It’s ratatouille season! Ratatouille is a classic end-of-summer French stew that’s fun to say (rat-tuh-TOO-ee) and fun to make. It’s packed with fresh produce: tomatoes, eggplant, zucchini and yellow squash, and bell pepper.
This summer, we sampled authentic French ratatouille in Provence. I liked some ratatouille more than others, so I vowed to come up with my own favorite ratatouille recipe when I came home. Today is the day!
In Provence, ratatouille is typically cooked on the stove. Each vegetable is cooked in olive oil until it’s properly tender. In the end, all of the ingredients are combined and simmered to meld the flavors.
The French know how to cook, and this concept is definitely one to follow. Ratatouille combines a large volume of late-summer vegetables that have different cook times. If you tried to throw them all into a pot at once, none of the veggies would have a chance to caramelize, the eggplant would fall apart by the time the zucchini is tender, and your ratatouille would probably never meet its full potential.
This recipe is a little different. We’re going to roast the vegetables until they’re deliciously caramelized on the edges and a little dehydrated (no squeaky or mushy zucchini here). Then, we’ll add those perfectly roasted veggies to a simmering fresh tomato sauce.
This method yields amazing ratatouille. My husband says it’s the best he’s ever had. It’s also easier to make than proper stovetop ratatouille, since it requires less time standing over the stove. Hooray!
5 Reasons to Love Ratatouille
- It’s a great way to use up a surplus of late-summer veggies. If you come home from the farmers’ market with too much, make ratatouille.
- Ratatouille turns basic vegetables into magic. Even if you don’t typically love eggplant or summer squash, I bet you’ll enjoy this ratatouille.
- It’s vegan and gluten free for all to enjoy. Just choose your accompaniments accordingly.
- Ratatouille is a great make-ahead recipe. It tastes even better the next day and reheats beautifully. (You can also freeze extra ratatouille for later.)
- Make it a movie night and watch Disney’s Ratatouille!
Ratatouille Ingredients
This recipe features traditional ratatouille ingredients, which are:
Fresh Tomatoes
Fresh tomatoes are key for making ratatouille that tastes fresh and lively, not dull and heavy. We’ll grate the tomatoes (or blitz the in the food processor) and cook them with onion and garlic to make an irresistible tomato sauce.
I tried this recipe with canned tomatoes and it didn’t taste nearly as nice. You can do it if you have to (use one large 28-ounce can of crushed tomatoes), but fresh tomatoes really are best.
Eggplant
Eggplant is known for being difficult to prepare, but it’s easy to roast! No salting necessary. The oven takes care of everything.
Zucchini & Yellow Squash
I love the visual combination of green zucchini and yellow squash. If you want to use two of one type instead of both, no problem.
Bell Pepper
Take your pick from red, orange or yellow bell pepper.
Olive Oil
Extra-virgin olive oil deserves a shout-out. We’re only using as much as necessary, so this ratatouille is not greasy like some can be.
Tossing the vegetables lightly in oil raises their surface temperature, which helps us achieve those delicious caramelized edges. Finally, stirring a teaspoon of olive oil into the pot offers some extra richness and herbal flavor. Don’t skip it!
Fresh Basil & Seasonings
We’ll finish off our ratatouille with a handful of chopped basil, which livens up our stew with fresh flavor. We’ll also add a sprinkle of dried oregano—crumble it between your fingers as you add it to wake up the flavor. Then, add salt and pepper until your ratatouille tastes completely wonderful.
How to Make Ratatouille
You’ll find the full rundown in the recipe below. Don’t be intimidated by the length of the recipe—it’s not hard. Here’s the gist:
- Prep your veggies and preheat the oven.
- Toss the eggplant with olive oil and salt on one baking sheet, and the squash and bell pepper on another baking sheet. Arrange the vegetables in an even layer. (Using two pans gives the vegetables room to breathe and lets us split the veggies by cook times.)
- Bake both pans in the oven at once, stirring halfway. The eggplant will finish sooner than the other pan.
- Meanwhile, make a simple tomato sauce on the stovetop. Stir the roasted vegetables into the simmering tomato sauce as they’re ready.
- Lastly, add fresh basil and seasonings. Serve immediately, or let it cool to room temperature before refrigerating for later.
Watch How to Make Ratatouille
Ratatouille Serving Suggestions
Ok, one more reason to love ratatouille—you can serve it so many different ways! Here are a few ideas:
- Serve ratatouille as a stew, with crusty bread on the side. Toasted if you wish.
- Serve it over freshly cooked pasta. So good.
- Leftovers make a great breakfast. Just add cooked eggs: fried, scrambled or poached.
- Turn it into an appetizer by piling spoonfuls onto toasted baguette.
You might enjoy a sprinkle of grated Parmesan or mozzarella over any of the above.
Suggested Equipment
You probably have the proper equipment in your kitchen already. Here’s what you’ll need (these are affiliate links):
- Two large, rimmed baking sheets for roasting your vegetables. These pans (called “half-sheet pans”) are the perfect size for roasting one pound of diced eggplant without overlap. They are what all professional recipe developers use, they’re inexpensive, and I swear by them.
- Cheese grater or food processor for breaking down the fresh tomatoes.
- Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed soup pot for the stovetop.
Please let me know how your ratatouille turns out in the comments! It’s a little labor intensive, as all good ratatouilles are, but I hope it proves 100 percent worth the effort.
Looking for more delicious late-summer recipes? Here are a few of my favorites:
- Caponata
- Double Tomato Pesto Spaghetti with Zucchini Noodles
- Heirloom Caprese Salad
- Layered Panzanella Salad
- Vegetable Paella
Ratatouille
- Author:
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Stew
- Method: Roasted and stovetop
- Cuisine: French
Learn how to make the best French ratatouille with this foolproof recipe! The trick is to roast the vegetables, then add them to a simmering tomato sauce. Recipe yields 4 generous or 6 more modest servings.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ripe red tomatoes (6 medium or 4 large)
- 1 medium eggplant (1 pound), diced into ½-inch cubes
- 1 large red, orange, or yellow bell pepper (about 8 ounces), cut into ¾-inch squares
- 1 medium-to-large zucchini (about 8 ounces), diced into ½-inch cubes
- 1 large yellow squash (about 8 ounces), diced into ½-inch cubes
- 5 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt, divided, more to taste
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
- ¼ cup chopped fresh basil
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, more or less to taste
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit with one rack in the middle of the oven and one in the upper third of the oven. Line two large, rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper for easy clean-up, if desired.
- To prepare your tomatoes, remove any woody cores with a paring knife. Then, grate them on the large holes of a box grater into a bowl (this is easiest if you hold the tomato at a diagonal), and chop any remaining tomato skin. Or, blitz the tomatoes in a food processor until they are broken into a frothy pulp. Set aside.
- On one baking sheet, toss the diced eggplant with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil until lightly coated. Arrange the eggplant in a single layer across the pan, sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon of the salt, and set aside.
- On the other baking sheet, toss the bell pepper, zucchini and yellow squash with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and ¼ teaspoon salt. Arrange the vegetables in a single layer. Place the eggplant pan on the middle rack and the other vegetables on the top rack. Set the timer for 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, warm 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion and ¼ teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is tender and caramelizing on the edges, about 8 to 10 minutes.
- Add the garlic, stir, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes, and use a wooden spoon or sturdy silicone spatula to stir any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pan into the mixture. Reduce the heat to medium-low, or as necessary to maintain a gentle simmer.
- Once 15 minutes are up, remove both pans from the oven, stir, and redistribute the contents of each evenly across the pans. This time, place the eggplant on the top rack and other vegetables on the middle rack.
- Bake until the eggplant is nice and golden on the edges, about 10 more minutes (the eggplant will be done sooner than the rest). Remove the eggplant from the oven, and carefully stir the eggplant into the simmering tomato sauce.
- Let the squash and bell pepper pan continue to bake until the peppers are caramelized, about 5 to 10 more minutes. Then, transfer the contents of the pan into the simmering sauce. Continue simmering for 5 more minutes to give the flavors time to meld.
- Remove the pot from the heat. Stir in 1 teaspoon olive oil, the fresh basil and red pepper flakes. Crumble the dried oregano between your fingers as you drop it into the pot. 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. Ratatouille keeps well in the refrigerator, covered, for 4 days, or for several months in the freezer.
Browneyedfili
What vegetable do you suggest I use to replace the bell pepper? It gives me horrible indigestion. I made your baked ziti with roasted vegetables the other week and it was DIVINE but I only ate it twice because my indiestion was so bad after that I didn’t want to put myself through that a third time. Love all your recipes I’ve tried so far and love your ingredient break-down section.
Kate
Hi! You could add more of the other vegetables if you like. Or another favorite vegetable. I’m happy you are enjoying so many recipes!
Dennis
I made this exactly as described but had to use two zucchinis as we don’t have a yellow squash like yours. I have made many ratatouille variations over the years and didn’t have high expectations. It turned out really well. My daughter wants me to make bottles of it to take home to use with pasta. This is the first such request she made, so it was an event of great significance. It is the first one where the zucchini didn’t turn out soggy and the taste was excellent. It is an interesting and different variation of the genre.
Kate
I love it! Thanks for sharing, Dennis.
Karen
This…this was amazing!!! I made the recipe as-is, except I did use whole canned tomatoes, and it came out so delicious. I can only imagine how this will taste when I use ripe tomatoes from our garden! The flavor was so bright and multidimensional, no need for ANY modifications. I’m trying to get back into being mostly vegetarian again. This honestly didn’t seem to take any longer than most other recipes I make. I started the veggies and while they were roasting, started the sauce. The timing was great. I served over casarecce. We all devoured it, including our 2 and 4 year old boys. Your recipes never disappoint. Thank you!!
Suzanne
If I could recommend anything it would be to double the batch! This ratatouille recipe was so easy to follow and the end result was delicious! Definitely don’t skip adding the basil at the end.
Kate
Thank you, Suzanne! I’m glad you love it.
Brenda Vlkojan
Delicious recipe. I roasted my tomatoes first, and added 2 peppers and 3 zuchinni and no yellow squash but otherwise followed recipe and it was wonderful! I had this in France and have been trying to duplicate it, this is as close as I have gotten!
Kate
Thank you for sharing, Brenda!
Kerry Phelan
I’ve always loved ratatouille but never made it myself. This was delicious! We ate it the first night as a side dish or some used it as a topping for pasta side. Then leftovers mixed in with scrambled eggs was amazing. I just finished it off and can’t wait to make some more!
Kate
Wonderful, Kerry! Thank you for your review.
Jean
No helpers so hate prepping! Prep ahead. Made rat many times b4, thought I would try this but did not like extra work of roasting. I did not use your spices and I am salt-free, but I did use 2 bay leaves in the simmer stage, and i use canned tomatoes if I have to. Always fab with parm or Romano on top. In addition to your serving suggestions, Sometimes I combine a serving with a bowl of chili or chili mac for variety. Hot, cold, plain or combo, rat is the best! Your recipe was ok.
Kate
I’m sorry you didn’t love my take on this recipe, Jean. Thank you for your feedback.
Teresa
Actually you made so many changes to this recipe you basically didn’t make this recipe! I made this recipe and it was delicious – roasting veggies. . .so incredibly yummy! Thank you
Krissy
Oh Jean, who refuses to follow a recipe as it’s written but still has the audacity to criticize the recipe… and the audacity not to season her dish. RIP Jean’s ratatouille.
I followed the recipe as written, and it was (well seasoned and) fantastic.
Star
Well Krissy, many cooks adapt recipes to their own needs and tastes, and also use end results in more ways than the writer suggests., you might need to go around the block a few more times to find out that most dishes are nothing more than another cook’s variation on an old recipe, perhaps even from a different country, as this is. Also sort of similar to Ragu’s extra chunky veggie pasta sauce, dontcha think? Don’t be so judgmental, you’ll get 11’s early on.
Trix
I think the point is that it’s absolutely fine to alter someone’s recipe to better suit your taste, but it’s a bit rich to come back and “critique” the original when you used zero of the method and only had the zucs and peppers in common (apparently).
If your ratatouille is essentially veges boiled in canned tomatoes, great, but that’s not this recipe.
However, while I did use canned tomatoes myself, and upped the olive oil a little (it was still going to be a lot lighter on the oil than the original French version), I loved this recipe. Tasty – great idea re roasting the veg – and so little prep time.
I used good quality canned tomatoes, and it turned out great from my POV. I also liked the fact it was based on the chunky chopped veg – I prefer that, breaking down a bit around the edges as it cooks – to the more recent trend of making spirals of thinly-sliced ingredients. It may look aesthetic, but it takes ages, and I find the dish less enjoyable to eat – it’s supposed to be a “stew”. And this recipe keeps that character.
Jean
My my my, someone is trying sooo hard to sound sooo chic and above-it-all, must be a boring day at your house. There are a couple of things I learned from posting a comment on one recipe on this website–apparently that the site is usually read and followed by beginner cooks with sticks up their arses who go crazy at a deviation or someone else’s recipe–and that I will keep hearing about how terrible I am for having different opinions ad nauseum. Please, don’t send any more comments to me, and I promise not to read your blog. P.S. A stew is not prepared by roasting, it is “stewed.”
Margret
Ha! Okay Boomer. These comments are all hilarious, and almost as good as the recipe! Put it on some noodles and your family will praise your fresh home cooking.
Sonya
SOOOOO GOOD!!!!
I have made this recipe several times within the last 3 months and I’m preparing to make another pot today. It’s flavorful and healthy. Thanks for sharing:)
Kate
You’re welcome, Sonya!
Debbie catechi
I love your recipes! I’m on a whole food plant based diet, no oil. Can this recipe be made without the oil??
Kate
Hi Debbie, you need the oil to help caramelize the vegetables, but you could see if it works without. I don’t tend to have luck without oil when roasting or sauting.
Lorrie Medley
Hey I made this recipe and used extra virgin olive oil spray. However olive oil is good fat so o absolutely suggest putting at least a Tablespoon in the sauce. But roast your veggies with the spray
Jan
This recipe looks yummy, but don’t care for Eggplant. What can I substitute?
Thanks so much!
Jan
Kate
Hi Jan! To keep this authentic, you really do need the eggplant. However, you could try doubling one of the other vegetable options.
Meghan
Made this tonight and it was absolutely delicious! Thank you for the wonderful recipe
Kate
You’re welcome, Meghan!
amazon offers
This is one of the amazing recipes i have ever found. Your article is just amazing thanks for sharing this.
Karen
Wow! This is a fantastic recipe! I just wish I would have doubled it! Absolutely going into my rotation! THANK YOU!!!
Kate
You’re welcome, Karen!
Charo Paredes
Correct pronunciation is ra-ta-TWEE
Vanessa Rodriguez
Just finished making it! came out delicious.. thank you
Kate
I’m happy to hear that, Vanessa! Thanks for your review.
Roxie
Your ratatouille recipe is the best ever! Roasting the veggies makes all the difference. I served this all-veggie meal to meat eaters who loved it! Thanks for sharing this awesome recipe. It’s now in my collection of favorites.
Kate
Roasting does make all the difference! Thanks for your review, Roxie.
Susan Hayward
WOW – this is absolutely the best. My husband is not a big fan, so to cater to his taste, I didn’t add the fresh tomatoes. Roasting the vegetables made them so much better; especially the eggplant, which is so good when it’s not saturated with olive oil. And my husband – he had a second helping!
Angelica
This was such a wonderful dish to make for friends. I have been craving ratatouille ever since I went to France and this recipe was the best rendition I’ve found.
Carol FYFFE
Ive made the Ratatouille and the mushroom risotto and the veggie lasagne x unfortunately no photos x they got eaten before l could take them x as you can gather x they were a success x and on the books for cooking again xxmy daughter loved the tecture of the mashed veggies x where l like mine left whole xx thank you for sharing xx
Sadye
My parents have gifted me with tons of frozen romas from their garden this summer, and I stumbled upon this recipe. It may sound strange, but do you think the sauce would be too thin for me to use this on a pizza? I guess we could just nom on a baguette until we’re full and get the same effect, but we like making pizza dough :) I promise to come back and report on results if we try!
Kate
Hey Sadye, lucky you! I think this ratatouille would be awesome on pizza—I’m actually wondering if it will be a bit too thick. Do let me know if you try!
Sadye
Will do — I actually just had some amazing goat cheese grits at a restaurant last night so I might try that instead :) But I’ll update for all those curious!
Lori
Hi Kate, love this recipe!
I have been cooking something similar for several years using the same ingredients but I include parsnip to the veggies being roasted. I usually slice and blanch them so they will roast in a timely manner. Their flavor though is sweet and robust shall we say and can easily overwhelm so I use it sparingly but it adds a wonderful flavor. I add spinach to my tomato base and a bit of parmesan, add the roasted veggies, simmer for about 20 mins and serve over a pasta. The roasting is the clincher though for enhanced flavor. Thank you again for sharing!
Jeremy
Great recipe, and couldn’t agree more about sprinkling parmesan cheese on top of the dish. Thanks for sharing.
Diane Kliebard
I have made ratatouille for years. This was far and away the best one I have made and my vegetarian guests – who make ratatouille themselves, frequently – also loved it. The veggies had texture and individual flavors instead of boiling away into mush, and everything was so wonderfully flavorful. I used mushrooms instead of crookneck squash (I don’t think I’ll do that again), canned diced San Marzano tomatoes (so much better than what I can get locally), and only had dried basil on hand, so I used that. I served it over wheat berries. Fantastic!
Rosetta Wiltgen
I am enjoying your roasted ratatouille recipe! The veggies are flavorful and have a perfect consistency. The preparation was easy, since I just chopped them in chunks with the skin on and pulsed the onions and garlic, and then the fresh tomatoes in a food processor. Will definitely make this delicious, healthy meal again!
Kate
Great to hear, Rosetta! Thanks for sharing.
Mary
I made your ratatouille and it was absolutely the best I’ve ever had! Served over corn grits (polenta) for a very filling and delicious supper. Family devoured, but the tiny bit leftover was great with my scrambled eggs the next morning. Thank you!
Manpreet Singh
What a nice writeup. i really love to read your blog
John Green
Never had ratitouille. This recipe is beyond reproach. My wife and I started vegan in October last year because I was getting a hip replacement. Surgery went well and I have lost twenty pounds. This is probably is one the best natural vegan dishes I have ever had.
Kate
I hope your recovery has gone well, John! I’m glad you love this one.
Tash
Delicious!
lisa chock
i actually was taught to lightly dredge the zucchini and yellow squash in flour and sauce in olive oil or butter before adding it in the tomato sauce so it could hold it’s integrity. I don’t hav not worry about it overcooking and falling apart. I also like to add a bay leaf in the process.
lisa chock
i actually was taught to lightly dredge the zucchini and yellow squash in flour and saute
in olive oil or butter before adding it in the tomato sauce so it could hold it’s integrity. I don’t hav not worry about it overcooking and falling apart. I also like to add a bay leaf in the process.
Helga Halvorsen
So easy and so yummy! 2 out of 3 kids ate it :)
Lina
Love this recipe!! Whole house favorite!
Elaina
Made this the other day and it was amazing. This recipe is so delicious and so easy to make. Have made twice. I had to double the recipe the second time as my husband really enjoyed it as much as I did. It will be our weekly dinner meal from now on.
Kate
I love to hear that, Elaina! Thanks for your review.
Brittani
Wow this was amazing! Definitely plan to make again. Thank you for sharing.
Vicki
Best ratatouille ever. I have made many versions over the years but they are always a bit disappointing in their depth of flavour. This one hits the mark. Didn’t have any squash so used celeriac, I think it is known as celery root in the US. Absolutely brilliant recipe. Thank you
Cindy Christensen
We all loved it, even our 7 year old grandson. He is a big veggie eater so it wasn’t too hard to twist his arm. I have never eaten Ratatouille before, let alone made it. It was easy, but a little time intensive. It took me about 2 hrs total from prepping to cooking to the table. I’m sure it will take less time the next time. And, both my husband I think we’d like to try it over pasta.
Thank you.
Cindy
We all loved it, even our 7 year old grandson. He is a big veggie eater so it wasn’t too hard to twist his arm. I have never eaten Ratatouille before, let alone made it. It was easy, but a little time intensive. It took me about 2 hrs total from prepping to cooking to the table. I’m sure it will take less time the next time. And, both my husband I think we’d like to try it over pasta.
We have one vegetarian in the family but as a whole, we try to eat 1-2 vegetarian meals a week.
Thank you for offering your recipes.
Brad D
Excellent!! Made recipe for use as ratatouille 9” pie. Made it gluten free with 9” pre-made crust. Layered shredded mozzarella on top of half the recipe layered second half more shredded mozzarella, upper crust on top baked 45-50 min. The recipe is a little wet for a pie and had to drain off liquid as tomatoes cooked down. Well worth it. Excellent accompaniment for a grilled chicken breast or your favorite protein. Thanks
Anamaria
One of the best Ratatouille’s I have eaten. Fresh and delicious. The entire family enjoyed it. Thank you !
Billie L
Thank you so much for this recipe! We loved it! The only thing I did different was roast the tomatoes, onions and garlic before making the sauce. So tasty! I also didn’t have basil but parsley worked well instead. Thank you again!
Gabe
I’ve never had ratatouille before so I was excited to try this recipe. Love the flavor! Given my lack of experience, I found that by the time I incorporated the roasted veggies, my stew was very watery and from the pictures I’ve seen the water should have evaporated more. I let the whole thing simmer for a while to get rid of the water, but was just wondering if anyone had any advice for a newbie like me given how time intensive the process is already. I used 4 fresh tomatoes in the food processor for my sauce. Thanks for the recipe Kate and I look forward to making this again :)
Kate
Hey Gabe, thanks for the note! My first thought is that perhaps your tomatoes were just watery tomatoes. We haven’t reached peak tomato season yet, so your next batch might be even better. If the tomatoes still seem terribly watery after you process them next time, you could simply strain off a bit of the excess. Hope that helps!
Doreen
THE BEST Ratatouille recipe BY FAR! I have tried many recipes for Ratatouille over the years and this one is outstanding. The roasting of vegetables along with other methods makes this truly great! Thank you!
Kate
Hooray! I’m so happy to hear that, Doreen. Thanks so much for sharing, Doreen.
Holly
Great recipe! Didn’t have any squash or zucchini as in lockdown and can’t go to the shops – swapped them for turnip and extra pepper. Also had to adjust the seasonings a little for the same reason but still made a tasty hearty dish, will definitely be making again.
Kate
Thank you for sharing how you were able to make this, Holly! I appreciate your review.
Sarah
This is the best ratatouille I’ve ever had! So good!
Mindy
My daughter wanted to try ratatouille and I found your recipe online. I am so glad I did. I am not a veggie lover at all, but I LOVED this and actually had a second helping. Outstanding recipe! I will definitely make this again.
Lauren Henry
This was amazing, but had to use canned san marzano crushed tomatoes. How many cans or ounces would you recommend?
Kate
I tried this recipe with canned tomatoes and it didn’t taste nearly as nice. You can do it if you have to (use one large 28-ounce can of crushed tomatoes), but fresh tomatoes really are best
Meredith
I have made this recipe so many times and it ALWAYS a good idea.
Melanie
I had never made (or eaten) ratatouille before and decided to give this recipe a go last night…and my life is changed!!! The preparation seemed so simple but the end result is a symphony of magnificent flavours. I love this dish. I had it with a bed of lentil pasta (to add a few more carbs) and some parmesan & basil on top. Thank you so much for creating such a delicious & easy-to-follow recipe.
Malavika Sastry
Hi Kate!
I am so glad I followed your recipe of Ratatouille, as it turned it out great. I ate Ratatouille for the first time at a nearby French cafe and they took it out of the menu for some reason. Since then I had been craving for it, and your recipe saved my day. Although a bit elaborate, I thoroughly enjoyed preparing the dish and relished every bite. Thanks to you, I’ll be preparing it often.
P.S: Since I love spicy food, I added a bit of red chili powder to the tomato sauce, and two spoons of Tomato Basil pasta sauce. Also topped it with some mozzarella cheese.
Marina
This was fabulous! Have never eaten ratatouille, but decided to make anyway. Followed the recipe exactly and cooled in fridge. Later, heated it up for supper in a cast iron skillet and poached eggs in the stew. A quick broil of the top to complete. It was very, very tasty and a great, fast supper. Thanks for this recipe it will now be a staple.
Adrianne
The flavour was wonderful, but even though I cut the veggies as described (sized correctly), at the 15 minute mark they were all super overcooked and way too soft! Our oven is only a couple of years old. We ended up using the batch as pasta sauce. Would love some help to fix it for next time! I would love that toothsome stew texture with these wonderful flavours!
Kate
Hi Adrianne! That is strange. To be sure—did you use the quantities specified? If you used less, they might bake up more quickly. Also, if you skipped the parchment paper and/or baked on a super dark pan, those factors could shorten the baking time. If nothing else, I’d just keep an eye on them in the oven during the first 15 minutes.
Magda
I found this recipe and it was perfect, since I had these ratatouille veggies to use and also had to roast sweet potatoe home fries in the oven, so great and efficient use of the oven.
I had to use bottled Italian tomatoes since we are still not in a season, but once I get my own garden surplus, I will definitely use these.
Fact is, oven roasting vegetables is superior to traditional pan frying since vegetables retain shape, texture and their unique flavour. Traditional pan frying creates a more blended mushy dish. End result was terrific and my family really enjoyed it. I wondered also, if roasting the whole oiled vegetables and cubing them afterwards would also work. Any thoughts?
Linda
Hi there Cookie & Kate,
I made this recipe a month ago & the whole family loved it.
Served it as a side dish with herb crumbed Whiting.
Making it again tonight!
Linda
Kate
Great, Linda!
Jessica
I plan on making this tonight (so excited to try it!), however, I don’t love eggplant skin. Do you think peeling the eggplant would have any ill effects? TIA!
Kate
Hey Jessica! Sure, you can peel the eggplant first. I didn’t notice the skin in the final product, but if you’re bothered by it, no harm in peeling first!
Christina Myers
This was delicious. No fresh basil in the stores I visited this week, so I used some dried. Used a mix of fresh and canned tomatoes and a little less of the red pepper flakes. Served over brown rice and topped with parmesan. I’ll make it again.
Greg
Great recipe…roasting the veggies gives great flavor and I find it a bit easier to manage in the kitchen. My 4 year old has declared this one of her favorite dinners so easy to go on getting a kid to eat her vegetables! I actually make the tomato sauce with a can of san marzano tomatoes that I crush by hand and it comes out great. I also add some herbes de Provence at the end for the Provencal touch of fennel, savory and lavender. It is great with a chickpea flour crepe called soca in France, farinata in Italian…basically just garbanzo flour, olive oil, water and salt. Delicious!
Neha Sampath
This turned out great. Loved the simplicity of it as well.
Sandy Rowe
Delicious – the entire family was here and ate it all thus no picture. Next time (they have requested it again) I will take the picture before we eat! The combination of veggies along with the tomato sauce make it an excellent choice for a family dinner. We ate it by itself, on pasta, and “just to taste”. What a delight!!
Erica
Yummmmyyyyyyy. Used thyme instead of oregano since that’s what I had. Making it again right now, using both spices (and the others). I ate it with parm and pine nuts on top. My boyfriend even liked it as a vegan dish! But next go around, sausage will be served on the side (that’s what she said).
Kelly
My kids just pulled waaaay too many veggies out of the garden with the grandparents and they were convinced we needed to eat all the zucchini! Ratatouille to the rescue! They were all so excited to cook with everything they pulled from the garden. This recipe is a hit (especially because it’s less work for mommy than real ratatouille). I’m sure they will be making it all summer long!
heather
Never made ratatouille until tonight. The whole family loves it, including my zucchini-hating son. Try including a chopped fennel bulb with the squash/pepper roast; it is a nice touch I got from a cookbook older than me. The roasting really makes a big difference too! This recipe will get frequent use in my house. Thank you!
Becky
I made this with vegetables from my garden. I didn’t have any zucchini but I used more eggplant and I had two yellow squash. I could have used more basil and oregano but I didn’t measure so it was probably my fault. We ate it like a stew with grated parmesan on top and cheese topped Texas toast on the side. Yummy!
Neil
I love your recipes so much. Thank you! I haven’t tried this one yet, in part because I’m not an eggplant fan. Might you have suggestions for a vegetable to replace it? Many thanks in advance!
Kate
Thanks Neil! Eggplant is a traditional component of rataouille, but you could increase the squash/tomatoes instead.
Neil
Thank you! And again thank you for all the phenomenal recipes.
Ann
I made this tonight for the first time. I have never made ratatouille. Delicious! Loved the simplicity of the recipe. It’s the perfect go to dish for summer. We will be making this often. Healthy and does honor to your garden veggies. Roasting them is key. So good.
Angela
Absolutely delicious! I found your recipes when I was looking for a veggie chili recipe that my husband (not a vegetarian) would love. Complete success. So when I was looking for summer recipes to change up our meals, I found your ratatouille recipe. Omg – incredible! Tasted so fresh with so much flavor. I served it with toasted challah. I loved it, and my husband had 3 servings!! Thanks so much for sharing this recipe – it will now be a summer staple!!
Irene Irvine
I agree – one of the best ratatouille recipes around. Baking the veggies makes all the difference. Not too much preparation required either.
Lucy
THIS is the way to do it! Six out of five stars!
I learned to make ratatouille “the hard way” on the stove some years ago and still fell in love, but didn’t make often due to the very long cook time. But now…
Kate, thank you so much for this recipe – the oven drastically cuts down the time *and* has a tastier result. I particularly like how the eggplant and zucchini caramelize but do not become mushy.
I do like to add chopped fresh parsley and thyme in addition to the basil and oregano.
My husband thinks this is one of the best things I make, hands down. I tell him, “I got this recipe from Kate.”
Jo Anne
I haven’t tried this recipe yet, and am wondering, can I use dried basil in place of fresh? Thank you for your advice.
Kate
Hi Jo! Fresh is best here, but if you need to, you can substitute. Typically, use 1/3 the measurement for dried.
Lynette Ott
A lot of prep work, but so worth it! Outstanding just the way it is!
Leah K Shull
Yum, yum, yum! This is my new favorite ratatouille recipe! I’ve done sheet pan, roasted ratatouille recipes in the past–which are great–but I missed the more traditional feel of those recipes. This recipe is the best of both worlds! Simple preparation, delicious results! This is my go-to ratatouille now!
Andrea
Absolutely delicious! My husband has been wanting ratatouille for weeks and I was dreading it. Only change was using little sweet peppers since I forgot to buy a bell pepper. Cannot wait to make again!
Donnell
Time-consuming but the recipe and timing are clear and simple to follow. Really nice, simplified and absolutely delicious version of what would be a much more laborious dish!
Parul
It was my first time making ratatouille, and it was delicious. Roasting the aubergine was the key, so tasty and so easy (no soaking etc.). I also added some sweet corn to the dish. I will be making it again, maybe even a double batch!
Thankyou
Kate
You’re welcome, Parul! Thank you for your review.
Vivien
Love the recipe! May I suggest you add approximate weights of veggies and numbers of garlic cloves. I live in Southern Spain – all required veg are ready now.
Many thanks.
Katie
Could you add cannellini beans to this? I am super excited to make it, but wanted to add a little protein
Kate
Hi Katie, sure that would be a good way to add more protein.
Eunice
I rarely see recipes with complete 5 stars rating… now I understand why. New favorite food <3
Pri
Hi
This was a great recipe!
I was wondering if I could freeze it?
Kate
Hi Pri! I haven’t tried, but yes I think it would freeze well!
Mike Thornton
I used roma tomatoes, boiled and peeled ’em, for the sauce. This was my first go with roasted veggies, gives a nice flavor enhancement. My eggplant skin was tough, can I peel them or would the pieces turn to mush as they cook? Might have just been a bad veg. One other small change, I added a little chicken broth, as there was not enough sauce, but you still rate the 5☆s.
Kate
Hi Mike! I recommend keeping the skins on so you have some texture as you mix. It could have been the variety or just not ripe enough yet. I hope you still loved the flavor!
Lizzie
Have made this twice now and absolutely delicious both times! I used two tins (uk) of good quality chopped tomatoes which worked well. Also did 2 courgettes instead of one courgette one squash as that’s what I had. Even worked ok with no oregano or basil (working with what was in the house) but I was lucky enough to have some basil infused olive oil which I just used for the end oil addition. Anyway thanks very much! Definitely a go to :)
Jeanne
We made this dish today. We grilled the onion with the other vegetables. The herbs we used were basil, thyme, and oregano (fresh). It is the best recipe for this dish I have ever made. Thanks
Terri Fischer
Fabulous! For whatever reason, I could not email the recipe to myself, but I will definitely make this again, at double size! There’s a bit of work here, so it’s worth freezing some, but what an incredibly flavorful, seasonal, roasty melange of summer harvest! I found it easier to put the eggplant and then the squash into a bowl with a bit of olive oil and salt, mix together, and then spread on the baking sheets. The same bowl was then used for the tomatoes. Also, on serving, I added some black olives for flavor and garbanzos for additional protein. A new favorite for showcasing summer flavors!
Ellen Cohn
This was a delicious recipe. I did not have summer squash so I used more zucchini. I peeled the eggplant first. It was much easier than other recipes.
Heather
This was so so good! I deglazed with some red wine before adding the tomatoes (had some extra laying around – haha) but it was really just a bonus. Definitely a keeper of a recipe…thank you!
Rebecca
I had never tried ratatouille before trying your recipe and its AMAZING. Everyone LOVED IT. Its now a classic for my family and I. I also roasted the tomatoes before blending it. So good
Scott
Sound great but what a pain for such a small quantity I have summer squash and zucchini rolling out my ears using just one of each won’t even put a dent in my stock lol
Cristina Strunk
I have a large garden and generous farm friends so always have a bounty of summer veggies. I’ve made ratatouille for years and this one with the roasted vegetables is TOP NOTCH! I am proud to have even make my own crushed red peppers this year so the entire recipe was from the garden but for the salt, pepper, and EVOO. I’ll repeat this one again and again!
Kate
Thank you, Cristina! I’m happy it has your approval. Thanks for sharing this one will be a repeat for you!
Katie
The best ratatouille I ever made! The roasted vegetables did the trick!
Katie
Delicious! The roasted veggies did the trick!
Kordelia Velez
The recipe sounds delicious! and very healthy! I will make it today and will let you know how it turned out!
nola2chi
Wow & Wow
Having used a couple of your recipes in the past, I don’t remember which, but have a positive association, So very glad I decided to give this a go tonight.
Your roasting method helps me a lot. Age and physical difficulties make standing at the stove not much fun, but I’ll do it because we love good food. And, the roasting created great flavor. Was fun to play with my newish small silicone basting brush. Let me get a nice even coating with minimum oil.
Having never used a grater with fresh tomatoes I gave it a try. Here in the deep south of Louisiana it’s that magic season when our beloved Creole Tomatoes are available. The soil is what makes the difference. Well, it ain’t fun to do raw tomatoes on the large side of my box grater, but I’m certainly glad I gave it a try. I was concerned about the peel and seeds. This is a new to me method that I”m thrilled to now have. And the diagonal grating tip helped. It was so good tonight it seems hard to imagine it getting better overnight, but I bet it will.
Then, I stumbled upon the pic of Cookie. I can’t take anymore. Just so beautiful and sweet looking. Also, Kate has been a favorite name for my whole life.
So, lol, look out cuz I’m gonna be stalking your recipes!
Wish you could try my result with the Creole tomatoes. Divine.
Thanks to you and Cookie!
Cheryl von Kleist
I made the Ratatouille tonight, followed the recipe to the tee and it was perfect! My husband loved it! Will definitely make it again.
vignan
Made this for the first time, cooked 8 generous servings, took me just under 2 hrs but it was totally worth it and tasted great. Excellent tips at the end re chopped basil, CRP flakes, parmesan… Thanks for this great recipe.
Peggy Parskey
Hello Kate,
I made this recipe tonight and it was fabulous! The most tasty ratatouille I’ve made in years. I don’t cook often but when I do, I want it to be great. This recipe was superb. Thank you so much!
Heather
Fantastic. Really clear and helpful instructions and photos. Final results really great. I was especially happy with how the eggplant turned out. I love eggplant but often have trouble getting it right – this was perfect. This will be a standard recipe for me from now on – and I live in France so I have had my share of ratatouille:-)
Lauri
I don’t love zucchini, but this stuff is the BOMB! Thank you. I think roasting the veggies is the key. Yum, yum, YUMMY! I can’t wait to make it again!!
Laura Guthrie
Brilliant Recipe, I hadn’t made ratatouille for years but this really does allow you to taste the vegetables!
Making a second batch tonight!
Elissa
This was delicious! Roasting the veggies prevented them from getting mushy, though I found that they only needed around 15-20 min total (I still wanted them to have a little bite). My husband recently started baking bread, so we had the ratatouille with fresh bread and a little Parmesan. Glad I made a double batch!
Lorrie Medley
Hey I made this recipe and used extra virgin olive oil spray. However olive oil is good fat so o absolutely suggest putting at least a Tablespoon in the sauce. But roast your veggies with the spray
Diane Grady
This is a really tasty fish. Roasting the veggies makes all the difference. Unlike some online recipe sites, the directions are clearly explained. I wished I had doubled the recipe. If only my garden would produce squash and tomatoes at the same time! This is a keeper.
Siobhan Wolf
This is a winner! So easy to make and the roasted veggies totally make this dish. I will make this again. And I will never make ratatouille without the roasted veggies again.
Pippa Keates Williams
I made this recipe Thursday evening with all fresh ingredients and I must say it was the most delicious ratatouille I have tasted. My husband loved it too and he is a chef. Thank you