Easy Baked Ratatouille Recipe
This easy baked Ratatouille recipe layers thin slices of eggplant, zucchini, yellow squash and tomatoes over a savory tomato and red pepper sauce. Baked until tender and lightly browned, it's a beautiful vegetarian main dish or easy summer side.
Servings: 6
Cost: $10
Equipment
- 10-inch oven-safe skillet or 2 1/2-quart baking dish
- Sharp chef’s knife or mandoline
Ingredients
For the Tomato Sauce
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion finely chopped
- 1 red bell pepper finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 15 ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon herbes de Provence or Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
For the Vegetables
- 1 small eggplant
- 2 small zucchini
- 2 small yellow squash
- 4 Roma tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon herbes de Provence or Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Fresh basil or parsley for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 10-inch oven-safe skillet or 2 1/2-quart baking dish.
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in the skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and red bell pepper and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened.
- Stir in the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, balsamic vinegar, herbes de Provence, salt and pepper. Simmer for 5 minutes.
- Remove the skillet from the heat and spread the sauce into an even layer. If using a separate baking dish, transfer the sauce to the prepared dish.
- Slice the eggplant, zucchini, yellow squash and Roma tomatoes into approximately 1/8-inch-thick rounds. If the eggplant slices are much larger than the other vegetables, cut them into halves or quarters.
- Arrange alternating slices of eggplant, zucchini, yellow squash and tomato upright over the sauce, beginning around the outside edge of the pan. Continue overlapping the slices slightly and working inward to form a spiral. Tuck any remaining vegetables into open spaces.
- Drizzle the vegetables with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Sprinkle with herbes de Provence, salt and several grinds of black pepper.
- Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 35 minutes.
- Remove the foil and bake for another 18 to 22 minutes, until the vegetables are tender and lightly browned around the edges.
- Allow the Ratatouille to rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Garnish with fresh basil or parsley and serve.
Notes
- Choose a slender eggplant and smaller zucchini and yellow squash so the vegetable rounds are similar in diameter.
- A mandoline makes slicing quick and uniform, but a sharp chef's knife works well, too.
- If your eggplant is much larger than the other vegetables, cut the rounds into halves or quarters before layering.
- Keep the vegetable slices fairly upright and overlap them by about half for the fullest, prettiest spiral.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat individual portions in the microwave or warm covered in a 350°F oven.
- For serving, try fresh Parmesan, crumbled feta or goat cheese, basil pesto, toasted pine nuts, balsamic glaze or fresh lemon zest.
Nutrition
Calories: 129kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Sodium: 421mg | Potassium: 721mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 1296IU | Vitamin C: 58mg | Calcium: 46mg | Iron: 1mg