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    Home » Recipes » Vegetables Side Recipes

    French Ratatouille Recipe

    Published: Jun 20, 2022 · Modified: Jul 18, 2022 by Chef Dennis Littley

    686 shares
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    5 from 76 votes
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    pinterest images for ratatouille

    Traditional French Ratatouille is a bright and delicious stew of summer vegetables. Rich and flavorful with hints of olive oil, onion, garlic, and fresh herbs, quick simmered to allow the fresh vegetable flavors of the eggplant and zucchini to shine through.

    overhead view of ratatouille in a white bowl

    My traditional ratatouille recipe is easy to make and is the perfect accompaniment for chicken, pork, or beef. Or my favorite way, simply served with a crusty loaf of bread and Romano or parmesan cheese.

    Originating in the South of France, ratatouille is made with yellow squash, zucchini, eggplant, red or green bell peppers, sweet onions, garlic cloves, and either fresh tomatoes or crushed tomatoes. Seasoned with salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes, fresh basil, and oregano. Not only is it a great way to use summer’s bounty of fresh produce, it’s amazingly delicious!

    close up view of ratatouille in a white bowl

    Making ratatouille properly doesn’t take that long. It’s just a few steps cooking the vegetables in the right progression so they don’t get mushy. Then a quick simmer and you’re ready to enjoy this classic French dish.

    What I like the best about ratatouille is it can be served hot, at room temperature, or chilled. And honestly, it always seems to taste better the next day.

    If you love vegetable dishes, you’ll love my Sicilian Caponata Recipe.

    Table of Contents:

    • What Ingredients do I need to make ratatouille?
      • These are the ingredients used to make Ratatouille:
    • How to make Authentic French Ratatouille
    • Can I use other vegetables to make this dish?
    • Recipe FAQ’s:
    • More Recipes You’ll Love!
    • Authentic French Ratatouille
      • Ingredients
      • Instructions
      • Nutrition

    What Ingredients do I need to make ratatouille?

    ingredients to make ratatouille

    Let’s start by gathering the ingredients we need to make ratatouille. In Chef Speak this is called the “Mise en Place” which translates to “Everything in its Place”.

    Not only does setting your ingredients up ahead of time speed up the cooking process, it also helps ensure you have everything you need to make the dish.

    *You’ll find some recipes that use a bay leaf, I’ve never been fond of the flavor so I leave them out, but feel free to add it to the seasonings.

    *I used crushed tomatoes for my ratatouille because it cuts down on the simmering time. But you can use fresh tomatoes (even cherry tomatoes) in your version of this French classic, but if you do, you’ll need to add a little tomato paste.

    These are the ingredients used to make Ratatouille:

    • olive oil
    • sweet onion
    • red bell pepper
    • yellow bell pepper
    • garlic
    • eggplant
    • zucchini squash
    • yellow squash
    • San Marzano whole tomatoes in juice 
    • fresh basil 
    • fresh oregano or dried oregano
    • red pepper flakes
    • sea salt and black pepper 
    • Italian parsley

    How to make Authentic French Ratatouille

    four images showing how to make ratatouille
    • Add olive oil to a large saute pan or dutch oven over medium-high heat. Let the oil get hot then add the peppers, onions, and garlic to the pan and saute for 2 minutes
    • Add the eggplant and season with salt and pepper and let the eggplant cook for 10 minutes, or until the eggplant begins to look cooked.
    • Add the zucchini, and yellow squash to the mixture and let it cook for about 5 minutes. The vegetable slices should be slightly cooked.
    • Add the crushed tomatoes, basil, oregano and red pepper flakes to the mixture. Turn the heat down to a simmer and let the ratatouille simmer for 15-20 minutes or until the eggplant is fully cooked. Don’t overcook the vegetables, they should not be mushy.

    Can I use other vegetables to make this dish?

    Traditionally, these vegetables are used in making this French vegetable stew. But I won’t tell if you want to add mushrooms, olives, spinach, or your favorite bitter green to the mixture. After all, it’s your dinner.

    cooked ratatouille in a pot

    Reseason the ratatouille as needed and get ready to enjoy the best ratatouille you’ve ever had!

    partial view of ratatouille in a white bowl

    Serve my Traditional French Ratatouille as a side dish, over pasta, rice, or your favorite grain. It also makes a delicious topping for grilled or roasted chicken, beef, pork or fish.

    Recipe FAQ’s:

    Can Ratatouille be made with fresh tomatoes?

    Yes, it can. Fresh tomatoes were the original ingredient in the recipe and over the years cooks have substituted canned whole peeled tomatoes for ease of use, quicker cooking, and not having to worry about the tomato skins.

    Is Ratatouille a French Dish?

    Ratatouille is a rustic southern French vegetable stew whose origins are said to be from Nice, France. Its traditionally made with eggplant, zucchini, summer squash, bell peppers, sweet onions, and tomatoes. Its typically served during the summer months when fresh produce is abundant and can be served hot, room temperature or chilled.

    Do I need to salt and drain the eggplant before cooking?

    No, you don’t. The salting process is supposed to keep the eggplant from absorbing as much oil, but I have never bothered with that process and have always had wonderful results in all the dishes I use eggplant in.

    What is Ratatouille served with?

    Ratatouille goes well with grilled or roasted meats, such as flank steak, chicken, pork chops, and leg of lamb. It also goes well with rice and of course crusty bread for dipping. But you can really serve this delightful vegetable stew with just about any entree.

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    partial view of ratatouille in a white bowl
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    5 from 76 votes

    Authentic French Ratatouille

    Traditional French Ratatouille is a bright and delicious stew of summer vegetables. Rich and flavorful with hints of olive oil, garlic, and fresh herbs, quick simmered to allow the fresh vegetable flavors to shine through.
    Prep Time15 minutes mins
    Cook Time1 hour hr
    Total Time1 hour hr 15 minutes mins
    Course: Side Dish
    Cuisine: French
    Servings: 8
    Calories: 118kcal

    Ingredients

    • 4 tbsp olive oil more as needed
    • 1 large sweet onion rough cut
    • 1 medium red bell pepper rough cut
    • 1 medium yellow bell pepper rough cut
    • 3 cloves garlic finely chopped
    • 1 large eggplant – peeled and cubed you may leave the skin on if you prefer
    • 1 large zucchini squash sliced
    • 1 large yellow squash sliced
    • 28 oz San marzano whole tomatoes in juice can substitute 5 large fresh tomatoes chopped
    • 2 tbsp fresh basil finely chopped
    • 1 tbsp fresh oregano finely chopped or 1 tsp dried oregano
    • ¼ tsp crushed red pepper optional
    • 1 tsp sea salt to taste
    • ¼ tsp black pepper to taste
    • 1 tsp Italian parsley finely chopped for garnish
    US Customary – Metric
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    Instructions

    • Add olive oil to a large saute pan or dutch oven over medium-high heat. Let the oil get hot.
    • Add the peppers, onions, and garlic to the pan and saute for 2 minutes
    • Add the eggplant and season with salt and pepper and let the eggplant cook for 10 minutes, or until the eggplant is beginning to look cooked.
    • Add the zucchini, and yellow squash to the mixture and cook for about 5 minutes. The squash should be slightly cooked.
    • Add the crushed tomatoes and turn down the heat to a simmer. Let the ratatouille simmer mixture for 15-20 minutes or until the eggplant is fully cooked.
      Don't overcook the vegetables, they should not be mushy.
    • Reseason as needed and serve over chicken, fish, pasta or simply as a side dish.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 118kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Sodium: 440mg | Potassium: 608mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 843IU | Vitamin C: 71mg | Calcium: 65mg | Iron: 2mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @askChefDennis or tag #askChefDennis!

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    About Chef Dennis

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    Chef Dennis Littley is a classically trained chef with over 40 years of experience working in the food service industry. In his second career as a food blogger he has made it his mission to demistify cooking by sharing his time-tested recipes, knowledge, and chef tips to help you create easy-to-make restaurant-quality meals in your home kitchen. Let Chef Dennis help you bring the joy of cooking into your home. For more details, check out his About page.

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    1. Chenée

      July 04, 2022 at 5:09 pm

      5 stars
      Your ratatouille was amazing and a great way to enjoy seasonal veggies! Thanks for the recipe!

      Reply
    2. Sharon

      July 01, 2022 at 5:39 pm

      5 stars
      This French ratatouille uses the best vegetables of the season! It was soo delicious!!

      Reply
    3. Freya

      July 01, 2022 at 9:52 am

      5 stars
      I thought I knew how to make proper ratatouille but your recipe was so amazingly good!

      Reply
    4. Heather

      June 30, 2022 at 5:51 pm

      5 stars
      Always wanted to try making authentic French Ratatouille. We loved it. And what a delicious way dinner with fresh summer produce! Served with crusty bread – big hit!

      Reply
    5. Leslie

      June 30, 2022 at 12:23 pm

      5 stars
      I loved your idea of serving this with a crusty loaf of bread! It was the Perfect combination!!!

      Reply
    6. Enri Lemoine

      June 29, 2022 at 10:00 pm

      5 stars
      Delicous ratatouille, Chef! As usual, you nailed it!

      Reply
    7. Mikayla

      June 28, 2022 at 9:26 pm

      5 stars
      I had everything I needed in the cupboard and from my garden. Very filling and truly a bounty of flavors, it was very good. I even have some for lunch tomorrow.

      Reply
    8. Jessica

      June 28, 2022 at 11:17 am

      My garden always has an abundance of squash varieties, and this recipe looks perfect for using them up! I did wonder about the eggplant preparation, so thank you for addressing that in the post. Looks wonderful!

      Reply
    9. Loreto and Nicoletta Nardelli

      June 28, 2022 at 9:30 am

      5 stars
      Ratatouille is one of our favorite ways to have all the summer vegetables. Scrumptious in flavor, it presents well and can accompany a variety of dishes.

      Reply
    10. Lisa

      June 23, 2022 at 12:39 pm

      5 stars
      I can’t believe how delicious this ratatouille was and how easy it was to make! I enjoyed it cold from the fridge the second day with crusty Italian bread!

      Reply

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    My name is Dennis Littley or “Chef Dennis” as I’m known both at work and across the blogosphere. As a classically trained chef with 40+ years of experience in the kitchen, I share my time-tested recipes, knowledge, and chef tips to help you create easy-to-make restaurant-quality meals in your home kitchen.

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