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
Sherri
All I can say is thank you. My husband hates eggplant and he did not even know it was in his dinner. So simple and tasty. I ate the leftovers a couple of days later and they were even better.
Ela
That’s wonderful, Sherri! I am so glad you both enjoyed the meal. 🙂
April E.
This was delicious. My husband thought it was the best thing he had eaten all week. I will definitely make this again. This was my first eggplant experience and I hope it always taste as good.
Ela
Very glad you both loved the recipe! Thanks for your great feedback, April! 🙂
Tiffany R
Made this tonight and it was freaking delicious! So much depth of flavor! I don’t think my husband has ever loved a non-potato side dish and couldn’t stop raving about this!
Ela
Wonderful! I am so glad you both loved the recipe! Thanks for your great feedback, Tiffany. 🙂
Cathy
Can this recipe be frozen for use later on? My husband will love this, I don’t like eggplant, so I’m thinking it’ll make more than he can eat.
Ela
Yes, that should work very well, Cathy. 🙂
Elena Farrant
Love this! How would I make it the Tian style?
Ela
Hi Elena! You will need to slice the veggies thinly and evenly, either with a sharp knife or with a mandoline. Make the sauce and pour it into a round pan. Then layer the veggies as shown in the photo. Bake in the oven until the veggies are done. A Tian looks very pretty but it’s definitely more work. 🙂
Gerrie Evans
Would I be able to do this in a crockpot? This recipe sounds fantastic but I’m more interested in a “dump and go” recipe and hoping this would be able to convert into it but not sure how to go about it….
Ela
I never tried it but it should work fine.
Sheena
Made this last night. Sticked to the recipe and was fantastic. Thank you so much. Made the chickpea and aubergine curry today (for tonight) and left a comment there too.
Ela
I am glad you liked the recipe, Sheena! Thanks for your comment. 🙂
Angela Arsenio
Made this today, went a bit crazy on the chilies but it is the best ratatouille I have ever made(I have tried many)!
Ela
So glad you liked the recipe, Angela! 🙂
Corinna
Hi .. am going to try making this today .. quick question though – how is the sugar content so high?? Is it from the balsamic vinegar? Thank you from Trinidad& Tobago
Ela
Hi Corinna, well, I have calculated the nutrition facts with Cronometer.com and it tells me that one large eggplant has over 24 grams of sugar alone. Not sure if that’s correct though. But all the other veggies, tomato paste, etc. contain a little sugar as well. 🙂
Dee | Green Smoothie Gourmet
This ratatouille looks incredibly healthy and filling Ela! Thanks for sharing such a wholesome recipe! Dee xx
Ela
Thank you, Dee! I hope you will give it a try. 🙂
Deborath
The most easy peace ratatoullie ever!!!!!!. I make the french recipie, but definitely this is the winner, combined with pasta??. Since i saw your Instagrem, i instantly fall for your recipes.big hugs and Exitos!!!
Ela
Yay! I am so happy you loved this Easy Ratatouille recipe! Thanks so much for your amazing feedback. 🙂
Karen Brown
Nutritious and delicious ! l am going to serve this over pasta with vege balls.. Thanks, for another great recipe..
Ela
Sounds like a great idea! Thanks for your wonderful feedback, Karen! 🙂
Greg Roxy
Great recipe! Don’t be scared to double up and make a pot for the week. Much love!
Ela
So happy you liked the recipe, Greg! Thanks for your feedback. 🙂
Tatenda
Absolutely loved the ratatouille & sweet potato curry recipe. Just did this for Mothers day & everyone loved it. It was different & didn’t feel like the usual vegan stuff (bland rice & beans). Just a quick question, can we have more breakfast recipes. the
Ela
Thanks for your great feedback! 🙂
Simone
Liebe Ela,
wie immer sind deine Rezepte super lecker, so wie dieses leckere Ratatouille!
Meine Liste mit Lieblingsrezepten von dir wird immer länger!
Beste Grüße
Simone
@dattelundnuss
Ela
Dankeschön, liebe Simone! Ich freue mich, dass dir das Ratatouille geschmeckt hat. 🙂
Debbora Berlinger
I would like to prepare this in an instant pot. do you know the settings?
Ela
Hi Debbora, I never tried making the Ratatouille in an Instant pot. However, I would probably heat oil in the Instant Pot (SAUTE function), add onion, garlic, and eggplant and sauté for about 4-5 minutes, then add the red wine and all spices. And then I would add all other veggies and cook on “MANUAL” for just 1 minute. Once the time is up, quick release. I think if you cook it longer the veggies will get mushy. As mentioned before, I never tried it, so it might work but maybe it won’t. You might need to add more liquid (e.g. broth) to avoid getting a burning message from the IP. Please report back if you give it a try.
Yoga with Shakira
I tried this yesterday for Easter Sunday, and my friends and family loved it. I will continue making this, and also try new recipes from you <3 Much love from Malaysia!
Ela
Wonderful! I am glad you liked the recipe. Sending love back! 🙂
Jess @choosingchia
Love how simple and easy this is Ela!
Ela
Thank you, Jess! Yes, I love simple recipes. 🙂
Bianca Zapatka
This looks so delicious! Love ratatouille ?
The perfect recipe for spring and summer! ❤️
Ela
Thank you, Bianca! Yes, it’s really a great light dish for spring and summer! 🙂
Blooming Nolwenn
Your vegan ratatouille looks delicious, Ela! I used to not like it when I was a kid (and we would eat it pretty often here in France, haha) but now I love it.
Your Tian looks incredible too 🙂
Ela
Thank you so much, Nolwenn! So glad you like it. 🙂