Easy French Ratatouille
User Reviews
4.8
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Prep Time
15 mins
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Cook Time
40 mins
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Total Time
55 mins
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Servings
6
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Calories
239 kcal
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Course
Side Dish, Main Course
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Cuisine
French
Easy French Ratatouille
Description
Easy French Ratatouille starts by creating a rich tomato sauce from ripe tomatoes pureed until smooth, sautéed onions with garlic, white wine, herbs like thyme and basil, and seasoning. The tomatoes provide a vibrant tang, while the gentle simmer melds the flavors together into a balanced sauce.
The vegetables—eggplant, zucchini, and bell peppers—are chosen for their firm, fresh quality to maintain texture through roasting or cooking. Using olive oil and salt to season helps bring out their natural sweetness and develop caramelized edges with a tender inside. The bell peppers' color selection (yellow or orange) affects the dish's sweetness and appearance.
This ratatouille can be served as a side or main dish, accompanied by bread or grains. It captures the essence of summer vegetables with herbal aromatic notes, making it suitable as a comforting yet light dish. Adjusting the onion and tomato choice can subtly shift the flavor profile.
Notes advise substitutions such as canned crushed tomatoes if fresh are not available, different onion types depending on availability, replacing white wine with water if needed, and varying herb quantities if using dried versions. Grating tomatoes is an alternative for those without a blender. Selecting firm vegetables ensures optimal texture after cooking.
Ingredients
For the sauce
- 2 lb tomatoes see note 1, ripe
- 2 onion see note 2
- 3 cloves garlic
- 3 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup white wine (see note 3)
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon thyme see note 4, fresh leaves
- 2 tablespoon basil see note 5, chopped, fresh
For the vegetables
- 1 eggplant (see note 6)
- 2 zucchini see note 8
- 2 bell pepper see note 7, or orange or yellow
- 4 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil divided
- ½ teaspoon salt divided (cooking/kosher)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425ºF/220ºC.
While the oven is heating up, start the sauce.
- Remove the tomatoes' core, then place them in a food processor or blender and puree to a thick foamy puree. (see note 9 if you don't have a blender/processor)2 lb / 900 g ripe tomatoes
- Peel and chop the onions into large chunks (½-¾ inch square)2 onions
- Peel and thinly slice the garlic cloves.3 cloves garlic
- Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and the salt. Cook for 4-5 minutes until the onion is soft with a hint of golden on the edges.3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil2 onions½ tsp salt
- Add the sliced garlic and stir for 30 seconds. Then pour in the wine. Stir well to remove any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pan and cook for a minute.3 cloves garlic¼ cup / 60 ml white wine
- Add the pureed tomatoes, thyme, black pepper, and sugar. Reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer gently.1 tsp fresh thyme leaves¼ tsp black pepper½ tsp sugar
Prepare the veg
- Cut the eggplant and zucchinis into ½ inch chunks and cut the bell peppers ¾ inch squares.1 eggplant2 zucchinis2 bell peppers (red, orange, or yellow)<span><br><br><br></span>
- Toss the diced eggplant with 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and ¼ teaspoon of salt, then arrange on a large, rimmed baking sheet in a single layer.
- Toss the bell pepper and zucchini with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and ½ teaspoon salt and arrange on a large, rimmed baking tray in a single layer.
- Place the baking sheets in the oven with the zucchini and bell pepper tray on the top shelf and the eggplant on the middle shelf.
- Cook for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, remove the baking trays and stir the vegetables making sure they stay in a single layer.
- Return the veg to the oven and cook for 10 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and transfer the vegetables into the tomato sauce.
- Simmer the sauce for 5-6 minutes. Then stir in the fresh basil and check the seasoning.2 tbsp chopped fresh basil
Notes
- Use the ripest tomatoes available; canned crushed tomatoes can be a substitute.
- Any onion variety—white, brown, or red—will work.
- Replace white wine with water if avoiding alcohol.
- If using dried thyme, reduce to half a teaspoon; dried basil should be ½ teaspoon as well.
- Choose firm, medium-sized eggplants and zucchinis for balanced texture.
- Pick large bell peppers in yellow or orange for natural sweetness; avoid green peppers due to bitterness.
- If you lack a blender or food processor, grate tomatoes on a box grater and chop skins or flesh bits finely.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 6Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 239 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 239kcal | 12% |
| Carbohydrates | 19g | 6% |
| Protein | 4g | 8% |
| Fat | 17g | 26% |
| Saturated Fat | 2g | 10% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 2g | 12% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 12g | 60% |
| Sodium | 406mg | 17% |
| Potassium | 859mg | 18% |
| Fiber | 6g | 24% |
| Sugar | 12g | 24% |
| Vitamin A | 2702IU | 54% |
| Vitamin C | 89mg | 99% |
| Calcium | 51mg | 5% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.8
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