Easy Ratatouille Recipe  (2024)

Jump to Recipe

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

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

Save RecipePin RecipeCommentPrint Recipe

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!

You May Also Like:

Vegetarian

Easy Stuffed Eggplant Recipe

Dinner

Peanut chicken zucchini noodles

Sides

Oven Baked Green Beans With Parmesan Cheese

Mains

Roasted Sweet Potatoes With Feta Cheese Recipe

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.

More about me

Easy Ratatouille Recipe  (2024)

FAQs

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 consist of ratatouille? ›

Ratatouille is traditionally made with tomatoes, zucchini, peppers, onions, and eggplant when they are at the peak of their season at the same time. Garlic, thyme, and basil are often added to the mix as well.

What are the two ways ratatouille is commonly served? ›

Is Ratatouille a Side Dish or a Main Dish? Both! Ratatouille can be served as a first course with bread; it can also be served as a side dish, as you would any vegetable side. However, I most enjoy serving ratatouille as a main-ish dish; that is, as an anchor to a summer's dinner.

How to enhance ratatouille? ›

Season to taste with additional salt (I usually add ¼ teaspoon more) and black pepper. Serve in bowls, perhaps with a little drizzle of olive oil, additional chopped basil, or black pepper on top (all optional). Like all stews, this ratatouille's flavor improves as it cools. It's even better reheated the next day.

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.

What are the most common ingredients used in ratatouille? ›

Ratatouille is a French Provencal dish that consists of stewed vegetables. Though recipes and ingredients vary, there are some ingredients that are almost always used: eggplant, tomatoes, zucchini, onions, and bell peppers.

How was ratatouille originally made? ›

This beloved summer stew first emerged as a solution for hunger, as it was invented by poor farmers back in 1700s Provençe. With so many bellies to fill, nothing could go to waste. Accordingly, the French peasants would cook their leftover vegetables for hours to create a hearty, coarse stew.

What are 5 foods in ratatouille? ›

Modern ratatouille uses tomatoes as a foundation for sautéed garlic, onion, zucchini (courgette), aubergine (eggplant), bell pepper, marjoram, fennel and basil. Instead of basil, bay leaf and thyme, or a mix of green herbs like herbes de Provence can be used.

What does ratatouille mean in French? ›

The word ratatouille comes from Occitan ratatolha. The dish is a traditional vegetable stew that was once known as a poor man's meal but is now one of the most known and loved around the world.

Does ratatouille contain onion? ›

Ratatouille is a southern French dish made from eggplant, zucchini, onions, capsic*ms, tomatoes, and garlic.

What is a fun fact about ratatouille dish? ›

The teeming summer gardens of Mediterranean France are the inspiration for and source of ratatouille, a dish whose name is taken from two related words: ratouiller, meaning to agitate or stir a liquid, and tatouiller, meaning to beat (as in the drumbeat called the tattoo) or to shake.

What is a interesting fact about ratatouille dish? ›

The history of the recipe for Ratatouille is said to be from France originally, though the ingredients and style of preparation has some historians wondering if it actually originated from the Basque region of Spain. The modern recipe for Ratatouille originated in the Nice and Provencal regions of France.

What is the final dish in ratatouille called? ›

ratatouille—it's a tian. Here's how to make it. How to Make a Provençal Vegetable Tian (a.k.a. At the end of the movie Ratatouille, Remy the rat cre...

How to make the perfect ratatouille Disney Dreamlight Valley? ›

To make ratatouille in Disney Dreamlight Valley, you'll need to bring the following ingredients to any of the stoves/hobs in the game: eggplant (AKA aubergine), zucchini (AKA courgette), onion, tomato, and the spice of your choice. Simply chuck those food items into any active hob and your job will be done.

What is the main lesson of ratatouille? ›

At its core, “Ratatouille” entertains one foundational question: Should we as a people choose ignorance or empathy? In the film, rats are stigmatized to only be troublemakers, and humans to only be killers. But, Remy the rat makes a different choice.

What is Remy's flaw in ratatouille? ›

He's enthralled, consumed, obsessed with the idea of someday becoming a great chef. Remy has a problem, though: He's a rat. A Parisian rat with a heightened sense of smell, a discerning palate and a natural skill in the culinary arts … but, still a rat.

Where does ratatouille say the best food is made? ›

NARRATOR: Although each of the world's countries would like to dispute this fact, we French know the truth; the best food in the World is made in France.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Mr. See Jast

Last Updated:

Views: 5320

Rating: 4.4 / 5 (55 voted)

Reviews: 86% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Mr. See Jast

Birthday: 1999-07-30

Address: 8409 Megan Mountain, New Mathew, MT 44997-8193

Phone: +5023589614038

Job: Chief Executive

Hobby: Leather crafting, Flag Football, Candle making, Flying, Poi, Gunsmithing, Swimming

Introduction: My name is Mr. See Jast, I am a open, jolly, gorgeous, courageous, inexpensive, friendly, homely person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.