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Ratatouille

This ratatouille recipe is my version of the terrific French vegetable stew made with fresh tomatoes and lots of summer vegetables. It's very versatile side dish and makes a delicious vegetarian main dish, too.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Course lunch/dinner
Cuisine French
Servings 4 people
Calories 3416.4 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 Casserole Dish 1 ½-quart
  • 1 Medium Skillet
  • 1 Chef's knife
  • 1 Cutting Board
  • 1 Wooden Spoon or Spatula

Ingredients
  

Main

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil divided
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 eggplant cut into ½-inch cubes
  • 2 teaspoons dried parsley
  • salt to taste
  • 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 zucchini sliced
  • 2 large tomatoes chopped
  • 2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
  • 1 large onion sliced into rings
  • 1 green or red bell pepper sliced

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Coat the bottom and sides of a 1 ½-quart casserole dish with 1 tablespoon olive oil.
  • Heat remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Cook and stir garlic until fragrant and golden brown. Add eggplant and parsley; cook and stir until eggplant is tender and soft, about 10 minutes. Season with salt to taste.
  • Spread eggplant mixture evenly across the bottom of the prepared casserole dish; sprinkle with a few tablespoons of Parmesan cheese. Spread zucchini in an even layer over top. Lightly salt and sprinkle with a little more cheese. Continue layering in this fashion, with tomatoes, mushrooms, onion, and bell pepper, covering each layer with a sprinkling of salt and cheese.
  • Bake in preheated oven until vegetables are tender, about 45 minutes.

Notes

While this recipe offers a simple approach to ratatouille, consider enhancing depth of flavor by lightly sautéing each vegetable (zucchini, tomatoes, mushrooms, onions, bell pepper) separately before layering. This caramelizes their natural sugars, intensifying taste and preventing a watery final dish. For the eggplant, salting and draining it prior to sautéing removes excess moisture and bitterness. Incorporate fresh herbs like thyme and bay leaf into the skillet with the eggplant, or fresh basil directly into the layers for a more authentic Provençal aroma. The Parmesan cheese, while not traditional, adds a savory, umami note; for a dairy-free or more classic profile, omit it and finish with fresh basil and a drizzle of high-quality olive oil.