Ratatouille

 

Ratatouille

Discover this quick and delicious Ratatouille recipe—perfect as a vegan, side dish! Elevate your veggie meals effortlessly. Packed with flavor, it’s versatile enough for any palate. Swap ingredients to suit your taste or add protein like chickpeas or chicken for heartiness. Get creative in the kitchen and enjoy every bite! Without meat being added this dish is completely vegan. 

Got leftover chicken? Transform it into a delicious ratatouille by shredding the meat and adding it to sautéed veggies—no need to cook the meat again!

For a Seafood twist, toss in raw shrimp or fish fillets just 10-12 minutes before serving. 

Prefer baked ratatouille? Simply preheat your oven to 350°F after preparing the sauce, then bake for 30-35 minutes.

You can even use a pressure cooker for quick prep! Sauté veggies in batches, create your sauce with onion and tomatoes and let it cook under high pressure for just 2 minutes.

Want to add pasta? Cook separately and reserve some water before mixing everything together—it helps the sauce stick!

Remember: Cut veggies evenly based on your preference—chunky or small—but avoid overcooking them for that perfect crunch!

Happy cooking! 

Servings 8

Ingredients

4-6 tbsp olive oil - divided or as needed

2 medium eggplants - cut into 1-inch chunks

3 medium zucchini - cut into 1-inch chunks

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper - to taste

2 red or/and yellow bell peppers - cut into 1-inch chunks

2 red onions - diced into 1-inch pieces

3-4 garlic cloves - peeled and sliced

1 can (14oz) plum tomatoes with juices

1 tbsp aged balsamic vinegar

1-pint cherry tomatoes

½ bunch fresh basil - + extra to garnish

a few sprigs of fresh thyme

Instructions

Heat half of the oil in a large oven-proof skillet over medium heat. Add in the eggplant and fry until golden, about 2-3 minutes per side. Set aside in a large bowl.

Add the remaining oil to the preheated skillet and fry the zucchini. Don't cook them all the way through, just until golden and slightly softened. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper and set aside in the same bowl with the eggplant.

To the same skillet add the bell peppers, onion, and garlic; sauté for about 5 minutes. Add in the plum tomatoes and balsamic vinegar. Reduce the heat to a medium-low, bring to a simmer, and break the tomatoes with the back of a wooden spoon. Allow the sauce to simmer until it starts to thicken. Season with salt and pepper.

Stir in the fried veggies, cherry tomatoes, basil and thyme.

Partially cover the pan and cook over low heat for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until sauce is thick and veggies are tender. Alternatively, you can bake it uncovered in the preheated oven at 350°F for 30-35 minutes.

Garnish with fresh basil and serve with warm crusty bread, if desired.

Elizabeth Kilbride is a Writer and Editor with forty years of experience in writing with 12 of those years in the online content sphere. Author of 5 books and a Graduate with an Associate of Arts from Phoenix University in Business Management, then a degree. Mass Communication and Cyber Analysis from Phoenix University, then on to Walden University for her master’s in criminology with emphasis on Cybercrime and Identity Theft and is currently studying for her Ph.D. degree in Criminology. Her work portfolio includes coverage of politics, current affairs, elections, history, and true crime. Elizabeth is also a gourmet cook, life coach, and avid artist in her spare time, proficient in watercolor, acrylic, oil, pen and ink, Gouche, and pastels. As a political operative having worked on over 300 campaigns during her career, Elizabeth has turned many life events into books and movie scripts while using history to weave interesting storylines. She also runs 7 blogs that range from art to life coaching, to food, to writing, Gardening, and opinion or history pieces each week. 

French Fare, Potpourri of Frugality. Kilbride