Description
A vibrant and flavorful Ratatouille recipe featuring layers of fresh summer vegetables baked in a tomato and herb sauce. This classic French dish is perfect as a healthy main or a side, highlighting the natural sweetness of zucchini, eggplant, tomatoes, and onions, infused with herbs de Provence and garlic.
Ingredients
Scale
Tomato Sauce
- 1 cup crushed tomatoes
- 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 Tablespoon fresh basil, about 3-4 large leaves, sliced, plus more for garnish
- 1 teaspoon herbs de Provence spice mix
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
Vegetables
- 1 medium sweet or red onion, sliced
- 1-2 large zucchini, about 1 1/2 cups slices
- 1 large Japanese eggplant, about 3 cups slices
- 3 large fresh tomatoes (Roma preferred), about 3 cups slices
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a 6″x9″ baking dish or an 8″x8″ square pan to prevent sticking and set it aside.
- Make Tomato Mixture: In a medium mixing bowl, combine the crushed tomatoes, extra virgin olive oil, and apple cider vinegar. Stir in the minced garlic, sliced basil, herbs de Provence, salt, black pepper, and chili powder until well incorporated.
- Layer Sauce: Pour the tomato mixture into the prepared baking dish, spreading it into an even layer to coat the bottom evenly, which will serve as the flavorful base for the ratatouille.
- Arrange Vegetables: Stack the vegetable slices in an alternating pattern—such as onion, zucchini, eggplant, tomato—and place them vertically against the side of the pan. Continue layering until you fill the dish in neat rows and use all the vegetable slices.
- Optional Oil Brush: Optionally, brush or lightly spray the tops of the arranged vegetables with olive oil to encourage browning and enhance appearance, though this step can be skipped if preferred.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for about 1 hour, or until the tomato sauce at the bottom is bubbling and the vegetables are tender and cooked through.
- Garnish and Serve: Remove from oven, garnish with additional fresh chopped basil if desired, and serve hot or cold as a delicious and healthy dish.
Notes
- This recipe can be baked in an 8″x8″ square pan with similar baking times.
- Use the highest quality vegetables available to maximize flavor, as the dish highlights fresh produce.
- If Japanese eggplant is unavailable, substitute Italian eggplant, cutting slices into halves or quarters for even cooking.
- Vegetable substitutions may include bell peppers or yellow squash for zucchini, and shallots for onions, aiming for similarly sized slices for consistent cooking.
- For those sensitive to lavender in herbs de Provence, replace with 1/4 teaspoon each of dried or fresh rosemary, oregano, and thyme.
- Recipe yield serves 2-3; double for larger crowds using a 9″x12″ pan.
- Optionally finish by drizzling with good quality olive oil for enhanced richness.
- This recipe is naturally gluten free, vegetarian, vegan, paleo-friendly, low carb, and Whole30 compliant.
- To make it heartier, add vegan or dairy cheese on top or serve over grains like quinoa or mashed potatoes.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container refrigerated up to 3 days or freeze up to 3 months; reheat in the microwave after thawing.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe (approx. 1 cup)
- Calories: 140
- Sugar: 7g
- Sodium: 220mg
- Fat: 7g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 18g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
