Ratatouille
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Ratatouille is the perfect way to make the most of summer produce. This classic French stew turns basic vegetables into something deeply flavorful.
Ratatouille is a vibrant vegetable stew from Provence, the sunny region in the south of France near the Mediterranean. It’s made with eggplant, zucchini, bell peppers, and tomatoes, all simmered with olive oil, garlic, and fresh herbs until tender and full of flavor. Since the vegetables all cook at different rates, the key to a really good ratatouille is to cook them separately so they hold their texture and don’t turn to mush.
Ratatouille takes some time to prepare, so I like to make a big batch on the weekend. It keeps well in the fridge and actually tastes better the next day, once the flavors have had time to mingle.
Once it’s made, it’s incredibly versatile—serve it as a vegetarian main with grains or creamy polenta, alongside Italian sausage, grilled steak, grilled chicken, or cedar planked salmon, or tuck it into omelets or frittatas. It’s also great spooned over crostini with a little goat cheese—or straight from the fridge as a healthy snack. Leftovers will keep for up to 5 days in the fridge or can be frozen for up to 3 months.
“What a great way to use the summer harvest. Enjoyed it with a little goat cheese on top. My husband loved it too – this is a keeper!”
What You’ll Need To Make Ratatouille
- Extra-virgin olive oil – For sautéing and adding depth of flavor. A drizzle at the end pulls everything together.
- Eggplant, zucchini, bell pepper & tomatoes – Each brings something different to the mix: eggplant soaks up flavor and adds richness, zucchini stays tender with a mild sweetness, bell pepper adds brightness and texture, and tomatoes break down into a light, flavorful sauce.
- Onion & garlic – Build a savory base and round out the veggie flavors.
- Tomato paste – Concentrates the tomato flavor and helps the juices cling to the vegetables.
- Fresh thyme & basil – Thyme adds a subtle earthiness; basil gives the dish a fresh finish.
- Crushed red pepper flakes (optional) – For a touch of heat; add to taste or leave it out.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Cook the eggplant. Begin by heating 3 tablespoons of oil in a large nonstick pan over medium heat. Add the eggplant and season with ¼ teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until soft and starting to brown, about 10 minutes, then transfer to a plate and set aside.
Step 2: Cook the zucchini. Add another tablespoon of oil to the pan (no need to clean it). Add the zucchini and cook, stirring often, until tender-crisp, 3 to 4 minutes. Season with ¼ teaspoon salt, then transfer to a plate and set aside.
Step 3: Cook the peppers and aromatics. Add 2 more tablespoons of oil to the pan, then add the onion and bell pepper. Cook, stirring often, until starting to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 2 to 3 minutes more, until everything is tender but not browned.
Step 4: Add the tomatoes and seasoning. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, thyme, sugar, crushed red pepper flakes (if using), and ¾ teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring often, for about 5 minutes, until the tomatoes start to break down and everything is well combined. Cook until the tomatoes break down into a sauce, about 10 minutes.
Step 5: Add the eggplant and simmer. Return the cooked eggplant to the pan and bring the mixture to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for about 10 minutes, or until the eggplant is very tender and the flavors have melded.
Step 6: Finish the dish. Add the zucchini back to the pan and cook for 1 to 2 minutes more, just until warmed through. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed, then sprinkle with fresh basil and thyme before serving. Drizzle with a little olive oil if desired, and serve warm or chilled.
Video Tutorial
More Summer Veggie Recipes You May Like
Ratatouille
Ratatouille is a make-ahead-friendly dish that only gets better with time—serve it warm, cold, or any way in between.
Ingredients
- 1 large (1¼ lbs) eggplant, cut into ⅓-inch cubes
- Salt
- 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
- 2 medium zucchini (about 1 lb), cut into ⅓-inch cubes
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
- 1 red, orange or yellow bell pepper, cut into ¼-inch dice
- 5 large cloves garlic, chopped
- 5 large vine-ripened tomatoes (1¾ lbs), cut into ⅓-inch cubes, with their juices
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons fresh chopped thyme, plus more for serving
- ¾ teaspoon sugar
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
Instructions
- Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a large nonstick pan over medium heat. Add the eggplant and season with ¼ teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until soft and starting to brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
- Add another tablespoon of oil to the pan (no need to clean it). Add the zucchini and cook, stirring frequently, until tender-crisp, 3 to 4 minutes. Season with ¼ teaspoon salt and transfer to a plate; set aside.
- Add two more tablespoons of oil to the pan and add the onion and bell pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and continue cooking for about 3 minutes more. Do not brown. Add the tomatoes and their juices, tomato paste, thyme, sugar, crushed red pepper flakes (if using) and ¾ teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes are broken down into a sauce, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the cooked eggplant to the pan; bring to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to low, and simmer, uncovered, for about 10 minutes or until the eggplant is soft. Add the zucchini and cook for 1 to 2 minutes more, or until just warmed through. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary. Sprinkle with fresh basil and thyme, drizzle with a little olive oil if desired, and serve warm or chilled. Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions: Let the dish cool completely and freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months. (Keep in mind that the zucchini won't stay crisp after being frozen.) This is delicious served cold, or reheated in the microwave.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (8 servings)
- Calories: 153
- Fat: 11 g
- Saturated fat: 2 g
- Carbohydrates: 14 g
- Sugar: 8 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Sodium: 392 mg
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Easy and very tasty dish all loved it. I added a hand full of rosted pine nuts which gave the dish some crunch.
Phenomenal! My entire family devoured it. Thank you for sharing such a wonderful recipe! The only modification I made was I reduced the amount of olive oil, using 2.5 tbsp for the eggplant, 1 tbsp for the zucchini, and 1 tbsp for the peppers and onions.
Admittedly, this recipe was time consuming: as a novice chef, it took me closer to 1h 45m total. However, the end result was—without a shadow of a doubt— worth the effort. Thanks again!
Oh, and on my previous review, I forgot to say that even though it is time consuming, it’s so worth it!!
This is absolutely delicious!! We have 4 adults in our household who are voracious eaters…especially the two men ;)…and this went over exceptionally well.
I used dried thyme as opposed to fresh and also put basil into the dish while cooking.
I’m really hoping for leftovers to tomorrow.
Tastes lovely. The only problem is that the sauce ended up with lots of pieces of tomato skin through it. I highly recommend skinning the tomatoes before cooking. It would also be just as good using tinned tomatoes or passata- this was the first time I have used fresh tomatoes, and to be honest it didn’t taste any better and was a lot more work!
My family loved this. I even added some prawns to it right at the end.
Excellent vegetable dish. Love this dish even better the next day. Lunch time I put it on top a piece of toasted bread and crumble some feta. All my picky eaters loved it. I have made so many of your excellent recipes and I have told my friends and family where to find them. Your Book has been ordered months ago and can’t wait.
So glad you like this, Goga! (And thanks for your support with the cookbook ❤️)
This is clean, healthy eating at its best. The recipe is perfect and needs no changes to make it better. It’s flavourful, easy to pull together and better even better if it sits a bit. Great room temperature on toasted baguette slices as an appetizer.
I made this recently and had it for lunch all week! I made a few adjustments, but only because of the ingredients I had on hand. I used 2 14.5 oz cans of diced tomatoes with Italian seasoning (no salt added) instead of fresh tomatoes and I used dried basil. I actually had fresh thyme, and I’m glad I did! I think I used a little less oil but I didn’t measure. The instructions were very clear and easy to follow. Thank you for the delicious recipe!
I just finished making this dish. It’s delicious. Fresh tasting and healthy. It is a bit time consuming but well worth it.