bon appétit mes amis
Ahhh the French darling of late summer dishes. Ratatouille is not just a movie about a cute rate with culinary aspirations—it’s also an incredible dish that comes from Provence, which also happens to be my favorite part of France. The jewels of this dish are the ripe, seasonal, (and preferably local) veggies that make it up. Eggplant, zucchini squash, peppers, onion, and tomatoes, are the frontrunners, while a mix of herbs and spices give it some life. Loads of olive oil is a must, and the fresher the veggies, the better.
Now, as simple as this recipe seems, the “correct” way to make this dish is a contentious subject that’s heavily debated. I believe the traditional way to make ratatouille is on the stovetop, and the final product is more like a stew. I’ve also seen some recipes, where the veggies are tossed in more of a tomatoey sauce, and it’s also sometimes served almost like a gratin with the veggie rounds arranged in a beautiful swirl-like pattern. So don’t hate me, but my version is almost fully roasted in a baking dish, with just the onions being prepped stovetop ahead of time. I also roast the eggplant a little before combining it with the other veggies, and I feel like it takes the edge off of it a bit. I just love the soft, sweet, slightly caramelized product that results from the roasting method, so I hope you at least try it whether or not you love it as much as I do!
⟶ the recipe
ratatouille
ingredients
1 large or 2 small eggplants, sliced into rounds
1 yellow onion, sliced
2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves, divided
2-3 zucchinis, sliced into rounds
2 orange, yellow, or red bell peppers, sliced
4 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 pint of cherry tomatoes
1 tablespoon dried oregano
A few cracks of black pepper
Plenty of extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon of sugar
Salt to taste
Fresh basil leaves for garnish
Prep time
1 hour
Cook time
1 hour
Total time
2 hours
8 servings
instructions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
Place eggplant rounds in a large bowl and sprinkle with salt, tossing to coat. Set aside for about 30 minutes, allowing eggplant to “sweat.”
Lightly sauté onion with 1 tablespoon of the thyme leaves in oil. Cook, until onion is soft and just lightly golden. Remove from heat and set aside.
Place eggplant on a paper towel and pat dry. Then, arrange eggplant in an even layer on a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Drizzle a bit of oil on the eggplant, and roast it for about 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, toss the zucchini, bell pepper, garlic, tomatoes, oregano, and the second tablespoon of thyme leaves in a rectangular baking dish with olive oil. Add enough so the veggies are coated. Stir in the onion and eggplant, adding more olive oil as needed. Add a few cracks of black pepper, and toss once more.
Cover the baking dish with foil, and bake in the oven for 1 hour. Remove veggies from oven, and sprinkle the sugar over the veggies, tossing lightly. Add salt to taste.
Place veggies under the broiler, uncovered, for about 3 minutes, or until veggies have caramelized and are slightly browned on the edges of the dish.
Cool ratatouille for at least 5 minutes, garnish with fresh basil, and serve either hot or cold.
⟶ recipe notes
- If you search “ratatouille recipe” you will find that there are a million and one ways to make this dish. The bones are all the same—use the freshest eggplant, zucchini, and tomatoes you can find—but the different herbs and spices added as well as the way the dish is cooked can vary widely from household to household. I hope you like my version, but feel free to try other styles to see what works best for you!
⟶ modifications
- As I mentioned before, one of the great things about this dish is that you can modify with different ingredients as you prefer or even depending on what veggies look the best when you pick them out at the store or market
- If you like your ratatouille more tomatoey, you can add some crushed tomato from a can or larger, juicier tomatoes. I’ve also made a tomato-free version in the past and just included more red bell pepper instead
⟶ make it ahead
- I love ratatouille fresh out of the oven, but it’s honestly just as good cold. I will say, the flavors tend to meld overnight if you cook it a day ahead of time, so don’t be afraid to make this dish well in advance if you plan to serve it chilled or at room temp. You can also reheat the veggies in the oven to serve it hot the next day if you’d like
- Ratatouille leftovers will stay good in the fridge for up to 3 days after making it
