Ratatouille Recipe

Ratatouille is the best way to enjoy fresh summer vegetables. This dish is delicious, healthy, and packed with flavor!

Featured with this recipe

1. Ingredients in Ratatouille Recipe
2. Homemade Sauce Ingredients
3. Step-by-Step Instructions for Ratatouille
4. What to Serve with Ratatouille Recipe
5. Tips for the Ratatouille Recipe
6. Frequently Asked Questions
7. Storing Ratatouille Recipe
8. Other Veggie-Packed Recipes You Will Love
9. How to Make Ratatouille Recipe
10. Ratatouille Recipe Recipe

French recipes can seem a bit intimidating for some! With this ratatouille recipe, you will be surprised how simple it is to make and how amazingly delicious it is to enjoy. French cooking is such a classic, revered technique. However, once I try a French recipe, I realize it is easier than I thought, and of course, it tastes amazing!

I was blown away by how simple and even fast it was to make this ratatouille recipe. My kids asked me to make it after watching the Disney movie Ratatouille and now I make it all the time. I love the fresh, tender vegetables and the rich tomato sauce. Eating your vegetables doesn’t have to be hard when they taste delicious.

Ingredients in Ratatouille Recipe

With all the vegetables in the ratatouille recipe, they will be cut and sliced into skinny slices. Try to make the slices even for baking purposes. We love using garden fresh vegetables to help with the flavor and freshness!

• Eggplant – This comes in a dark purple color that is usually large. It is soft and spongy on the inside with a thick outer casing. Adds a sweeter flavor to the ratatouille recipe.
• Zucchini – Pick a hearty zucchini that is thick and strong. The zucchini is green but you can also use a yellow zucchini squash too.
• Onion – Red onion makes this dish look extra beautiful. It adds that zing of a flavor with a hint of spice.
• Roma tomatoes – A sweet and tasty tomato that is simple to slice and comes longer than other round-shaped tomatoes.

Homemade Sauce Ingredients

The sauce is key to the ratatouille recipe! These are pantry staples with fresh produce combined. You only want fresh ingredients to make the best ratatouille recipe!

• Olive oil – Perfect for adding Italian flavor to enhance the deliciousness of the Italian dish.
• White onion – Chop the white onion into smaller pieces since it is a part of the sauce ingredients. This has a slightly milder flavor compared to other onions.
• Garlic – Minced garlic gives that savoy flavor we all love.
• Bell peppers – Dice and chop the bell peppers into small pieces. It is pretty to add a yellow, green, and red bell pepper combination to the sauce.
• Tomatoes – Crushed tomatoes give this ratatouille dish a great red sauce base and flavor.
• Basil leaves – Garnish with a sweet and spicy fresh basil leaf!

Step-by-Step Instructions for Ratatouille

There are only a few steps to making this homemade ratatouille recipe! It is simple to prepare the vegetables, cook the sauce, and assemble it all together making it look like a masterpiece in a baking dish. So pretty with all the colors and the flavors are going to make your tastebuds sing!

1. Preparing veggies – First, you want to slice all of your vegetables. I sliced them all in rounds, except for the eggplant which was much bigger than the others so I cut it in fourths. For this recipe, I used eggplant, zucchini, Roma tomatoes, and red onions. Ratatouille also usually includes yellow squash, but these are the veggies I had on hand. You could also add yellow bell peppers or red peppers.
2. Sauce – Next, make your sauce. I used a cast iron skillet so I could transfer the dish directly into the oven. However, you can also use a saucepan to stir the sauce and then transfer it into a casserole dish before adding your veggies on top. Saute the onions, garlic, and bell peppers. Add crushed tomatoes, fresh basil, salt, and pepper. For a spicier dish, add some red pepper flakes. You can also top with fresh parsley, thyme, or any other herbs you have on hand.
3. Assemble – Now for the fun part! Place your sliced vegetables in an alternating pattern in a swirl around the skillet.
4. Bake – Then, drizzle a little bit of olive oil over the top and add salt and pepper to taste. Cover with aluminum foil and bake. When the timer goes off, take off the aluminum foil and bake for 20 more minutes.

What to Serve with Ratatouille Recipe

Eat this ratatouille recipe as a main dish or use it as a side! You can pour the veggie dish over pasta, potatoes, bread, or rice for a more balanced meal. If you want a more substantial meal, serve it in a simple baking dish alongside any of your favorite main courses. It is perfectly paired with herb chicken, steak, or a hearty meatloaf. The possibilities are endless!

Tips for the Ratatouille Recipe

Follow these helpful tips when making this the best ratatouille recipe! I can’t encourage freshness and make sure that each step is perfected. This will ensure the flavor combination and richness of the ratatouille recipe is perfect every time!

• Fresh produce – Fresh is best! You want to garden fresh for the most flavor. The good thing about ratatouille ingredients is that they are delicious year-round. Find the produce in your local grocery store to ensure the best veggies year round.
• Uniform slices – It is best to make your vegetable slices thick and the same size. This will help ensure the cooking process is baking the veggies at the same time. If you slice very thin, create a bigger circle roped around the pan.
• Peeling – You do not have to peel the vegetables before slicing them. We like to leave the outside peel on the veggies to show their coloring. You are welcome to peel them beforehand if you prefer not to eat the skin.
• Sauce – If the sauce is not thick enough, continue to simmer it. While it is simmering stir it to help make it thicker before pouring it onto the vegetables. You can also add tomato paste to help thicken the sauce.
• Seasoning – Go crazy with seasoning! This flavorful dish is all brought to you by Remy himself. He experiments and presents the best of the best dishes to his critics. Try adding in fresh thyme leaves, cloves of garlic, dried oregano, or wrap it all together with Italian seasoning.
• Baking time – You may need to adjust the baking time depending on how thick or thin you sliced your veggies. For firmer vegetables, reduce the time, and for softer vegetables increase the time.

“This ratatouille was so delicious! Loved the layers of flavor in here as well 🙂!”

-Emily

Frequently Asked Questions

Storing Ratatouille Recipe

End your summer with a savory dish fresh from your garden with all your delicious produce! You will love how quick it is to make and storing ratatouille couldn’t be easier. Freeze, make ahead, and store your leftovers in just a few simple ways!

• Making ahead – Assemble and prepare all the ingredients and sauce. Place in a baking dish and cover. Sit in the refrigerator for two days. Heat according to directions.
• Freezing – Cook the ratatouille ahead of time. Let it cool completely and store in an airtight container in the freezer. You can store it in the freezer for up to a month. When ready to heat up, place directly in the oven and bake according to directions.
• Storing – Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Label and date the container.
• Reheating – When ready to reheat leftovers, place in the microwave or oven to heat until warmed through.

Other Veggie-Packed Recipes You Will Love

Veggies don’t have to be bland. There are dozens of ways to add flavor to ordinary sides, salads, or soups and make them the stars of your supper table. Try our tender oven-roasted vegetables, chopped broccoli salad, or our weight loss magic soup and discover how delicious vegetables can truly be! Try some of our other healthy favorites!

Salads

Rainbow Buddha Bowl

Side Dishes

Oven Roasted Vegetables

Soups

Weight Loss Soup

Breakfast

Veggie Omelettes

How to Make Ratatouille Recipe