“Vegetable stew” is not exactly a thrilling sales pitch! But this ratatouille recipe, perfectly simmered with olive oil and herbs, is the kind of delicious that makes you wonder why you’ve been underestimating vegetables this whole time.
If you have a pile of summer veggies sitting around and aren’t quite sure what to do with them, make ratatouille. This classic French side dish takes humble vegetables and turns them into something way more delicious than any bunch of veggies has the right to be. The secret is giving each one a little time to cook and caramelize before bringing everything together, rather than tossing it all in a pot at once.
The veggies become tender and silky while still holding their shape, with sweet, savory, herby flavor throughout and just enough acidity to keep everything bright. Serve it with crusty Homemade Baguette or Crostini, over rice, or alongside roast chicken or Baked Cod for a French dinner that tastes like summer in Provence.
Why This Ratatouille Recipe Is the Best
- Classic flavor: transport yourself to France through traditional ratatouille goodness.
- Simple execution: my recipe is easy, breezy.
- Even better made ahead: ratatouille tastes even better the following days, or freeze it to enjoy a little bit of summer later in the year!
What Is Ratatouille?
Ratatouille is a rustic French veggie stew from Provence, made with eggplant, zucchini, peppers, tomatoes, onion, garlic, olive oil, and plenty of fresh herbs. It’s one of those dishes that somehow makes a pile of late summer vegetables taste like something special. The veggies are cooked until tender and silky, with plenty of garlicky, herby tomato flavor throughout. It’s delicious warm, but don’t overlook it at room temperature either!
More in the mood for Italian? Try my Caponata Recipe, an agrodolce (sweet-and-sour) Sicilian eggplant dish using lots of the same veggies as ratatouille!
Ingredients
For this classic ratatouille recipe, you’ll need the following:
- Eggplant – eggplant is the “base” for ratatouille, adding a hearty, meatiness that gives ratatouille its classic substantial texture and earthiness.
- Zucchini – zucchini adds soft sweetness that balances the eggplant.
- Yellow squash – yellow squash is very similar to zucchini, but adds pops of yellow color.
- Red bell pepper – red pepper brings sweetness, color, and a subtle roasted flavor.
- Yellow onion – yellow onion provides a savory, aromatic base and natural sweetness.
- Garlic – garlic adds Mediterranean savory depth.
- Cherry tomatoes – I prefer cherry tomatoes since the seeds are smaller, but you can also use Roma or plum tomatoes. Tomatoes provide the traditional juicy, bright base.
- Extra virgin olive oil – olive oil helps sauté the veggies, adding rich flavor.
- Fresh basil – basils adds pops of freshness.
- Tomato paste – tomato paste adds concentrated tomato flavor for body and richness.
- Fresh thyme – fresh thyme gives ratatouille earthy, herbal notes that’s traditional in Provençal cooking.
- Bay leaf – a bay leaf adds subtle woodsy depth.
- Red wine vinegar – a small splash of red wine vinegar creates brightness and balance.
- Crushed red pepper flakes (optional) – for a gentle back heat, add a pinch of red pepper flakes!
How to Make Ratatouille
Let’s make classic but easy ratatouille! Here’s an outline; for the full recipe, see the recipe card below.
Step 1: Heat a large pot over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil, the eggplant, and a sprinkle of salt. Tossing every minute or so, sauté for 5-6 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl.
Step 2: Turn to medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to the pot, the zucchini and yellow squash, and sprinkle with salt. Sauté for 6-8 minutes, tossing every minute or so. Transfer to the large bowl.
Step 3: Turn to medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to the pot, the peppers and onions, and sprinkle with salt. Sauté for 5 minutes, tossing every minute or so.
Step 4: Keeping the peppers and onions in the pot over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon olive oil, garlic, tomato paste, thyme, bay leaf, and red pepper flakes. Sauté for 1-2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Step 5: Over medium heat, add tomatoes, salt and pepper. Toss. Let simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes or so.
Step 6: Over medium heat, add the rest of the veggies, and let simmer, uncovered, for 15-20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes or so.
Step 7: Skim off any excess liquid. Remove bay leaf, and add vinegar and basil. Adjust salt and pepper. Stir and enjoy with more basil on top!
My Pro Tips
Expert Tips
- Cut the veggies uniformly: aim for roughly ½-inch pieces so every bite has a mix of flavors.
- Cook the veggies separately: sautéing the eggplant, squash, and peppers individually keeps them from steaming and gives each vegetable better color and texture.
- Use a large pot: give the vegetables room to cook. If they pile up, they’ll release water and become mushy.
- Finish with vinegar, not a lot of it: a small splash of red wine vinegar wakes up the whole dish and balances the sweetness of the vegetables.
- Season every layer: ratatouille needs enough salt to make all the vegetables taste vibrant, rather than simply tasting like cooked vegetables.
What to Serve With Ratatouille
Looking for a traditional, French-style ways to serve ratatouille? Here are some ideas! Serve with:
- Homemade Baguette or topped on Crostini
- Grilled white fish or Grilled Salmon
- Meat like roast chicken or grilled lamb chops
- Over Easy Eggs or a French Omelette for breakfast
- Rice, white beans, polenta, or Crispy Smashed Potatoes, or Lyonnaise Potatoes
Storage and Make-Ahead
- Storage: ratatouille is even better made ahead! Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Cover after it’s cooled completely.
- Reheating: cover and reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat, stirring occasionally, until hot. You can microwave ratatouille in a pinch. Add fresh basil and a drizzle of olive oil after reheating to refresh.
- Freezing: Ratatouille freezes well, although the vegetables will be softer after thawing. Cool completely, transfer to an airtight freezer container, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
More Veggie Recipes You’ll Love!
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If you’ve tried this Ratatouille Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please let me know in the comments below. I love hearing from you. Please consider leaving a 🌟 star rating while you are here!
Easy Classic Ratatouille Recipe
Equipment
- Large pot or Dutch oven
Ingredients
- 1 medium eggplant, cut into ½ inch cubes
- 2 medium zucchinis, cut into ½ inch cubes
- 1 medium yellow squash, cut into ½ inch cubes
- 1 red bell pepper, cut into ½ inch pieces
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 4 medium garlic cloves, minced
- 1 ½ pounds cherry tomatoes, halved
- 5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ⅓ cup fresh basil, torn and packed (plus more to garnish)
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Heat a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil, then the eggplant, and a sprinkle of salt. Tossing every minute or so, sauté for 5-6 minutes until lightly browned and tender. Transfer eggplant to a large bowl and set aside.
- Turn to medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to the pot, then the zucchini and yellow squash, and sprinkle with salt. Sauté for 6-8 minutes, tossing every minute or so, until tender. Transfer squash to large bowl with eggplant and set aside.
- Turn to medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to the pot, then the peppers and onions, and sprinkle with salt. Sauté for 5 minutes, tossing every minute or so, until tender.
- Keeping the peppers and onions in the pot over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon olive oil, garlic, tomato paste, thyme, bay leaf, and red pepper flakes. Sauté for 1-2 minutes until fragrant, stirring occasionally.
- Over medium heat, add tomatoes, salt and pepper. Toss. Let simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes or so, allowing tomatoes to concentrate and reduce.
- Over medium heat, add the rest of the veggies, and let simmer, uncovered, for 15-20 minutes until ratatouille has thickened to a stew, stirring every 5 minutes or so.
- Skim off any excess liquid from the tomatoes if desired. Remove bay leaf, and add vinegar and basil. Adjust salt and pepper if needed. Stir and enjoy hot or at room temperature (for up to 2 hours) with more fresh basil on top!
Video
Notes
- You can use other types of tomatoes (like Roma or plum), but I prefer the smaller seeds in cherry tomatoes.
- Chop and prep all veggies before beginning!
- Depending on how juicy your tomatoes are, you may need to skim off some extra liquid at the end of cooking.
- This recipe makes roughly 6 cups of ratatouille but it depends heavily on the size of your veggies!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I’m typically not a fan of vegetarian dishes, but I must say that this recipe is delicious. The eggplant provides “meatiness” and the flavors pack a real punch. I’ll definitely save this recipe in my “summer” file.
This is perfection. I wouldn’t change a thing!