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GET IT NOWMy Easy Ratatouille Recipe Is A Spiral Of Fresh French Flavor
If you think French food is all baguettes and croissants, let me introduce you to my ratatouille recipe. This classic French dish looks fancy, but it’s actually so simple and packed with fresh summer veggies. I first enjoyed it in the South of France, and here’s why I made this version the way I did:
- Layers upon layers of tender vegetables over herby tomato sauce – Many ratatouille recipes chop them small and saute in lots of sauce like a stew, but this layered spiral is by far my favorite way to make it. It’s just like my favorite one I had in France (and I later learned, it’s like the kind in the movie, too). Having this velvety, flavorful sauce on the bottom lets the veggies caramelize a little on top without giving up flavor.
- Fresh, simple ingredients – This ratatouille dish is a burst of fresh produce! Eggplant, zucchini, tomatoes, and onions are the best of summer, but also a little cozy when we head into fall.
- So pretty, but so easy – I’m partial to beautiful food, but only if it’s simple! This is the best of both worlds.
This photo is from one of our strolls in the South of France. If you want to feel like you’re there, grab your veggies and make this easy ratatouille recipe with me!
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here I explain the best ingredients for my ratatouille recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.
- Vegetables – I used sliced Roma tomatoes, zucchini, eggplant, and onions. You can also add or swap in yellow squash or patty pan squash. Some ratatouille recipes also use bell peppers, but these are primarily for the stew version.
- Canned Tomatoes – I usually use diced tomatoes, but crushed ones or even tomato sauce works fine. See my tips below to help you decide.
- Balsamic Vinegar – Adds a little tang and sweetness to this ratatouille. You can try a splash of lemon juice or red wine vinegar instead, but they’re not quite the same because they aren’t sweet.
- Herbs de Provence – I use this French spice blend and it takes me back to Nice, France! It has thyme, rosemary, oregano, marjoram, savory, and lavender flowers. If you can’t find it, Italian seasoning will work.
- Garlic – I recommend fresh minced garlic, but you can substitute 1/2 tablespoon of jarred garlic or 3/8 teaspoon of garlic powder.
- Olive Oil, Sea Salt, & Black Pepper – For roasting. Toss in some red pepper flakes if you want some heat.
- Fresh Basil – I use some in the sauce and extra on top of the ratatouille dish. If you don’t have any, add an extra 2 teaspoons of Herbs de Provence — but I don’t recommend it on top.
How To Make Ratatouille
I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.
- Make the sauce. Combine the sauce ingredients in a blender, and puree until smooth. Spread sauce in a thin layer in a medium casserole dish.
- Assemble the ratatouille recipe. Arrange the tomatoes, zucchini, eggplant, and onions in a spiral, alternating them. Start on the outer edge of the dish and work inward. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt and black pepper.
- Bake until tender and bubbly. I like to garnish with fresh basil, but feel free to use any fresh herbs you’ve got.
My Recipe Tips
- Choose vegetables similar in size, and cut as needed. This means medium-large tomatoes (I used Romas because they’re the perfect size), small onions, and small eggplants (which are sweeter and less bitter anyway). You’ll still want to cut the eggplant into quarters.
- Cut the veggies to the same thickness, too. I recommend thin slices, about 1/4 inch thick, for fast and even cooking. Uniform size and thickness will ensure that the vegetables all cook at the same rate.
- A mandoline like this makes slicing faster and easier. I’ve made this ratatouille dish with just a sharp knife before, but it’s much faster with my mandoline! Highly recommend.
- If your eggplant is larger, you may need to salt it. Again, I recommend a smaller size anyway, but if you only have a big one, sprinkle it with salt and let it sit for 20 minutes to remove any bitterness. Rinse and pat dry before layering it in.
- If you don’t have a blender, use tomato sauce instead of diced tomatoes and just stir the sauce together. This will get you closer to that smooth sauce texture, although it’s not quite as silky as blended.
- To make the vegetables easier to arrange, set up the alternating rows on a cutting board first. I just transfer them in stacks to the pan, fanning them out as I go.
- My ratatouille recipe is ideal in a medium baking dish, not too big or too small. I use this one (shown in my pictures here) and it’s the perfect size. Plus, there’s an option for a lid for easy storage! If your pan is too big, it won’t feel like enough sauce and the vegetables can dry out.
Ratatouille Recipe (Fresh, Easy Side Dish)
Make my easy ratatouille recipe with zucchini, eggplant, tomatoes, and onions layered in herby tomato sauce. A fresh, flavorful side dish!
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Ingredients
Tap underlined ingredients to see the ones I use.
Ratatouille Sauce:
Vegetables:
Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.
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Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
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Combine all sauce ingredients in a blender. Puree until smooth. If needed, adjust salt and pepper to taste.
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Spread the sauce in a thin layer in a medium round or oval casserole dish (this one is the perfect size).
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Arrange the tomatoes, zucchini, eggplant, and onion in a spiral, alternating them. (You'll want the eggplant slices cut into quarters so that they are similar size to the tomato, zucchini and onion slices.) Drizzle with olive oil on top, and sprinkle with sea salt and black pepper.
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Bake ratatouille for about 30-35 minutes, until veggies are tender and sauce is bubbly at the edges.
LAST STEP: Leave a rating to help other readers, or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram. I’d love to hear from you!
Maya’s Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1 cup
- Tips: Check out my recipe tips above to to help your ratatouille cook evenly, avoid bitter eggplant, arrange the spiral more easily, and more.
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 5 days. If it’s only a day or two, I just cover the baking dish with aluminum foil.
- Meal prep: You can chop the veggies ahead of time and stash them in airtight containers in the fridge. The eggplant is the exception — I recommend slicing it right before cooking, or it will brown.
- Reheat: Pop the dish in the oven at 350 degrees F for 10-15 minutes, or microwave individual portions.
- Freeze: This ratatouille recipe freezes great for up to 3 months. If I’m making it to freeze, I undercook it a bit, so the veggies are less mushy later. (Don’t freeze it raw, either, or the texture will be even worse.) Thaw before reheating.
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Ratatouille Recipe
Serving Ideas
Ratatouille makes an amazing side for any of my French main dishes, or just a simple protein to let the veggie dish shine:
- Every day French dishes – My most recent French dinner favorites are chicken paillard and salmon en papillote, but I’ve also enjoyed ratatouille with French onion chicken and chicken Florentine (yes, it’s French, not Italian!).
- Fancy French dishes – For a special occasion, try my Chilean sea bass with beurre blanc, lobster thermidor, or coq au vin. Start the meal with my chicken liver pate!
- Simple dishes – If you just want a simple weeknight dinner, you can’t go wrong with crispy baked chicken thighs, juicy baked chicken breasts, flaky baked salmon, or a tender petite sirloin steak.
- Potatoes – If you want to add a heartier side, my Greek lemon potatoes work surprisingly well alongside the flavors here.
75 Comments
Erica Schwarz
0This looks delicious! Can’t wait to try this for my family!
Jenni
0I made this for a get together last night and it turned out so great! Everyone commented how much they loved it! I will definitely be using this recipe again!
Tiffany
0Making this tonight with a beef roast! Needed something different after Thanksgiving. It smells amazing already!
Lydia Taylor
0This looks so yummy! What size can for the diced tomatoes?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you, Lydia! Sorry about that missing info – it’s a 14.5-oz can. I updated it on the recipe card.