If you happen to be drowning in end of the summer vegetables from your garden, your neighbor's garden or the local market, I have a recipe for you! Ratatouille combines colorful squash, eggplant, and tomatoes with aromatic herbs. Add some olive oil, simmer over low heat, and enjoy a flavorful dish that's greater than the sum of its parts.
Ratatouille originated in southern France, but there are variations from all over the region where the same vegetables are grown. If you're eating a Mediterranean diet, it doesn't get much more Mediterranean than this! Best of all, when you make it your house will smell like you're sitting on a balcony, looking out over the cote d'Azur.
I love ratatouille because it combines all the colors of the culinary rainbow. Eating a wide variety of colorful vegetables is the best way to get all the nutrients you need.
The pigments in plants, along with other chemicals they use to defend themselves against predators, are called phytonutrients.
As it turns out, what's bad for predators can be good for the human body. There is lots of research on the health benefits of these nutrients, with more being done every year. You don't have to study the research to know what to eat. Follow the colors and focus on variety.
Check out this post for more about phytonutrients and another great way to 'eat a rainbow.'
The other thing I love about ratatouille is that it freezes beautifully. You might be surprised by how many different ways there are to serve it. This recipe makes a lot, so you can enjoy summer flavors all winter long.
Creative Ways to Serve Ratatouille
As a side for grilled meat or baked fish.
As a simple topping for pasta, cooked grains, or polenta.
Layered in your favorite lasagna recipe in place of the tomato sauce.
Mixed with small pasta like orzo or penne, topped with grated mozzarella, and baked for easy casserole.
Mixed with cooked sausage, ground beef, or shredded chicken for a one-pot meal. I often do this when I don’t know what to have for lunch.
Mixed with rice, cooked ground meat, and stuffed into whole peppers for more vegetable goodness.
Scrambled into eggs, blended into a frittata, or folded into an omelette (drain any excess liquid).
Topped with a poached egg. To keep it simple, you can simmer the egg right in the stew.
Recipe Tips
This recipe is super adaptable according to what you have on hand. If you only have zucchini and no yellow squash, no problem. Any color pepper will do. Use one big globe eggplant or multiple smaller varieties.
Dice all the vegetables (except the garlic) approximately the same size so that they cook at the same rate. If your squash are very large, you may need to cut them into sixths or eighths (rather than quarters) before slicing into 1/2-inch slices. My zucchini was huge and had very large seeds, so I discarded the middle section.
Don't skip the red wine vinegar. The zip it adds balances the flavors. I'm lucky to have a bottle of vinegar my friend Sophie made from real red wine! But a quality store brand will be fine.
Mushrooms aren't traditionally included in ratatouille, but they are locally grown where I live, and I think they're a perfect complement to the other vegetables. It's also not typically served with cheese, but the Italian in me has a hard time eating cooked tomatoes without a sprinkle of Parmesan!
Ratatouille
Adapted from a recipe by Vetri Community Partnership
Serves 12 as a side
Ingredients
1/4 cup olive oil
1 large onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 medium globe eggplant, cut into 1/2-inch dice
2 medium or 1 large zucchini, quartered and cut into 1/2-inch slices
2 medium or 1 large yellow squash, quartered and cut into 1/2-inch slices
1 red pepper, diced
8 ounces brown or white mushrooms, diced
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
1 cup water
3-4 sprigs fresh thyme, or 1 teaspoon dried
1 bunch fresh basil, slivered (1/4-1/2 cup)
1-2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Grated parmesan cheese or nutritional yeast, for serving (optional)
Instructions
Heat olive oil in a large dutch oven over medium heat. When the oil shimmers, add the onion. Saute until soft and golden brown.
Add the minced garlic and stir for a minute or two until you can smell the garlic flavor. Mix in the tomato paste and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently so it browns but doesn't burn.
Add the eggplant, zucchini, yellow squash, red pepper, mushrooms, salt, oregano, and crushed red pepper. Stir to combine and cook for 5 minutes over low heat.
Add the diced tomatoes, water and fresh or dried thyme Bring liquid to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer on low for 25-35 minutes, stirring frequently, until all the vegetables are tender. Remove the lid to thicken the stew, or add more water for a saucier version.
Remove fresh thyme stems, if using. Adjust seasonings. Stir in red wine vinegar and basil and remove from heat.
Serve with grated Parmesan cheese or nutritional yeast, if desired.