Layered Ratatouille Recipe | Elizabeth Rider

Ratatouille is a classic roasted vegetable dish from the South of France, celebrated for its rustic charm and vibrant flavors.

When eggplant, zucchini, tomatoes, and potatoes roast, something extraordinary happens to them! They are just “okay at best” when raw or undercooked, but roast them, and you’ll know what I mean.

You might recognize this dish from the beloved Disney movie “Ratatouille” (one of my favorites!), where a tiny rat chef named Remy transforms a humble ratatouille dish into a culinary masterpiece.

This layered ratatouille recipe is beautiful and incredibly easy to make. Serve it as a meatless main dish with some crusty bread or pair it as a delightful side with roasted chicken or salmon.

Unlike traditional ratatouille stew, which can be quite labor-intensive, this recipe simplifies the process without sacrificing taste. It’s delicious, fun to look at, and good for you (what’s not to love?!).

Slicing and arranging the veggies takes just a few minutes, and if you have a handheld mandoline, it becomes even quicker and easier.

Ratatouille Recipe Ingredients

This recipe features fresh produce at its best! These vegetables are not only super tasty but also nutritional powerhouses. If available, use ripe, organic vegetables to get the most flavor out of the dish.

Here’s everything you need:

• Onion and Garlic: A staple in many baked veggie side dishes, onion and garlic create the sauce’s flavorful base.
• Bell Pepper: I also added a finely chopped red bell pepper to the sauce. But yellow and orange bell peppers would taste great, too! If peppers don’t agree with you, simply leave them out.
• Tomatoes: I used tomatoes two different ways in this dish. One cup of tomato purée (or crushed tomatoes) goes in the sauce. And slices of fresh Roma tomatoes get added to the vegetable spiral. I prefer Roma tomatoes here, but you can use any tomatoes that look good at your store.
• Eggplant: For this recipe, I used Japanese eggplants. They’re smaller than Italian eggplants, which is the variety most often sold in grocery stores. Using a smaller eggplant makes it easier to get slices around the same size as the other vegetable slices. But any eggplant will work in this recipe.
• Zucchini: For color variation, I added both regular green zucchini and yellow zucchini to this dish. But feel free to use whatever variety of squash is available.
• Potatoes: For an added boost of flavor and texture, I layered in some tasty Yukon Gold potatoes in this dish.
• Fresh Herbs: Garnish the dish with fresh basil and thyme to add brightness to the ratatouille recipe.
• Extra-Virgin Olive Oil: Use extra-virgin olive oil in the sauce first. Then, mix it with some herbs and drizzle it over the dish before baking. And once again – with some balsamic vinegar – before serving. The balsamic isn’t traditional but adds a wonderful extra layer of flavor—leave it out if you prefer.
• Salt and Pepper: Salt and freshly ground black pepper are always key to a dish like this. Season with salt and pepper to help bring out the dish’s flavors. I use Real Salt.

How to Make This Ratatouille Recipe

While this ratatouille recipe might look fancy, it’s simple to make! (You can print the full recipe below, too.)

See the printable recipe in the recipe card below.

Step 1: Make the Sauce:

Start by making the sauce (even better if you have some in the freezer, or feel free to use your favorite jar of red sauce).

• Combine oil, garlic, onion, and bell pepper in a medium skillet over medium-low heat and cook until very soft (but not browned), about 8-10 minutes.
• Next, add the tomato purée and a fresh thyme sprig (or pinch of dried thyme).
• Then simmer over low heat until the vegetables are very soft and the sauce has reduced, about 10 minutes. After that, season to taste with salt and pepper, and discard thyme sprig. Reserve a few tablespoons of the mixture (for the topping). Then, spread the rest into the bottom of an 8-inch baking dish or skillet.

Step 2: Prep the Vegetables:

While the sauce is cooking, prep the vegetables.

• Aim for slices roughly the same size and thickness.
• You can do this easily with a mandoline. I highly recommend getting one with a handguard to protect your fingers from the mandoline‘s sharp blade, like this good, inexpensive one.

Step 3: Arrange Your Vegetables in a Spiral:

• Next, in a glass or ceramic baking dish or stainless steel skillet, arrange alternating slices of the prepared vegetables over the sauce, overlapping so that a bit of each piece is visible.
• I like to do this in a round pie dish because it’s pretty, but you can of course do this in line on a rectangular baking dish, too.

Step 4: Bake the Ratatouille:

• Cover the dish with parchment paper (or foil or an oven-safe lid) and bake until the vegetables are tender but not soggy and the tomato sauce is bubbling, about 60 minutes.
• Then remove the parchment paper, increase the oven temp to 350°F and continue cooking uncovered for an additional 30 minutes until the edges of the veggies are turning golden brown.

Ratatouille Serving and Storage Tips:

You can serve the ratatouille right away with a drizzle of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and fresh herbs. I like to reserve a few tablespoons of sauce and mix it with the balsamic and olive oil for a gorgeous (and tasty) finish.

Or store it in the fridge for 2-3 days. Serve it cold or reheat it in the oven (at 350 degrees) until warm.

Ratatouille Recipe Tips

• Use a Mandoline: A mandoline can help you slice your vegetables quickly and easily. I highly recommend using one with a handguard, though, to protect your fingers from the mandoline‘s sharp blade. I like this good, inexpensive one.
• Pick a Glass or Ceramic Baking Dish: I try to avoid making recipes with very acidic foods, like tomatoes, in cast-iron pans. That’s because acid reacts with the metal and can cause some to leach out into your food. While the health risk is very low, it can give the dish a noticeable metallic taste.
• Bake covered for the first 50-60 minutes: For the first part of baking, you can cover the pan with parchment paper or foil or a dish with a lid if you have one. Then, raise the oven temp to 350°F and baked covered for the last 30 minutes. This method transforms bland, squash, eggplant and zucchini into wonderful bites.
• Make-Ahead: This dish also tastes great a day or two after i,t’s made and the flavoave had time to come together.

My favorite way to eat ratatouille? Warm out of the oven with a crusty baguette on the side – and maybe a sprinkling of fresh Parmaman cheese! Also, it’s delicious served over couscous, quinoa, or farro. Or pair it with your favorite protein.

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