Recipe for ratatouille with aubergine, courgette and tomato

Ratatouille with courgette, aubergine, pepper and tomato

A classic and colourful ratatouille with courgette, aubergine, red peppers, tomatoes, onions, garlic and thyme. An easy vegetable dish that can be served both as a vegetarian main course and as delicious accessories.

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Ratatouille is a classic vegetable dish with plenty of flavour, colour and warmth. The dish is made with simple vegetables such as courgette, aubergine, pepper, tomato and onion, sautéed in olive oil and finished in the oven with garlic, peeled tomatoes and thyme.

The good thing about ratatouille is that it is both simple and versatile. It can be served as a vegetarian main course with good bread or potatoes, but also works perfectly as accessories for fish, chicken, meat or barbecued food. The flavour becomes rich and rounded when the vegetables are allowed to simmer and bake together.

For this recipe, a good sauté pot 28 cm is ideal because it has plenty of room for the vegetables and is suitable for both sautéing and oven cooking. A chef's knife makes it easy to cut the vegetables into evenly sized pieces, while a walnut chopping board provides a stable work surface for preparation.

Ingredients for ratatouille

• 2 courgettes
• 2 red peppers
• 1 aubergine
• 6 tomatoes
• 2 large onions
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 tin of peeled chopped tomatoes
• 2 sprigs of thyme
• Olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

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Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
2. Cut the courgettes, red peppers, aubergine, tomatoes and onions into small, fairly evenly sized pieces.
3. Finely chop the garlic.
4. Heat olive oil in a large pot, sauté pot or pan over medium heat.
5. Sauté the vegetables in olive oil, preferably in small batches, so they heat through and colour lightly without boiling in their own juices.
6. Place the sautéed vegetables in a large pan, pot or ovenproof dish.
7. Add the finely chopped garlic, peeled chopped tomatoes and thyme.
8. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
9. Gently mix everything together so the vegetables are evenly distributed in the tomato sauce.
10. Place the dish in the oven at 180°C and bake for approx. 45 minutes, until the vegetables are tender and the flavours have come together.
11. If needed, adjust the seasoning with extra salt, pepper and a little olive oil before serving.
12. Serve ratatouille hot as a main course or as accessories.

What is ratatouille?

Ratatouille is a classic vegetable dish from southern French cuisine. It typically consists of aubergine, courgette, pepper, tomato, onion, garlic and herbs, cooked slowly so the vegetables become tender and the flavours come together.

The dish is known for its simple combination of ingredients and deep vegetable flavour. It can be eaten hot, warm or cold, making it well suited to everyday meals, entertaining and as part of a larger meal.

How to get the most flavour into ratatouille

To get as much flavour as possible into ratatouille, it is a good idea to sauté the vegetables before finishing them in the oven. When the vegetables are heated directly in oil, they develop more sweetness, depth and character.

Thyme, garlic and olive oil are also important for the flavour. They give the dish an aromatic, Mediterranean-inspired profile that goes perfectly with tomatoes, aubergine and courgette.

What can ratatouille be served with?

Ratatouille can be served as a vegetarian dish in its own right with good bread, rice, pasta, potatoes or quinoa. It is also ideal as vegetable accessories for chicken, fish, beef, lamb or barbecued food.

If you want to make the dish more filling, you can top it with feta, fresh mozzarella, grated parmesan or roasted chickpeas. You can also serve it with a fried egg or a creamy yoghurt dressing.

Can ratatouille be made in advance?

Yes, ratatouille is a great dish to make in advance. It keeps well in the fridge and often tastes even better the next day because the vegetables have absorbed flavour from the tomato, garlic, thyme and olive oil.

Store ratatouille in an airtight container in the fridge and gently reheat it in a pot, pan or oven before serving. It can also be eaten warm or cold as part of a salad or packed lunch.

Ratatouille variations

The recipe can easily be varied according to the season and your taste. For example, you can add courgette, carrots, mushrooms, olives, chilli or fresh herbs such as basil, oregano or parsley.

If you want a more substantial ratatouille, you can add boiled potatoes, white beans, chickpeas or lentils. This makes the dish even more filling and suitable as a vegetarian main course.

Serving

Serve ratatouille hot straight from the oven, preferably topped with a little extra olive oil and freshly ground pepper. The dish is simple, rustic and full of vegetable flavour.

It is perfect for both weeknight meals and dinner parties when you want to serve something vegetable-based, colourful and flavourful that can work as both a main course and accessories.