The Best Easy Ratatouille Recipe (2024)

The best easy ratatouille recipe

There is no set way to make ratatouille - everyone does it a little differently. Some cooks sauté the vegetables first and then roast them, others roast the veggies first and then stew them. Still others slice the eggplant and zucchini into perfect rounds and line them up in a casserole dish in concentric circles.

And then there's Julia Child's famous ratatouille recipe in Mastering The Art of French Cookingthat instructs you to cook each type of vegetable separately before combining them in a casserole. Amazing but it takes a long time.

Though I've enjoyed many different ratatouille recipes over the years, this recipe has become my one and only because it makes extremely good ratatouille and it's easy. No salting of the eggplant, no pre-roasting, no fussy arrangement of veggies.

This recipe will take you about 30 minutes to prep and then the stew will continue to simmer for an additional 30 minutes. All the excitement happens in one pot so clean-up is a breeze.

Ingredients for ratatouille

Here's what you'll need:

• Eggplant, zucchini and bell peppers - these are the staple vegetables of ratatouille. They create the substance of this stew.

• Olive oil - the oil of choice for sautéing the vegetables with the added benefit of adding rich fruity olive flavor to the stew.

• Onions and garlic - these aromatic vegetables are essential flavor-building ingredients of ratatouille.

• Tomato puree and tomato paste - The best canned tomatoes = the best ratatouille. I recommend San Marzano D.O.P tomatoes. For the best quality and flavor, buy canned whole tomatoes and puree them yourself.

• Fresh thyme - a delightful earthy, minty, woodsy, punchy flavor component of this rustic vegetable stew.

• Salt, pepper, bay leaf and herbs de Provence - The classic seasonings for ratatouille.

• Capers - while olives are more traditional than capers for classic French ratatouille, I prefer capers. They add just the right touch of salt and acid to brighten this dish without overpowering the delicate sweet flavors of the vegetables.

How to cut eggplant for ratatouille

There are two effective methods for cutting eggplants into cubes.

Method one: Cut the eggplant in half lengthwise, then cut each half into long 1-inch wide strips. Then cut each strip crosswise into 1-inch cubes.

Method two: Slice the eggplant crosswise into 1-inch thick rounds. Lay each round on a cutting board and slice into 1-inch cubes.

How to make ratatouille

Heat the olive oil in a large heavy lidded pot or dutch oven and sauté the eggplant and zucchini for about five minutes, just until the veggies begin to soften.

Add the peppers, onions and garlic to the pot and cook, stirring, for a few minutes longer.

Add the tomato puree and the tomato paste and give it all a good stir.

Add the fresh thyme, herbs de Provence, bayleaf, salt, pepper and capers and gently stir to combine all of the ingredients.

Cover the pot, and simmer gently for 25-30 minutes, until the sauce has thickened and all the delicious flavors have melded.

How to serve ratatouille:

• As a fantastic vegetarian main dish - scoop a generous portion ofratatouille onto a plate and top with a fried or poached egg. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil. Sprinkle with sea salt and chopped fresh herbs. Yum!
• As a hearty vegan main dish with crusty bread to soak up all the delicious sauce.
• As a side dish with roasted chicken, grilled meat or fish.
• As a filling for omelettes - Add gruyere cheese or goat cheese and some fresh herbs such as chives, tarragon or parsley.
• As a primavera sauce for pasta - sprinkle with fresh slivered basil and parmesan cheese for a tasty finishing touch.
• As a bruschetta appetizer - spread a thin layer of goat cheese on crostini and top with ratatouille.
• To accompany pan-seared or broiled salmon - One of my favorite weeknight dinners! Every bite is comforting, delicious and nutritious, and nobody misses the carbs.While the ratatouille is simmering there's plenty of time to set the table and cook the salmon.

Ratatouille The Movie

I can't write about ratatouille, the dish without referencing Ratatouille, the movie. Remy the rat and French chef extraordinaire drew the world's attention to this amazing dish. If you want to get fancy with your ratatouille, check out this recipefrom a blogger who did a great job recreating Remy's gorgeous rainbow ratatouille.