Ratatouille ”rat-at-ooey” is a movie set in Paris about a rat named Remy, who loves food and forms an alliance with a Parisian restaurant’s garbage boy to become a chef in a unique puppet-like way. Just kidding. Thats what 90% of the people think of when they think about ratatouille. I do love the movie but I love the dish even more.
Ratatouille is a dish of eggplant, squash, zucchini, bell peppers, onions, garlic and tomato all stewed together for a delicious bowl of summer comfort. It is a gardeners dream recipe! It originated in France in 1880 as a poor man’s vegetable stew but I just like to call it budget friendly.
As beautiful as the baked version is, I prefer the stewed method. This recipe cooks the vegetables in two batches to allow each vegetable to be cooked just right for a nice texture yet still have its color.
About this Recipe
Zucchini, Yellow Squash, and Bell Pepper all cook together at the beginning then you set them aside as you saute the eggplant, onions and garlic. They are all cut cut medium dice, around one inch, so they cook evenly. If you don’t have both red or orange bell peppers, either color will do. The flavors are equally delicious, i just like having a variety of colors.
Eggplant is the only vegetable that can be a little tricky to get right. There is a reason some people love eggplant or hate eggplant. They probably haven’t had it cooked properly. If not cooked properly it taste like a sponge. It needs time and lots of olive oil and/or broth to soak up those little eggplant sponges. I sprinkle the eggplant with salt and let sit while you are sauteeing the first batch of vegetables. The salt brings out some of the water in the eggplant. Eggplant skin can be thick at times so you can peel the eggplant before if you dont want to deal with the skins texture. Be patient when you are sauteeing the onions, garlic and eggplant. If the eggplant is still firm, give it a little more time before you add the other vegetables back in.
Fresh Herbs Thyme or Rosemary cook in the stew during the last stage of this recipe. If you don’t have fresh thyme and rosemary, you can subsititute either with 1/2 tsp of dried thyme or dried rosemary. Finish this dish with fresh basil. Parsley is a great finishing herb as well.
Crushed Tomatoes I have tried this recipe with both fresh tomatoes and canned tomatoes. You can’t go wrong with either. The fresh tomatoes produced a lighter dish and highlights the flavor of summer tomatoes. Canned tomatoes gave this dish a thicker consistency and a richer flavor. I always love to use Muir Glen Crushed Tomatoes. If you want to use fresh tomatoes, simply dice, grate or blend together 2 cups of fresh tomatoes.
Olive Oil gives this dish its richness and silky texture. When you cook with olive oil, it takes some of its flavor out. Therefore, use your favorite light flavored cooking olive oil for most of the dish. Finish the dish with a few drizzles of your favorite tasting olive oil.
Make Ahead Ratatouille is one of those types of dishes that taste just as good the next day. Sometimes it taste even better. If you are making this ahead, cook the whole recipe with the exception of finishing the dish with basil and a drizzle of olive oil. Let cool, cover and set in the fridge. When you are ready to cook, bring the dish and cook on medium-low stirring occasionally until hot. Season to taste, then finish with fresh basil and olive oil.
How to Serve Ratatouille is a great main entree or side dish. I love it as is with an extra drizzle of olive oil, a pinch of sea salt and some fresh crusty bread. Another great way to serve it is as a side with Roasted Chicken or Pork Tenderloin, like our Everything Bagel Crusted Pork Tenderloin, or tossed with pasta and topped with ricotta or parmesan. As leftovers, top ratatouille with a fried egg and toast. Yum!
Pairings Serve with a a nice bottle of Sancere or Champagne. If you are going for red wine, pair with a lighter french Provençal Rose or Cote du Rhône.
Ratatouille
Beautiful summer vegetables stewed together for the perfect summer comfort dish.
Ingredients
- 1/2 C Olive Oil, divided
- 1 medium Yellow Squash, medium diced
- 1 medium Zucchini Squash, medium diced
- 1 Orange Bell Pepper, medium diced
- 1 Red Bell Pepper, medium diced
- 1 tsp Kosher Salt, divided
- 1 medium Yellow Onion, small diced
- 5 Cloves of Garlic, minced
- 1 Eggplant, medium diced
- 1/2 cup VegetableBroth, Chicken Broth, or Water
- 15 oz can of Crushed Tomatoes
- 1 tsp fresh Thyme or Rosemary, finely chopped
- 2 Tbsp fresh Basil, rough chopped
Directions
- Step 1 Sprinkle 1/2 tsp salt over eggplant, toss and let sit while you sauté the first batch of vegetables.
- Step 2 In a large Dutch oven or large sauté pan with 2 Tbsp olive oil on medium heat, sauté squash, zucchini, bell peppers with 1/2 tsp salt for 10-15 minutes or until softened. Set aside in a bowl.
- Step 3 In the same pan on medium heat with 1/4 cup olive oil, sauté onions, garlic and eggplant for 5 minutes. Add 1/2 cup broth or water and continue to sauté for 10 minutes or until eggplant is no longer firm and “spongey.”
- Step 4 Place the squash mixture back into the pan and add the crushed tomatoes and fresh thyme or rosemary. Let simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally until eggplant is softened and all vegetables are cooked to desired doneness.
- Step 5 Season to taste and finish with fresh basil, cracked pepper and a drizzle of olive oil.
About the Author
Lauren is a classically trained, professional chef. A culinary school graduate, she has spent time working organic farms in the Italian countryside and was the pastry/sous chef at a high profile restaurant in Dallas prior to becoming a full-time personal chef. Her cooking style is often referred to as “rustic.” Being a personal chef, she is not bound by a single type of cuisine and has had the opportunity to experiment with hundreds of regional recipes from all over the world.
