Ratatouille is a delicious & healthy side dish from Provence made of baked eggplant, zucchinis, peppers, tomatoes, garlic and onions, seasoned with fragrant Herbes de Provence. The vegetables are robust in flavor, each distinctly seasoned. Each velvety forkful melts in your mouth, offering the beauty of Provence in each bite. If you are looking for an authentic ratatouille recipe, perfect for using up those end of season vegetables, that everyone will ask you the recipe for - you have come to the right place!
If you have tried Ratatouille before and have wondered what the fuss is about (they did name a Disney Movie after this dish!), chances are you had a ratatouille that wasn't properly cooked. Eggplant, when undercooked, can be rubbery and lack flavor. This recipe will walk you through, step by step, a no-fail how to make an authentic, and delicious Ratatouille. It is an easy dish but just requires a little patience to get the consistency right. You will want to add this French vegetable stew to your weekly rotation.
The trick to Ratatouille, is to sautée each vegetable separately. It takes a little more time, but it is so worth it. The texture and flavor is unforgettable.
Le Chef, Sébastien Giannini
Ratatouille - Le Chef's Grandmother's recipe
My first time trying Ratatouille was at my Mamie's (my late French Grandmother in law) house in Toulon. It was a Sunday lunch like I loved. Olive tapenade and tôtis served with L'apéro to start. A simple potage aux légumes (French Vegetable blended soup) as the first course. Rack of Lamb and Ratatouille as the main course. The Ratatouille was like nothing I had ever tasted. I remember it to this day. It was bright and sunny and the perfect side dish for roasted meat. A light salad with fresh figs and goat cheese was the perfect end to an epic meal.
I would give anything to be back at Mamie's kitchen table, enjoying her cooking as she clucked over us, grating mountains of fresh parmesan onto our plates or constantly getting up to get just one more dish out of the oven...
I sense she is with me as I write this recipe - I am so happy to share her authentic tips for French family cooking with you.
What is Ratatouille?
The origins of Ratatouille are from Provence. Ratatouille is an oven baked dish of eggplants, zucchinis, tomatoes, garlic and onions. Ratatouille uses simple, fresh ingredients, separately cooked and then brought together to stew in the oven to create a humble dish that is memorable and full of flavor but is also surprisingly healthy. A good ratatouille has all the vegetables at that desired melt-in-your-mouth consistency.
As always, this dish is best enjoyed when the ingredients are in season (for North America it would be the mid to late summer). However; you can get away with using ingredients that are not fresh picked from the vine because of the confit cooking method.
What dish does Remy serve in the movie, Ratatouille?
At the end of the movie, when Remy impresses the food critic, we understand that the critic is enjoying a Ratatouille, when it is actually a Confit Bayaldi realized by famed Michelin Star Chef, Thomas Keller! While the ingredients are largely the same, Ratatouille is cooked like a stew while Confit Bayaldi is carefully presented in layers (alternating slices of zucchini, tomato and eggplant over a piperade of peppers and tomatoes) and then confit in the oven.
Remy also prepares a version of Ratatouille Soup which I have also written out for you on the blog.
How to make a bouquet garni
A bouquet garni is simply a little bouqet of herbs (thats my kind of bouquet!). By tying fresh herbs together you save yourself trying to fish them out one, by one, when the cooking is done. A bouqet garni can vary with the recipe, depending on the herbs that you would like to use to flavor your dish.
In this recipe we use Provençal herbs to give off that distinctive, South of France flavor. Simply take 2 sprigs of fresh thyme, 2 sprigs of rosemary and 2 sprigs of oregano and tie them together with a little cooking twine.
Voilà! You have a beautiful bouquet garni that will add delicious flavor for your dish and will be easy to remove before serving.
A large frying pan to sautée the vegetables individually, like this one
Fresh produce from the Farmer's Market
Traditional Ratatouille Recipe Ingredients:
3 eggplants
3 zucchinis (you can also use yellow squash)
2 sweet bell peppers (I like to use 1 red and 1 green)
1 large yellow onion
1 large ripe tomato
3 whole cloves of garlic
28oz can of whole peeled tomatoes
4 tbsps of olive oil
A bouquet garni (thyme, oregano and rosemary - see instructions in post). In the absence of fresh herbs, use 2 tbsps of Herbes de Provence.
Basil and grated parmesan to garnish
How to dice an eggplant
First, cut the eggplant in half, lengthwise. Then make addition slices all the way down the length of each half. Now, slice strips into the halves, again lengthwise.
Then, slice across width wise in thin strips. It will make little cubes.
Instructions:
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Chop all the vegetables into small cubes (about ½ an inch) and keep separate. (see below for instruction on how to dice an eggplant)
Prepare your bouquet garni (see above for instructions)
Take the time to sautée each vegetable individually. First, over medium heat, sautée the eggplant. Heat ½ tbsp of olive oil, add a pinch of salt and sautée until it becomes brown and soft. Remove from pan and set aside.
Repeat the same process for the zucchini and peppers. Add ½ a tbsp of olive oil and a pinch of salt to each to new vegetable.
Sautée the zucchini until soft. Remove from pan and set aside.
Next, sautée the peppers until soft. Remove from pan and set aside.
Now, you can use your dutch oven. Place over medium high heat on the cooktop.
Add a tbsp of olive oil then the onions and the garlic and the bouquet garni. Sautée until translucent.
Add in the fresh, diced tomato. Stir and allow to simmer for 2 minutes until the juices come out of the tomato.
Toss in the sautéed eggplant, pepper and zucchini.
Empty the can of peeled tomatoes into the pot. Bring up to a simmer and break up the pieces with your spoon.
Stir, then cover the dutch oven. A casserole dish works well here too.
Place in the oven on the middle rack.
Cook for 45 minutes with the cover on. Checking once and giving a little stir to make sure nothing is sticking to the bottom. You can add an additional ½ tbsp of olive oil.
Remove from the oven. Remove the bouquet garni.
Let rest for a half hour. Ratatouille is best served warm, or even at room temperature, not piping hot.
How to serve this Authentic Ratatouille Recipe
After the Ratatouille has rested feel free to serve as you wish. I love mine with fresh basil and grated parmesan over the top.
Serve on its own for a delicious vegetarian lunch with some crusty bread or over creamy polenta. I suggest making a Fresh baked baguette to sop up all the fragrant sauce! This baguette recipe is perfect for beginners and takes less only 2 hours from start to finish!
Thinking of an inventive vegetable side for Thanksgiving that can be made in advance? Ratatouille is perfect. The dish is even better the next day. Ratatouille can be easily frozen and reheated or else kept in the fridge (in an airtight container) for up to 5 days during meal prep.
Other Le Chef's Wife Recipes you will enjoy
I hope you will enjoy this classic French dish. Here are some other French Riviera inspired dishes you will enjoy!
Very simply - it is a healthier version of what is commonly known as French cuisine. Rooted in the Mediterranean diet , the food of the French Riviera is a mix of Provençal, Italian, Greek, North African and French cuisines. It is inspired by the sun and the Mediterranean sea and features lots of seasonal fruits and vegetables, fish, and olive oil. Preferred cooking methods are oven baked or poached and the iconic ingredients of northern French cuisine, butter and cheese, are seldom used. The most common seasonings are rosemary, thyme, herbes de Provence, as well fresh lemon or orange zest.
Let me know if you make this recipe by leaving a star rating and a comment on the recipe card below. I love to hear from you!
Bon appétit,
Le Chef's Wife
ABOUT LE CHEF'S WIFE
Bonjour! I am Anina Belle. I translate the fancy cooking of my Michelin-star trained French Chef Husband, Le Chef, into easy to make dishes that busy people with no culinary training (like me!) can make at home. We have two young kids (5 and 2) and I have a full time job in hospitality in addition to this blog. I strongly believe that even busy people deserve to eat well at home.
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Ratatouille is a delicious & healthy side dish from Provence made of baked eggplant, zucchinis, peppers, tomatoes, garlic and onions, seasoned with fragrant Herbes de Provence. The vegetables are robust in flavor, each distinctly seasoned. Each velvety forkful melts in your mouth, offering the beauty of Provence in each bite.
Ingredients
Scale
3 eggplants
3 zucchinis
2 bell peppers (I like to use 1 red and 1 green)
1 large yellow onion
1 large ripe tomato
3 cloves of garlic
28oz can of whole peeled tomatoes
4 tbsps of olive oil
A bouquet garni (thyme, oregano and rosemary - see instructions in post). In the absence of fresh herbs, use 2 tbsps of Herbes de Provence.
Basil and grated parmesan to garnish
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Chop all the vegetables into small cubes (about ½ an inch) and keep separate. (see below for instruction on how to dice an eggplant)
Prepare your bouquet garni (see above for instructions)
Take the time to sautée each vegetable individually. First sautée the eggplant. Heat ½ tbsp of olive oil, add a pinch of salt and sautée until it becomes brown and soft. Remove from pan and set aside.
Repeat the same process for the zucchini and peppers. Add ½ a tbsp of olive oil and a pinch of salt to each to new vegetable.
Sautée the zucchini until soft. Remove from pan and set aside.
Next, sautée the peppers until soft. Remove from pan and set aside.
Now, you can use your dutch oven. Place over medium high heat on the cooktop.
Add a tbsp of olive oil then the onions and the garlic and the bouquet garni. Sautée until translucent.
Add in the fresh, diced tomato. Stir and allow to simmer for 2 minutes until the juices come out of the tomato.
Toss in the sautéed eggplant, pepper and zucchini.
Empty the can of peeled tomatoes into the pot. Bring up to a simmer and break up the pieces with your spoon.
Stir, then cover the dutch oven.
Place in the oven on the middle rack.
Cook for 45 minutes with the cover on. Checking once and giving a little stir to make sure nothing is sticking to the bottom. You can add an additional ½ tbsp of olive oil.
Remove from the oven. Remove the bouquet garni.
Let rest for a half hour. Ratatouille is best served warm, not piping hot.
Bonne Appétit!
Notes
How to dice an eggplant
First, cut the eggplant in half, lengthwise. Then make addition slices all the way down the length of each half. Now, slice strips into the halves, again lengthwise.
Then, slice across width wise in thin strips. It will make little cubes.
A bouquet garni is simply a little bouqet of herbs (thats my kind of bouquet!). By tying fresh herbs together you save yourself trying to fish them out one, by one, when the cooking is done. A bouqet garni can vary with the recipe, depending on the herbs that you would like to use to flavor your dish.
In this recipe we use Provençal herbs to give off that distinctive, South of France flavor. Simply take 2 sprigs of fresh thyme, 2 sprigs of rosemary and 2 sprigs of oregano and tie them together with a little cooking twine.
Voilà! You have a beautiful bouquet garni that will add delicious flavor for your dish and will be easy to remove before serving.
Hi! I made this tonight and it turned out lovely! I have a few questions. 1. There is no mention of black pepper. Is that not usually included as part of the seasoning in this dish? 2. Approximately how many cups of eggplant would be good? Eggplants have many different sizes.
Bonjour Michelle, Thank you for your kind comment. We honestly don't use a lot of black pepper in our cooking. If anything, a few turns of the pepper mill over the ratatouille before you serve, if that is to your liking. In this dish the flavor comes from the stewed vegetables and their natural flavors. With the Eggplant I truly believe that you can't have enough! The wonderful thing about Ratatouille is that you can mix the portions - put a little less or more depending on your taste. I would say about 3 cups, equal to the zucchini. Bon Appétit!
There's an onion in the ingredient list, but it isn't mentioned during the instructions. I assume you saute it after you saute the peppers and zukes? Or do you carmelize it?
Good evening, thanks for your comment! The onions are later in the instructions. Once you have sautéed the vegetables individually, you sautée the onions and garlic together before adding in the the other ingredients.
Michelle says
Hi! I made this tonight and it turned out lovely! I have a few questions. 1. There is no mention of black pepper. Is that not usually included as part of the seasoning in this dish? 2. Approximately how many cups of eggplant would be good? Eggplants have many different sizes.
lechefswife says
Bonjour Michelle, Thank you for your kind comment. We honestly don't use a lot of black pepper in our cooking. If anything, a few turns of the pepper mill over the ratatouille before you serve, if that is to your liking. In this dish the flavor comes from the stewed vegetables and their natural flavors. With the Eggplant I truly believe that you can't have enough! The wonderful thing about Ratatouille is that you can mix the portions - put a little less or more depending on your taste. I would say about 3 cups, equal to the zucchini. Bon Appétit!
Lala Tarti says
There's an onion in the ingredient list, but it isn't mentioned during the instructions. I assume you saute it after you saute the peppers and zukes? Or do you carmelize it?
lechefswife says
Good evening, thanks for your comment! The onions are later in the instructions. Once you have sautéed the vegetables individually, you sautée the onions and garlic together before adding in the the other ingredients.