It won't work in a wok or sauce pan – the heat is not spread out enough and the ratatouille will become too liquidy. So basically you kind of need to stick around in the kitchen and stir it often. If you see that there is too much liquid, turn the heat up.

Does ratatouille have potatoes in it? ›

Ratatouille, made with delicious vegetables such as tomatoes, eggplant, zucchini, and eggplant, is a flavorful vegetable stew originating in France. In this Italian Ratatouille Recipe, known as Ciambotta, you'll find the same bright and chunky summer vegetables plus some added potatoes and fresh herb pesto.

What cooking methods are used in ratatouille? ›

How to Make Ratatouille
  • First, sauté the veggies. In a traditional ratatouille recipe, you would brown each vegetable separately before adding it to the stew. ...
  • Next, take it off the heat. Stir in half the vinegar and pile the remaining cherry tomatoes on top.
  • Then, bake. ...
  • Finally, season and enjoy!

What are the different types of ratatouille? ›

7 Ratatouille Recipes That Are as Good as the Movie
  • Classic Ratatouille.
  • Ratatouille Pappardelle.
  • Spiralized Ratatouille.
  • Chicken Ratatouille.
  • Sheet-Pan Ratatouille.
  • Ratatouille With Baked Eggs.
  • Roasted Chickpea Ratatouille.
Nov 24, 2016

What do people usually eat with ratatouille? ›

Looking for a quick answer? The best side dishes to serve with ratatouille are brown rice, French onion soup, teriyaki pork chops, French bread pizza, eggplant parmesan, polenta, roasted chicken, grilled salmon, grilled halloumi, couscous, quinoa salad, garlic bread, and mashed potatoes.

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