Homemade Ratatouille

While you might immediately think of the 2007 animated film Ratatouille, did you know that the namesake French dish is actually pretty easy to make? Sure, the film makes the cooking of a traditional ratatouille recipe look incredibly high-stakes (especially when it comes to winning over food critic, Anton Ego), but I promise it's a meal that's simple to make on any odd weeknight while also being incredibly memorable (no rat on your head required, either).

While it may take some time to cook all those components down, there really isn’t too much effort involved. Trust me—your patience will be more than rewarded once you serve up this iconic dinner.

All About Ratatouille

In this classic ratatouille recipe, various vegetables are cooked down together to create a flavor-packed summer stew. Once known as a “peasant dish," ratatouille is, to me, the ultimate low-maintenance meal. Originating in Nice, France, ratatouille is, at its core, a humble dish composed of summery vegetables (like eggplant, bell pepper, and zucchini) that are stirred and stewed together until they begin to melt into each other. The end goal is to have an almost creamy consistency as the vegetables break down gradually during the cooking process.

How To Make Ratatouille

INGREDIENTS

• Eggplant: For ratatouille, the key is to choose smaller eggplants for the dish—they tend to be more tender and less astringent, which will be much easier after they’re salted prior to cooking. Chinese eggplants will yield the creamiest, silkiest texture once cooked; avoid large Italian eggplants because they tend to be more bitter and tough.
• Zucchini: Ratatouille, to me, screams summer, so it only makes sense to include another summer stunner, zucchini, which will become subtly buttery-sweet after its turn in the pan
• Bell Pepper: Another one of the core vegetables that compose a traditional ratatouille, bell pepper is the vegetable that will take the longest to cook of the bunch, so it will be first to hop into the pan (after your onion and garlic).
• Tomatoes: Here I opted to go with two types of tomatoes in our version: canned crushed tomatoes for a smooth, saucy texture, as well as fresh tomatoes for a bright sweetness not found in cans. But if you can’t find good fresh tomatoes at this time of year, a 14-ounce can of diced will do just fine.
• Herbs: I went a bit freestyle with my herbs, highlighting fresh rosemary, basil, and thyme. By all means, if you have a dried Herbes de Provence blend (a classic mix of Provençal herbs like thyme, marjoram, basil, bay leaf, amongst others) handy, feel free to use about 2 tablespoons of Herbes de Provence here in place of fresh herbs.

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS

Before you get to sautéing, it's important to start with salting the eggplant. In a colander set over a large bowl, toss eggplant with 1 teaspoon salt. Let the mixture sit at least 30 minutes, then squeeze off excess moisture and pat dry with paper towels.

While your eggplant is hanging out, it's time to start cooking our vegetables, starting with our aromatics and peppers. In a large pot over medium heat, heat 1 tablespoon oil before adding the onion and 2 chopped garlic cloves, seasoning it with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. As you cook, stirring the onion and garlic occasionally, until onions turn translucent, 5 to 6 minutes. Then, add bell pepper and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 6 minutes. Once softened, transfer the onion-pepper-garlic mixture to a large bowl and set aside.

Next, it's time to cook the zucchini and then—drumroll please—the diva of the ratatouille, the eggplant. In same pot over medium heat, heat another tablespoon of oil and then add zucchini, rosemary, and two chopped garlic cloves, seasoning the mixture with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Continue to cook, stirring often, until zucchini softens and turns golden, about 8 minutes. Once softened, transfer the zucchini mixture to bowl with onion mixture.

In the same pot over medium heat, heat another tablespoon of oil and add the eggplant, thyme, and two chopped garlic cloves. Cook the mixture, stirring often, until eggplant turns golden and translucent, about 8 minutes. Transfer eggplant mixture to bowl with the zucchini and onion mixtures.

Now, it's tomato time. First, we'll start with our fresh tomatoes. In the same pot over medium heat, heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Add the chopped tomatoes, granulated sugar, and all of the remaining garlic, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring often, until tomatoes begin to break down and caramelize, which will take between 6 to 8 minutes.

Once softened, add the crushed tomatoes, sliced basil, and all reserved cooked vegetables to pot, bringing it all to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, until vegetable textures begin to meld together, which will take about 8 to 10 minutes.

As a final touch, I love to top this ratatouille with more fresh basil (and plenty of fresh bread, for good measure). Now all that's let to do is say, "Bon appétit!"

Recipe Tips

• While it might be tempting to cook all the vegetables in one go, resist that urge! The best way to ensure each vegetable’s distinct textures and flavors are highlighted is to cook them all separately at first, then bring them together at the very end for a final simmer.
• To help break down the eggplant, it’s crucial to toss the diced pieces with salt and let it sit for half an hour before patting them dry. This will extract some astringency, and season and soften the eggplant before they ever touch heat.
  

Storage

In an air-tight container, ratatouille will last between 3 to 5 days in the fridge (which, spoiler alert: the flavors will continue to meld even more). Want to keep this summer feeling going? You can store your ratatouille in an air-tight container in your freezer for up to three months.