Baked Ratatouille

By Updated on

This mouthwatering Baked Ratatouille is stuffed with fresh vegetables in a flavorful tomato sauce and cooked to perfection. It makes the perfect show-stopping dish for any occasion, from weeknight dinners to social gatherings.

215 CAL 22g CARBS 11g FAT 10g PROTEIN
2 Comments

This Baked Ratatouille is packed with fresh zucchini, eggplant, and tomatoes with plenty of herbs and a layer of gooey mozzarella for the most delicious meal or side dish. I love to serve it with Basil Parmesan Polenta or Mashed Cauliflower.

With a glorious combination of fresh vegetables, herbs, and melty mozzarella cheese, this Baked Ratatouille is absolutely bursting with incredible flavors. You can serve it as a vegetarian main dish for Meatless Monday or as a vibrant side dish that guarantees to steal the show.

Every time I’ve made this dish for my family or friends, the plates of everyone in the room have been wiped clean. If, by some stroke of luck, you end up with leftovers, I love adding them to a big bowl of pasta or rice.

While this dish doesn’t traditionally include cheese, I love the taste of melted mozzarella over the top. For a vegan-friendly version, feel free to leave it out. If you love cheese as much as I do, it’s a definite must.

I typically like to serve Ratatouille alongside creamy polenta or mashed potatoes for the ultimate comfort food meal. This versatile dish is perfect for both hot summer days and cold winter nights, so it’s a great staple to make year-round.

Serve up this Baked Ratatouille for your next dinner party, backyard barbecue, baby shower, or weeknight meal with the family. This stunning dish is easy to make and comes together in under an hour, making it the ideal dish for any occasion. For a hands-off ratatouille, try this slow cooker version with polenta.

baked French Ratatouille in a dish with slices of eggplant, zucchini, summer squash, and red onion with tomatoes and fresh herbs.

What is Ratatouille?

Ratatouille is a classic French dish made from stewed vegetables and herbs. The dish originated in Nice around 1877, but has since been recreated in different variations all around the world. While ratatouille varies from place to place, it most often includes a combination of tomatoes, eggplant, zucchini, onion, garlic, and herbs. Once considered to be a dish traditionally eaten by the poor, ratatouille is now commonly seen on menus at upscale restaurants across Europe.

In my version, I use the classic combination of vegetables, with the addition of red wine vinegar, olive oil, oregano, thyme, rosemary, and mozzarella. Any vegetables you have at home will work, so this dish is great for clearing out the fridge if you don’t know what to do with vegetables that are on their way out.

Key Ingredients

The key ingredients you will need for this vibrant dish include:

  • Squash: As is tradition, we use both zucchini and summer squash in this delicious recipe.
  • Tomatoes: To keep things easy, we just used crushed tomatoes. For a more authentic version, add sliced Roma tomatoes as well. You can sub them out for any fresh tomatoes you like.
  • Eggplant: This vegetable adds a beautiful color contrast, tons of beneficial nutrients, and delicious flavor.
  • Dried herbs: We’re going to use a combination of dried oregano, thyme, and rosemary. If you don’t have all of these, you can sub them out for an Italian seasoning blend.
  • Mozzarella: I find that fresh sliced mozzarella yields the best flavor, but you can use fresh mozzarella instead if you have some at home.

Recipe Variations

There are a ton of fun and delicious ways to switch up this fantastic recipe. Here are some of my favorites:

  • Skip the cheese and make a dairy-free version instead.
  • During the fall, try switching out the summer squash for butternut squash.
  • Use cherry tomatoes instead of Roma tomatoes.
  • Try using balsamic vinegar instead of red wine vinegar.
  • Instead of red onions, try white onions or shallots.
  • If you wind up with leftovers, add them to cooked pasta. Delicious!
  • If you don’t have all the spices this recipe calls for, you can use an Italian spice blend instead.
  • You can switch up the flavor profile with some different spice blends like Mediterranean, Indian, and Mexican.
  • For a touch of added sweetness, try adding in sweet bell peppers.
  • If you’re a spicy food lover, use spicy diced tomatoes instead of crushed tomatoes, or add crushed red pepper to the dish.
  • To add a delicious crispy coating on top, cover the dish with seasoned toasted breadcrumbs and a few tablespoons of melted butter, then broil for 10-15 minutes at the end.
  • For more of a vegetable stew, you can chop the veggies into chunks instead of thin slices.

How to Store This Dish

To store this dish, simply transfer it to an airtight container and keep the leftovers in the fridge for up to one week. Leftovers can be reheated and served over pasta or kept cold and served over a bed of greens. You could even mix your leftovers into a bowl of scrambled or fried eggs for breakfast! This dish can also be stored in the freezer for 2-3 months, but keep in mind that the textures of the vegetables will likely be mushier than before.

Frequently Asked Questions

Below are some of the most frequently asked questions about this dish:

Ratatouille is a traditional French dish made from stewed vegetables and herbs in a flavorful tomato sauce. It’s most commonly made with vegetables like zucchini, summer squash, eggplant, onions, and tomatoes.

Yes. Ratatouille can be stored in an airtight bag or container in the freezer for up to 3 months. If you choose to freeze it, keep in mind that the veggies will likely be more mushy after the dish is thawed out. That being said, leftovers work great as more of a veggie stew spooned over pasta or rice.

Almost any quick cooking vegetables you like will work in this recipe. Options include thinly sliced butternut squash, bell peppers, and cherry tomatoes.

You can pair this dish with any side dishes you like. Some of my top choices include mashed potatoes, creamy polenta, pasta, and rice. Grilled or toasted bread is also great for dipping in the sauce.

Zoomed in picture of baked ratatouille with sliced zucchini, eggplant, and summer squash covered with tomatoes, herbs, and cheese.
The Recipe
Baked ratatouille with sliced eggplant, zucchini, red onions, and tomatoes in a baking dish with melted cheese and fresh basil.

Baked Ratatouille

215 CAL 22g CARBS 11g FAT 10g PROTEIN
PREP TIME: 10 Min
COOK TIME: 40 Min
TOTAL TIME: 50 Min
2 Comments
  • Print
  • Download
  • Send to your inbox

Ingredients

US METRICS
  • 2 cups crushed tomatoes
  • 1 red onion
  • 1 eggplant
  • 1 zucchini
  • 1 summer squash (or another zucchini)
  • 2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
  • 1 tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp. oregano
  • 1/2 tsp. thyme
  • 1/2 tsp. rosemary
  • 1/4 tsp pepper
  • 4 oz. fresh mozzarella, sliced

Like this Recipe? Try our Meal Plans!

Slender Kitchen Meal Plans
  • Weekly Meal Plans
  • Easy Shopping List
  • Healthy, Low Carb, & Vegetarian
  • Nutritional Information

Instructions

(Hide Media)

Switch to prevent your screen from going dark.

1

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Slice the vegetables into circles, trying to make them similar in width so that they cook evenly. I recommend slicing them about 1/4 inch wide. Spray a baking dish with cooking spray. Pour half the crushed tomatoes into the bottom of the dish. Then layer in the vegetables vertically.

Zucchini and eggplant sliced and layered in a baking dish for ratatouille.
2

Sprinkle with herbs, vinegar, oil, salt, and pepper. Top with remaining crushed tomatoes.

Herbs sprinkled on sliced eggplant, zucchini, and onion in a baking dish with crushed tomatoes.
3

Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes (for tender-crisp) or 40-45 minutes for softer veggies. Remove foil and layer the cheese on top. Bake uncovered for 10-15 minutes until cheese melts.

Baked ratatouille with melted mozzarella cheese served with bread.
Nutritional Facts
Serving Size: 1.5 cups
Amount Per Serving
Calories 215
Calories from Fat 95
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 11g
16%
Saturated Fat 5g
24%
Monounsaturated Fat 0g
0%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0g
0%
Cholesterol 23mg
8%
Sodium 796mg
35%
Total Carbohydrate 22g
8%
Dietary Fiber 8g
33%
Sugars 13g
Protein 10g

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

The Nutritional Values provided are estimates only and may vary based on the preparation method.

user image
About the author Meet Kristen McCaffrey
Hi, I’m the cookbook author, recipe developer, and food enthusiast behind Slender Kitchen. I am obsessed with making healthy food that is easy to prepare and absolutely delicious. Meal planning is my secret weapon and I hope I can make meal time easier for you with our tried and tested recipes and foolproof meal plans. Learn More
2 Comments
On Baked Ratatouille
user image
user image
Kareem
June 11, 2022 - 11:53
Add a Rating:
5
Yum! A nice twist on baked vegetables.
user image
Megan Eaton
March 26, 2016 - 12:13
Add a Rating:
4
Really good dish, especially served over the basil parm polenta!
Instagram Icon
Did you make this?

Snap a picture and show us what you made on Instagram or Facebook. Tag us using @SlenderKitchen or #slenderkitchen.