A quintessential French dish that I’ve come to absolutely adore is the classic Ratatouille.

Unless you’re avoiding nightshade veggies, it’s a delicious way to get more veggies on your plate by combining some of summer’s best options; tomatoes, eggplant, bell peppers, zucchini. I know it’s not technically summer anymore BUT clearly I just can’t stop taking advantage of the summer produce still available at the Market.

There are various takes on the classic Ratatouille and what I’ve learned after 2 years of living in France, is that everyone prepares it slightly different. That’s great! To me, this just means that there are many ways to enjoy this fabulous combination of flavors.

Today I want to share with you my go-to Ratatouille recipe, which is always a hit at our family table.

My Family’s Favorite Ratatouille

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 large zucchini (or 2 medium), chopped
• 1 large yellow onion, peeled and chopped
• 1 small eggplant, chopped
• 4 large heirloom tomatoes (or fresh garden tomatoes), chopped
• 4 large garlic cloves; peeled and minced or pressed
• olive oil
• sea salt
• herbs de provence

 

Directions

Step 1: Pre-heat oven to 400F (200C).

Step 2: Prepare all the veggies, add olive oil (drizzle to your liking), 1/2 tsp sea salt, and 1-2 Tbs herbes de provence, then toss to combine.

Step 3: Spread veggie mixture over an oven-safe baking dish (uncovered) and bake in oven for ~40 minutes.

Stove Top Variation: Alternatively you can cook the ratatouille on your stove top. Combine all the veggies with olive oil, salt, and herbes de provence in a medium-sized pot or dutch oven. Cover and cook on medium heat for about the same amount of time, 30-40 minutes; until all the veggies are soft.

Grill Variation: You could also prepare it the same way and cook it on your grill; in either a veggie pan or on a flat-surfaced BBQ.

Feel free to mix up the veggies. Tomatoes, eggplant, and zucchini are the standard three but you can also add in bell pepper or other summer squash and it would be equally yummy. You can also trade out the onion for shallots or top it off with some fresh sliced basil at the end. Basically there’s no wrong way to do it. Just pull in the veggies and flavors you enjoy.

Sometimes we eat our Ratatouille as the main dish by mixing in some white beans for protein and serving it with a side salad. Other times we use it as a side dish to accompany fish, chicken, or meat.

Give it a try and make it your own. I promise it will quickly become a family favorite AND another great way for you to get more veggies on your plate!