Easy Ratatouille Recipe | Healthy, Budget-Friendly - Elavegan (2024)

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Are you looking for an easy Ratatouille recipe which is ready in about 30 minutes?! Check out this flavorful and healthy Ratatouille recipe which contains only veggies and is therefore low in calories (low carb and keto). This easy vegetable stew is a delicious vegan dish which can be served as a side (with e.g. bread/rice) or as a hearty main.

Easy Ratatouille Recipe | Healthy, Budget-Friendly - Elavegan (1)

What Is Ratatouille?

Ratatouille is a classic French vegetable dish which is vegan and contains eggplant (aubergine), zucchini, tomatoes, onion, and peppers. The veggies are fried and cooked in some oil. I prefer not to use too much oil and added red wine which made the vegan Ratatouille even more delicious in my opinion! My recipe is not a classic/traditional French Ratatouille but that doesn’t mean it’s not as good!

Easy Ratatouille Recipe | Healthy, Budget-Friendly - Elavegan (2)

Ingredients Of This Easy Ratatouille Recipe

As mentioned before, this easy Ratatouille recipe contains lots of colorful and healthy veggies. The Ratatouille ingredients which I used are eggplant (aubergine), zucchini, tomatoes, onion, garlic, and pepper. Furthermore, I added different spices to make the Ratatouille a little bit spicy and very flavorful.

I really hate boring/bland savory dishes, so I always season them really well. In addition to the veggies and spices, I also added red wine (you can use vegetable broth instead), a little bit tomato paste, and balsamic vinegar. And that’s pretty much it. This vegan Ratatouille is seriously an easy recipe which everyone can make for dinner.

Easy Ratatouille Recipe | Healthy, Budget-Friendly - Elavegan (3)

How To Make Ratatouille?

First, you need to chop all the veggies. I prefer chunky pieces, about 3 cm in diameter but you can chop the veggies smaller if you like. The smaller you chop the veggies the faster they will cook.

So, after you chopped the veggies, heat oil in a pan. You can use olive oil or any other vegetable oil of choice. One tablespoon is enough in my opinion. First, fry the onion over medium heat, for about 4-5 minutes until lightly browned.

Next, add the eggplant and cook it for 8-10 minutes or until softened (I added the red wine and all spices after a few minutes). Finally, add the other veggies and cook for a further 10 minutes. I like it when the veggies aren’t too soft but if you prefer them really soft, cook them for a few minutes more.

Finally, add the balsamic vinegar and tomato paste. Ready is your easy Ratatouille recipe.

Easy Ratatouille Recipe | Healthy, Budget-Friendly - Elavegan (4)

Can I Freeze Ratatouille?

Yes, you can double the recipe and freeze half of the batch. Place in an airtight container and freeze the Ratatouille for up to 3 months. Thaw and then reheat in a skillet when you want to eat it!

Easy Ratatouille Recipe | Healthy, Budget-Friendly - Elavegan (5)

This Easy Ratatouille Recipe Is:

  • Vegan
  • Gluten-Free
  • Low in calories
  • Low-carb
  • Keto
  • Healthy
  • Flavorful
  • Hearty
  • Comforting
  • Easy to make
  • A delicious dinner or side
  • Cooked in one pot (skillet)

Easy Ratatouille Recipe | Healthy, Budget-Friendly - Elavegan (6)

Difference between Ratatouille and Tian?

If you want to bring this easy savory recipe to a party, I would recommend making a Tian. What is a Tian you might ask? It’s basically the same dish, however, the veggies are thinly sliced with a mandoline, layered in a baking dish, and then cooked in the oven. It looks very nice and impressive, almost mesmerizing.

I made it a few times in the past and really loved how pretty it turned out. I must admit though that it was pretty time consuming to make a Tian. Therefore I probably won’t make it again when I am alone or just cook for my family. But it’s really a nice eye-catcher for a party! 🙂 Here you can see a picture:

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Should you recreate this easy Ratatouille recipe, please leave a comment below and don’t forget to tag me in your Instagram or Facebook post with @elavegan and #elavegan because I love to see how your vegan Ratatouille turned out! And for more vegan stews, definitely also check out the following recipes: Easy Lentil Stew and Vegan Gumbo.

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Easy Ratatouille Recipe | Healthy, Budget-Friendly - Elavegan (10)

Easy Ratatouille Recipe

Author: Michaela Vais

This easy Ratatouille recipe can be made in about 30 minutes. It's low-carb, keto, vegan, gluten-free, low in calories, and fat. A tasty dinner or side dish which contains healthy ingredients such as eggplant (aubergine), zucchini, tomatoes, peppers, etc. This flavorful veggie stew can be also served with bread or rice.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 7 minutes mins

Cook Time 23 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Course Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine French

Servings 3

Calories 194 kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 large eggplant (aubergine)
  • 1 large zucchini
  • 3 tomatoes
  • 1 bell pepper
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 tbsp oil
  • 1/4 cup red wine or vegetable broth
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1 tsp brown sugar or any other sweetener
  • 3/4 tsp sea salt (or less/more to taste)
  • 1/2 tsp dried oregano
  • 1/3 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (or less if you don't like it too spicy)
  • 1/4 tsp ground ginger
  • 1 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • Fresh thyme chopped roughly (to taste)
  • Black pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Chop all veggies (eggplant, zucchini, tomatoes, bell pepper) into 1-inch (3 cm) pieces. Finely chop onion and garlic.

  • Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat, add onion and sauté for about 4-5 minutes or until lightly browned.

  • Add garlic and eggplant and cook for 3-4 minutes, then add the red wine and all spices. Let simmer on low-medium heat for a further 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally.

  • Add all remaining ingredients (except tomato paste and balsamic vinegar) and cook for about 10 minutes or until the veggies are soft (but not mushy). If you prefer more sauce, add more red wine or broth.

  • Finally, add the tomato paste (you can add more than 1 tbsp if you want a thicker sauce) and the balsamic vinegar.

  • Taste and adjust seasoning. Enjoy! This easy Ratatouille recipe can be served with bread or rice.

Notes

  • If you don't like any of these spices, for example, oregano, simply leave them out. You can also add fresh basil if you like the taste.
  • Recipe serves 3. Nutrition facts are for one serving.

Nutrition Facts

Easy Ratatouille Recipe

Amount per Serving

Calories

194

% Daily Value*

Fat

5.7

g

9

%

Carbohydrates

20.8

g

7

%

Fiber

10.6

g

42

%

Sugar

19.8

g

22

%

Protein

5.7

g

11

%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Nutrition information is an estimate and has been calculated automatically

Easy Ratatouille Recipe | Healthy, Budget-Friendly - Elavegan (11) Simple and Delicious Vegan Cookbook by ElaVeganCLICK HERE to order!

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Easy Ratatouille Recipe | Healthy, Budget-Friendly - Elavegan (2024)

FAQs

What's the secret of a good ratatouille? ›

Cooking each vegetable separately before combining them in ratatouille ensures that each component cooks to the right texture and retains its distinct flavor. Different vegetables have varying cooking times; for instance, eggplants and peppers take longer to become tender compared to tomatoes and zucchini.

What can I substitute for eggplant in ratatouille? ›

I substituted portabella mushrooms for eggplant, which was not only delicious, but also shaved about 30 minutes off the cooking time. I substituted jalapenos for bell pepper just for fun. At the end, I tried something a friend from Toulouse taught me: add eggs at the end and poach them lightly in the ratatouille.

Is ratatouille expensive to make? ›

If you want to make ratatouille, all you need is one eggplant, one zucchini, two tomatoes, and one onion. If you thought it couldn't get any better, it should cost you less than $5 for all your ingredients.

Can I prep ratatouille ahead of time? ›

Ratatouille takes some time to make, and tastes better the next day, so plan ahead. The upside is that it's a perfect make-ahead dish for a party.

What is the correct order of steps for making Ratatouille? ›

  1. Step 1: Roast Nuts. Start by roasting the pine nuts in a dry frying pan. ...
  2. Step 2: Prepare Eggplant. Dice the eggplant, put the cubes in a strainer and sprinkle with salt. ...
  3. Step 3: Slice the Onion. ...
  4. Step 4: Cook the Onion. ...
  5. Step 5: Add Tomato Puree. ...
  6. Step 6: Cook Peppers. ...
  7. Step 7: Mushrooms and Zucchini. ...
  8. Step 8: Eggplant.

Should Ratatouille be liquidy? ›

Keep on adding juices to the pan as they run out of the vegetables into the bowl. Combine: When all the juices have been reduced, return vegetables to the heavy pan. At this point the ratatouille should be moist and shiny, with very little liquid.

What is the secret to cooking eggplant? ›

Eggplants are known to absorb a lot of fat while cooking. A useful tip to prevent sogginess and greasiness is to salt sliced or diced eggplant and let it sit for an hour. This helps to draw out moisture. Next, rinse and drain any liquid from the sliced eggplant, then pat dry before cooking.

Should I salt eggplant before ratatouille? ›

Not necessarily; it depends on what you're looking for in the finished dish. Though salting works when you want the eggplant to be creamy and tender — such as with parmigiana — in those cases where you want the eggplant to retain its shape and have a slightly firmer texture — such as ratatouille — you can skip it.

What does ratatouille mean in French? ›

The word ratatouille derives from the Occitan ratatolha and is related to the French ratouiller and tatouiller, expressive forms of the verb touiller, meaning "to stir up". From the late 18th century, in French, it merely indicated a coarse stew.

What are 10 foods that were in ratatouille? ›

A classic ratatouille includes eggplant (aubergines), zucchini (courgettes), bell peppers, tomatoes, onions, garlic, olive oil and herbs.

What makes ratatouille so good? ›

Its stunning animation of the Parisian skyline and comedic relief from the main character, Linguine, provide the film with a sort of indescribable witty charm. The production of the film adds to why “Ratatouille” is the best Pixar movie ever.

What meat to serve with ratatouille? ›

Serve Ratatouille as a Side Dish to Meats

Ratatouille goes well with all kinds of grilled meats—I love it with flank steak, lamb, and veal, especially. A gourmet burger, served open face. Yes. A good steaky fish.

How do you take the bitterness out of ratatouille? ›

Instructions. Submerge the diced eggplant in ice cold water and let sit for ten minutes to remove any bitterness. I started soaking eggplant rather than salting after reading a cookbook of Japanese dishes. I found it works better.

What is sliced ratatouille called? ›

It was only later that Chef Thomas Keller revamped this concept when he was asked by Pixar to make a fancier version of the dish for the movie, Ratatouille, and named his version “confit byaldi.” This version involves placing thinly sliced vegetables accordion style and baking them together in one pan.

What makes ratatouille unique? ›

What makes Ratatouille so special is that its story covers so many bases without feeling overstuffed: Remy's storyline deals with identity and finding one's passion, Linguini has to learn to grow a backbone, and the commercialization of good food even gets its nose into the picture.

How to make the perfect ratatouille in Disney Dreamlight Valley? ›

To make ratatouille in Disney Dreamlight Valley, you'll need to bring the following ingredients to any of the stoves/hobs in the game: eggplant (AKA aubergine), zucchini (AKA courgette), onion, tomato, and the spice of your choice. Simply chuck those food items into any active hob and your job will be done.

What is so good about ratatouille? ›

This vibrant dish captures the essence of summer with its medley of fresh vegetables and aromatic herbs. Our version features tender squash, juicy tomatoes, earthy eggplant, and sweet bell peppers, all cooked in a rich tomato sauce infused with garlic, thyme, parsley, and basil.

What is the main lesson of ratatouille? ›

At its core, “Ratatouille” entertains one foundational question: Should we as a people choose ignorance or empathy? In the film, rats are stigmatized to only be troublemakers, and humans to only be killers. But, Remy the rat makes a different choice.

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