Ratatouille: step-by-step recipe with photos

Ratatouille is a true symbol of French cuisine. It is a dish that is simultaneously simple to prepare, vibrant, elegant, incredibly delicious, and healthy. Classic ratatouille is a combination of fresh seasonal vegetables – zucchini, eggplants, tomatoes, bell peppers, aromatic Provençal herbs, garlic, and olive oil. Next, we will tell and show you how to prepare this feast of flavors at home without unnecessary effort.

Thoroughly wash the vegetables. Cut the eggplants, zucchini, and tomatoes into thin rounds. Slice the garlic thinly. Chop the onion and bell pepper into small cubes, which we will use to make a sauté for the vegetable sauce.

In a pan, heat 2 tablespoons of oil, add the chopped onion and sauté over medium heat until translucent.

Add the pepper and continue to sauté until it becomes soft.

During this time, crush the tomatoes in their own juice with a masher until smooth (you can use a blender to speed up the process). Add them to the onion and pepper, then introduce the mixed Provençal herbs, salt, and pepper. Don’t be stingy with the salt at this stage, as we won’t be salting the raw vegetables we cut into rounds.

We start to form the ratatouille. In a baking dish (we used a rectangular-square one), arrange the rounds of zucchini, courgette, tomatoes, and eggplants. Insert the sliced garlic between the rounds of vegetables, then pour the tomato sauce over them. Place the remaining slices of garlic on top.

We send the dish to a preheated oven at 200 degrees (with both heating elements on and convection mode), bake for 35-40 minutes.

Ratatouille can be served as a side dish or a main course. It pairs wonderfully with a crispy baguette and a glass of white or rosé wine. Ratatouille can be enjoyed both hot and cold; it is equally wonderful in both states. Bon appétit! ;)