Are you looking for an easy Ratatouille recipe which is ready in about 30 minutes?! Check out this flavorful and healthy Ratatouille recipe which contains only veggies and is therefore low in calories (low carb and keto). This easy vegetable stew is a delicious vegan dish which can be served as a side (with e.g. bread/rice) or as a hearty main.
What Is Ratatouille?
Ratatouille is a classic French vegetable dish which is vegan and contains eggplant (aubergine), zucchini, tomatoes, onion, and peppers. The veggies are fried and cooked in some oil. I prefer not to use too much oil and added red wine which made the vegan Ratatouille even more delicious in my opinion! My recipe is not a classic/traditional French Ratatouille but that doesn’t mean it’s not as good!
Ingredients Of This Easy Ratatouille Recipe
As mentioned before, this easy Ratatouille recipe contains lots of colorful and healthy veggies. The Ratatouille ingredients which I used are eggplant (aubergine), zucchini, tomatoes, onion, garlic, and pepper. Furthermore, I added different spices to make the Ratatouille a little bit spicy and very flavorful.
I really hate boring/bland savory dishes, so I always season them really well. In addition to the veggies and spices, I also added red wine (you can use vegetable broth instead), a little bit tomato paste, and balsamic vinegar. And that’s pretty much it. This vegan Ratatouille is seriously an easy recipe which everyone can make for dinner.
How To Make Ratatouille?
First, you need to chop all the veggies. I prefer chunky pieces, about 3 cm in diameter but you can chop the veggies smaller if you like. The smaller you chop the veggies the faster they will cook.
So, after you chopped the veggies, heat oil in a pan. You can use olive oil or any other vegetable oil of choice. One tablespoon is enough in my opinion. First, fry the onion over medium heat, for about 4-5 minutes until lightly browned.
Next, add the eggplant and cook it for 8-10 minutes or until softened (I added the red wine and all spices after a few minutes). Finally, add the other veggies and cook for a further 10 minutes. I like it when the veggies aren’t too soft but if you prefer them really soft, cook them for a few minutes more.
Finally, add the balsamic vinegar and tomato paste. Ready is your easy Ratatouille recipe.
Can I Freeze Ratatouille?
Yes, you can double the recipe and freeze half of the batch. Place in an airtight container and freeze the Ratatouille for up to 3 months. Thaw and then reheat in a skillet when you want to eat it!
This Easy Ratatouille Recipe Is:
- Vegan
- Gluten-Free
- Low in calories
- Low-carb
- Keto
- Healthy
- Flavorful
- Hearty
- Comforting
- Easy to make
- A delicious dinner or side
- Cooked in one pot (skillet)
Difference between Ratatouille and Tian?
If you want to bring this easy savory recipe to a party, I would recommend making a Tian. What is a Tian you might ask? It’s basically the same dish, however, the veggies are thinly sliced with a mandoline, layered in a baking dish, and then cooked in the oven. It looks very nice and impressive, almost mesmerizing.
I made it a few times in the past and really loved how pretty it turned out. I must admit though that it was pretty time consuming to make a Tian. Therefore I probably won’t make it again when I am alone or just cook for my family. But it’s really a nice eye-catcher for a party! 🙂 Here you can see a picture:
Should you recreate this easy Ratatouille recipe, please leave a comment below and don’t forget to tag me in your Instagram or Facebook post with @elavegan and #elavegan because I love to see how your vegan Ratatouille turned out! And for more vegan stews, definitely also check out the following recipes: Easy Lentil Stew and Vegan Gumbo.
Easy Ratatouille Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 large eggplant (aubergine)
- 1 large zucchini
- 3 tomatoes
- 1 bell pepper
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1/4 cup red wine or vegetable broth
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp brown sugar or any other sweetener
- 3/4 tsp sea salt (or less/more to taste)
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/3 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (or less if you don't like it too spicy)
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- Fresh thyme chopped roughly (to taste)
- Black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Chop all veggies (eggplant, zucchini, tomatoes, bell pepper) into 1-inch (3 cm) pieces. Finely chop onion and garlic.
- Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat, add onion and sauté for about 4-5 minutes or until lightly browned.
- Add garlic and eggplant and cook for 3-4 minutes, then add the red wine and all spices. Let simmer on low-medium heat for a further 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add all remaining ingredients (except tomato paste and balsamic vinegar) and cook for about 10 minutes or until the veggies are soft (but not mushy). If you prefer more sauce, add more red wine or broth.
- Finally, add the tomato paste (you can add more than 1 tbsp if you want a thicker sauce) and the balsamic vinegar.
- Taste and adjust seasoning. Enjoy! This easy Ratatouille recipe can be served with bread or rice.
Notes
- If you don't like any of these spices, for example, oregano, simply leave them out. You can also add fresh basil if you like the taste.
- Recipe serves 3. Nutrition facts are for one serving.
Nutrition information is an estimate and has been calculated automatically
Joanne Schultz
Someone’s gave me an eggplant from their garden & I looked for recipes for eggplant that didn’t have too many carbs or fats.
Made this ratatouille recipe and loved it! Now every time my sister tells me that a store by her has eggplants for 99¢ each(NOT per pound!) I go and buy a couple of them!
Today I had a pickup near. My sister plus I wanted to go to BJs which is also by her. On the way back to her house I asked if she wanted to go to the Asian market we were going to pass- she said yes she needed more apples & by the way eggplants are,99¢! So we went, she got apples, I got 2 eggplants and ratatouille os in the menu for tonight!
Ela
That’s awesome, Joanne. 🙂
Alicen
Could you make this in a he crock pot?
Ela
I haven’t tried it, but it should work. 🙂
Alison
I was looking for a recipe to use up the asian eggplant, peppers and tomatoes in my garden. I wasn’t sure how it would turn out since ratatouille is usually made with globe eggplant. It turned out great! I’ll definitely make this again. Thanks!
Ela
Hey Alison, I am glad you liked it. 🙂
Johanna
So good! Thank you!
Karla Moore
can you make this and not use eggplant?
Ela
You can.
Emily
This does look good, but it could use some protein. If I added a can of cannellini beans, how much would I need to adjust the spices? Thanks.
Lorraine
made this & it is so delicious. over cooked it slightly as it went a bit mushy but was still delicious, learning curve for me.
thank you for sharing all your delicious recipes xx
Ela
You are very welcome! So glad you liked it! 🙂
Michelle Vella
Hi, I’m on a low iodine diet and have made this without the salt and tomato paste. It has turned out great and with all the spices, brown sugar and balsamic vinegar the color still is beautiful 😍 Thank you 😊
Ela
You are very welcome, Michelle. 🙂
Marybeth
Didn’t follow the recipe exactly but used it as a guide. Served with rice and it was sooo good!!
Ela
So glad you enjoyed it! 🙂