This Easy Ratatouille Recipe is a classic French vegetable stew full of summer produce, fresh basil and rich, savory flavor. It’s simple to prepare, naturally vegan and gluten-free, and makes comforting weeknight dinners or an easy meal-prep option.
I’ll never forget seeing the Ratatouille film in the theater for the first time with my boys. We all loved it — especially the idea that anyone can cook. At the time I was learning to cook and would later go on to work with food professionally, but I hadn’t tried ratatouille until culinary school. Once I tasted it, I fell in love with the way the vegetables break down into a tender, flavorful stew.
This ratatouille starts by gently sautéeing onions, eggplant, peppers and squash, then simmering everything with tomatoes and a bit of tomato paste until the vegetables are meltingly tender. Right before serving it’s brightened with rinsed capers for a salty, briny pop and plenty of chopped fresh basil for an herbaceous finish.
Summer is the best time to make this recipe because the vegetables and herbs are at their peak, but frozen or canned tomatoes and good pantry herbs will work year-round. The result is nourishing comfort food that’s versatile and satisfying.
Why you’ll love this recipe:
- Rustic, healthy vegetable stew packed with summer vegetables, herbs and satisfying flavor.
- Extremely versatile — serve it on its own, with crusty bread, or over pasta, polenta or grains.
- Easy to make and ideal for meal prep or freezing for later.
- Suitable for many diets: vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free and low carb friendly.
Recipe ingredients
Traditional ratatouille uses seasonal vegetables and fresh herbs. The list below reflects a straightforward version that highlights those summer flavors without requiring wine or other optional ingredients.
- Vegetables: Eggplant, bell pepper, zucchini (or summer squash), yellow squash and tomatoes form the base.
- Fresh herbs: Basil is essential for finishing; thyme and rosemary add depth. Use fresh when possible.
- Olive oil: For sautéeing and flavor. You can substitute another neutral oil if needed.
- Canned diced tomatoes: Convenient and flavorful; fire-roasted canned tomatoes work well. Two large fresh tomatoes can replace the canned tomatoes if preferred.
- Tomato paste: Adds concentrated tomato flavor and helps thicken the stew.
- Capers: Rinsed capers add a bright, briny contrast that lifts the dish.
See the recipe card below for the full ingredient list and precise quantities.
How to make this recipe
This version of ratatouille is cooked on the stovetop and is forgiving — most of the work is chopping. The stew simmers until the vegetables are tender and the flavors have melded.
Pro tip: Chop the vegetables up to a day ahead to speed up the final assembly, or make the whole dish in advance for meal prep lunches or dinners.
The following steps are summarized here; full instructions appear in the recipe card below.
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large pot over medium heat and cook the sliced onions until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Add 2 tablespoons olive oil and the eggplant. Sauté about 4–5 minutes until softened.
- Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil, the chopped peppers and squash. Sauté 2–3 minutes, then add minced garlic and cook 30 seconds longer.
- Stir in diced tomatoes, tomato paste, bay leaf, thyme and rosemary. Season with salt and pepper, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 20–30 minutes until vegetables are tender. Cover for the first 10 minutes to steam, then uncover to allow excess liquid to reduce.
- Remove from heat and stir in rinsed capers and freshly chopped basil. Adjust seasoning and serve.
Recipe FAQs
Ratatouille is a Provencal French vegetable stew made with eggplant, tomatoes, bell peppers, squash and herbs. It’s a rustic, comforting dish that highlights summer vegetables.
No. Traditional ratatouille is a vegetable-based dish that originated as an inexpensive peasant stew and does not include meat.
Serve it on its own as a light, low-carb meal, with crusty bread, over pasta or polenta, or as a vegetable side alongside grilled fish or chicken.
Serving suggestions
Ratatouille is flexible: enjoy it alone for a light meal, spoon it over pasta or polenta for heartier plates, or pair it with grains. It also makes a flavorful side for grilled proteins.
Recipe notes
- Make ahead: Prep the vegetables up to one day in advance to make cooking faster, or cook the whole dish ahead for meal prep.
- Two large fresh tomatoes can replace the canned tomatoes if you prefer.
- Fresh thyme, rosemary and basil add the best flavor, though dried herbs can be used in a pinch.
- Leftovers will keep about five days refrigerated in an airtight container and can also be frozen.
- Try serving with crusty bread or over your favorite grains for a satisfying meal.
More vegetarian dinner recipes:
- Butternut squash quinoa salad
- Instant Pot vegetable soup
- One-pan chickpea, broccoli and rice casserole
- Mexican-style one-pan quinoa with black beans and sweet potato
- Spinach and feta frittata
- Summer squash coconut curry soup
Did you try this recipe? If so, leave a review below and tag @flavorthemoments on social media so the author can see what you made.
Easy Ratatouille Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil divided
- 1 onion peeled, halved and sliced
- 1 medium eggplant cut into 1″ cubes
- 1 large red bell pepper stemmed and chopped into 1″ chunks
- 1 large zucchini cut into 1″ pieces
- 1 large yellow squash cut into 1″ pieces
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 14 ounces low sodium diced tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 tsp dried
- 1 large sprig fresh rosemary or 1 tsp dried
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon capers rinsed
- 1/4 cup freshly chopped basil
Instructions
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In a large pot, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add the sliced onions and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
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Add 2 more tablespoons olive oil and the eggplant. Sauté about 4–5 minutes, until the eggplant begins to soften.
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Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil, then the peppers and squash. Sauté 2–3 minutes until slightly softened. Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds more.
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Stir in the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, bay leaf, thyme and rosemary. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce to medium-low and simmer 20–30 minutes, or until the vegetables reach your desired tenderness. Cover for the first 10 minutes to steam, then uncover to allow excess liquid to reduce.
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Remove from heat. Stir in rinsed capers and the chopped basil. Remove the bay leaf and rosemary sprig before serving. Adjust seasoning as needed and enjoy.
Notes
- Pro tip: Chop vegetables up to one day ahead for faster cooking or make the entire dish ahead for meal prep.
- Fresh tomatoes may be used instead of canned if preferred.
- Fresh herbs noticeably improve the flavor, although dried herbs can be substituted.
- Leftovers keep about five days refrigerated and freeze well.
- Serve with crusty bread, over pasta or your favorite grains.
Nutrition
Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is intended as a guideline.
This post was originally published in January 2014. The recipe and text have been updated and photos refreshed.