Roasted Ratatouille = The Best Ratatouille
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Last Friday, before heading out to see friends for a long weekend, I made the roasted ratatouille from my friend Gena Hamshaw’s Food52 Vegan. I chopped up every pepper, onion, eggplant, tomato, and zucchini I could find, threw them into my largest roasting pan, tossed them with olive oil, white balsamic vinegar, fresh thyme, and salt, and cooked them till they released their juices and melted into a stewy mix.
That evening, I tossed the ratatouille, as Gena suggests, with pasta, then packed up what remained for the road. My friends and I ate the ratatouille all weekend, cold straight from the fridge for lunch, spread over grilled bread before dinner.
What I love about this ratatouille’s flavor is the subtle bite lent by the balsamic vinegar, which evokes eggplant caponata though the sharpness here is more mellow. It is irresistible.
What I also love about this roasted ratatouille is how unfussy and forgiving it is. In the notes, Gena writes: “Traditional ratatouille can be a little high maintenance: It simmers on the stovetop for an hour or longer and often requires adding specific vegetables at specific times.” With roasting, on the other hand, all of the vegetables and seasonings enter the pan at once.
With the exception of a quick stir halfway through cooking, the process is hands off—there’s no sautéing, no (vigilant) monitoring, no staggering the entry of the vegetables. When the vegetables release their juices, and when those juices then reduce down into a thick, stewy mix, it’s done.
How to Make Roasted Ratatouille
Here’s what you do: Gather all of your ratatouille vegetables: tomatoes, eggplant, peppers, onions, summer squash, and garlic.
Roughly chop everything. As you chop, pile the vegetables into your largest roasting pan, seasoning each layer of vegetables with salt.
Pour olive oil and vinegar over top. Crack pepper over top.
If your pan looks like this, don’t worry! (And don’t stir either.)
Transfer pan to the oven and roast at 400ºF for 45 minutes. At this point, when the vegetables have released some of their juices and have shrunk down considerably, you can remove the pan, and carefully give it all a stir.
Return the pan to the oven and continue to cook for 2 hours (or more or less), stirring halfway, until the vegetables become completely stewy, almost jammy in texture.
Spread your ratatouille over toast, toss with pasta, use as a layer in a summer lasagna, or simply eat with a spoon. Ratatouille freezes beautifully, too, so don’t be afraid to pack it into quart containers, and stash it away for a future use.
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PrintRoasted Ratatouille = The Best Ratatouille
- Total Time: Varies: 1 to 3 hours
- Yield: Varies: 1 to 3 quarts
Description
This is adapted from Food52 Vegan by Gena Hamshaw.
Use this recipe as a guide: It’s best to use a balanced mix of vegetables, but the roasting process is forgiving. For instance, I’ve made this with and without zucchini; I’ve used a mix of vegetables that leans heavy on the eggplant at times and heavy on the tomatoes at others. I’ve used all sorts of peppers, tomatoes, eggplant, etc.
Also, I often make a quadruple (or more!) recipe, so don’t be afraid to load up your largest roasting pan. The key is to be patient with the roasting. Let the vegetables cook until the liquids reduce, and the mixture becomes thick and stewy. When I double/triple/quadruple the recipe, I scale the dressing as needed. When my roasting pan is completely loaded, I use 1 cup olive oil and 1/2 cup white balsamic vinegar (or 1/2 cup olive oil and 1/4 cup vinegar), and I cook the vegetables for 3 hours.
Also, I often omit the thyme altogether: I simply season each layer of vegetables with salt as I add them to the pan. Then once all of the vegetables are in, I pour over the olive oil and white balsamic vinegar. After 1 hour, I stir it; then I stir it again every hour after that until it has roasted for 3 hours total.
Ingredients
For the roasted ratatouille:
- 12 ounces eggplant, (about 1), chopped into 1-inch pieces, see notes above re quantities
- 1 1/4 pounds tomatoes, chopped into 1-inch pieces
- 12 ounces zucchini (about 2), chopped into 1-inch pieces
- 2 red bell (or other) peppers, seeded and coarsely chopped
- 1 yellow or white onion, chopped
- 1 shallot, thinly sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 to 1/2 cups olive oil, see notes above
- 2 to 4 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme, optional
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste
- Freshly cracked pepper to taste
For the pasta:
- dried pasta
- roasted ratatouille
- freshly grated parmesan
- basil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400° F.
- In a large roasting pan or casserole, combine the tomatoes, eggplant, zucchini, peppers, onion, shallot, and garlic. Note: I add the vegetables to the pan as I finish chopping them, and sprinkle each layer of vegetables lightly with salt.
- In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, thyme, and 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Pour over the vegetables. Toss to coat. Season with pepper. (Alternatively: If you’ve seasoned each layer of vegetables generously with salt, simply pour the olive oil and vinegar over the vegetables. As noted above, I omit the thyme.)
- Bake for 30 minutes, then stir well. Bake for another 30 to 45 minutes (or longer, especially if you’ve increased the quantities: if my roasting pan is really loaded, I roast the vegetables for 3 hours, stirring once every hour, until the juices really begin to reduce/thicken) until the vegetables are all very tender and the released juices are beginning to thicken. Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt and pepper as desired.
- To serve, spoon over toast or toss with cooked pasta, grated parmesan, finely chopped basil and enough of the reserved pasta cooking liquid to make a nice sauce.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 to 2 hours (or more)
- Category: Vegetable
- Method: Roasted
- Cuisine: French
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
263 Comments on “Roasted Ratatouille = The Best Ratatouille”
Hi Ali!
I find it difficult not to gush over this amazing recipe, and concur with every other positive review (could there even be a negative one?? 🤔)
I live alone and am self-employed, so I cook and freeze often. This Ratatouille is transforming! My perfect evening meal with rice (of any variety). Soil Born Farms, my local urban farm, provides all the organic, just-picked vegetables and I make this year-around (only in California!).
Thank you for all your contributions over the years. Honestly, your recipes fill my recipe library.
Awwww, it’s so nice to read all of this, Cat! Thank you for your kind words. Your comment makes me miss California so deeply. The produce! Such a treat. Thanks for writing 🙂
I’ve been making ratatouille on my stove top for years. A friend who’d lived in France introduced me to ratatouille in 1978. I’ve experimented with various recipes. I’ve added olives and mushrooms. But this is by far the best ratatouille I’ve made and I won’t make it the stove top way again. This is THE BEST and the easiest. And I can add mushrooms and olives before the last hour. I also adore caponata and this does suggest that taste and texture. Thank you Alexandra.
So wonderful to read this, Susan 🙂 🙂 🙂 Thanks so much for writing and sharing your notes and experience. Mushrooms + olives sound delicious.
Beautiful recipe, I had to put tinfoil on after 45 minutes as the top layer were starting to burn,, even though I had poured half a cup of olive oil on top, however it cooked perfectly then, and oh how gorgeous it was , I had basil pesto, pasta and grated Parmesan on top, and froze the rest to look forward to another day. As we say around here, you’d get up in the middle of the night to eat it !!,
Going to check out your other recipies now as this is a winner.
Great to hear, Diane! Thanks so much for writing and sharing your notes. Hope you do find some other recipes you love 🙂
Best (and easiest) ratatouille recipe ever. This time I doubled the recipe because my family can’t get enough of these yummy vegetables. Thank you, Ali, for sharing.
Great to hear, Raven! Thanks for writing 🙂
My mother was a notoriously fussy eater — some might say toddler-esque (me, I said that). When I tell you that she went gaga over this, that’s no exaggeration. Because I was already there doing all the chopping, I just went ahead and sometimes doubled or tripled the batch. I’d then divide them into various portions, sometimes adding them to her favorite bolognese to bulk it up. This makes an amazing vegetarian lasagna, as well!!
One thing my family loves is mushrooms. If I waited until the last 45 minutes of cooking, I could add in our favorite mushrooms, and they break down beautifully.
Thank you so much for this amazing recipe!!!! I’ve literally told so many people about it because once I find a powerhouse like this, it feels almost criminal not to share.
So nice to read all of this, Victoria! Thanks so much for writing, and thanks so much for spreading the roasted-ratatouille love! I love this one so much, too 🙂
OMG……. this should be illegal! SO GOOD. I used eggplant, zucchini, red peppers, garlic, shallots and tinned tomatoes (all I had). I didn’t add onions because they’re not my fav. We had it tonight with pasta. I put two 3/4 litre (around 25 oz) jars in the fridge. There’s only one now. Not sure if I’ll ever manage to freeze any. THANK YOU!!!!
Yay 🙂 🙂 🙂 So nice to read this, Susan. I share your enthusiasm: could eat ratatouille every night!
This is the third year I’ve made this and it is an impossible recipe to screw up. I doubled the ingredients and added yellow/summer squash. I found the 400 deg baking temp a little high as it was burning the tips of the top layer so I stirred it more often that once/hour. Since it is too early in the season for real tomatoes I used canned whole ones, which are better than hot house. This freezes beautifully and I will be making it again when tomatoes are in season – and enjoying it all winter long. Thanks again Ali!
Great to read all of this! And thank you for the tip regarding the canned tomatoes — I will try that! Thanks for writing 🙂
My husband just cannot eat eggplant (causes him great gastrointestinal distress), while I adore it. Can I make this recipe without the eggplant? If so, what can I add to give it the meaty savory flavor that the eggplant contributes? Maybe large slices of portobello mushrooms? Any ideas welcome.
Absolutely! Honestly sub more of anything: tomatoes, zucchini, peppers, onions… I swear it all works out no matter the composition/ratio.
Delicious & versatile. Have used it on sandwiches for lunch, on rice and orzo for dinner.
Great to hear, Libby!
Loved it!
In the past, I have often made the regular Ratatouille with summer vegetables.
The Roasted Ratatouille has so much more flavor, and is easier to make. It will be my new “go to” recipe for the dish!
Great to hear Karla!
Do you peel the eggplant? Thanks!
Nope!
Could this be any easier? Or more forgiving? I didn’t measure a thing, just used up what I needed to. Didn’t have everything called for. Doesn’t matter- so delicious. Roasting adds such a deep flavor you can’t get from doing this over the stovetop. I love the char on the vegetables from the high oven heat. Eating it on its own in a bowl as I write this. Planned to have heaps for pasta, etc. but now I don’t know if it’s making it through the night. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
When you first posted this recipe I started making it and have never stopped! I still have some in the freezer from last fall. I just served some last night semi mashed up as a dip/spread and everyone gobbled it up. I put it on toast, toss it w rice/ pasta/ grains or just eat it alone. It’s absolutely delicious and I love the process of making it too. Thanks!
Great to hear, Pat! I enjoy the process so much, too. Thanks for writing 🙂
This is the BEST ratatouille EVER! Slow roasting just brings so much flavor and it can literally be used flor anything. Bread, pizza, pasta, polenta, cheese grits, orzo, omelets…..it freezes so well too. I made this last week when I had lots of eggplant in the garden, so good!
So nice reading all of this, Lishia 🙂 🙂 🙂 Thanks for writing!
So glad it’s finally summer so I can make this recipe again with the fresh veggies I get from my CSA! Last year it was wonderful to have this in the freezer to enjoy all winter on pasta, couscous, but, best of all with an added can of beans served up over rice with some parmesan. Easy, healthy, delicious. Of all the ratatouille recipes I have had (and I’ve tried many) this is by far the very best…. Thank you for all your wonderful recipes!
So nice to read this, Pam 🙂 🙂 🙂 Thank you for writing and thank you for your kind words, too.
This was a great way to use up the summer squash, tomatoes and random 1/2 onions I’ve was accumulating in my kitchen. I froze the batch then thawed it out on Friday for an easy dinner just tossed with hot pasta and parmesan cheese. So good!
Great to hear, Wendy! Thanks for writing 🙂
I made it today – bottle gourd, small eggplants, bell peppers, onions, tomato and garlic. It was delicious! My son is leaving for Germany to pursue graduate studies in Physics. This is one of the recipes I am earmarking for him! Thank you!
Great to hear! And wow, bravo to your son 👏👏👏👏👏
Right now is the sweet spot for creating ratatootie. Everything in season and plentiful and inexpensive. This is such a glorious dish, which I freeze, and it is fresh-like all winter long. I make it every year. I am not trying to pile on the reviews, but repetition can help the memory grow fonder here. Thanks for reminding us of this awesome work of natural art.
So nice to read all of this, Butch 🙂 I am never happier than when I have quarts of this in the freezer. Pulling it out in the middle of winter is the biggest treat. Thanks for writing 🙂
Have to repeat OMG!! This ratatouille is as described the BEST!! I made a batch and then layered half of it in a lasagna – delicious!! Thank you for sharing this recipe. It will remain in my go to pile!!
Great to hear, Elaine! Thanks for writing 🙂 🙂 🙂
This recipe is outstanding, I couldn’t stop eating it! Do you recommend leaving the garlic cloves whole or mincing them? Thanks for the keeper 🙂
I prefer leaving them whole! I need to update the recipe. Great to read all of this!
This is some wonderful stuff! I was incredulous at the amount shrinkage. Such concentrated flavors! I used a full sized chafer pan and roasted it for 2 hours, then reduced the heat to 300 for another hour. I’ve been thoroughly loving the resulting mixture. I eat it cold like a salad, or warmed topped with a fried egg, or my favorite, with crumbled goat cheese. I’m THRILLED to have extra tomatoes and zucchini now, and hope to make extra to freeze for a treat in the off season. Wow – thank you so much for this one!
So nice to read this, Laurie! I love it with goat cheese, too, spooned over flatbread. Love your enthusiasm for this one! Thanks for writing!
I was inspired last weekend to try this recipe and technique.
No eggplants in my larder and none at the big box store. Odd!
But I pulled out just about every veggie in my fridge, especially after management advised that we had WAY TOO MANY courgettes (zuchinni to me), rough chopped everything, tossed it all in my 9×13 baker, mounded like the photos here, added a small can of TJ’s San Marzano tomatoes (crushing each with my hands), added a half can of water, some good olive oil and a precious white balsamic vinegar, a small handful of dried thyme and a few grinds of S&P, tossed it all to coat everything, popped the pan into the countertop oven at 400F, 3 hours – stirring periodically, et voila!!!
A fab roasted veg ragu for the week to mix into hot pasta, slather onto wonderful homemade toast, and, dare I say, eat it by the spoonful out of the storage box.
This was an outstanding experience. Use what you have, clean out that veg drawer!, roast the pure goodness out of it all, season to your liking – and share. I can’t wait to try it again with eggplants, too!
Libby, it’s so nice to read all of this! Thanks so much for writing and sharing this. It will be encouraging for others to read that they ca use what they have and not worry too much about the composition. This is why I love this recipe!
Made this amazing Ratatouille 2x in 2 weeks. Wonderful! My only issue is the roasting pan.
Takes about 20 minutes to clean with vigorous scrubbing. Any tips?
I’ve never heard of white balsamic vinegar – how do you think regular would work?
It will be fine! The hue may be a little darker, but the flavor will still be great.
Sensational recipe! Thank you.
Great to hear Margaret!
Excellent! I rarely make a new recipe for a dinner party without trying it first but since I love every recipe of Ali’s that I have tried I new I couldn’t go wrong. This was so delicious and a big hit with my 6 dinner guests. I doubled the recipe and served it with penne rigate. I can’t wait to make it again!
Yay! Great to hear, Lorilei 🙂 🙂 🙂 This is a fave. Thanks for writing.
I was reluctant to try this at first as my memory of ratatouille was that of a soggy mush of vegetables – not that appealing. But that was many years ago, so I went ahead and tried your recipe. It is amazing! I had some very good quality balsamic vinegar (almost a reduction or glaze) that I used. I also added a little sesame oil and the juice of a lime. The flavors were just incredible. I know I’ll be making this again and again. Thank you!
Great to hear, Jan! Thanks for writing 🙂
Wonderful recipe! I’m having some tonight as a side dish to halibut, and tomorrow it will be ratatouille pizza, with whatever combination of cheeses I have. It goes everywhere with everything!
My sister made this and I was over the moon for it. It is now my new recipe!
Fun! I love this. It is my fave 🙂 🙂 🙂