- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 60 min
- Total
- 90 min
- kcal
- 175.8
- protein
- 4.2 g
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
What you’ll need — tap to tick off as you go
- 500 g
- 400 g
- 4 cloves
- 400 g
- 2 tbsp
- 60 ml
- 2 tsp
- 1 tsp
- 1 tsp
- ½ tsp
- 10 g
Process
Timers built in · swap anything · ask as you cook
Heat the oven to 200°C. Toss the eggplant cubes with 20 ml of the olive oil and a pinch of the salt on a baking tray, spread them in a single layer and roast for 20 minutes until lightly browned and collapsing.
While the eggplant roasts, heat the remaining 40 ml olive oil in a wide ovenproof pan over medium heat. Add the onion and red bell pepper and cook for 8 minutes, stirring, until softened and glossy.
Add the garlic, dried thyme and dried oregano to the pan and cook for 1 minute until fragrant, then stir in the tomato paste and cook for another minute to darken it slightly.
Pour in the canned crushed tomatoes, add the bay leaf, 1 tsp salt and the black pepper, and simmer for 5 minutes until the sauce thickens enough to hold a trail behind a spoon.
Stir the roasted eggplant and the zucchini into the sauce, cover the pan with a lid or foil and transfer to the oven. Bake for 25 minutes.
Remove the lid, stir gently, and bake uncovered for a further 15 minutes until the zucchini is tender and the edges of the vegetables are caramelised and jammy.
Discard the bay leaf, taste and adjust the salt, then scatter the torn fresh basil over the top and let the bake rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Kitchen notes
Kitchen notes
- The most common mistake is undercooking the eggplant: roasting it first until it collapses prevents the spongy, bitter texture that happens when it is baked raw in the sauce.
- Salting the eggplant is not needed if you roast it first, but if your eggplant tastes bitter, sprinkle the cubes with salt, rest 20 minutes, then pat dry before roasting.
- Keep the zucchini in larger pieces than the eggplant; it releases water and turns to mush if cut too small before the long bake.
- The bake is done when a knife slides through the zucchini with no resistance and the sauce has reduced to a glossy, thick layer rather than a watery pool.
Substitutions
- canned crushed tomatoes→600 g fresh ripe tomatoes, grated
- dried thyme→fresh thyme, 1 tbsp leaves
- zucchini→yellow summer squash
Storage & reheating
Cool completely, then store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days; the flavour deepens overnight. To reheat, cover and warm in a 180°C oven for 15 minutes or in a saucepan over medium heat for 8 minutes, adding a splash of water if it looks dry. It also freezes well for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe container; thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
| Nutrient | Per serving |
|---|---|
| Calories | 175.8 kcal |
| Protein | 4.2 g |
| Carbohydrates | 20.5 g |
| Fat | 10.1 g |
| Saturated fat | 1.4 g |
| Fiber | 6.8 g |
| Sugar | 11.7 g |
| Sodium | 489 mg |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg |
FAQ
The questions we get asked most
Why did my ratatouille turn out watery?
Zucchini and eggplant release a lot of water, and if they are crowded or the pan is covered too long, that water stays in the dish. Roast the eggplant first, keep the pan uncovered for the final 15 minutes of baking, and use a wide pan so the liquid can evaporate. If it is still loose, simmer it on the stovetop for 5 to 10 minutes.
Can I make ratatouille ahead of time?
Yes, and it actually tastes better the next day. Cook it completely, cool it quickly, and refrigerate for up to 4 days. Reheat covered in a 180°C oven for 15 minutes or gently on the stovetop, stirring once or twice.
Can I freeze ratatouille bake?
It freezes well for up to 3 months. Pack it in a freezer-safe container, leaving 2 cm of headspace, and thaw overnight in the fridge. The vegetables will soften further after freezing, so reheat gently and use it as a side or stirred through pasta.
Do I have to peel the eggplant?
No, the skin softens completely during roasting and baking and helps the cubes hold their shape. If you are using a very large, older eggplant with thick skin, you can peel it in stripes, but it is not necessary.
Can I use fresh tomatoes instead of canned?
Yes. Substitute about 600 g of ripe tomatoes, grated or chopped, and simmer them a few minutes longer to thicken. In winter, canned crushed tomatoes usually give a better, more consistent result than pale fresh ones.
How do I know when the ratatouille is fully cooked?
The zucchini should be completely tender with no raw bite, and a knife should slide through a piece of eggplant with no resistance. The sauce should look glossy and thick, not watery, and the edges of the vegetables should be slightly caramelised.
Can I add other vegetables to this bake?
Yes, but keep the total volume similar so the pan is not overcrowded. Mushrooms, fennel or a handful of black olives work well; add mushrooms with the onion so they release their moisture early. Avoid watery vegetables like cucumber or too much extra tomato.
Ask KitchenMind about this recipe
Tell it what’s different tonight — it works within the actual recipe.
