📍 Where this dish comes from: Basque Country (Pays Basque)
Discover the history of this region →
Discover the history of this region →
Provence’s most famous vegetable celebration — eggplant, zucchini, bell peppers, and tomatoes slow-cooked in olive oil with garlic and herbs until each vegetable surrenders its sweetness into the collective whole. Made properly, ratatouille is not a mush but a medley of distinct, tender pieces in a fragrant, glossy sauce — and it is even better the next day.
What You’ll Need
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 180kcal
Ingredients
- 2 medium eggplants cubed
- 3 zucchini sliced
- 2 red bell peppers diced
- 1 yellow bell pepper diced
- 4 large tomatoes peeled and diced (or 400g canned)
- 2 onions diced
- 6 garlic cloves sliced
- 6 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- Bouquet garni (thyme, bay, basil stems)
- Large handful fresh basil
- Salt, pepper
Instructions
- Salt eggplant cubes, leave 20 minutes, rinse, and pat dry.
- In separate batches, sauté each vegetable in 1 tbsp olive oil until lightly colored. Remove each to a bowl.
- In the same pan, cook onions and garlic in 2 tbsp olive oil until golden, 15 minutes.
- Add tomatoes and bouquet garni. Cook 10 minutes.
- Return all vegetables to the pan. Stir gently. Season.
- Cook uncovered over low heat 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until all vegetables are tender and melded.
- Remove bouquet garni. Stir in fresh basil. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 180kcal | Protein: 3g | Fat: 12g | Fiber: 4g
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Health Benefits
- Eggplant contains nasunin, an anthocyanin studied for its potential antioxidant role in cell membrane protection.
- Bell peppers are a rich source of vitamin C, beta-carotene, and vitamin K.
- The olive oil used throughout ratatouille helps the body absorb the vegetables’ fat-soluble carotenoids.

