Homemade Classic French Ratatouille Recipe
This homemade classic French Ratatouille is a vibrant, flavorful vegetable dish featuring layers of eggplant, zucchini, tomatoes, and peppers baked in a rich tomato sauce and topped with a fresh herb dressing. Perfect as a main or side dish, it’s a comforting and healthy way to enjoy seasonal vegetables with Mediterranean flavors.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables:
- 2 small eggplants
- 2 zucchini
- 6 tomatoes
- 2 red onions
- 1 yellow bell pepper
Tomato Sauce:
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 red onion, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- ¼ tsp dried oregano
- ¼ tsp dried thyme
- 700 grams crushed tomatoes
- 2 tbsp fresh basil, finely chopped
Herb Dressing:
- 5 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Slice Vegetables: Evenly slice the eggplants, zucchini, tomatoes, red onions, and yellow bell pepper. Set them aside for arranging later.
- Prepare Herb Dressing: Finely chop fresh basil and parsley, stir them together with olive oil and minced garlic, then season with salt and pepper. Set the dressing aside to allow flavors to meld.
- Preheat Oven: Set the oven to 200°C (390°F) to prepare for baking the ratatouille.
- Make Tomato Sauce: Heat olive oil in a large oven-proof pan or skillet over medium heat. Add diced red onion and red bell pepper and sauté until softened. Add minced garlic and cook until fragrant. Stir in salt, pepper, dried oregano, and thyme. Pour in crushed tomatoes, combine well, and simmer for 10 minutes. Finally, mix in freshly chopped basil.
- Arrange Vegetables: Layer the sliced vegetables over the tomato sauce starting from the outer edge of the pan in an alternating pattern toward the center. Season the arranged vegetables with salt and pepper, then drizzle the prepared herb dressing evenly over the top.
- Bake Covered: Cover the pan tightly with foil and bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes, allowing the vegetables to soften and flavors to meld.
- Bake Uncovered: Remove the foil and bake for an additional 20 minutes until the vegetables are tender and slightly charred for added texture and flavor.
- Serve: Remove from oven and serve hot. Ratatouille can be enjoyed as a main dish or a side, paired wonderfully with polenta, rice, or rustic homemade bread.
Notes
- For best results, slice vegetables evenly to ensure uniform cooking.
- You can prepare the tomato sauce and herb dressing a day ahead to enhance flavors.
- Use a heavy-duty oven-proof skillet or a ceramic baking dish for even heat distribution.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and taste even better as flavors meld overnight.
- Feel free to add other herbs like rosemary or marjoram according to your taste.
Keywords: Ratatouille, French recipe, vegetable bake, Mediterranean, eggplant, zucchini, tomato sauce, herb dressing
