How To Make Traditional Ratatouille Recipe

 I first heard of Ratatouille when I watched the Disney Movie by the same name. What a cute little mouse. In the end, he made this wonderful dish that has them singing his praises (oh, I hope I haven’t spoiled it for anyone).

And that made me curious about what this wonderful dish was. So, last year, when I had a bounty crop of eggplant and was looking for new ways to use it, I ran across a recipe for ratatouille.

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Ratatouille, Harvest’s Bounty In A Dish

Actually, I ran across several recipes. Each one was different from the next. Some think it should be stewed. Some think it should be baked. And one even though each vegetable should be sauteed separately, then combined. WHEW! That sounds like work!

What Is Ratatouille?

Ratatouille – pronounced rat-tat-tooie – is an old-world dish. It was likely made at the end of the long summer to use up the surplus. A time when the tomatoes, eggplant, peppers, and zucchini are just going crazy, and you are saying, “What am I going to do with all this?!!!“

I am sure that was the birth of ratatouille.

Related >> 16 Top Secrets For Growing Great Tomatoes

Ratatouille loosely translated means ‘tossed food’. Sounds really appetizing, doesn’t it? But in a sense, that is exactly what you do. You cut up all this bounty from your garden, farmers’ market, or the grocery store, and you toss it in a large pan. Add a few onions and herbs and let it all saute down into these creamy, soft, melt in your mouth bites of Yumm.

This is real comfort food.

What Are The Ingredients of Ratatouille?

Homemade ratatouille is easy to make. It is a one-pot meal that can be cooked on a busy day while harvesting in the garden. Or any other busy day, for that matter.

It’s a great way to use up the overabundance of your garden vegetables at the end of the summer. Perfect for when your garden is brimming with eggplant, zuichini, peppers, and tomatoes.

Related >> How To Grow Eggplant In Your Vegetable Garden

There are as many ways to make this dish as there are people who make it. Everyone puts their own spin on it, depending on what they have on hand and what their preferences are.

Some people bake the sliced layered vegetables.(ad) It creates a bit of sauce on the bottom. It is prettier this way, and you can leave the vegetables al dente if that is what you prefer.

But others, like me, really like the stewed version where the vegetables all cook down into a soft ragout of melded flavors and creamy goodness. And goodness it is, too.

This would also work well cooked in a crockpot (ad)while you are putting up all the harvested vegetables. That way, you have an easy dinner that you don’t have to stand over all day.

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Ratatouille Is A Vegan Dish.

This is a vegan dish. With lots of different vegetables, each lending its own group of nutrients to the mix.

Last week, a friend of mine told me she was starting a vegan diet for health reasons. I immediately thought of ratatouille and promised her the recipe. You can’t get much more healthful than this, and yummy too.

Is Ratatouille Difficult To Make?

Although it takes a few minutes to cut up all the ripe, fresh vegetables, there is nothing difficult or complicated about ‘throwing food’ in a pan and letting it stew until dinner is ready. It is so warm and filling and satisfying!

This is a dish that is wonderful served both warm or cold. And make sure you make plenty because it is even better the next day. I love to make a large dish of ratatouille, so I have leftovers for my lunch.

Because it is made exclusively of vegetables, it is very low in calories and rich in vitamins and minerals and all the good stuff your body needs. Because you leave all the skins on (well, not on the onions and garlic, silly), it has a fairly high fiber content, too.

So go get busy and make up a batch, and then listen to all the raves. You deserve all the credit. After all, you were the one who ‘tossed the food’.

 P.S. After I made the sliced version, I went ahead and baked it. And I found I really liked it! Though I like the stewed version a lot. I may even like the baked version better! And my husband said, ” This isn’t the ratatouille I remember.” I said, “It’s the same just baked instead of stewed.” He decided we could definitely have baked ratatouille again! WooHoo! Now that’s a seal of approval!  

Here is the Recipe for

Baked Ratatouille

 The recipe is the same; just slice the vegetables and alternately layer them in a baking pan. Sprinkle the Oil, Garlic, and Herbs on top. Cover and bake at 350°F (180°C) for 25 min (or until desired tenderness). Uncover the last 5 minutes. When I uncovered it, I sprinkled mine with Parmesan Cheese. And let it brown. MMMMM!

Now Enjoy!

(I can’t wait until harvest time!)

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