French Ratatouille Recipe

Let me show you how to make the real, traditional French ratatouille properly — uncomplicated, deeply aromatic, and exactly as it’s meant to taste.

Ratatouille comes from Provence in the South of France, and its name comes from touiller, meaning “to stir”. So, if you’re picturing neatly layered vegetables in a spiral from the movie Ratatouille, that’s actually called a Confit Byaldi or a Tian, the more rustic version of it! These dishes are often confused with ratatouille, but they are completely different!

French Ratatouille Recipe

Traditional French Ratatouille Recipe

4.88 (25 reviews)

The real Provençal ratatouille: eggplant, zucchini, bell peppers and tomatoes, each vegetable are diced and seared on their own, then simmered gently together. Silky, deeply fragrant, and never watery.

Print recipe Rate Save

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour

Servings 6

Ingredients 

1x2x3x

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 eggplant diced
• 2 zucchinis diced
• 1 red bell pepper diced
• 1 green bell pepper diced
• 6 fresh tomatoes coarsely chopped
• 1 yellow onion thinly sliced
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1 tablespoon of herbes de Provence
• Salt and pepper

Instructions 

1. In a Dutch oven (or heavy pot), sauté the eggplant in olive oil over high heat for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, then set aside. Repeat the process for the zucchini and then the peppers: they should be lightly browned but still crisp.
   
2. In the same pot, sauté the onion and garlic. Add the tomatoes and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes until the sauce thickens.
   
3. Fold the pre-cooked vegetables back into the sauce along with the herbs de Provence. Mix gently.
   
4. Cover and let it slow-cook (confit) over very low heat for 15 to 20 minutes. Avoid stirring too much to keep the vegetables from turning into mush.
   

Video

Notes

• For an even more melt-in-the-mouth version, place the covered casserole in an oven preheated to 160°C and cook for 25 to 30 minutes instead of leaving it on the stove. You can adjust this time if you prefer crisp or candied vegetables.
• Ratatouille can be stored for 4 to 5 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Nutrition facts

Calories: 69kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.04g | Sodium: 22mg | Potassium: 622mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 1351IU | Vitamin C: 51mg | Calcium: 52mg | Iron: 2mg

My 5 Tips for An Aromatic Ratatouille

The original French ratatouille is all about fresh vegetables. To make sure it tastes really intense and well-rounded, I always pay attention to these 5 points during preparation:

1. Use ripe vegetables. The eggplant, peppers, zucchinis and especially the tomatoes must be aromatic. Otherwise, even the best ratatouille recipe will end up tasting flat.
2. The right size. I don’t cut the vegetables too large or too small, but in such a way that they retain their structure and don’t overcook.
3. Sauté the vegetables separately. Each vegetable needs its own time to reach the perfect cooking point.
4. Avoid high heat. Ratatouille can be patiently simmered over a medium heat. Excessively high temperatures destroy the aroma.
5. Do not over-season in between. The final seasoning with salt, pepper and Provençal herbs only takes place when all the ingredients in the casserole are simmering together.

When I talk about ratatouille, I mean that the vegetables have been given love and time. It is not a simple “vegetable dish”.

The Ingredients of The Original French Ratatouille

A classic ratatouille consists of simple ingredients that you can easily find in any supermarket. You could eat it all year round but it tastes best in summer – when eggplants, zucchinis, peppers and tomatoes are in season.

• Eggplant
• Zucchini
• Red and green peppers
• fresh tomatoes
• Yellow onions
• Garlic
• Olive oil
• Herbs of Provence
• Salt & pepper

Ratatouille originally comes from Provence. And there they cook with whatever the summer has to offer. There is no room for cream, cheese or exotic spices in the original recipe.

Why Preparation is so Important for Ratatouille

Ratatouille is not a complicated dish – but it can quickly become chaotic. That’s why I always prepare everything in advance: Wash and cut the vegetables. The eggplant, bell pepper and zucchini each have their own cooking time, and as soon as the olive oil is hot, everything should be ready to hand. This way you can work in peace. Some people pre-salt the eggplant lightly so that it contains fewer bitter substances and doesn’t soak up so much oil when frying.

This preparation makes all the difference, especially with ratatouille. It ensures that each vegetable retains its structure and can still develop its full flavor.

The Right Order When Cooking a Ratatouille

This is where you decide whether your ratatouille will be “okay” or really tasty. I have a clear order.

1. First, I sauté the vegetables one by one: Eggplant, zucchini, bell peppers – and set them aside.
2. Then briefly add the onions and garlic to the hot pan.
3. I then add the tomatoes and leave to simmer for a few minutes.
4. Only then I put the prepared vegetables back into the pot and let them simmer slowly without overcooking them.

If you cook everything at the same time, you’re more likely to end up with a vegetable mess. But cooked properly, you can recognize every vegetable in ratatouille.

My best tip: For even more flavor and if you have a Dutch oven or casserole with a lid, place it covered in the oven at 350 °F (160 °C) for 20-25 minutes instead of braising the ratatouille on the stove. It tastes even better. Sometimes, I even let it for 1 hour at around 200 °F (100 °C), the slower the better!

Pan, Heat and Cooking Time – That’s What Matters

A brief summary:

• A large, heavy pan or a wide pot is ideal. I use a casserole or a Dutch oven.
• Medium heat is sufficient. Ratatouille should simmer gently, not fry.
• With my simple family recipe, you’ll need 30-40 minutes to have ratatouille on the table.

What to Serve with Ratatouille

Ratatouille is rarely served on its own in France. It is often served as a side dish – warm or at room temperature. As a French girl, I like to combine it with:

• Grilled fish
• Oven-baked meat like this chicken with olives
• fresh baguette
• Polenta or rice
• a simple fried egg

I think it tastes even better the next day, for example as a topping on my vegetarian bowl or cold on toasted bread with some goat’s cheese.

FAQ

More French Classics

• Potatoes Dauphinoise (French Potato au Gratin)
• Coq au Vin
• Beef Bourguignon
• Quiche Lorraine
• Niçoise salad
• Tapenade
• Croque Monsieur