Description
This classic Ratatouille recipe layers fresh vegetables like zucchini, eggplant, tomatoes, and onions in a fragrant tomato sauce, seasoned with garlic, basil, and Herbs de Provence. Baked to tender perfection, it’s a vibrant and comforting French vegetable stew that’s perfect as a side dish or a light main course, served hot or cold.
Ingredients
Scale
Tomato Sauce
- 1 cup crushed tomatoes
- 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 Tablespoon fresh basil, about 3-4 large leaves, sliced, plus more for garnish
- 1 teaspoon Herbs de Provence spice mix
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
Vegetables
- 1 medium sweet or red onion, sliced
- 1-2 large zucchini (about 1 1/2 cups slices), sliced
- 1 large Japanese eggplant (about 3 cups slices), sliced
- 3 large fresh tomatoes (roma preferred; about 3 cups slices), sliced
Instructions
- Preheat and Prep: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a 6″x9″ baking dish to prevent sticking, or use an 8″x8″ square pan as an alternative.
- Make the Tomato Sauce: In a medium mixing bowl, combine crushed tomatoes, olive oil, and apple cider vinegar. Stir in minced garlic, fresh basil, Herbs de Provence, salt, black pepper, and chili powder until well mixed.
- Layer the Sauce: Pour the prepared tomato sauce into the bottom of the baking dish and spread evenly to create a flavorful base.
- Prepare the Vegetables: Arrange the sliced vegetables in alternating patterns — for example, onion, zucchini, eggplant, tomato — and stand them upright, leaning against the sides of the pan to form neat rows until the dish is filled.
- Optional Oil Brush: For a nicely browned appearance, spray or brush the tops of the exposed vegetables with a little olive oil before baking. This step is optional and mainly for presentation.
- Bake: Place the dish in the oven and bake for about 1 hour, or until the tomato sauce bubbles and the vegetables are tender and cooked through.
- Garnish and Serve: Remove from the oven, garnish with additional fresh chopped basil if desired, and serve warm or cold according to your preference.
Notes
- You can bake this in an 8″x8″ square pan with similar baking time.
- Use the highest quality, freshest vegetables for best flavor as the recipe is simple but highlights the vegetables.
- If Japanese eggplant is unavailable, substitute with Italian eggplant, cut to similar size for even cooking.
- Other suitable vegetable substitutes include bell pepper or yellow squash for zucchini, shallots for onions.
- For those sensitive to lavender in Herbs de Provence, replace with a mix of rosemary, oregano, and thyme.
- The recipe yields 2-3 servings; double it and use a 9″x12″ pan for larger groups.
- Consider drizzling good quality olive oil on top after baking for added richness.
- This Ratatouille is naturally gluten free, vegetarian, vegan, paleo friendly, low carb, and Whole30 compliant.
- To make it heartier, add vegan or dairy cheese on top or serve over grains like quinoa, rice, or mashed potatoes.
- Store leftovers refrigerated up to 3 days in an airtight container.
- Freeze fully cooled leftovers up to three months; thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe (about 1.5 cups)
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 300mg
- Fat: 7g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 18g
- Fiber: 6g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
