Easy French Ratatouille (2024)

For the sauce

• 2 lb ripe tomatoes - see note 1
• 2 onions -see note 2
• 3 cloves garlic
• 3 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ cup white wine -see note 3
• ½ teaspoon sugar
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves - see note 4
• 2 tablespoon chopped fresh basil - see note 5

For the vegetables

• 1 eggplant -see note 6
• 2 zucchinis -see note 8
• 2 bell peppers (red, orange, or yellow) -see note 7
• 4 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil , divided
• ½ teaspoon salt , divided (cooking/kosher)

• Preheat your oven to 425ºF/220ºC.

While the oven is heating up, start the sauce.

• Remove the tomatoes' core, then place them in a food processor or blender and puree to a thick foamy puree. (see note 9 if you don't have a blender/processor)

  2 lb ripe tomatoes

• Peel and chop the onions into large chunks (½-¾ inch square)

  2 onions

• Peel and thinly slice the garlic cloves.

  3 cloves garlic

• Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the onion and the salt. Cook for 4-5 minutes until the onion is soft with a hint of golden on the edges.

  3 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

  2 onions (chopped)

  ½ teaspoon salt

• Add the sliced garlic and stir for 30 seconds. Then pour in the wine. Stir well to remove any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pan and cook for a minute.

  3 cloves garlic (sliced)

  ¼ cup white wine

• Add the pureed tomatoes, thyme, black pepper, and sugar. Reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer gently.

  2 lb ripe tomatoes (pureed)

  1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

  ¼ teaspoon black pepper

  ½ teaspoon sugar

Prepare the veg

• Cut the eggplant and zucchinis into ½ inch chunks and cut the bell peppers ¾ inch squares.

  1 eggplant

  2 zucchinis

  2 bell peppers (red, orange, or yellow)

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• Toss the diced eggplant with 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and ¼ teaspoon of salt, then arrange on a large, rimmed baking sheet in a single layer.

• Toss the bell pepper and zucchini with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and ½ teaspoon salt and arrange on a large, rimmed baking tray in a single layer.

• Place the baking sheets in the oven with the zucchini and bell pepper tray on the top shelf and the eggplant on the middle shelf.

• Cook for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, remove the baking trays and stir the vegetables making sure they stay in a single layer.

• Return the veg to the oven and cook for 10 minutes.

• Remove from the oven and transfer the vegetables into the tomato sauce.

• Simmer the sauce for 5-6 minutes. Then stir in the fresh basil and check the seasoning.

  2 tablespoon chopped fresh basil

1. Use the best ripest tomatoes you can. If fresh tomatoes aren't available, you can use a 28oz can of crushed tomatoes instead if you need to.
2. You can use any onion you have to hand. White, brown, or red onions will all work.
3. If you don't consume alcohol or don't have wine to hand, then you can replace it with water.
4. If you are using dried thyme, then only use ½ teaspoon.
5. Fresh basil is perfect for this sauce, you can use dried if you don't have it, but it will give a different taste. Use just ½ teaspoon.
6. You want a firm, medium-sized eggplant, roughly 1lb/450g
7. Use large bell peppers. You can mix and match the colors to suit what you have. Avoid green as they aren't sweet enough and can affect the final dish.
8. Use firm zucchinis, weighing around 8oz/220g each.
9. If you don't have a food processor or blender, you can grate the tomatoes on a large hole box grater. Chop any bits of flesh or skin that are too small to grate.