I’m sharing my Simple Ratatouille Recipe that reimagines the classic thinly sliced vegetable dish in tomato sauce and reveals why I always serve it with crusty bread.
I love the quiet geometry of a layered ratatouille, where thin vegetable rounds sit like little tiles and the oven teases them into something unexpected. This version made me rethink what folks mean when they google Best Ratatouille Recipe, because it’s not about fuss, it’s about patience and contrast.
I kept thinking about the Ratatouille Sauce Recipe everyone brags about, yet the moment the eggplant softens and basil wilts you get a deep, almost secret flavor that sticks with you. It feels simple but tricks the eye, and I promise you’ll want to slice it again just to see what changed.
Ingredients
- Extra virgin olive oil gives healthy fats, richness and helps carry flavors in the dish.
- Yellow onion adds sweetness fiber and savory depth when it slowly softens and caramelizes.
- Garlic brings a pungent heat, vitamin compounds and that aromatic punch people crave.
- Eggplant is spongy, full of fiber and potassium, it soaks up sauces and flavors.
- Zucchini keeps things light, low-carb, hydrating and with subtle sweet vegetal notes.
- Ripe tomatoes add acidity natural sweetness and lycopene, brightening and balancing the dish.
- Red pepper gives crunchy sweetness, vitamin C and a vivid color that pops.
- Fresh basil adds herbal perfume, antioxidants and a peppery sweet finish to each bite.
Ingredient Quantities
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes (about 800 g)
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 medium eggplant (about 1 lb / 450 g) thinly sliced
- 2 medium zucchini (about 8 oz each) thinly sliced
- 2 medium yellow summer squash thinly sliced
- 3 large ripe tomatoes or 4 small plum tomatoes thinly sliced
- 1 red bell pepper seeded and thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves torn or roughly chopped
How to Make this
1. Preheat oven to 375 F (190 C). Lightly oil a shallow 9 inch round or 9×9 inch baking dish with about 1/2 tablespoon of the olive oil and set aside.
2. Make the tomato base: heat the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the finely chopped yellow onion and cook until soft and translucent, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the minced garlic, cook 30 to 60 seconds until fragrant.
3. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper and 1 teaspoon dried thyme. Bring to a gentle simmer and let thicken for 8 to 12 minutes, stirring now and then. Taste and adjust salt or pepper if needed.
4. While the sauce simmers, thinly slice the eggplant, zucchini, yellow squash, tomatoes and red bell pepper. Aim for even slices, about 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick. If your eggplant looks bitter or very spongy, sprinkle the slices with a little salt, let sit 10 to 15 minutes, then blot dry with paper towel.
5. Spread the tomato sauce evenly over the bottom of the oiled baking dish. Scatter about half of the torn basil over the sauce so some flavor is under the vegetables.
6. Arrange the vegetable slices on top of the sauce in tight, overlapping rows or a spiral, alternating colors (eggplant, zucchini, yellow squash, tomato, red pepper) so it looks pretty and cooks evenly. Tuck slices in so the pan is mostly covered, and leave a little space for steam.
7. Sprinkle a small pinch of salt and pepper over the assembled vegetables, scatter the remaining basil, and drizzle any reserved olive oil over the top.
8. Cover the dish with a round of parchment paper to fit inside the dish or with foil and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the vegetables are tender when pierced with a knife.
9. Remove the cover and bake uncovered another 8 to 12 minutes if you want the edges slightly caramelized. Let rest 5 minutes, then serve warm with crusty bread. Leftovers keep in the fridge for a few days and are great reheated.
Equipment Needed
You’ll need a few basic tools to pull this off nothing fancy, just the essentials:
1. Oven (preheat to 375 F / 190 C)
2. 9 inch round or 9×9 inch baking dish, lightly oiled
3. Large skillet or sauté pan (for the tomato base)
4. Chef’s knife (for thin, even slices)
5. Cutting board
6. Measuring spoons (tsp and 1/2 tbsp)
7. Wooden spoon or silicone spatula (to stir the sauce)
8. Tongs or a small spatula (to arrange the veggies neatly)
9. Can opener (for the crushed tomatoes)
10. Parchment paper or aluminum foil (to cover the dish while baking)
FAQ
Ratatouille (Layered) Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- Eggplant: swap with thick sliced portobello or cremini mushrooms for a meaty texture, or just add extra zucchini if you want it milder. If you keep eggplant, salt and press it first to reduce bitterness, it really helps.
- Crushed tomatoes: use tomato passata for a smoother sauce, or blitz a can of whole peeled tomatoes in a blender then simmer till thick, fresh tomatoes cooked down (about 2 cups) also work in a pinch.
- Fresh basil: use dried basil at a 1 tsp dried per 1 tbsp fresh ratio, or try fresh parsley or oregano for a different but nice flavor.
- Yellow onion: swap with 2 small shallots for a sweeter, subtler onion note, or use 1/2 cup chopped leeks or a small red onion if thats what you have.
Pro Tips
1) Slice stuff evenly, use a mandoline or a steady knife so everything cooks at the same rate. I’ve cut veggies thicker on one side and ended up with some mush and some crunchy bits, its annoying and avoidable.
2) If the eggplant looks spongy or bitter, salt the slices and let them sit 10 to 15 minutes then blot them dry. That step pulls out extra water and any harsh flavor so the final dish wont be soggy.
3) Get the tomato base nicely reduced and taste it. A thicker, well seasoned sauce wont dilute the veggies, and a splash of balsamic or a little extra sugar can round out acidity if it tastes flat.
4) Cover while it bakes to steam everything tender, then uncover at the end for some color and caramelization. Rotate the pan once during baking and check early so you dont overcook and end up with a stew.
5) Make it a day ahead if you can, the flavors improve after resting in the fridge. Reheat gently, then finish with fresh basil and a drizzle of good olive oil or a sprinkling of crunchy breadcrumbs or grated cheese for texture.
Ratatouille (Layered) Recipe
I’m sharing my Simple Ratatouille Recipe that reimagines the classic thinly sliced vegetable dish in tomato sauce and reveals why I always serve it with crusty bread.
6
servings
160
kcal
Equipment: You’ll need a few basic tools to pull this off nothing fancy, just the essentials:
1. Oven (preheat to 375 F / 190 C)
2. 9 inch round or 9×9 inch baking dish, lightly oiled
3. Large skillet or sauté pan (for the tomato base)
4. Chef’s knife (for thin, even slices)
5. Cutting board
6. Measuring spoons (tsp and 1/2 tbsp)
7. Wooden spoon or silicone spatula (to stir the sauce)
8. Tongs or a small spatula (to arrange the veggies neatly)
9. Can opener (for the crushed tomatoes)
10. Parchment paper or aluminum foil (to cover the dish while baking)
Ingredients
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes (about 800 g)
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 medium eggplant (about 1 lb / 450 g) thinly sliced
2 medium zucchini (about 8 oz each) thinly sliced
2 medium yellow summer squash thinly sliced
3 large ripe tomatoes or 4 small plum tomatoes thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper seeded and thinly sliced
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves torn or roughly chopped
Directions
- Preheat oven to 375 F (190 C). Lightly oil a shallow 9 inch round or 9×9 inch baking dish with about 1/2 tablespoon of the olive oil and set aside.
- Make the tomato base: heat the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the finely chopped yellow onion and cook until soft and translucent, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the minced garlic, cook 30 to 60 seconds until fragrant.
- Stir in the crushed tomatoes, granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper and 1 teaspoon dried thyme. Bring to a gentle simmer and let thicken for 8 to 12 minutes, stirring now and then. Taste and adjust salt or pepper if needed.
- While the sauce simmers, thinly slice the eggplant, zucchini, yellow squash, tomatoes and red bell pepper. Aim for even slices, about 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick. If your eggplant looks bitter or very spongy, sprinkle the slices with a little salt, let sit 10 to 15 minutes, then blot dry with paper towel.
- Spread the tomato sauce evenly over the bottom of the oiled baking dish. Scatter about half of the torn basil over the sauce so some flavor is under the vegetables.
- Arrange the vegetable slices on top of the sauce in tight, overlapping rows or a spiral, alternating colors (eggplant, zucchini, yellow squash, tomato, red pepper) so it looks pretty and cooks evenly. Tuck slices in so the pan is mostly covered, and leave a little space for steam.
- Sprinkle a small pinch of salt and pepper over the assembled vegetables, scatter the remaining basil, and drizzle any reserved olive oil over the top.
- Cover the dish with a round of parchment paper to fit inside the dish or with foil and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the vegetables are tender when pierced with a knife.
- Remove the cover and bake uncovered another 8 to 12 minutes if you want the edges slightly caramelized. Let rest 5 minutes, then serve warm with crusty bread. Leftovers keep in the fridge for a few days and are great reheated.
Notes
- Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 468g
- Total number of serves: 6
- Calories: 160kcal
- Fat: 5g
- Saturated Fat: 0.6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Polyunsaturated: 0.5g
- Monounsaturated: 3.3g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
- Sodium: 253mg
- Potassium: 1088mg
- Carbohydrates: 21g
- Fiber: 7g
- Sugar: 9g
- Protein: 5g
- Vitamin A: 1200IU
- Vitamin C: 30mg
- Calcium: 60mg
- Iron: 1.5mg
