Ratatouille is a hearty and healthy French dish that's packed with flavor. This ratatouille recipe is made with hearty summer vegetables that you may already have on hand.
One of the things I love the most about Mediterranean recipes is that they use vegetables a lot. From eggplant caponata to Mediterranean oven roasted vegetables, classic Mediterranean dishes always have so much flavor within every bite. Ratatouille is another classic that checks all the boxes: fresh, flavorful and filling!
What is ratatouille?
Ratatouille (pronounced Rat-uh-Too-ee) is a classic French stew that's originally from Provence, a region of France that's famous for its produce. Essentially, ratatouille is a celebration of fresh summer produce. It's a healthy and hearty dish flavored with herbs and extra virgin olive oil. Did I mention that it's easy to cook, too?
Today I'm going to show you how to make the easiest ratatouille recipe ever. I suggest you make a big batch of this summer stew over the weekend and enjoy it all week long because it always tastes better after 24 hours in the fridge.
Ingredients
To make a delicious homemade ratatouille, you need the following ingredients:
- Onion
- Garlic
- Eggplant
- Zucchini
- Peppers
- Tomatoes
As for flavoring, you can use fresh or dry thyme and oregano plus salt and pepper. As you can see, this easy summer stew is made with humble ingredients. You could even call it a Mediterranean comfort food, ideal for the days you crave a hearty yet simple dish.
Do I need to peel eggplant for ratatouille?
This depends on the eggplant and of course, your preference. Traditionally, eggplant is peeled. However, I simply peeled strips off of the skin as I like the color to pop and the texture that comes with a little skin.
Should I salt the eggplants?
Depending on the eggplant, you may be able to skip this step. I don't fry the eggplant much as I let it cook completely with the tomatoes and other ingredients. However, if you're going to fry them longer or are worried about the eggplants being bitter (mine weren't), go ahead and salt them generously after you cut them into chunks. Let them sit in a colander for about 30 minutes until they start "sweating." Then rinse them and pat dry with a paper towel.
Can I use canned tomatoes?
Absolutely. The only risk associated with using canned tomatoes is that they have more liquid than fresh tomatoes, therefore your stew will have more liquid in the end (which is fine). For this ratatouille recipe, you can use one 15 oz. can of diced tomatoes.
Preparation instructions
There are a few approaches to making this rustic dish. You can add everything to the pot at once or saute each ingredient separately and mix them together. Some also roast the vegetables before making the stew. All these approaches are acceptable and would work. However, the ratatouille recipe I have for you is the easiest one that can be made in one pan. No roasting is required.
Start by chopping all the vegetables: dice the onion and garlic finely, and cut the rest of the veggies into larger chunks. Heat some olive oil in a large pan and saute onion and garlic until translucent and golden. Add in eggplant and saute until it's brown. Add in zucchini and peppers and cook for some more minutes.
Next, add chopped tomatoes and spices to the vegetables and stir well. Put the lid on and cook for about 30 minutes until all the vegetable are cooked perfectly and the flavors blend together.
It's best to make the ratatouille a day in advance and let the flavors bind together in the fridge. I usually make a big batch on the weekend and have it as a main or side dish during the week. Trust me, the flavor gets better as it sits in the fridge.
How to make ratatouille in the oven
You can also make ratatouille in the oven. To make baked ratatouille, you need to make a base sauce before adding the vegetables.
- Saute onion and garlic until translucent.
- Add finely chopped peppers to the onion and garlic. Cook for a few minutes.
- Pour in one 15 oz. can of diced tomatoes and cook for about 5 minutes.
- Season with thyme, salt and pepper.
- Pour the sauce in a baking dish or a cast iron skillet.
- Slice the eggplant, zucchini and tomato into medallions.
- Place them in the baking dish in an alternating pattern.
- Cover with an aluminum foil and bake in the oven at 350°F for 45 minutes.
- Uncover and bake for another 10 minutes.
Instant Pot directions
You can make ratatouille recipe in the instant pot very easily:
- Press the "saute" function and pour extra virgin olive oil into the instant pot.
- Saute onion and garlic for a minute until golden.
- Add in chopped eggplant, zucchini and peppers. Cook for a couple of minutes and add more olive oil if needed.
- Add one can of diced tomatoes (15 oz.) to the instant pot. If using fresh tomatoes, add ½ cup water as well.
- Season with oregano, thyme, salt and pepper and lock the lid.
- Press the "pressure cooker" function and set the time for 8 minutes. Make sure the valve is on "sealing."
- Once the cooking time is done, do a quick release. Place a small kitchen towel on the valve before using quick release to absorb the steam.
Serving suggestions
Ratatouille is ideally served at room temperature or cold. While you can serve it as a main dish with a piece of crusty toasted bread, it also makes a delicious side. Consider serving it with polenta, grilled chicken or beef kabobs.
Can I freeze it?
Yes, this French classic freezes beautifully. Make a big batch and freeze the leftovers in an airtight container. To serve, thaw the ratatouille in the fridge overnight or in the microwave. Heat in a pan over medium heat and serve.
Notes and tips
- Italian eggplants work very well for this recipe as they're usually small and less spongy than other types of eggplant.
- You can use yellow squash instead of or in addition to zucchini.
- The most common herbs to use in ratatouille recipe are basil, thyme and parsley. You can use any or all of these herbs. I love topping ratatouille with some freshly chopped parsley.
- When it comes to chopping vegetables for ratatouille, you preference comes first. You can have the vegetables in bigger chunks, or dice them into small chunks.

Easy Ratatouille Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 Italian eggplants peeled and cubed
- 2 zucchinis cubed
- 1 green bell pepper diced
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 3 roma tomatoes diced
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp oregano
- ½ tsp thyme
- ½ cup fresh parsley chopped
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat.
- Saute onion and garlic until translucent and golden.
- Add in the eggplant and cook for a few minutes until it's soft and brown.
- Add in zucchini and peppers. Stir well and cook for a few minutes.
- Add in tomatoes, thyme, oregano, salt and pepper. Stir well.
- Put on the lid and cook for about 30 minutes until all the vegetables are cooked completely.
- Top with chopped parsley. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
- Italian eggplants work very well for this recipe as they're usually small and less spongy than other types of eggplant.
- You can also use yellow squash instead of or in addition to zucchini.
- The most common herbs to use in ratatouille recipe are basil, thyme and parsley. You can use either or all of these herbs. I love topping ratatouille with some freshly chopped parsley.
- When it comes to chopping vegetables for ratatouille, you preference comes first. You can have the vegetables in bigger chunks, or dice them into small chunks.
Nutrition
Tania| My Kitchen Stories
Hi Shadi. I can see why everyone loves this vegetable dish. i would love it too if I went to your food festival.
unicornsinthekitchen@gmail.com
Hi Tania! Thanks for your kind comment! Well yea those were good days for me! I really like this dish because it's really easy to make! 🙂
Lee Anne
Wow this looks so good! Saving for later!
-Lee Anne
unicornsinthekitchen@gmail.com
Thank you Lee Anne! Glad you like it!
Chrissa - Physical Kitchness
Yep I love no fail dishes. And I love ratatouille. This looks absolutely delicious!
unicornsinthekitchen@gmail.com
Thank you Chrissa! Ratatouille is our favorite too!
Candy
Great way to use my fresh produce from the garden.
unicornsinthekitchen@gmail.com
Aaa if you have your own garden then this is really a recipe for you Candy!
Mary
Peasant food is some of my favorite kind of cooking. Somehow it always seems perfect for relaxed get togethers with family and friends.
unicornsinthekitchen@gmail.com
You are right Mary! We almost always have it in our get together! 🙂
Christine | Vermilion Roots
That looks really good. The color of vegetables are so appetizing. I've always wanted to make ratatouille. Thanks for the recipe.
unicornsinthekitchen@gmail.com
You're welcome Christine! It's such an easy dish to make and very little ingredients give a lot of food!
Brittany
This is so colorful and looks delicious! I can't wait to try it out!
unicornsinthekitchen@gmail.com
I hope you like it Brittany! 🙂
Dannii
This is definitely my kind of comfort food. So much colour! I love serving it with spaghetti.
Carrie Robinson
This is so perfect for all of those summer veggies! Yum! 🙂
Suzy
Such a great dish! ratatouille is so good and flavorful! This was easy to make!
Romina
This is delicious and a new family favourite!
Katie
Looks amazing! My family would go crazy for this.