Ratatouille is one of the more known classic French dishes. And it’s the perfect example of a dish that is truly way grander than the sum of its ingredients. My easy ratatouille recipe makes a satisfying one-pot dinner for any night of the week. Vegetarian (vegan without egg) Gluten Free. Be sure to check out my tips and the video tutorial for how to make this ratatouille recipe below!
What is Ratatouille?
Ratatouille is a traditional dish from the home kitchens of Provence, France. It’s a simple stew of glorious summer vegetables—zucchini, eggplant, tomatoes, and peppers.
Why this Ratatouille Recipe works
This ratatouille recipe is not fussy. It is not fancy. But it’s so darn tasty and satisfying. It’s the kind of meal that gives me so much joy to make and allows me to feel like I somehow obtained a little culinary wisdom.
This one-pot-wonder is plenty flavorful and hearty enough to stand on its own as the star dish, ladled on top of some rice or served with a good piece of crusty bread. But it can also be served as a side to your favorite grilled or roast chicken.
Some classic ratatouille recipes call for cooking each ingredient separately, so you’ll end up using like four separate pans. This is a simpler recipe using mainly one large pot, adding ingredients in appropriate stages.
Important Ratatouille Tips
Cooking ratatouille in one pot is absolutely possible. And it’s what makes it the perfect weeknight meal. Just three tips for you here:
1. Add ingredients to the pot in stages–first, the onions; then bell peppers; then garlic, zucchini, tomato, and eggplant. This allows the vegetables each appropriate time to cook.
2. Salt the eggplant. But before we even get to cooking, there is one thing I do to the eggplant that I think makes all the difference. My very first step is to salt the eggplant and let it “sweat for 20 minutes or so. In this ratatouille recipe, this step helps in two ways: The eggplant sweats its bitterness. More importantly, salting eggplant will help its spongy structure is weakening the cells as they collapse. So, the eggplant will cook more quickly (this really helps avoid overcooking and turning the rest of the veggies into mush as we wait on the eggplant to soften)
3. If you have the time, allow ratatouille to rest in its warm pot for 1 hour or so before serving. This will allow the flavors to settle and deepen beautifully. You do not need to heat before serving, ratatouille is great just warm.
How to Serve Ratatouille
One note about serving ratatouille, it is not one for extremes, too hot or too cold mutes its bright soft flavors. So allowing it to rest a bit is a great idea.
There is a small French bakery nearby called Douceur de France. Without fail, every time we visit, I order their ratatouille. They serve it in the best traditional way—topped with a perfectly runny, golden fried egg and a piece of crusty French baguette to the side. The bread is essential to sop up all the tasty juice. If I’m serving ratatouille as the main dish, which I often do, this is exactly how I serve it.
But like I said earlier, ratatouille is also great as a side dish next to your lamb roast or chicken.
Can you make Ratatouille ahead of time? What about leftovers?
Another thing I love about ratatouille is that it’s even better the next day. If you make it ahead,or if you have leftovers, simply store in a tight-lid container (preferably glass) and refrigerate. It will keep well refrigerated for three to four nights. My advice is to take it out a while before you’re ready to serve; warm it through slightly over gentle heat or just bring it to room temperature.
Can you freeze ratatouille? You can freeze ratatouille. Thaw overnight in the fridge, and again, take it out a while before you serve and only warm over gentle heat or bring to room temperature. If, as a result of freezing, you find the texture to have softened too much, you can puree and serve ratatouille more as a creamier soup with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
Watch Video Tutorial for How to Make Ratatouille
More Recipes to Try:
Briam: Greek Roasted Vegetables
Easy Moroccan Vegetable Tagine
One-Pan Baked Halibut and Vegetables
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Easy Ratatouille Recipe
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 40 mins
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: serves 6 1x
Description
This easy ratatouille recipe is a flavorful, hearty and satisfying weeknight dinner. Ratatouille is best served hot with a perfectly runny sunny-side up egg on top. Don’t forget to add your favorite crusty bread to sop up all the goodness.
Ingredients
- 1 lb eggplant, peeled (or part-peeled in striped pattern), and cut into 1-inch pieces
- Kosher salt
- Private Reserve Greek extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium-sized yellow onion, finely chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 6 garlic cloves, peeled, and minced
- 2 lb vine ripe tomatoes, chopped
- 2 zucchini, halved length-wise, then cut into 1/2 inch pieces (half moons)
- 1/2 cup red wine
- 2 springs fresh thyme
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- 1 tsp dried rosemary
- 1 tbsp sherry vinegar
- 3 tbsp chopped fresh basil
To serve
- Eggs over-easy fried in extra virgin olive oil
- Crusty bread
Instructions
- Place eggplant pieces in colander over your sink. Sprinkle with salt. Leave for 20 minutes as eggplant sweats out its bitterness. Pat dry.
- In a large heavy pot or Dutch Oven like this one, heat 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil over medium heat until shimmering but not smoking. Add onions. Cook, stirring regularly, until translucent (about 5 minutes). Now add red peppers and green peppers, cook for another 4 minutes, and continue to stir.
- Add garlic, tomatoes, zucchini, eggplant, wine, and fresh thyme springs. Stir in black pepper, paprika, rosemary. Season with kosher salt.
- Raise heat to medium-high and bring to a boil for 5 minutes, stirring once of twice. Turn heat down, cover and cook over low heat for 20 minutes or so.
- Remove ratatouille from heat. Taste and adjust salt to your liking. Add sherry vinegar and a generous drizzle of Private Reserve EVOO. Top with fresh basil.
- To serve, transfer ratatouille to dinner bowls, top each with a fried egg (sunny-side up) and add crusty bread on the side. (See Cook’s Tip)
Notes
- Cook’s Tip: If you have the time, allow ratatouille to rest in its warm pot for 1 hour or so before serving. This will allow the flavors to settle and deepen beautifully. You do not need to heat before serving, ratatouille is great just warm.
- Make Ahead and Leftovers: You can make Ratatouille ahead and refrigerate in a tight-lid container (preferably not plastic) for 4 days or so. Take it out a while before you are ready to serve it. Warm it through over gentle heat or just bring it to room temperature.
- Can you Freeze Ratatouille? You can freeze ratatouille. Thaw overnight in the fridge, and again bring out a while before you serve and only warm over gentle heat or bring to room temperature. If, as a result of freezing, you find the texture to have softened too much, you can puree and serve ratatouille more as a creamier soup with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
- Recommended for this recipe: Private Reserve Greek extra virgin olive oil (from organically grown and processed Koroneiki olives.) SAVE! Try our Greek EVOO Bundle
- Recommended for this recipe from our all-natural and organic spice collections: sweet paprika and dried rosemary. SAVE! Try our Ultimate Mediterranean Spice Bundle; or Create your own 6-pack or 3-pack from our all-natural or organic spice collections.
- Category: Entree
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: French
Keywords: Easy Ratatouille, How to Make Ratatouille, Vegetable Stew
This was absolutely amazing! Thank you
My pleasure! So glad you enjoyed it!
I would love to make this but wondering if the carbs are from the crusty bread or from the veggies?? Thanks in advance..
Hey Sue! Thanks for asking. This recipe serves 6, and when i went back to check nutrition info, it looked like it was calculated for 4 servings only which explains the higher carb count. I’ve corrected that. Enjoy
I have made this recipe twice and it is FABULOUS!! We love it and it is now a staple for our weekday “meatless” meal. Wonderful with toasted peasant bread topped with a little Parmesan ….YUM!! I am a picky eater – not easily impressed by new recipes. This one is a “keeper”!
Anne, thank you so much! I am so glad you enjoyed this Ratatouille recipe.
Hi Suzy. I just made the ratatouille. There is quite a bit left over. Can I freeze it? Thanks I love your recipes!. Joanne (Australia)
Hi Joanne! You can freeze ratatouille. Thaw overnight in the fridge and take it out a while before you serve (only warm over gentle heat or bring to room temperature.) If, as a result of freezing, you find the texture to have softened too much, you can puree and serve it more as a creamier soup with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. It’s very possible you might find the texture too soft though, so the pureed soup idea is my way around that 🙂
Very delicious. After I sauteed the onions and peppers, put it all into my instapot on the vegetable setting for 5 min w/quick release. All the veggies were perfectly done not overdone. Wonderful.
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All of your dishes look delicious!!! Thanks for posting them.
One thing that turns me off is an egg on top of a dish like that ratatouille. I watch the food channels a lot and there seems to be a trend to put sunny side eggs on dishes. I love eggs but NOT on an otherwise tasty dish.
But, to each his own!! I lived in the Middle East for a number of years and love the food there. Also traveled around the world for a number of years. I went around the world every three months from Kuwait to California and then continued back around, stopping in many countries on the way. I love food from all over and make dishes from different countries all of the time.
I like the variety that you are showing.
Thanks for being there and sharing!!!
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Thanks so much for sharing, Patrick! I borrowed the idea of adding an egg on top here from a local french restaurant (that’s how they serve it), but you definitely do not have to serve it this way. As you said, to each his own 🙂
This looks so great and especially with the egg on top….one ingredient I don’t ever have is red wine, nor sherry vinegar, but I have other types of vinegar. Can you recommend substitutes? I am currently homebound and want to make it asap! Thank you so much.
Hi Angela. Any lighter-tasting vinegar should work here.
there are no geeen bell peppers in Rattatouille
That’s the beauty of cooking, Francis. One can get creative. And there are several versions of ratatouille out there, by the way 🙂
Sooooo good!! And easy! Just the prep takes time. Next time I’ll use the food processor.
I cooked up some mild Italian sausage cut into thirds and caramelized the pieces in apple juice to put on top and served each potion in large white bowls, then sprinkled with the fresh basil. So pretty looking and absolutely delish. Thank you
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Thanks for sharing, Alison! I like the idea of adding Italian sausage here. Sounds great!
Looks great- question: I made your braised eggplant last week (yum) and loved the way the slow oven cook made the dish come out… might the ratatouille benefit from that method or am I way off…. ??
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I think it’s worth a try here too, Linda! Enjoy!
This was fabulous! I served it with a fried egg and good bread as suggested and it was a perfect summer meal!
Love it! Thanks so much for giving it a try, Sally!
Where is the Souflaki recipe ??
You can find it here: https://www.themediterraneandish.com/greek-chicken-souvlaki-recipe-tzatziki/
That egg!!!
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Totally!
Such a great ratatouille, and perfect for summer!
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I never really knew what ratatouille was, but I love all of these ingredients. I can’t wait to eat this!!!
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I love the idea of putting an egg on top- added protein, plus all of those beautiful vegetables, this looks so good!
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Me too! Since I’ve tried the egg on top, I always add it now. Thanks, Katie!
This is such an awesome one pot dinner! Love that runny fried egg on top of the Ratatouille! Looks so delicious!
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Mmm! My kind of dinner!
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This is one fabulous ratatouille recipe. I’d never tried it with an egg on top, but that was a genius idea—so tasty!
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