Equipment
Ingredients
Vegetables
- 400 g aubergine, cut into uniform 1.5cm dice
- 400 g courgette, cut into uniform 1.5cm dice
- 200 g red bell pepper, cut into uniform 1.5cm dice
- 200 g yellow onion, diced
- 500 g fresh ripe tomatoes, peeled, cored, and roughly chopped
Aromatics & Seasoning
- 100 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 4 garlic, minced
- 5 g fresh thyme, on the sprig
- 1 bay leaf, dried or fresh
- 10 g kosher salt
- 2 g black pepper, freshly ground
- 15 g fresh basil, torn
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 218 kcal
- Protein
- 3 g
- Carbohydrates
- 16 g
- Fat
- 17 g
- Fiber
- 5 g
- Sugar
- 9 g
- Sodium
- 661 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 2 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 12 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Potassium
- 670 mg
- Calcium
- 49 mg
- Iron
- 1.2 mg
- Magnesium
- 42 mg
- Phosphorus
- 86 mg
- Zinc
- 0.7 mg
- Vitamin A
- 103 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 73 mg
- Vitamin E
- 3.7 mg
- Vitamin K
- 35 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.4 mg
- Thiamin
- 0.13 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.15 mg
- Niacin
- 1.6 mg
- Folate
- 67 mcg
- Water
- 268 g
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
Prepare all vegetables, taking care to cut the aubergine, courgette, and bell pepper into identical 1.5cm pieces to ensure even cooking and an elegant final presentation.
Heat 30ml of the olive oil in the Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the diced aubergine and saute until well-browned and tender. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the aubergine to a large mixing bowl.
Add another 20ml of olive oil to the same pot. Add the courgette and saute until lightly browned. Transfer the courgette to the bowl with the aubergine.
Reduce the heat to medium. Add 20ml of olive oil, the diced onion, and the red bell pepper. Saute until the onions are soft and translucent, but do not let them brown.
Stir in the minced garlic, thyme sprigs, and bay leaf. Cook until the garlic is highly fragrant, being careful not to let it burn.
Add the chopped tomatoes, kosher salt, and black pepper. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil at 100 C / 212 F, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer until the tomatoes break down and form a rich sauce.
Return the reserved aubergine and courgette to the pot. Fold everything together gently. Partially cover the pot and simmer over very low heat until all vegetables are completely tender and the flavors have married.
Remove the pot from the heat. Locate and discard the thyme stems and bay leaf. Gently fold in the torn fresh basil and drizzle with the remaining 30ml of raw extra virgin olive oil. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed.
Chef's Notes
- Salting the aubergine beforehand is optional but recommended if your aubergines are out of season or particularly spongy; it draws out bitter liquid and helps them absorb less oil during the saute.
- Never rush the separate sauteing steps. Browning the courgette and aubergine individually is the absolute secret to a restaurant-quality ratatouille, preventing a boiled, watery vegetable stew.
- A finishing drizzle of high-quality, raw extra virgin olive oil at the end of cooking restores bright, fruity, and peppery notes that are typically lost during the simmering process.
- Ratatouille is universally considered better the next day after the flavors have had time to meld in the refrigerator. It is traditionally served warm, at room temperature, or even cold.
Storage
Refrigerator: 5 days — Flavors deepen and improve significantly after 24 hours in the refrigerator.
Freezer: 3 months — Texture will soften slightly upon thawing, but flavor remains excellent.
Reheating: Reheat gently in a saucepan over medium-low heat until warmed through, or serve at room temperature.
Troubleshooting
Vegetables turn into a formless mush
Cause: Cooking all ingredients together from the beginning rather than sauteing separately, or cutting the vegetables too small.
Fix: Cannot be fixed as a ratatouille, but can be pureed or used as a rustic pasta sauce.
Prevention: Strictly separate the initial sauteing steps to set the texture of the moisture-heavy vegetables before simmering.
Dish tastes watery and bland
Cause: Tomatoes were not reduced sufficiently before adding the other vegetables back, or the dish lacks salt.
Fix: Remove the lid, increase heat slightly, and simmer uncovered until excess liquid evaporates. Adjust salt.
Prevention: Ensure the tomato base reduces to a thick sauce consistency in step 6 before returning the courgette and aubergine.
Cultural Context
Ratatouille originated in Nice, located in the Provence region of Southern France. It was historically a peasant dish created by farmers to use up the abundant harvest of late-summer vegetables. The traditional Nicoise method specifically demands cooking each vegetable separately to respect its unique water content and flavor profile before a final, brief marriage in the pot.
