Ratatouille
Learn how to make the best French ratatouille with this foolproof recipe! The trick is to roast the vegetables, then add them to a simmering tomato sauce.
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on August 29, 2024
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It’s ratatouille season! Ratatouille is a classic end-of-summer French stew that’s fun to say (rat-tuh-TOO-ee) and fun to make. It’s packed with fresh produce: tomatoes, eggplant, zucchini and yellow squash, and bell pepper.
This summer, we sampled authentic French ratatouille in Provence. I liked some ratatouille more than others, so I vowed to come up with my own favorite ratatouille recipe when I came home. Today is the day!
In Provence, ratatouille is typically cooked on the stove. Each vegetable is cooked in olive oil until it’s properly tender. In the end, all of the ingredients are combined and simmered to meld the flavors.
The French know how to cook, and this concept is definitely one to follow. Ratatouille combines a large volume of late-summer vegetables that have different cook times. If you tried to throw them all into a pot at once, none of the veggies would have a chance to caramelize, the eggplant would fall apart by the time the zucchini is tender, and your ratatouille would probably never meet its full potential.
This recipe is a little different. We’re going to roast the vegetables until they’re deliciously caramelized on the edges and a little dehydrated (no squeaky or mushy zucchini here). Then, we’ll add those perfectly roasted veggies to a simmering fresh tomato sauce.
This method yields amazing ratatouille. My husband says it’s the best he’s ever had. It’s also easier to make than proper stovetop ratatouille, since it requires less time standing over the stove. Hooray!
5 Reasons to Love Ratatouille
- It’s a great way to use up a surplus of late-summer veggies. If you come home from the farmers’ market with too much, make ratatouille.
- Ratatouille turns basic vegetables into magic. Even if you don’t typically love eggplant or summer squash, I bet you’ll enjoy this ratatouille.
- It’s vegan and gluten free for all to enjoy. Just choose your accompaniments accordingly.
- Ratatouille is a great make-ahead recipe. It tastes even better the next day and reheats beautifully. (You can also freeze extra ratatouille for later.)
- Make it a movie night and watch Disney’s Ratatouille!
Ratatouille Ingredients
This recipe features traditional ratatouille ingredients, which are:
Fresh Tomatoes
Fresh tomatoes are key for making ratatouille that tastes fresh and lively, not dull and heavy. We’ll grate the tomatoes (or blitz the in the food processor) and cook them with onion and garlic to make an irresistible tomato sauce.
I tried this recipe with canned tomatoes and it didn’t taste nearly as nice. You can do it if you have to (use one large 28-ounce can of crushed tomatoes), but fresh tomatoes really are best.
Eggplant
Eggplant is known for being difficult to prepare, but it’s easy to roast! No salting necessary. The oven takes care of everything.
Zucchini & Yellow Squash
I love the visual combination of green zucchini and yellow squash. If you want to use two of one type instead of both, no problem.
Bell Pepper
Take your pick from red, orange or yellow bell pepper.
Olive Oil
Extra-virgin olive oil deserves a shout-out. We’re only using as much as necessary, so this ratatouille is not greasy like some can be.
Tossing the vegetables lightly in oil raises their surface temperature, which helps us achieve those delicious caramelized edges. Finally, stirring a teaspoon of olive oil into the pot offers some extra richness and herbal flavor. Don’t skip it!
Fresh Basil & Seasonings
We’ll finish off our ratatouille with a handful of chopped basil, which livens up our stew with fresh flavor. We’ll also add a sprinkle of dried oregano—crumble it between your fingers as you add it to wake up the flavor. Then, add salt and pepper until your ratatouille tastes completely wonderful.
How to Make Ratatouille
You’ll find the full rundown in the recipe below. Don’t be intimidated by the length of the recipe—it’s not hard. Here’s the gist:
- Prep your veggies and preheat the oven.
- Toss the eggplant with olive oil and salt on one baking sheet, and the squash and bell pepper on another baking sheet. Arrange the vegetables in an even layer. (Using two pans gives the vegetables room to breathe and lets us split the veggies by cook times.)
- Bake both pans in the oven at once, stirring halfway. The eggplant will finish sooner than the other pan.
- Meanwhile, make a simple tomato sauce on the stovetop. Stir the roasted vegetables into the simmering tomato sauce as they’re ready.
- Lastly, add fresh basil and seasonings. Serve immediately, or let it cool to room temperature before refrigerating for later.
Watch How to Make Ratatouille
Ratatouille Serving Suggestions
Ok, one more reason to love ratatouille—you can serve it so many different ways! Here are a few ideas:
- Serve ratatouille as a stew, with crusty bread on the side. Toasted if you wish.
- Serve it over freshly cooked pasta. So good.
- Leftovers make a great breakfast. Just add cooked eggs: fried, scrambled or poached.
- Turn it into an appetizer by piling spoonfuls onto toasted baguette.
You might enjoy a sprinkle of grated Parmesan or mozzarella over any of the above.
Suggested Equipment
You probably have the proper equipment in your kitchen already. Here’s what you’ll need (these are affiliate links):
- Two large, rimmed baking sheets for roasting your vegetables. These pans (called “half-sheet pans”) are the perfect size for roasting one pound of diced eggplant without overlap. They are what all professional recipe developers use, they’re inexpensive, and I swear by them.
- Cheese grater or food processor for breaking down the fresh tomatoes.
- Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed soup pot for the stovetop.
Please let me know how your ratatouille turns out in the comments! It’s a little labor intensive, as all good ratatouilles are, but I hope it proves 100 percent worth the effort.
Looking for more delicious late-summer recipes? Here are a few of my favorites:
- Caponata
- Double Tomato Pesto Spaghetti with Zucchini Noodles
- Heirloom Caprese Salad
- Layered Panzanella Salad
- Vegetable Paella
Ratatouille
Learn how to make the best French ratatouille with this foolproof recipe! The trick is to roast the vegetables, then add them to a simmering tomato sauce. Recipe yields 4 generous or 6 more modest servings.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ripe red tomatoes (6 medium or 4 large)
- 1 medium eggplant (1 pound), diced into ½-inch cubes
- 1 large red, orange, or yellow bell pepper (about 8 ounces), cut into ¾-inch squares
- 1 medium-to-large zucchini (about 8 ounces), diced into ½-inch cubes
- 1 large yellow squash (about 8 ounces), diced into ½-inch cubes
- 5 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt, divided, more to taste
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
- ¼ cup chopped fresh basil
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, more or less to taste
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit with one rack in the middle of the oven and one in the upper third of the oven. Line two large, rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper for easy clean-up, if desired.
- To prepare your tomatoes, remove any woody cores with a paring knife. Then, grate them on the large holes of a box grater into a bowl (this is easiest if you hold the tomato at a diagonal), and chop any remaining tomato skin. Or, blitz the tomatoes in a food processor until they are broken into a frothy pulp. Set aside.
- On one baking sheet, toss the diced eggplant with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil until lightly coated. Arrange the eggplant in a single layer across the pan, sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon of the salt, and set aside.
- On the other baking sheet, toss the bell pepper, zucchini and yellow squash with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and ¼ teaspoon salt. Arrange the vegetables in a single layer. Place the eggplant pan on the middle rack and the other vegetables on the top rack. Set the timer for 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, warm 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion and ¼ teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is tender and caramelizing on the edges, about 8 to 10 minutes.
- Add the garlic, stir, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes, and use a wooden spoon or sturdy silicone spatula to stir any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pan into the mixture. Reduce the heat to medium-low, or as necessary to maintain a gentle simmer.
- Once 15 minutes are up, remove both pans from the oven, stir, and redistribute the contents of each evenly across the pans. This time, place the eggplant on the top rack and other vegetables on the middle rack.
- Bake until the eggplant is nice and golden on the edges, about 10 more minutes (the eggplant will be done sooner than the rest). Remove the eggplant from the oven, and carefully stir the eggplant into the simmering tomato sauce.
- Let the squash and bell pepper pan continue to bake until the peppers are caramelized, about 5 to 10 more minutes. Then, transfer the contents of the pan into the simmering sauce. Continue simmering for 5 more minutes to give the flavors time to meld.
- Remove the pot from the heat. Stir in 1 teaspoon olive oil, the fresh basil and red pepper flakes. Crumble the dried oregano between your fingers as you drop it into the pot. Season to taste with additional salt (I usually add ¼ teaspoon more) and black pepper.
- Serve in bowls, perhaps with a little drizzle of olive oil, additional chopped basil, or black pepper on top (all optional). Like all stews, this ratatouille’s flavor improves as it cools. It’s even better reheated the next day. Ratatouille keeps well in the refrigerator, covered, for 4 days, or for several months in the freezer.
Notes
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
Delicious and easier to make than I expected!
Thank you for your review, Maria!
Just made this for the third time in as many weeks. With fresh garden produce, it is spectacular! To make it more appealing to my non-vegetarian husband, I cooked 8 oz.of Cajun style Andouille.sausage with the onions in this last batch. He loved it with some nice crusty bread.
Thank you for sharing how you served it, Sheila! I appreciate your review.
I made this recipe. It is delicious. I canned tomatoe sauce a few days ago, so I used that for my sauce. Worked well. I will definitely use this recipe ongoing.
Great to hear, Peggy!
This is a fantastic recipe, using seasonal veg and creating a flavour that our kids love!
Also, the recipe leaves some room for small modifications, which is always helpful. Most definitely worth the effort!
Thank you, Albert! I appreciate your review.
Love this recipe. It uses all of our favorite late summer veggies. Roasting the vegetables is the “game changer”.
I love everything from cookie and Kate, and this did not disappoint! I did cheat and processed the tomatoes in my Vitamix I but otherwise followed the recipe exactly and it is delicious!
Wonderful hear, Pauline! Thank you for your review.
Wonder if you had any advice for the this recipe if I wanted to “can” it. I’m not looking to alter the ingredients, but maybe not cook them as much? Can’t wait to try it!
I don’t have canning advice, sorry!
Thank you for this recipe! I make it at least once a month, paired with bread and vegetarian chicken strips. Only change I make is I add Trader Joe’s Umami powder for some extra zing. My husband said it is his new favorite meal and he is hard to please. :)
Using roasted vegetables take this to a new level. I thought mine was good but using roasted veggies made it exceptional.
I have made this several times, and it NEVER disappoints! I have made it so many times I even purchased a beautiful bright green cast iron dutch oven to cook and serve it in:-) I have made it each time exactly as written (unusual for me) and it is always a hit, and beautiful and healthy as well. Great for “Sunday dinner” with a simple roast chicken and some crusty bread, equally great to take to pot lucks. Thanks for a perfect recipe!
Hooray! Thank you for sharing, Lynne.
I made this tonight and I thought it was delicious. I didn’t have any eggplant so made it without that. Also, I went real light on the red pepper.
The real test will be to see if my picky girls like it. lol
Have only made Ratatouille twice before and that was a few years ago. Liked the idea of roasting all the veggies and all canned out perfectly cooked. Was only able to use 5 roma tomatoes so I added one cup of Rao’s all natural marinara sauce which worked perfectly as the herbs were basil, oregano and pepper along with garlic and peeled tomatoes and garlic. Sounded like a lot of prep but actually didn’t take long and followed the steps. Thought it would more more but intended to use it over pasta and will have enough to freeze for another meal for two.
Oh, and it is delicious, sweet and perfect texture.
I’m happy you loved it, Eileen!
I had never eaten ratatouille so wasn’t sure what to expect. The reasonable approach would have been to make a small batch so of course I went for the double. Unfortunately the vegetables were too crowded on the sheet so they were more steamed than roasted. But, I did roast the tomatoes on their own mixed with an olive oil and a little brown sugar – just smashed those with a wooden spoon in the pan; no grating or processor needed. Using what I had on hand meant fresh oregano and dried basil. End result – fantastic! I regretted sharing it with my son as I could easily have eaten it all. Many thanks for this delightful recipe.
The minute my daughter watched the movie she insisted on trying this. She loved it even though she’s usually a fussy eater. Keep the recipes coming!
Easy and delicious recipe. Thanks, so much!
You’re welcome, Hettie!
A huge hit with the whole family. Thanks!
I’ve made this many times and it is always well received by my family. I love that my kids are getting their veggies!! I enjoy mine with a fried egg.
I discovered Cookie and Kate a few months ago when I started eating mostly plant based. I haven’t found a recipe that isn’t 5 stars yet. I recently traveled to Paris with my wife and had ratatouille in a cafe and had to learn how to make it. I cooked it per the recipe and served alongside buttered basmati sprinkled with asiago. We both agreed that this tasted honestly better than what we got in France. Thank you for taking the time to post your recipes. They’re a huge help to people trying to learn how to eat healthier.
I’m excited you are enjoying so many recipes, Bryan! I appreciate your review.
I made this recipe tonight, and it is delicious! Roasting the vegetables is what sets this recipe apart from others.
I added pine nuts at the end, just because I love them.
My son has claimed the leftovers for his lunchbox tomorrow.
I think I’ll be making this dish every week now.
Thank you for sharing, Leslie! I’m glad it was a hit.
This is the best recipe for Ratatiuille I have ever used- and I have been making and eating this for years! Thank you so much for the instruction to roast the veggies first- it really did make all the difference. We loved it! I did add fennel seed- rubbed between my fingers-a family favorite. Also, since we are in Alaska, diced canned tomatoes were used. Can’t wait to try it next year with fresh tomatoes! Thank you!
Great to hear you loved it, Diane!
Not sure how I stumbled across your ratatouille recipe but I’m so glad I did! I gave up making it years ago as it was always a soggy disaster! Roasting the veggies is a game changer! Thank you – this will now be a weekly meal in my house!
Great to hear, Deborah!
I made this recipe and it turned out great my family loves it. First time making it. Carol from Tucson
Loved this recipe so much! We have been searching out recipes from different countries to try, and have good dinner discussions and learning with our kids. Made as written and will make it again and again! Hubby (who is most definitely a meat person), said he loved it as well. <3 Thank you for this delishousness!!
You’re welcome, Christine!
This looks delicious! I am however, allergic to eggplant, so could I use another vegetable to replace?
And what beans would be the best to add in? Thank you
Sure, you could try to increase some of the other vegetables. White bean could be nice. Let me know what you think!
So easy, directions straight forward. Great dish. Serve it on pasta, with pork chops, as an appetizer. It’s a crowd pleaser. Don’t have to be a vegetarian to love Kate’s recipes.
This was my first time making this dish and my family really enjoyed it! It was full of great flavor! Thank you so much!
You’re welcome, Natalie!
I added a dab of anchovie paste and I am in heaven !!!
I want to make this ahead for company ( as a side for seder). Can I just reheat on the stove and keep warm without it getting too “mushy”?
You can try it, but it may breakdown more. It will still be delicious!
I never leave a comment, but I couldn’t let this opportunity pass me by.
My husband and I went to one of the fanciest Palm Beach, Florida restaurants and I had the most memorable dinner which included Chilean Seabass on a bed of black French lentils and topped with ratatouille.
I came home and I immediately Googled “The best ratatouille recipe” and this recipe came up. After reading the entire recipe, I decided that I would give it a try. I did so this morning and I couldn’t wait to come back here and leave a comment!
Please don’t look any further…….you must try this delicious recip!. I followed it exactly only, I doubled the red pepper flakes and I did not add extra salt or pepper at the end.
Thank you so much for sharing this delicious ratatouille.
I can’t wait to try more delicious recipes from your website.
A bit heavy on the prep side (a lot of chopping/grating. I think saying 20 minutes is a little unrealistic. and I cook a lot! ) but a beautiful, very flavourful and healthy dish. I also wish it yielded because it’s so good! Thanks for all you do.
Is there really “any other” ratatouille to MAKE??? I have made this several times as written. No regrets. No modifications. Just Y. U. M.
I love to hear that! Thank you for sharing, Dave.
Thank you for this delicious recipe! My family loved it and is one of our new favorites!
Hi Kate, I wanted to know if I could blend this whole thing up after step 10 in your recipe, as I have a problem with mushy textures and want it to be a sort of hidden veg pasta. Would there be any issue in blending it up? Thanks for your time :)
Hi Kate, you could try it. I’m not sure what the end result would be like.
SOoo delicious and easy – I pureed the tomatoes in my blender, but other than that followed the recipe exactly. Amazing! A great, filling, low calorie dish. My boys have been putting it on top of cottage cheese – they say it tastes like lasagne and they love it!
Thank you for such good, well tested recipes!
delicious! I used this recipe as a crepe filling – easy to make and the instructions were very clear and easy to follow
I am already swimming in Eggplant, Zucchini,Tomatoes and Peppers from the garden, and found this searching recipes for those. My husband called it “garden in a bowl”! I love everything roasted so I was eager to try it. My 88 year old Mom hardly eats and had seconds, my husband had three bowls and didn’t even ask for hot sauce or cheese. We will be making this regularly all summer!! So so good.Thank you!
I love that! Thank you for sharing, Sara.
I love roast vegetable ratatouille and agree fresh tomatoes are a must. In my recipe peeled, and pips removed into a sieve, and the resulting juice reserved to be added to the flesh tomato sauce. I also only ever use smoke garlic and oh my goodness what a difference.
Great summer recipe for fresh veggies from the garden. Steps were clear and the vegetables baked weren’t mushy. Thank you!
You’re welcome, Marilyn!
I’ve been making different kinds of ratatouille for over 35 years—yes , that old! :)—and this recipe changed the game for me. Sooooo delicious. And I finally bought your cookbook. I just love your recipes. The spinach artichoke lasagna was also out of this world.
Hooray! That’s great to hear, Alice.
This recipe is a winner! Made tonight, had to use Pomi diced tomatoes as fresh ones weren’t ripe, but still delicious served over polenta. YUM!
I’ve loved this recipe and have made it several times. I’m wondering for how long you cook the tomatoes? Thank you! Erin
Oh my goodness, so good! I followed the recipe exactly and I wouldn’t change a single thing.
Great to hear, Chris! Thank you for your review.
Excellent! My husband and kids dislike the main ingredients of this dish and they loved this!! The baking of veggies reduced the squish factor, I think… I think this recipe is great and easy with very good instructions for ADHD peeps like me. Got all veggies from the local farmers market and herbs from our garden! Served with orzo :)
I’m excited to hear he enjoyed this one!
I add white beans to mine to give it some protein
This is by far, the BEST ratatouille recipe I have ever made! Thank you for this. Except for the eggplant, this was made entirely with my garden produce!
Very tasty. Needed more fresh basil though, IMO.
I made this today for a friend in town who is on a medical diet. Gluten free, sugar free, renal friendly, heart healthy. I was super excited because I thought I had everything already in my fridge and garden. but oops, no green pepper. I substituted banana pepper and cut back a little on the pepper flakes. Everyone loved it! Thank you so much!
Absolutely delicious. Perfect as written. Can’t wait to eat more tomorrow. Roasting the veggies makes all the difference. I will make this again and again.
Finally a cool summer night, perfect to try out this recipe. i think the fresh summer tomatoes made this dish. Seriously so good. i made it without any variations although i think a pinch of fennel pollen would be lovely.
everything tasted fresh and perfectly seasoned. We ate it with some tasty Napa olive oil and a crusty baguette.
Agreed! Thank you for your review, Heather!
Kate,
Once again, your recipe didn’t disappoint. I found your website a couple years ago and love, love, love your West African peanut soup. It’s a regular in my winter rotation.
Now another amazing recipe! YUM! Didn’t have fresh basil nor fresh tomatoes. It was great even using dried basil and canned tomatoes. This will go into my rotation.
It’s so concentrated and flavorful, I put some ratatouille in a bowl with water and it even makes a wonderful soup. Did I say YUM!
Thanks for the great recipes.
I love to hear that, Lucie! I’m happy you came across my blog.