Ratatouille is the classic end-of-summer French stew that is fun to make, as it is easy to say (rat-tuh-TOO-ee). It is one of the healthiest French cuisines as it is packed with fresh produce: bell pepper, yellow squash, zucchini, eggplant, and tomatoes. The process of making ratatouille is an easy project for a weekend afternoon, but can instead be time-consuming. To begin with, there is washing, chopping, and preparing your vegetables. Second, you will be required to cook them in batches to ensure they brown instead of steaming and because the vegetables will not fit in one pot until they start breaking down. Different veggies caramelize differently, so the eggplant will have fallen apart by the time zucchini becomes tender.
Reasons to love ratatouille
- It is vegan and gluten-free for all people to enjoy. You will have to select your accompaniments carefully.
- It is a perfect way to make use of the surplus of late-summer vegetables. In case you come home with a lot of veggies, you should make a ratatouille.
- Ratatouille turns the basic veggies into magic. Even if you are not a fan of summer squash or eggplants, you’re sure to enjoy ratatouille.
- It is an ideal make-ahead recipe since it tastes even much better the next day, and it reheats perfectly.
Ratatouille Ingredients
This recipe will focus on the traditional ratatouille ingredients as follows:
Fresh tomatoes
Fresh tomatoes are the key to making a ratatouille that tastes lively and fresh, not heavy, and dull. This recipe works best with grated or blitz tomatoes and cooked with garlic and onion to make a scrumptious tomato sauce.
Eggplant
The eggplant is infamous for being hard to prepare but is easy to roast. There is no need to salt them as the oven will handle everything.
Zucchini and yellow and squash
You can use two of one type instead of using both of them if you wish, but these are a perfect visual combination.
Bell Pepper
You can pick from the yellow, orange, or red bell pepper.
Olive oil
The extra-virgin olive oil is the best to ensure your ratatouille is not as greasy as some can. You can toss your veggies in the oil to raise their surface temperature, helping you get that delicious caramelized edges. The oil also gives extra richness as well as the herbal flavor.
Fresh basil and seasonings
You finish off your ratatouille with chopped basil to liven the stew with a fresh flavor. Sprinkle dried oregano to wake the flavor and finally add pepper and salt until the ratatouille tastes as wonderful as you want.
How to make the ratatouille
- Prepare your vegetables and preheat them in the oven.
- Toss the eggplant containing salt and olive oil on one baking sheet. Use another baking sheet to toss the bell pepper and squash. Arrange your veggies in an even layer.
- Bake both pans at once in the oven as you stir halfway. Remember that the eggplant will finish before the other pan.
- Meanwhile, be making the simple tomato sauce on the stovetop. Once the roasted vegetables are ready, stem them into the simmering tomato sauce.
- Once the vegetables are softened, serve when hot as a side or main dish.
- Your ratatouille will be perfect the next day. You’ll have to cover it with a foil and reheat it in the oven or microwave.
Healthy Benefits
Ratatouille is very low in sodium and cholesterol. It is an ideal source of dietary fiber, folate, potassium, vitamin B6, A, C, K, and manganese. Due to the ingredients used, the food is perfect for optimum health, weight loss, and weight gain.
