Ratatouille Recipe
Published March 1, 2024. This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
This traditional French Ratatouille recipe brings out the best in fresh, seasonal vegetables by searing and slow-cooking them with aromatic herbs until perfectly tender. I love how each ingredient enhances the next, and once you take your first bite, I’m sure you’ll feel the same.
Ratatouille is one of those dishes I come back to over and over. It’s simple at its core, just fresh vegetables, olive oil, and herbs, but when made right, it delivers deep, rich flavors that feel like true comfort food, much like my classic French onion soup.
What is Ratatouille
Ratatouille (pronounced ra-ta-too-ee) is a classic French dish from the region of Provence. It combines eggplant, onions, bell peppers, zucchini, tomatoes, garlic, and herbs that are quickly seared and then gently stewed. The result is a delicious mixture of fresh vegetables that works great as a hearty main course or a versatile side dish.
Ratatouille comes in different styles, rustic with diced vegetables cooked in stages, layered (Confit Byaldi) with thinly sliced vegetables arranged in a spiral, and oven-baked for a hands-off approach, but I prefer the classic stovetop method for its deep flavor and approachable process.
The vegetables in this dish can also vary depending on what’s in season and what’s available. This isn’t just a pile of stewed vegetables thrown into a pot. I like to sear each ingredient separately before bringing everything together in a slow simmer. That’s how you build layers of flavor by treating every vegetable with the respect it deserves.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Oil – I used olive oil in this recipe. Other options are a neutral-flavored oil like avocado oil, ghee, or clarified butter.
- Herbs – I stewed the ratatouille with fresh parsley and thyme and garnished it with thyme leaves when serving it. You can also use 4 to 5 leaves of fresh basil.
- Zucchini – This recipe calls for fresh zucchini. The only other option is to use yellow squash.
- Tomatoes – I used Roma tomatoes because they are solid, fresh tomatoes that can be used all year round, in addition to cherry tomatoes. If you are in peak tomato season, any fresh tomato will work. You can also use drained canned tomatoes in this ratatouille.
- Onion – You can use a red, white, yellow, or sweet onion. You will also need some whole garlic cloves.
- Eggplant – Any breed of fresh eggplant will work for this.
- Peppers – I use a combination of red and green bell peppers. You can also use orange or yellow bell peppers. Feel free to use any of the bell pepper colors alone or in combination.
- Seasonings – I used coarse salt and freshly cracked pepper. Crushed red pepper flakes were also garnished, but this is optional.
- Sugar – A small amount of granulated sugar is used to reduce bitterness and enhance the flavor of the onions and tomatoes.
How to Make Ratatouille
Chop: I dice the eggplant, zucchini, bell peppers, onions, and tomatoes into medium to large pieces, making sure they’re evenly sized for consistent cooking.
Heat: I pour 2 tablespoons of olive oil into a large rondeau pot over high heat and wait until it lightly smokes, signaling it’s hot enough for searing.
Sear: I add the diced eggplant to the hot pot, season lightly with salt, and sauté for 90 seconds, just until one or two sides develop a golden-brown crust. Then, I transfer it to a plate in a single layer to cool slightly.
Cook Zucchini: I pour 1 tablespoon of olive oil into the pot and wait until it lightly smokes. Then, I add the zucchini, season lightly with salt, and sauté for 2 minutes, just until one or two sides are browned. I transfer it to a separate plate in a single layer to cool slightly.
Sauté the Onions: I add 1 more tablespoon of olive oil to the pot over medium heat, then toss in the onions. I season lightly with salt and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they turn golden brown.
Simmer: I lower the heat to low and let the onions cook slowly for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they become deeply browned and tender.
Cook: I add the bell peppers to the pot, turn the heat up to medium, and stir occasionally for 5 minutes until they start to soften.
Sauté: I stir in the garlic and let it cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it becomes fragrant and lightly golden.
Simmer: I add the tomatoes, sugar, parsley sprigs, thyme sprigs, salt, and pepper, then give everything a good stir. I cover the pot with a lid and let it cook over low to medium heat for 10 to 12 minutes, until the tomatoes break down into a thick, rich sauce.
Combine: I add the eggplant and zucchini back into the pot and let everything cook over low to medium heat for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally to blend the flavors. Then, I remove the parsley and thyme sprigs and discard them.
Finish: I taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. Then, I serve it warm, optionally garnishing with fresh thyme leaves and a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes for extra flavor.
Chef Tip + Notes
The key chef tip for making ratatouille is to sear each vegetable separately before combining them. This step locks in texture, enhances flavor, and prevents everything from turning mushy. Skipping this means losing that depth of taste that makes this dish truly stand out.
- Dried Herb Swap: If I don’t have fresh parsley and thyme, I use 2 teaspoons of each dried instead. It still brings great flavor to the dish.
- Best Cookware: I always go for a large, wide pot or pan so the vegetables sear properly instead of steaming. The more surface area, the better.
- Salt Measurement: When I say gently season with salt, I mean about ¼ teaspoon at a time. Just enough to enhance the flavors without overpowering them.
- Parsley Preference: I always reach for Italian flat-leaf parsley because it has the best flavor. If it’s not available, curly parsley works fine as a backup.
Serving Suggestions
I personally love ratatouille on its own, but it pairs beautifully with my juicy grilled pork tenderloin. If I’m in the mood for something lighter, I’ll spoon it over creamy polenta, letting the flavors soak into that soft, buttery base.
For a more rustic pairing, I often go for a slice of homemade sourdough bread, perfect for mopping up every bit of that delicious sauce.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Make-Ahead: This is meant to be eaten within 15-20 minutes of making it.
How to Store: Cover and keep the ratatouille in the refrigerator for 5 days. This freezes well, covered for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge for one day or until thawed.
How to Reheat: Heat two tablespoons of oil or lard in a large frying pan over high heat until it smokes lightly. Add the desired amount of ratatouille and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes or until warm. Adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper, and serve.
More Vegetable Recipes
Ratatouille Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large diced medium-sized eggplant
- 2 large diced medium-sized zucchini
- 1 peeled large diced yellow onion
- 1 seeded large diced red bell pepper
- 1 seeded large diced green bell pepper
- 6 thinly sliced garlic cloves
- 7 to 8 large diced Roma tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 6 fresh thyme sprigs
- 2 fresh parsley stems with leaves
- coarse salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prepare all the vegetables into medium to large-size dice.
- Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to a large rondeau pot over high heat until it begins to smoke lightly.
- Next, add in the eggplant, gently season with salt, and quickly sauté for 90 seconds, or just until 1 or 2 sides are browned. Set them aside on a plate in a single layer to cool slightly.
- Pour in 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the pot and once it smokes, add in the zucchini gently season with salt, and sauté for 2 minutes or until 1 or 2 sides is browned. Set it aside on a separate plate in a single layer to cool slightly.
- Add 1 more tablespoon of olive oil to the pot over medium heat and add in the onions. Gently season with salt and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes or just until they start to turn brown.
- Turn the heat down to low and continue cooking the onions for an additional 10 minutes or until they are well-browned and tender.
- Pour in the bell peppers, turn the heat to medium, and cook while stirring for 5 minutes.
- Stir in the garlic and cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until fragrant.
- Next, add the tomatoes, sugar, parsley sprigs and leaves, thyme sprigs, salt, and pepper. Stir the ingredients together, add a lid, and cook over low to medium heat for 10 to 12 minutes or until the tomatoes break down and form a thick-like sauce.
- Add back in the eggplant and zucchini and cook over low to medium heat while occasionally stirring for 5 to 6 minutes. Remove the parsley and thyme sprigs and discard them.
- Adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper and serve with an optional garnish of fresh thyme leaves and crushed red pepper flakes.
Best Ratatouille I’ve ever had or made. I always thought you HAD to do the “snail thing”, with all the rounds of veggies arranged in a “clasics” manner. For flavor, nothing beats this veggie stew method! Thanks Billy.
Thanks for giving it a shot!!