Ratatouille: The Art of Slow-Cooked Summer Vegetables

Ratatouille, pronounced rah-tah-too-ee, is a vibrant, vegetable-packed stew prepared with a medley of fresh produce like eggplant, zucchini, bell peppers, tomatoes, onions, and garlic.

The key to this dish is to cook the vegetables separately, then combine them.

Often seasoned with herbs like thyme, rosemary, basil, and bay leaf — collectively known as herbes de Provence, it’s a dish that’s as comforting as it’s healthy. Ratatouille is typically simmered together after sauteeing each separately, allowing the vegetables to meld into a richly flavored, tender mixture.

Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 30 mins

Rest Time 5 mins

Total Time 45 mins

Cooking Method: Cooking

Cuisine: France

Courses: Dinner, Lunch

Difficulty: Beginner

Servings: 5

Best Season: Suitable throughout the year

Description

Ratatouille, pronounced rah-tah-too-ee, is a vibrant, vegetable-packed stew prepared with a medley of fresh produce like eggplant, zucchini, bell peppers, tomatoes, onions, and garlic.

Background and Origin

Ratatouille originates from the sun-soaked region of Provence in southern France, particularly around Nice. This dish is a celebration of the Mediterranean summer harvest.

Ratatouille began as a peasant dish in the 18th century, created by farmers who needed to use up a surplus of summer vegetables. The name comes from the French verb touiller, meaning "to stir up" — fitting for a dish where ingredients are stewed together in one pot.

Originally, it was simple and practical, often cooked by Provençal laborers using whatever vegetables were on hand. Over time, it gained popularity across France and eventually became a beloved classic in French cuisine, appreciated both in humble kitchens and high-end restaurants.

Today, Ratatouille is enjoyed both as a main course and a side dish, served warm or cold, with crusty bread, rice, or even pasta. It's vegan-friendly, nutrient-rich, and celebrated for its flexibility and depth of flavor.

The dish gained international fame and renewed popularity thanks to the 2007 Pixar film Ratatouille, which beautifully showcased its elegance, simplicity, and emotional connection to home and memory.

Ingredients

1 big eggplant, washed and cubed
2 zucchinis
3 bell peppers, different colors
1 big onion
3 tomatoes
3 garlic cloves
2 bay leaves
1 thyme
1 parsley
Fresh oregano, sarriette, optional
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Instructions

1
How to Prepare Ratatouille
1. Wash and poke each tomato crosswise. In a boiling pot of water, drop the tomatoes and cook for 10 to 30 seconds. Transfer the tomatoes into a bowl of cold water. This process makes the tomatoes easier to peel. Remove the skin of the tomatoes after dropping them in the cold water.
2. Cut the tomatoes and remove the seeds. Removing the seed is optional. Set aside.
3. Chop the eggplant into medium cubes.
4. In a hot steel pan on medium heat, add about 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Saute the eggplants until they’re golden brown. If the saucepan is not big, add just a layer of eggplants so they can cook properly. It’s advisable not to use a non-stick pan for this process. Once the eggplants are golden brown, transfer them to a different pot. Repeat the process until you sauté all the eggplants.
5. Unseed the bell peppers and cut them into small cubes. Put some oil into the steel saucepan and saute the bell peppers for 2 minutes on medium heat. Add the sautéed bell peppers to the eggplant.
6. Cut the zucchini into medium cubes and saute them too, sprinkling a little salt on them. Once sautéed, add them to the eggplants and bell peppers.
7. Chop the onions into small cubes and saute them thoroughly. Sprinkle on them some salt to taste. Crush the garlic cloves and add them to the onions.
8. Once the onions and garlic are sautéed, add back to the saucepan all the vegetables.
9. Mix them thoroughly.
10. Add the tomatoes to deglaze. Add salt and pepper to taste.
11. Plug in the fresh oregano. Stir the ratatouille and cover the pot. Cook on low heat for 20 to an hour. If you’re using an oven, cook for 35 to 40 minutes between 150 to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.
12. Once cooked, serve with your favorite grill, rice or bread.
Video credit: Chef Vivien–YouTube

Note

Tips for Preparing Ratatouille

Always use steel or cast iron for preparing ratatouille for that rasty taste.
Saute the vegetables separately before cooking them together.
You can serve it alongside cheese in addition to its side dishes.
Include herbs of your choice

With its roots in rustic home cooking and its rise to culinary stardom, ratatouille is a beautiful example of how humble ingredients, when treated with care, can become timeless.

Happy cooking!

Keywords: ratatouille

Read it online: https://recipebuster.com/recipe/ratatouille-the-art-of-slow-cooked-summer-vegetables/