Ratatouille is the most iconic summer vegetable stew from the French Provence: eggplant, zucchini, peppers, and tomatoes slow-cooked in olive oil with garlic, onions, and classic Mediterranean herbs. The result is a colorful, flavorful, gluten-free and vegan dish that is surprisingly versatile.
It can be served hot, warm, or cold, as a first course, side dish, or main course. And if there are leftovers, they are perfect for making omelets and frittatas.
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Ratatouille: from the garden to the table
I started making ratatouille when I lived in Southern California. I had a purpose: to make the most of the eggplant, tomatoes, zucchini, and fresh herbs from my small but prolific kitchen garden.
Beyond the classic Provençal combination of vegetables and herbs: rosemary, thyme, bay leaves, and basil, what makes this ratatouille truly special is the syrup it is served with.
It is made from the liquid that drains from the cooked vegetables once they are strained. After straining, the liquid is simmered over low heat until it forms a delicate syrup that gives this ratatouille its depth of flavor.
I owe this trick to Vegetables, one of the cookbooks in The Good Cook Techniques & Recipes Series, published by Time-Life. I have treasured it since I was 19 years old, a journalism student who learned English precisely so I could read my first cookbooks.
Bon appétit!
Enri
Ingredients
To make this ratatouille you will need:
- Extra virgen olive oi
- Onions
- Garlic
- Eggplant
- Zucchini
- Red and yellow bell peppers
- Tomatoes
- Fresh rosemary
- Fresh thyme
- Dried bay leaves
- Fresh basil
- Salt and pepper
Exact amounts are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
How to make Provençal ratatouille
- Sauté the aromatic base. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet with a lid. Sauté the onion over medium heat until softened, then add the garlic and eggplant and cook together for a few minutes.
- Add the remaining vegetables. Add the zucchini and bell peppers and cook for a few more minutes, until they begin to soften. Then add the tomatoes, rosemary, thyme, bay leaves, and basil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Cook over low heat. Cover the skillet and cook over medium-low heat for 40 minutes, until all the vegetables are tender and juicy. Discard the rosemary sprigs and bay leaves.
- Make the syrup. Place the vegetables in a colander and let them drain for 30 minutes. Simmer the resulting liquid over very low heat until it reaches a light syrup consistency — not too thick. Stir it into the ratatouille just before serving.
Ratatouille tastes even better the next day. Make it ahead and let the flavors come together — you will notice the difference.
FAQs
Did you know…?
Ratatouille has its roots in the peasant cuisine of Provence, particularly around Nice, where farmers would make the most of their surplus summer vegetables in slow-cooked stews that could last for several days. Its name comes from the French touiller, meaning “to stir” or “to toss.” Although today it is an emblem of French cuisine, for centuries it was considered humble food, until modern gastronomy reclaimed it as one of the great Mediterranean classics.
Source: Larousse Gastronomique, 2009 edition.
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Provençal Ratatouille — Classic Mediterranean Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 45 ml
- 2 cups onion cut into ⅓-inch dice (0.8 cm) approx. 320 g
- 4 garlic cloves finely chopped
- 3 cups eggplant cut into ⅓-inch dice (0.8 cm) approx. 360 g
- 2 cups zucchini cut into ⅓-inch dice (0.8 cm) approx. 240 g
- 2 cups red and yellow bell peppers cut into ⅓-inch dice (0.8 cm) approx. 300 g
- 4 cups tomatoes peeled and seeded, cut into ⅓-inch dice (0.8 cm) approx. 720 g
- 2 fresh rosemary sprigs
- 2 fresh thyme sprigs
- 2 dried bay leaves
- ½ cup fresh basil leaves roughly chopped approx. 25 g
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet with a lid over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until softened, approximately 5-7 minutes.
- Add the garlic and eggplant. Cook for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the zucchini and bell peppers. Cook for 4 more minutes.
- Add the tomatoes, rosemary, thyme, bay leaves, and basil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and cook over medium-low heat for 40 minutes, until the vegetables are tender and juicy.
- Discard the rosemary sprigs and bay leaves.
- Transfer the vegetables to a colander and let drain for 30 minutes.
- Simmer the drained liquid over very low heat until it reaches a syrup consistency. Stir into the ratatouille just before serving.
Video
Nutrition
Notes
- Nutritional values are approximate and were automatically calculated using WordPress Recipe Maker. They may vary depending on the specific ingredients and brands you use.
- This recipe is naturally gluten-free.
- This recipe is 100% vegan.
- Keeps up to 5 days in the refrigerator in an airtight container.
- Freezes for up to 3 months.
- Tastes even better the next day — make it ahead.
- You can tie the rosemary, thyme, and bay leaves into a bouquet garni with kitchen twine and add it to the skillet that way — when the time comes, just pull the string to remove all the herbs at once.
- Don’t skip the syrup step. That is where all the magic happens.
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