Ratatouille
Our easy ratatouille recipe brings together tender summer vegetables in a savory tomato sauce. It's great as a main meal or a side dish.
Ingredients
- 2 medium eggplants
- 2 medium zucchini
- 2 medium yellow squash
- 1 large yellow onion
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 green bell pepper
- 800 grams canned crushed tomatoes
- 0.5 cup vegetable broth
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 0.5 teaspoon dried oregano
- 0.25 teaspoon black pepper
- 0.5 teaspoon salt
- 0.25 cup fresh basil leaves
Instructions
- Wash 2 medium eggplants, 2 medium zucchini, 2 medium yellow squash, 1 red bell pepper, and 1 green bell pepper. Cut the eggplants, zucchini, and yellow squash into 1.5 cm thick rounds. Remove the seeds and white membranes from the red and green bell peppers, then cut them into 2.5 cm pieces. Peel and finely dice 1 large yellow onion. Peel and finely chop 4 cloves garlic.
- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the diced yellow onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5-7 minutes until it becomes soft and translucent.
- Add the finely chopped garlic, 1 red bell pepper, and 1 green bell pepper to the pot. Cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the peppers start to soften.
- Stir in 800 grams canned crushed tomatoes, 0.5 cup vegetable broth, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, 0.5 teaspoon dried oregano, 0.5 teaspoon salt, and 0.25 teaspoon black pepper. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then reduce heat to low, cover, and let it cook for 15 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld.
- While the sauce simmers, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the eggplant rounds in a single layer and cook for 3-4 minutes per side until lightly browned. You may need to do this in batches. Once browned, transfer the eggplant to a plate.
- In the same skillet, add the zucchini and yellow squash rounds. Cook for 3-4 minutes per side until lightly browned. Transfer them to the same plate with the eggplant.
- Gently stir the browned eggplant, zucchini, and yellow squash into the tomato sauce in the large pot. Ensure all vegetables are submerged in the sauce. Cover the pot and simmer for another 20-25 minutes, or until all vegetables are tender but still hold their shape.
- Remove the pot from the heat. Wash 0.25 cup fresh basil leaves and thinly slice them. Stir the fresh basil into the ratatouille just before serving.