Classic Stovetop Ratatouille

Ratatouille is a French Provencal stew of ripe Summer vegetables (tomatoes, eggplant, zucchini and bell peppers) cooked together slowly until creamy soft. An uncomplicated recipe, making a good ratatouille does require a bit of time. Make this stovetop recipe on a weekend to enjoy it throughout the week… because a ratatouille tastes even better reheated!

About Ratatouille 

The word ratatouille comes from the Occitan dialect ratatolha, which means “to stir” – touiller in French. In the 18th century, it is said the word ratatouille was used for any type of stew in and around the city of Nice – be it for stewed vegetables, beans, potatoes, meats, etc. It is only circa the 1930s that its definition refined itself to describe a stew of tomatoes, aubergines (eggplant), courgettes (zucchini) and bell peppers. 

Today a pillar of traditional Provençal cooking, recipes for Ratatouille are countless, but the main ingredients always remain the same – garlic, onions, tomatoes, zucchini, eggplants and bell peppers. There exist different methods for preparing the vegetables and composing a ratatouille: stewed on the stovetop (traditional method), baked in the oven, or charred on the grill (modern methods).

In Provence, ratatouille is traditionally cooked on the stove top. This 2-step method consists of cooking each vegetable in olive oil until tender. Then, all the vegetables are combined and simmered slowly to turn soft, melty and full-flavored. 

Like every rustic French recipe, every family has their own version of this dish – the personal twist usually being a specific herb, spice or condiment. Mine has always been to add a spoonful of honey at the end of the cooking process. This livens all the flavors beautifully. 

My cooking tips for a perfect ratatouille:  

• Ratatouille is best made with seasonal vegetables – choose ripe, vibrant-colored zucchini, eggplants, bell peppers and tomatoes. 
• Be patient. The low and slow cooking method of a ratatouille is meant to turn the vegetables melty, while extracting their optimum flavor. Speeding up this process by upping the temperature won’t achieve the same ‘melty’ texture. 
• Leave the garlic whole and in their skins. This will impart the ratatouille with a subtle garlic flavor, without it being too overpowering. You must let the flavors of the other vegetables sing! The long cooking time cooks the garlic in their skins, and they are delicious to eat too. 
• Use a high-quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil. It will make a big difference. I find 2 tablespoons is enough to pre-cook the vegetables, but feel free to use a little extra if needed. 
• Use a non-stick frying pan or casserole dish, as the eggplant tend to stick to the pan. 
• The key to a great ratatouille, I find, is to cube all the vegetables the same size – that is, into ½ inch (1.25cm) cubes for this recipe. 

How to make this Classic stovetop Ratatouille

Here is how to prepare this classic ratatouille. While this recipe requires patience, you’ll see there is no advanced skills needed. See the recipe card at the end of this article for the ingredient list, exact quantities and cooking time. 

Step 1 – Prepare your vegetables. Peel and chop the onion. Wash the zucchini and eggplant, cut off the ends and dice into  cubes. Wash the bell peppers, cut them in half, remove the core, seeds and white flesh and cut them into into squares. Wash the tomatoes, cut them in quarters, discard the seeds and cut into into cubes.

Step 2 – In large frying pan or heavy bottom pot, heat up the extra virgin olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until glistening and fragrant. 

Step 3 – Add the diced bell peppers and eggplant, and cook until soft.

Step 4 – Add the tomatoes, zucchini, garlic (in their skins), thyme and bay leaf. Stir gently to mix. Turn the heat to medium-low, cover and let simmer for at least one hour. 

My tip: When the ratatouille is simmering, occasionally take the lid off, carefully wipe away the built-up condensation on the inner lid and place the lid back on. This will help prevent having a watery ratatouille. 

Step 5 – After one hour, check the consistency of the ratatouille. If the vegetables rendered too much water, you can let it simmer 10 to 20 more minutes with the lid off. When the consistency is right, add the honey and stir to combine.

Step 6 – After adding the honey, taste and adjust seasoning if needed with salt and pepper. For serving, you can garnish the ratatouille with a few fresh basil leaves. 

Ratatouille serving suggestions

Comforting, vegan and gluten-free, a ratatouille can be served in endless ways, either hot or cold. Here are a few suggestions : 

• Hot : Serve it as a side dish alongside meat or fish, spoon it over pasta or creamy polenta, top it off with an egg and/or cheese. 
• Cold : Spoon it over toasted bread slices.

How to store this ratatouille? 

Any leftovers? Great news: a ratatouille tastes even better reheated the next day. 

• In the refrigerator: let the the dish cool completely and store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat your portions on the stovetop or in the microwave.
• In the freezer: let the dish cool completely and store it in a (freezer-friendly) airtight container and place it in the freezer for up to 3 months. To reheat, you can let the dish thaw in the fridge before heating it through on the stovetop or in the microwave.

I hope you enjoy this Classic Stovetop Ratatouille recipe as much as I do! If you have any questions, please leave a comment. 

More French sides you may like: 

• French Green Beans Almondine
• Vichy Carrots
• Classic Vegetable Tian from Provence
• Cauliflower Gratin
• Classic Potato Gratin Dauphinois
• Brussels Sprouts Gratin
• Cucumber Salad with Crème Fraiche
• French-Style Potato Salad

Classic Stovetop Ratatouille

Print Recipe

Serves: 6-8 Prep Time: 15 Minutes Cooking Time: 1 Hour 30 Minutes 1 Hour 30 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 5.0/5

( 7 voted )

Ingredients

2 tbsp (30ml) Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 large onion, peeled and diced
2-3 garlic cloves, left whole and unskinned
2 large zucchini (about 500g total)
1 large eggplant
1 large red bell pepper
1 large green bell pepper
6 medium-size ripe tomatoes
2-3 sprigs of dried thyme, stemmed
1 bay leaf
Salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 tbsp honey
Optional: fresh basil leaves, for garnish

Instructions

Step 1 - Prepare your vegetables. Wash the zucchini and eggplant, cut off the ends and dice into ½ inch (1.25cm) cubes. Wash the bell peppers, cut them in half, remove the core, seeds and white flesh and cut them into into ½ inch (1.25cm) squares. Wash the tomatoes, cut them in quarters, discard the seeds and cut into into ½ inch (1.25cm) cubes.

Step 2 - In large frying pan or heavy bottom pot, heat up the extra virgin olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 2-3 minutes until glistening and fragrant.

Step 3 - Add the diced bell peppers and eggplant and cook for 7 minutes, stirring occasionally until soft.

Step 4 - Add the tomatoes, zucchini, garlic (in their skins), thyme, bay leaf and a pinch of salt. Stir gently to mix. Turn the heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for one hour. Occasionally, take the lid off and carefully wipe away the built-up condensation on the inner lid, place the lid back on. This will help prevent having a watery ratatouille.

Step 5 - After one hour, check the consistency of the ratatouille. If the vegetables rendered too much water, let it simmer 10 to 20 more minutes extra with the lid off.

Step 6 -When the consistency is right, add the honey and stir to combine. Adjust seasoning if needed with salt and pepper. Optional: garnish with fresh basil leaves. Serve.