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
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.
This is the best ratatouille recipe I’ve made. I love the roasted veggies instead of stewed. Next time I think I’ll roast the garlic and onions also.
Thanks, this is a keeper!
I’m glad you loved it, Robin!
I am a huge ratatouille fan and this recipe is amazing! So flavorful and it had the perfect texture. I doubled the recipe (thankful!) and can’t wait to enjoy it all week. Your recipes never disappoint.
I’m glad you love it, Michelle!
This was AWESOME! I cooked some of that Trader Joe’s pork belly in the pot beforehand and used the fat to cook the onions and garlic. I added a little red wine to deglaze, and I used a 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes, but other than that I followed the recipe to a T.
Thank you!
I wasn’t a huge fan of ratatouille but decided to try this because I had all the ingredients and needed to use them. I have to say, this was so delicious I am now a huge fan and will make it again for sure!
That’s great, Susan! Thank you for sharing.
My mother mother made ratatouille forever but always used squash and plenty of it. She also used used sweet banana peppers instead of bell. It was delicious.
Absolutely delicious!! I’ve made other ratatouilles before that were good, but this recipe was by far my favorite! I loved the addition of fresh basil and red pepper flakes – just the right blend of flavors, and the roasted veggies gave it a really wonderful texture and flavor! And bonus – my 4 year old loved it, too! I’ll definitely be making this again soon!
This is the best ratatouille recipe I ever made. Thank you so much
You’re welcome, Dina! I appreciate your review.
Kate, I happened to read this recipe while waiting for the oven to preheat so I can make your balsamic roasted Brussels sprouts with cranberries and pecans (but I’m subbing dried tart cherries since that’s what I have). You mention your boyfriend in that recipe and your husband here. I recognize it’s none of my business, so please ignore the question if you wish, but I am curious. Did you marry the spring roll guy? PS, I love your recipes!
Hi Mary! Yes, I married the spring roll guy. :)
Excellent recipe for Ratatouille, my husband enjoyed it as well and he is anti vege eater. Thank you
You’re welcome, Marie! I appreciate your review.
I made a large quantity of this and froze it in 2 person portions. So good to have an easy vegetable dish handy. It is definitely the best ratatouille I have ever made and it’s partly the amount of seasoning and the fact that the vegetables are diced as small as they are and then roasted. Why hasn’t anyone done this before? Excellent.
I also used some fresh green onions to top mine with.
And having cheesy cheddar biscuits with it.
Its amazing
I’m glad you enjoyed it, Tina!
Instead of yellow squash, I doubled the zucchini. It came out wonderfully. I will definitely do this recipe for dinner and a movie night with friends while watching the movie Ratatouille.
I’m glad you loved it, Renee!
This recipe was absolutely delicious it is one of my favorites my husband loved it too and he is a fussy eater.
That’s great to hear, Kathleen!
This was so delicious! I found it by looking for ratatouille recipes, and of course your recipes are some of my very favorites. I adapted this to what I had on hand–1 eggplant, 1 zucchini, 1 onion, 3 big sweet-hot peppers, some leftover pizza sauce–and made it with Mexican spices of oregano, cumin, and red pepper flakes. Then served it on top of Italian Carnaroli rice (typically used for risotto). Finally topped it with avocado slices. The method of oven-roasting the vegetables for maximum flavor and minimal mess is brilliant! Overall, prep and cooking time for me was in the 45 minute range. It easily made 4 servings but the 2 of us ate it all in one dinner. This is a winner that I can see making frequently, varying the ingredients and seasonings to fit my mood.
Thank you for sharing how you made this, Meredith!
Best ratatouille I’ve ever had – said my boyfriend, who never says things like this.
Hooray! I love when that happens.
I came across this recipe when I was searching for something to I could make that would use up ingredients in my fridge. I love eggplant (and ratatouille) but didn’t have one so skipped it. I also didn’t have the full amount of fresh tomatoes so I added some canned stewed tomatoes and a little tomato paste. Only had dried basil. As it was simmering, I remembered I had canned pumpkin in the fridge. Dumped it in and it’s perfect! I love pumpkin but you couldn’t taste it. Added good texture, used up something I needed to use up and added tons of vitamin A. I will make this again (with the eggplant and the pumpkin)! Thanks – love your blog, recipes and cookbook!
I’m glad you enjoyed it, Anna! I appreciate your review.
Hi would this go well with lamb shanks and roasted potatoes for a dinner party??
Thank you for your wonderful blog and fantastic recipes, Kate! Your delicious Seriously Good Vegetable Soup kept us warm last week. I wanted to ask if the addition of something like cannellini beans or other protein would alter the overall consistency too much. If it could work, at what stage would you recommend adding them? Thank you!
Thank you, Alyson! You could try it. Chickpeas could be a good option. I would wait to add them at the end. Let me know what you think!
That sounds like a great addition! I will try the chickpeas for sure. I’ve been savoring the leftover ratatouille every day for lunch at work. It’s even delicious cold! Thank you so much! It was a HUGE hit with the whole family!
Hello there from South Africa. I got my hands on some lovely Baby Veggies, and decided to make your Recipe. In a way to encourage my Fellows to cook with more unusual Varieties.
I added some Honey for a bit of sweetness. So far, it looks really good.
I hope you enjoyed it, Tania!
Love the roasting of the veg in this recipe! Delicious served with a sprinkling of feta cheese on top (or some grated gruyere cheese stirred into the mixture at the end). Also, tastes fantastic with the addition of chopped black olives. If I find the tomato sauce a bit too acidic, a bit of grated carrot works really well as a sweetener.
I roasted all my veggies in the air fryer, takes a little while but less faff than opening and closing the oven door to check on things and getting a face full of steam! Cooked a basic tinned tomato sauce on the hob while the veg were cooking. Took a little while but pottered in the kitchen, ate lunch at the same time. I love the goats cheese suggestion.
My first experience with ratatouille was many, many years ago, and I wasn’t impressed. I found your recipe and decided to give it another try, and I’m so glad I did, because it was just fantastic! I think roasting the veggies first is a game-changer. This dish is so flavorful! Confession: I used three 14 ounce cans of fire-roasted diced tomatoes instead of fresh ones because I was feeling kinda lazy. I think it was a great substitute! I will definitely be coming back to this recipe!
I’m glad you gave this version a try too! I appreciate you sharing, Coby.
The thing I’m most looking forward to this summer is making this ratatouille recipe. I made it last year and it was the most incredibly delicious meal. I had it on top of some crusty bread. I can’t wait to try it over eggs or pasta!
I love that! Thanks for your review, Katie.
with roasted lamb chops!! a win..probably one of the best vegetable dishes to accompany grilled lamb.
My kids and I decided we wanted to try making ratatouille after watching the Disney movie again on Friday night. I googled some different recipes and landed on trying this one because it looked like I wouldn’t struggle trying to keep up with the techniques involved (some ratatouille recipes are mega-gourmet and come with a high price time commitment- I am not in a place in my life where I can have the luxury of cooking for 3 or 4 hours for one meal!) and I loved the author’s story of how she came up with it. I actually allotted myself way more time than I ended up needing for completing this recipe and the product was delightfully delicious!! I definitely recommend throwing your fresh tomatoes in a blender or food processor- I injured my thumb pretty badly trying to grate them (good thing I’m a nurse!) and chopping all the veggies didn’t take as long as I thought it would. The spices are simple and I couldn’t believe that my kids loved it as much as they did! Both cleared their plates. We served with warm buttered bread and chicken legs from the air fryer. I cannot wait to make this recipe again and I’m also looking forward to exploring Kate’s other recipes!
That sounds like a great idea, Jessica! I’m so sorry you got hurt. Yes, please use caution. Thank you for sharing you and your family loved it!
Wonderful flavor and consistency. n Followed the recipe and used dried Basil instead of fresh.. Everything else prepared the same. Loved the way the vegetables turned out using the “oven method”. This will be a keeper for our dinners. Will serve it on spaghetti tonight!
OMG! I JUST made this recipe because I didn’t want to waste the 1/2 of an eggplant I had left from another recipe!
Had a portion for lunch and it is amazing! I can’t imagine it tasting any better when I have it again tomorrow. :)
I’m now a subscriber.
Wow, best ratatouille recipe out there!
Thank you, Thomas! I appreciate your review.
Great recipe! Just made it with farm to home fresh veggies! The roasting really enhances the flavor!
I’m glad you loved it, Cindee!
I’ve made ratatouille over many,many years . Then I found your recipe and tried it . Children , grandchildren ( all adults ) couldn’t stop eating it but I “lost “ the recipe , many hours later and thanks to google , I’ve found it . This time I’ll put it into my recipe file !! I’ll never go back to full stove top preparation again . Thank you for this quick ,easy and superior way of doing it . With vegans , vegetarians and carnivores in my family it suits all
Hooray! I’m glad you loved it, Vivienne.
This is a fantastic recipe and receives a double thumbs up from my family, which consists of a picky-eater hubby and a 5-year old!! I know that got some moving pieces but it turned out to be quite easy to make in the end, especially because of the perfectly streamlined way in which Kate has laid it out.
I stuck to the recipe 99%, though I did add more spices and herbs to suit our palate.
I love coming to this website for vegetarian recipes and I am glad to add this satisfying meal to resurface rotation.
Hooray! That’s great to hear. Thank you for taking the time to review, Ruchi!
Absolutely delicious! My favorite ratatouille recipe EVER!!!!!
I love to hear that, Cheryl! Thank you for your review.
Just made this for second time. Three generations loved it! A special treat for my vegetarian granddaughter .
This recipe is fantastic. I find it’s also flexible where you can add more or less of something and it still tastes great. I serve it over couscous. And the couscous is so easy to make too cooking in about 5 minutes. Thanks for the great recipe!
You’re welcome, Sarah! I appreciate your review.
Hello! I’d love to try this recipe, but my husband has an aversion to fresh tomatoes. Can you please tell me how much canned (yuck) tomato sauce I should use instead of the fresh tomatoes? Thanks so much!
Hi Heather, I haven’t made it with canned. Sorry!
Holy crap. I made this tonight. The best ratatouille I’ve ever had! I used the Nutribullet for the tomatoes. Don’t be a dumb dumb like I was and attempt to roast the pepper zucchini mixture on a flat cookie sheet because the juices will run over. Thank you for such a healthy, delicious recipe!
I’m glad you loved it! I appreciate your review.
Absolutely delicious! And so simple. I’ll be making this often.
Thank you!
Hi, Cookie! Hi, Kate! A French neighbor fixed this once. It was fabulous! I am trying to improve my health and was wondering what to fix for supper, and thought of ratatouille. I looked at Joy of Cooking, and then the internet. I found your recipe, and somehow it looked good. So I went with it. It’s delicious! I used a greater quantity of herbs and all than you called for, which we all here like. The baking thing worked fine, even with our countertop electric oven. I have learned things have to bake at lower temperatures than generally prescribed in recipes I read. I did the veges at 375, which worked fine. Nine Roma medium tomatoes (Romas are small as tomatoes go, as I’m sure you know). Some of your other recipes look great, too! Thank you.
this was delicious, and I absolutely will be making it again! my family, who complains when I make a vegetarian meal, had no complaints about this one.
I made a few adjustments while making this dish. I roasted my tomatoes before blending them. I also added an extra zucchini and a whole head of garlic. I’m glad I did bc this made just barely enough for my family (myself and three men). I added a couple of bay leaves and thyme sprigs after I added the tomato purée. lastly, I added some grated parmesan before serving with a nice, crusty baguette.
Sounds delicious, Samantha! Thank you for taking time to review.
The easiest version I’ve ever made. I added mushrooms and skipped the oil in the saute but finished with some good quality balsamic vinegar. Delicious and satisfying.
I’m glad you loved it, Sharon! Thank you for your review.
I love this recipe. It is so fresh. I enjoy it with my egg white omelettes in the morning. For a heartier dinner we add great northern beans and eat with a hearty whole wheat bread.
Delicious! Made as written except I only had 1 large tomato. So I added some tomato past and some vegetable broth. Can’t wait to have the leftovers.
That’s great, Karen! I appreciate your review.
Sooooo good, full of flavour, even fussy children scooped it up,,
I’m glad you loved it, Fiona!
Alongside some homemade bread and topped with some vegan parm, this was a tasty dinner! It felt weird to grate a tomato but it turned out nice and our chickens enjoyed the skins. I didn’t have fresh basil so just eyeballed some dry. And of course we watched Ratatouille. And called the day Ratatuesday.
Sounds like a great combination, Rebekah! I appreciate your review.
All I can say is awesome
Great to hear, Liz!
Roasting cubes worked much better than my old sliced way!
I love eggplant, peppers and tomatoes. Family not so much on eggplant. This technique really opened their eyes. Great!
Had to substitute Anaheim peppers and one little baby bell from the garden for bell peppers. Added a little extra kick as they have grown a little spicy. Thank you for another great recipe.
That’s great to hear, Oscar. I appreciate your review!
Delightful!
I had fun roasting the vegetables!
Aroma to the max!
Hi a bundle of Basil, Parsley,
and thyme underneath, as it simmered…
Thank you so much! Carol
Wow!! The best Ratatouille i have tasted(and made!) Thank you:)
You’re welcome, James! Thank you for your review.
This was delicious! Everyone at the table loved it, including my kids!
That’s great to hear, Shuli! I appreciate your review.
This was extremely delicious. I served it on homemade toasted sesame sourdough and topped with some fresh burrata. So good!