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Home » Recipes » Sides » Vegetables » Ratatouille Two Ways – Around the Kitchen Table

Ratatouille Two Ways – Around the Kitchen Table

October 22, 2014 by Chef Dennis Littley 12 Comments

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One of the great pleasures in life has got to be vegetables cooked and seasoned properly. There’s something so wonderful about the fresh taste that nature has given to us in so many different flavors, shapes and colors. And cooking them properly is really easier than you think!

partial overhead view of a stock pot with finished ratatouille

Many years ago I learned how to prepare a classical version of Ratatouille, it was simple and easy to cook. No bells, no whistles, no extra seasonings, no kitchen magic. Just fresh delicious vegetables cooked to perfection tasting as nature intended.

I will admit it had been too many years since I cooked this classical version of ratatouille, and I went back to do a little research on the dish. After finding many new versions on all the cooking sites with different herbs, seasonings, vinegar, sugar…….sigh.

You name it they had changed it up and recreated different versions. Now don’t get me wrong, I do love a little tweaking here and there and I’m sure they were all very tasty, but I wanted what I wanted so I turned to Julia Child and Jacques Pepin. And each one told me the same thing about seasonings. Salt, pepper, garlic and olive oil. It doesn’t get much simpler than that.

Julia and Jacques have long been the authorities I turn to when I have questions about authenticity and they didn’t let me down! Of course, I did go back to my roots and as Mama Jennette had taught me I used crushed tomatoes instead of fresh, but that’s a very slight adjustment and no flavors were harmed in the process.

Mediterranean style (roasted vegetables) ratatouille in a white bowl.

I did promise you Ratatouille Two Ways and while I do love the richness of the classical version, this has taken its place as the Ratatouille of choice in my home. I did get a scolding from a Ratatouille Master for including the vegetables I did in this dish, but as I explained to her this was my Mediterranean Roasted Vegetable Version of Ratatouille not the classic.

One message I always try to deliver in my classes is nothing is etched in stone and adjustments can be made to just about any dish to make it something that you’ll enjoy eating time and time again. Don’t ever feel trapped by recipes, they’re simply guidelines.

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overhead partial view of a pot with cooked ratatouille
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5 from 1 vote

Ratatouille Recipe

One of my favorite vegetable combinations is Ratatouille. In this post, I share the traditional method of cooking the vegetables in a stockpot and a Mediterranean version using roasted vegetables.
Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time1 hr
Total Time1 hr 15 mins
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: French
Keyword: ratatouille, roasted vegetables
Servings: 12
Calories: 149kcal
Author: Chef Dennis Littley

Ingredients

Classical Ratatouille

  • 1 large Sweet Onion rough cut
  • 1 large Red Bell Pepper rough cut
  • 3 cloves garlic finely chopped
  • 1 large Eggplant peeled and cubed - you may the skin on if you prefer
  • 2 Zucchini sliced
  • 28 ounces crushed tomato or 3 large tomatoes chopped
  • 2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • sea salt and black pepper to taste

Mediterranean Roasted Ratatouille

  • 1 large Sweet Onion rough cut
  • 1 head Garlic Peeled but leave the cloves whole
  • 1 large Eggplant cubed - leave the skin on
  • 1 Zucchini sliced
  • 1 Yellow Squash sliced
  • 1 Fennel Bulb slice the bulb and some of the stalk, add the fronds as seasoning
  • 1 large Bell Pepper your choice of color -sliced
  • 6 stalks celery rough cut
  • 1 Pint Grape Tomatoes
  • 3 sprigs fresh rosemary
  • 3 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 3 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • sea salt and black pepper to taste
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Classical Ratatouille

  • In a large saute pan over medium high heat add olive oil and allow to heat
  • Add peppers, onions and garlic and saute for 1-2 minutes
  • Add eggplant and season with salt and pepper and allow to cook for 10-15 minutes, or until the eggplant is beginning to look cooked.
  • Add zuchinni and saute until it appears to be slightly cooked (about 5 mins)
  • Add crushed tomatoes, turn down heat to a simmer and allow mixture to cook for 15-20 minutes or until the eggplant is fully cooked.
  • You want the vegetables to be soft but not mush
  • Reseason as needed and serve over chicken, fish, pasta or simply as a side dish.

Mediterranean Roasted Ratatouille

  • Preheat oven to 350
  • Wash and cut the vegetables in a variety of shapes and sizes but try t0 keep them bite size.
  • Rinse the herbs.
  • Combine everything in a large bowl with enough olive oil (about 2 Tbsp) to coat the vegetables, add the salt and pepper and mix well. Place them in an ovenproof dish. Cover the dish with foil and bake for 45 minutes
  • At this point the vegetables should be cooked but not colored, and there should be cooking juices at the bottom of the pan.
  • Remove the foil and bake for another 30-45 minutes, keeping an eye on the progress until the cooking juices have mostly evaporated and the vegetables have taken on a nice roasted aspect.
  • Remove the sprigs of herb and serve immediately, or at room temperature.

Nutrition

Calories: 149kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 112mg | Potassium: 856mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 1513IU | Vitamin C: 66mg | Calcium: 82mg | Iron: 2mg

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About Chef Dennis

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Chef Dennis is a semi-retired Chef, writer/blogger, photographer, recipe developer and creator of A Culinary Journey with Chef Dennis aka Ask Chef Dennis®. Chef Dennis worked professionally in White Table Cloth Restaurants for 40 years and has been developing easy to make, restaurant-style recipes since 2009. The second phase of his reinvention from chef to blogger has earned him a place at the Worlds Dinner Table. Join him on his Culinary Journey enjoying his easy to make Restaurant Style recipes and travel adventures. For more details, check out his About page.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Donna Turovac

    August 19, 2015 at 9:24 am

    I made the Mediterranean version last night for dinner (with roasted salmon) and I was quite surprised how delicious it was! There is a sweetness that I suppose just comes through with the mix of vegetables. My husband and I ate the whole pan without any guilt! This is a true keeper especially for guests. Love one pan dishes – thanks!

    Reply
    • Chef Dennis Littley

      August 19, 2015 at 10:36 am

      I’m very happy to hear that you enjoyed the Mediterranean ratatouille Donna! It’s such a delicious way to enjoy vegetables and your right about the guilt free part! I love to mix up the blend of veggies depending upon what I have on hand. Add in a nice rice or grain dish and you’ve got a wonderful meatless meal.

      Reply
  2. Kim | a little lunch

    October 23, 2014 at 9:18 am

    Aarrgghh… sorry I misspelled Susan’s name… still working on two-handed typing. 😉

    Reply
  3. Kim | a little lunch

    October 23, 2014 at 9:07 am

    If ever there was a spontaneous start to elicit smiles at the beginning of an HOA, it was this one! Thanks, Dennis & Susan… your enthusiasm & good humor is contagious. (And oh, that Ratatouille…)

    Reply
    • Chef Dennis Littley

      October 23, 2014 at 3:36 pm

      Thank you Kim, and we all make those typing errors!

      Reply
  4. Larry

    October 22, 2014 at 3:52 pm

    Both of your versions look very nice and while I like everything in there, I can’t seem to become a fan of ratatouille – go figure.

    Reply
    • Chef Dennis Littley

      October 22, 2014 at 6:53 pm

      sometimes things just work out that way Larry. Thanks so much for stopping by!

      Reply
  5. Chef and Steward

    October 22, 2014 at 2:52 pm

    Dennis, this is just one of the reasons we respect you “nothing is etched in stone and adjustments can be made to just about any dish …Don’t ever feel trapped by recipes”. We try to share that message as well as oftentimes people get hung up on recipes and miss out on a possibly great personalisation for themselves by making changes to suit them. It’s the difference for me with swapping the fillet with the ribeye for that sensational steak & sauce dish. One is a cut I wouldn’t enjoy so much and the other is a great new way to enjoy my ribeye!

    Reply
    • Chef Dennis Littley

      October 22, 2014 at 6:53 pm

      Its always nice to hear that others think the same way, thank you so much!

      Reply
  6. Kath

    October 22, 2014 at 11:13 am

    I love the vibrant colors of your Mediterranean Roasted Ratatouille, Dennis! And I would make no apology for using crushed tomatoes when great fresh tomatoes are not available. 😉

    Reply
    • Chef Dennis Littley

      October 22, 2014 at 11:18 am

      Thanks Kath! we do love our veggies!

      Reply

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