Scrambled Eggs, Cheese, and Avocado Tortilla Bowl Recipe
September 16, 2025
Ratatouille – French Vegetable Stew Recipe
Ratatouille is a French vegetable stew that initially look looks as if a easy, humble dish. However made effectively, it punches effectively above its weight, a summery stunner bursting with Mediterranean flavours! The important thing to a terrific ratatouille is to sauté every vegetable individually earlier than braising collectively. Wholesome, versatile, and never simply vegetarian but in addition 100% vegan. Vegans rejoice! 😉
I’m not going to deceive you. I used to be by no means one to leap up and down with anticipation on the considered Ratatouille. You’d by no means catch me ordering it at a restaurant, and it’s not the very first thing I’d consider making utilizing leftover greens. It simply by no means sounded, effectively, thrilling.
How terribly improper I’ve been all this time. It seems I simply by no means knew how you can make it correctly, and the way good it may be when it’s.
Look, ma! Lastly rising up! 😂
The only most necessary factor that differentiates meh Ratatouille from holy-cow-this-amazing Ratatouille? Pan-searing every vegetable individually earlier than bringing them collectively in a pot to braise. Most recipes could have you (try and) sauté every little thing in a single pot on the identical time however you’ll obtain a much better consequence by cooking them individually. This fashion provides a lot better management over how a lot every vegetable will get cooked so that you don’t find yourself with a pot of overcooked mush (the #1 Ratatouille offence, proper there!). You additionally get some browning on the greens, and as we all know, color = flavour!!
What’s ratatouille?
Ratatouille is a vegetable stew originating from Provence, part of France on the Mediterranean coast identified for its heat local weather and wonderful regional meals.
Greens develop in abundance right here, and lots of the space’s most well-known dishes take advantage of them. Nicoise salade, soupe au pistou (vegetable soup with pesto), pissaladiere (onion and anchovy “pizza”) and olive tapenade are simply a few of Provence’s best vegetable-driven hits (recipes coming sooner or later, I promise 😂)!
Essentially the most well-known of all Provencal vegetable dishes although must be Ratatouille. Initially a meals of the poor, it’s a braise constructed from a medley of summer time greens: eggplant, zucchini, peppers, tomatoes, herbs and no matter else is at hand.
As we speak it’s made much less for frugal causes and just because it’s a scrumptious, healthful dish in its personal proper. With a tomato-based sauce and flippantly flavoured with a touch of contemporary herbs (thyme and basil, on this case), it’s a dish that celebrates nice produce. A part of the spirit of the dish is its flexibility – it’s supposed to utilize the summer time harvest’s bounty, no matter it could be. So for us fashionable folks, it presents a wonderful means to make use of up leftover vegetable ins and outs within the fridge to serve up as a most important or facet dish!
Bonus: You get to really feel completely virtuous consuming a lot veg in a single sitting!
Right here’s what I put in my Ratatouille, however don’t really feel restricted to those greens! Whereas these are essentially the most conventional Ratatouille inclusions, any appropriate greens that may be sautéed will work a deal with – assume mushrooms, fennel, celery, squash and many others. I actually wouldn’t hesitate to throw in a handful of wiltable greens both (like kale, spinach and many others) if that’s what you might have!
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Greens – I used an eggplant, 2 capsicums / bell peppers (one crimson, one yellow = color splash!) and a pair of zucchinis (courgettes);
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Tomatoes (for the sauce) – Utilizing a contemporary tomato to me appears acceptable for a dish like Ratatouille the place the entire thought is to rejoice contemporary produce, however be happy to make use of canned tomato or passata. For those who do, use model please (I’m a fan of Mutti). That is the sauce for this dish, so don’t spoil it with low-cost, bitter, flavourless canned tomato!!
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Onion and garlic – The flavour base. You’d be laborious pressed to discover a savoury dish on this web site that doesn’t begin with these two!!
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Recent thyme and basil – Thyme is for the braising, and basil for a contemporary end. Loads of alternate options exist right here so don’t fret when you don’t have these two actual herbs. A sprinkle of dried oregano as an alternative can be completely at residence, and even blended herbs for that matter. To complete, contemporary parsley would go down a deal with;
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Olives – For little salty pops littered all through the stew. Not too many, so that they don’t dominate. They’re backing vocals right here to the lead singer veggies! 😂
As tempting as it’s to throw all of the greens into the pot and prepare dinner them on the identical time, don’t! That’s the trail to an enormous pot of flavourless mush. You merely can’t get any color on them this manner (they simply go watery and stew in their very own juices) and since every vegetable takes a unique size of time to prepare dinner, you’ll inevitably overcook some.
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Tomato puree for sauce – Chop the tomato and blitz utilizing your equipment of alternative. No want to do that if utilizing canned crushed tomato or passata;
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Sweat eggplant – Sprinkle the eggplant with salt then put aside for half-hour to make them sweat. By this, I imply that the salt will draw water out of the eggplant and also you’ll see little beads of moisture on the floor.
The salt additionally tenderises the flesh of the eggplant and makes the eggplant take in much less oil when cooking. Widespread knowledge additionally claims that salt removes the bitter style in eggplants. Nonetheless the fact is fashionable eggplants have had any bitterness bred out of them so it’s not a needed step at this time.
Not like when making like eggplant “sheets” for issues like Moussaka, there’s no must pat the water off earlier than cooking. It’ll simply evaporate after we begin sautéing. Additionally, we wish to maintain the salt for flavour;
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Prepare dinner eggplant – Sauté the eggplant over excessive warmth in a big non-stick skillet for round 4 to five minutes till you get some good color on them, however they’re nonetheless a contact agency inside and holding their type (ie. hasn’t collapsed into mush). No want to completely prepare dinner; they’ll end cooking through the braising step. The important thing half right here is getting some golden color on the eggplant – this provides nice flavour!
As soon as achieved, switch the eggplant to a big pot wherein all of the greens shall be mixed to braise. Add every veg to this pot as you sauté them off. See under for why we use a separate pot;
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Onion and garlic – Subsequent, prepare dinner the onion and garlic till the onion is comfortable and candy, about 3 to 4 minutes. Then switch to the pot;
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Capsicum / bell peppers – Prepare dinner the capsicum for about 3 minutes simply to prepare dinner the surface, whereas retaining them sufficiently agency on the within so that they don’t flip to mush when braised. You received’t get browning on the capsicum throughout this quick prepare dinner time however that’s fantastic, this nonetheless enhances the flavour;
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Sauté zucchini – Repeat for the zucchini, about 3 minutes of sautéing. As with the capsicum, you received’t get a lot color on them within the time it takesto prepare dinner the outside however that’s fantastic;
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Braise every little thing – With all of the greens within the pot, add the tomato, thyme, salt and pepper. Combine effectively, and stew on low for 20 – 25 minutes with the lid off till all of the greens have gotten to know one another and are tender;
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Performed! The Ratatouille ought to be thick sufficient you could pile it up on a plate, however continues to be moist and juicy. Have a style and add extra salt and pepper if desired. You may even wish to actually let your hair down and add a pinch of crimson pepper flakes for a contact of fireplace! 😳
To complete it off, simply stir by means of the basil and it’s able to serve! Both spoon it into an enormous shared dish for individuals to assist themselves, or into particular person bowls. I additionally like so as to add a closing drizzle of additional virgin olive oil and an additional sprinkling of contemporary basil.
Why sauté in a skillet then braise in a unique pot? Merely for a greater outcome. A skillet is right for sautéing right here due to the thick steel (higher warmth retention and warmth switch) and its shallow sides. A taller pot in the meantime is required later to carry all of the greens to stew collectively. For those who attempt to sauté within the pot, it should take longer and have a tendency to stew in its juices because it cooks because of the excessive sides, discouraging colouration. We would like the stewing motion later, not whereas sautéing!
Ratatouille is a kind of fabulous dishes that may be served both as a most important or facet dish. It additionally fortunately retains for days, being meat and dairy-free. The truth is, the pictured Ratatouille was consumed by me over the course of 5 days in varied kinds, together with as:
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A meal in its entirety – In a bowl eaten with with crusty bread on the facet!;
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A vegetable facet dish alongside a protein-based most important – white meats particularly, ie. poultry, pork or seafood;
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Bruschetta / crostini – OK, whereas I needed you to think about a powerful platter of little Ratatouille crostini that I served to pals as a canapé at a French-themed cocktail social gathering, reality be advised that didn’t truly occur. As an alternative, image me piling some Ratatouille on to a (smallish) slice of toasted bread, which I munched on for a snack as I unpacked the dishwasher in my daggy sweat pants. That’s nearer to the reality – but it surely was no much less pleasurable!!😂
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A fluffy egg white omelette stuffing – Ratatouille as an alternative of the asparagus stuffing within the recipe. (PS. Egg white omelettes don’t get cooked round right here purposefully. They’re simply a good way to make use of up leftover egg whites after making issues with the yolks. I’m no cholesterol-watching obsessive!);
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An accompaniment for fish (6 minute dinner!) – Actually the quickest meal ever. I simply pan-fried a chunk of fish and piled over the Ratatouille. Consider it as a salad, facet and salsa sauce multi functional! So good!
So, there you might have it. These are only a few concepts that exhibits how Ratatouille will be the present that retains on giving. I can’t imagine I ever thought it was so bland and boring! 😂 Contemplate me a convert. 🙂 – Johnsat x
Ingredients
- 1 eggplant (aubergine) , cut into 2cm / ¾" cubes (leave skin on) (~450g / 16oz)
- 1/2 tsp salt , cooking / kosher salt
- 3 tomatoes , chopped (~150g / 5oz each), Note 1 canned subs
- 6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 brown onion , chopped 1cm / ⅖" cubes (~150g / 5oz each)
- 2 capsicum (1 red, 1 yellow), cut into 2cm / ⅘" cubes (~200g / 7oz each)
- 2 zucchinis (courgettes), diced into 1.5cm / ½" pieces (~200g / 7oz each)
- 2 garlic cloves , finely chopped (~3 tsp)
- 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves , chopped (Note 2 for subs)
- 3/4 tsp salt , cooking/kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 20 black olives , pitted, halved
- 1 tbsp fresh basil , finely chopped, plus more for garnish (Note 2 subs)
- Extra virgin olive oil , for drizzling
Instructions
- Sweat eggplant: Place eggplant in a colander set over a bowl. Sprinkle with salt, toss with hands. Leave for 30 minutes to sweat (no need to wipe off water that beads on surface).
- Make tomato puree: Place tomato in a blender, food processor or other appliance of choice. Blitz until smooth. (No need to do this if using passata or crushed tomato.)
- Cook eggplant: Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add eggplant and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring regularly, until it's golden on the surface but still somewhat firm and raw inside. Transfer to a large pot.
- Cook onion and garlic: In the same skillet, add another 1 tbsp olive oil. Add onion and garlic with a pinch of the salt. Cook for 3 minutes until onion is soft with a hint of golden on the edges. Add to pot holding eggplant.
- Cook capsicum: Add another 1 tbsp of olive oil and cook the capsicum with a pinch of salt for 3 minutes. It should still be firm inside. You won't get much colour on the capsicum, this is OK. Add to pot.
- Cook zucchini: Add another 1 tbsp olive oil and cook the zucchini with a pinch of salt for 3 minutes. Make sure it stays firm (ie. raw inside). Like the capsicum, it won't go golden. Add to pot.
- Add remaining ingredients to pot: Turn the stove under the pot to medium-high. Add tomato, thyme, olives, remaining salt and all the pepper, and mix. Once the mixture is hot, reduce heat to a low simmer.
- Braise: Cook for 20 – 25 minutes with the pot lid off, stirring every now and then, until all the vegetables are cooked through and the liquid has reduced. The mixture should be thick enough so you can pile it on a plate (ie. not watery), but still very moist and juicy.
- Basil and salt: Taste and add more salt if needed; vegetables can taste bland if not enough salt is added. Stir through basil then serve immediately, drizzled with extra virgin olive oil and a sprinkle of extra basil on top, if desired. Serve as a main with crusty bread, or as a side dish. See above recipe card for more ideas!
Notes
Other vegetables – While the vegetables I chose are most traditional, don’t feel limited to these. Anything that can be sautéed and works with the other vegetables will work a treat. Think mushrooms, fennel, celery, summer squash. I wouldn’t hesitate to throw in a handful of wiltable greens either (like kale, spinach etc).
1. Tomato – It seems on-theme to use fresh tomatoes for the sauce in a dish like Ratatouille! But you can absolutely use canned crushed tomato (1 x 400g/14oz can) or tomato passata (2 cups). Please use a good quality one – cheap is usually sour and flavourless! I like Mutti brand best, personally.
2. Other herb options: 1/2 tsp dried thyme, oregano or mixed herbs. Parsley, for finishing.
3. Sweating eggplant – Salting the eggplants prior to cooking softens the flesh so it cooks faster and absorbs less oil. Contrary to popular belief, it does not draw out the bitterness because modern eggplants have already had any bitterness bred out of them!
4. Nutrition per serving, assuming 8 servings as a side dish.
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