• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Hungry Healthy Happy
  • Slow Cooker
  • About
  • Recipe Index
  • FREE eBook
  • Contact
  • Subscribe
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Slow Cooker
  • About
  • Recipe Index
  • FREE eBook
  • Contact
  • Subscribe
  • Let's get social!

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • TikTok
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Slow Cooker
    • About
    • Recipe Index
    • FREE eBook
    • Contact
    • Subscribe
  • Let's get social!

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • TikTok
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×
    Hungry Healthy Happy » Recipes » Vegan

    Ratatouille

    Published: Mar 4, 2016 · Modified: Jul 17, 2023 · Written by Dannii Martin · This post may contain affiliate links · 62 Comments

    1436 shares
    • 829
    Diet: Gluten Free / Vegan
    Jump to Recipe
    A bowl of ratatouille with a text title overlay.

    If you are looking for a veggie packed meal, with lots of uses, then give this Easy Ratatouille recipe a try. A classic French dish that is bursting with flavour, it's a simple one pot vegetarian dinner that is great for feeding a crowd, or freezing leftovers.

    A bowl of ratatouille next to a pan of more ratatouille and some vegetables.

    This ratatouille recipe is healthy comfort food at its finest. Chunky vegetables in a rich tomato sauce, with plenty of herbs. Serve it with chunks of crusty French bread or on top of pasta or rice. This is a nutrient dense meal, with plenty of flavour. Keep it vegan, or add cheese on top.

    Traditionally, ratatouille is cooked on a low heat for a long time, however this is our quicker and easier weeknight version.

    If you are looking for more veggie packed recipes, then why not try our Vegetable Pasta Bake, Slow Cooker Vegetable Curry or Creamy Vegetable Soup?

    Jump to:
    • Ingredients needed
    • How to make ratatouille - Step by step
    • What is ratatouille?
    • Variations
    • Serving suggestions
    • FAQs
    • Extra tips
    • More vegan recipes
    • Recipe
    • Feedback

    Ingredients needed

    • Bell peppers - We used red and yellow, for a nice pop of bright colour and because they are sweet. However, green and orange will work in this ratatouille too.
    • Aubergine (eggplant) - Look for aubergines with smooth, shiny skin that are uniform in colour and heavy for their size.
    • Onion - We used red onion in this recipe, however brown onion or even shallots will work.
    • Courgette (zucchini) - Look for a vibrant and rich colour courgette. Don't choose one that is too big, as they tend to be watery and flavourless.
    • Carrot - We find this is a cheap way to bulk the dish out. They do still have a bit of crunch to them, as they don't cook as quickly as the other vegetables.
    • Fresh tomatoes - Although tinned tomatoes make up most of the tomatoes in this dish, we like to add some fresh for some extra flavour and texture.
    • Tinned tomatoes - Try to use the best quality tomatoes you can, as you really will be able to taste the difference. Cheap tinned tomatoes tend to be really water.
    • Lemon - This adds lots of freshness to the dish.
    • Basil and oregano - An easy way to add lots of flavour. You could use dried oregano too.
    • Garlic - Fresh is always best, however you can use a teaspoon of lazy chopped garlic from a jar if you prefer.

    How to make ratatouille - Step by step

    One: Heat the oil in a pan and add all the vegetables and gently cook for 5 minutes.

    A frying pan with various chopped vegetables cooking in it.

    Two: Add the rest of the ingredients and put a lid on the pot and simmer for 15 minutes.

    Chopped vegetables, plum tomatoes, chopped herbs and crushed garlic all cooking in a frying pan.

    What is ratatouille?

    Ratatouille is a traditional dish from Provence, France. It’s a delicious stew of vegetables like courgette, aubergine, tomatoes, and peppers. There are lots of ways to adapt it, but those are the vegetables that you would traditionally find in it.

    The sauce is made of canned tomatoes, a little lemon juice and plenty of garlic and herbs. You want to make sure that you use a really good quality can of tomatoes, as you will honestly taste the difference. Cheaper cans can be really watery. You could use fresh tomatoes and grate them or finely chop them.

    Traditionally, all of the vegetables would be cooked individually in olive oil (so that they are all cooked properly) and then combined together and simmered in the sauce. However, we love that this ratatouille recipe can all be done in one pot. You could also roast all the vegetables and then finish them in the sauce.

    Variations

    There really is no rule when it comes to making ratatouille, apart from that it should have a tomato base, so that means that whatever vegetables you have, put them in and it will taste great. It is also all cooked in one pot, so throw everything in, season it, put a lid on it and simmer it until it is ready.

    A green bowl full of chopped vegetables.

    Serving suggestions

    We had ours with just some crusty French bread, but it also goes really well with some pasta and topped with feta. Why not our Homemade Flatbread or Rosemary and Garlic Focaccia to scoop up all that sauce.

    But there is leftovers and that will be going on an Air Fryer Baked Potato tomorrow. It would be good on rice too. Just put it on everything - it has so many uses!

    A dish of ratatouille containing peppers, eggplant, onion, zucchini, carrot and tomatoes.

    FAQs

    How to store ratatouille

    Cool to room temperature, and then divide among shallow, airtight containers. You can keep it this way in the fridge for up to a week or it will be good in the freezer for up to three months.

    How to reheat ratatouille

    To reheat the ratatouille, make sure that it has fully defrosted and then heat through in a pan. If the vegetables have gone a little mushy from being frozen, you could always blend everything up and use it as a pasta sauce with a splash of balsamic and a generous amount of shaved Parmesan.

    heart icon

    Extra tips

    • Add some protein by serving a runny poached egg on top.
    • You can use any vegetables you have, but chunky ones work best.
    • This is delicious served with crusty French bread. However leftovers are also good on pasta, rice or a baked potato.
    • If you want to have a caramelised flavour to the vegetables, then roast them all together, and then finish them off in the sauce on the hob (stove top).
    • Serve with a generous amount of olive oil drizzled on top.
    • Make sure all the vegetables are chopped to the same size to ensure that they cook evenly. Some people like small pieces of vegetables and others like chunkier veg, so that's up to you.

    More vegan recipes

    • Two microwave sweet potato on a plate.
      Microwave Sweet Potato
    • Mangetout, chilli and coriander on top of a bowl of stir fry
      Easy Vegetable Stir Fry
    • A plate of spicy noodles with a fork in them.
      Chilli Garlic Spicy Noodles
    • Vegetable Thai Green Curry on a blue plate with white rice and a lime wedge.
      Vegetable Thai Green Curry

    If you’ve tried this easy ratatouille recipe, let us know how you got on in the comments below.
    Tag us in your creations on Instagram @hungryhealthyhappy - Use the hashtag #hungryhealthyhappy too.

    Recipe

    Vegetable ratatouille in a green bowl.

    Ratatouille

    By: Dannii Martin
    We are making sure that vegetables are the star of the show in some of our meals. Vegetables are definitely the star of the show in ratatouille.
    A circular logo saying GF.
    Gluten Free
    An illustration of a v-shaped plant in a pot.
    Vegan
    4.98 from 36 votes
    Pin Print Save recipe Recipe saved!
    Course: Lunch
    Cuisine: French
    Prep: 5 minutes mins
    Cook: 20 minutes mins
    Total: 25 minutes mins
    Servings: 2 servings
    Calories: 241kcal
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients

    • 1 tablespoon Olive oil
    • 0.5 Yellow bell pepper - diced
    • 0.5 Red bell pepper - diced
    • 1 Aubergine (eggplant) - small; diced
    • 1 Red onion - cut in the eights
    • 1 Courgette (zucchini) - diced
    • 2 Tomatoes - quartered
    • 1 Carrot - peeled and diced
    • 400 g (14 oz) Plum tomatoes - canned
    • 0.5 Lemon - (juice only)
    • 4 tablespoon Fresh basil - chopped
    • 1 tablespoon Dried oregano
    • 2 Garlic clove - crushed
    • 1 pinch Sea salt and black pepper

    Instructions

    • Heat the oil in a pan and add all the vegetables and gently cook for 5 minutes.
    • Add the rest of the ingredients and put a lid on the pot and simmer for 15 minutes.

    Recipe tips

    • Add some protein by serving a runny poached egg on top.
    • You can use any vegetables you have, but chunky ones work best.
    • This is delicious served with crusty French bread. However leftovers are also good on pasta, rice or a baked potato.
    • If you want to have a caramelised flavour to the vegetables, then roast them all together, and then finish them off in the sauce on the hob (stove top).
    • Serve with a generous amount of olive oil drizzled on top.
    • Make sure all the vegetables are chopped to the same size to ensure that they cook evenly. Some people like small pieces of vegetables and others like chunkier veg, so that's up to you.

    Nutritional Information

    Serving: 1portion | Calories: 241kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 75mg | Potassium: 1955mg | Fiber: 16g | Sugar: 25g | Vitamin A: 9733IU | Vitamin C: 183mg | Calcium: 166mg | Iron: 4mg

    The nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.

    You'll love these too...

    • Four slices of air fryer toast on a wooden board.
      Air Fryer Toast
    • Microwave jacket potato topped with tuna mayonnaise and sour cream.
      Microwave Jacket Potato
    • Homemade Oven Chips on a pink plate.
      Easy Homemade Oven Chips
    • A goblet glass filled with Sea Breeze Cocktail.
      Sea Breeze Cocktail

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Ashley

      March 08, 2016 at 10:08 pm

      5 stars
      It's been sooo long since I've made ratatouille! I'm on an eggplant kick at the moment - I need to make some!

      Reply
    2. Phi @ The Sweetphi Blog

      March 08, 2016 at 6:53 pm

      5 stars
      One pot meals are the best, less dishes to wash! My sister in law just started weight watchers so i'll have to send this to her (in fact I just need to send her to your blog for amazing recipes :) )

      Reply
    3. Fresh Delights

      March 08, 2016 at 6:05 pm

      Yummm! I have got to try this!

      Reply
    4. Pamela @ Brooklyn Farm Girl

      March 08, 2016 at 4:58 pm

      This one pot ratatouille is a wonder! I'm in love with a big bowl of vegetables so I can't wait to give this recipe a taste. Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
    5. Nadia

      March 08, 2016 at 12:06 pm

      5 stars
      So easy and packed full of veggies! I saw canned ratatouille yesterday when I was out food shopping :O SERIOUSLY?!

      Reply
    6. Daniella

      March 08, 2016 at 8:50 am

      This looks so delicious. I adore ratatouille but I'm the only one in my home who likes it so I don't make it often, I love to serve it with grilled halloumi and polenta chips.

      Reply
    7. Camilla

      March 07, 2016 at 10:07 pm

      5 stars
      Fabulous Dannii:-) We love ratatouille in our house and in particular my daughter who I think would live off it if she could! The best thing about it I find is eating it the following day as all the flavours really intensify then:-)

      Reply
    8. marcie

      March 07, 2016 at 9:09 pm

      Ratatouille is one of my favorite dishes -- I love all the veggies! This looks just delicious Dannii and I'm dying for some!

      Reply
    9. karrie @ Tasty Ever After

      March 07, 2016 at 8:40 pm

      5 stars
      Can't wait until summer is here, when all the veggies are at their best. Love your ratatouille recipe and pinned it so I can make it this weekend. I totally agree too that you can literally eat this over and with everything (or by itself!). Yummy ;)

      Reply
    10. Rachelle @ Beer Girl Cooks

      March 07, 2016 at 6:39 pm

      5 stars
      French or Italian sound good to me! This looks like a perfect use of a box full of veggies! You can't go wrong with a one pot wonder either!

      Reply
    11. Mir

      March 07, 2016 at 3:08 pm

      5 stars
      I really love ratatouille, and not just because the movie was adorable. It's the best way to use veggies! Yours looks so flavorful and perfect!

      Reply
    12. Megan - The Emotional Baker

      March 07, 2016 at 12:26 pm

      5 stars
      I've never made ratatouille, but I love cooking with lots of veggies! Hope to try this soon :)

      Reply
    13. Sally Akins

      March 07, 2016 at 11:26 am

      I love ratatouille but some people cut it too finely and it all turns into mush. Yours looks fab, really delicious!

      Reply
    14. Alison

      March 07, 2016 at 11:16 am

      5 stars
      This is one of my favourite things, it is so addictive. It also freezes brilliantly so I made a big batch. It's so easy to make as well

      Reply
    15. Kelly

      March 07, 2016 at 1:51 am

      That is such a gorgeous bowl of veggie goodness! I love ratatouille and wish I had this for dinner tonight! It looks delicious!

      Reply
    16. Renna

      March 06, 2016 at 7:30 pm

      5 stars
      You are so right. Ratatouille can be used on and in so many other recipes.

      Reply
    17. Sarah

      March 06, 2016 at 6:41 pm

      Ohhh yum! This sounds yummy! I love your recipes. I'm going to pin this on pinterest :) xx

      Reply
    18. Natasha Mairs

      March 06, 2016 at 5:48 pm

      I haven't ate ratatouille in ages!! Looks so good, might have to make some next week x

      Reply
    19. Helen @ Scrummy Lane

      March 06, 2016 at 12:17 pm

      5 stars
      Thanks for reminding me of this, Dannii! I used to make it all the time when I was a student, but haven't for years.

      Love your idea of sprinkling feta on top. That would be just perfect!

      Reply
    20. Emma @ From Aldi To Harrods

      March 06, 2016 at 11:53 am

      5 stars
      This looks delicious! We are also on a mission to eat more vegetables, which is tough when my husband doesn't like them. I think this meal is perfect for getting more veg into our diet!

      Reply
    « Older Comments
    Newer Comments »

    Made this recipe? Let me know! Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    A bowl of ratatouille with a text title overlay.
    Dannii in hat and glasses stood on a beach.

    Welcome!
    My name is Dannii. Here you will find easy family recipes with a healthy twist.
    Established in 2011, Hungry Healthy Happy has become one of the UK's most popular food blogs, with two successful recipe books published.

    About HHH»

    Salad Recipes

    • A red bowl full of green bean salad.
      Green Bean Salad
    • A large bowl of aubergine salad next to a yellow towel.
      Aubergine Salad
    • A bowl of watercress salad with a wooden fork and spoon in it.
      Watercress Salad
    • Asparagus salad on a large round plate.
      Asparagus Salad
    • Halloumi salad on a round blue plate.
      Halloumi Salad
    • Rocket salad in a large serving bowl.
      Rocket Salad

    Featured in

    Collage of media outlet logos.

    Popular Recipes

    • A pile of air fryer chips.
      The Best Air Fryer Chips
    • 10 Minute Chickpea and Spinach Curry on a blue and white plate.
      10 Minute Chickpea and Spinach Curry
    • Easy tomato pasta sauce coating tagliatelle on a white plate.
      Easy Tomato Pasta Sauce
    • Slow cooker beef brisket sliced up on a serving board.
      Slow Cooker Beef Brisket

    Footer

    A bowl of ratatouille with a text title overlay.

    Help & Information

    • Contact
    • Privacy Policy
    • Accessibility Policy
    • Advertising
    • Blog

    About us

    • About us
    • Newsletter Sign Up!
    • Press enquiries
    • Web Stories
    • FAQ

    Follow us

    • Twitter
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • TikTok
    • YouTube

    ^ back to top

    Featured in

    A selection of publications that Hungry Healthy Happy has been featured in

    As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2011-2023 Hungry Healthy Happy • All Rights Reserved • Site Design by D Martin

    • 829
    1.4K shares