Luscious and colorful, vegan and flavorful!
Table of Contents
Was anyone else relieved to learn that ratatouille doesn’t feature rats as an ingredient? Just me? While I may have been a tad naïve, you’ve got to admit that the influences that language and connotation have on our preconceived notions can be misleading! In English, dishes are commonly named for their contents or origin and a name like ratatouille implies a lot less than what this colorful classic actually is.
Ratatouille’s name originates from the Occitan dish of ratatolha (a portmanteau of old military slang for stew) and an expressive form of the French word “touiller” (or “stirred”). Sometimes called a “French revolution”, ratatouille has since taken many forms, from the originally stewed pot of vegetables to niçoise, but the most common modern form (and the most picturesque!) is the confit byaldi – pyramid ratatouille!
Now, if we learned anything from the word “ratatouille” not meaning what we thought it did, we might be reasonably skeptical when it comes to “pyramid ratatouille” – and good thing! Pyramid ratatouille isn’t made by burying ancient pharaohs underneath triangular ratatouille ingredients! Pyramid ratatouille is just referring to the stacked and layered (often spiraling) visual presentation of most modern ratatouille.
Ratatouille seeks to impress you following the presumptuous nature of its name by being a deliciously dainty, creatively colorful, masterfully munchable dish! Splendidly layered flavors of delicately cooked vegetables make ratatouille a vegan meal so precious you might just want to take a picture before you DEVOUR it!
Is Ratatouille Healthy?
A lot of French cuisine is healthy, ratatouille included! However, most French cuisine doesn’t qualify for vegan or keto diets due to their frequent use of butter and pastry. Ratatouille stands apart from a lot of French dishes there, as due to its wholly vegetable content and having practically no carbs, ratatouille is perfect to make for any vegan or keto diet!
Who else loves a good movie about food?
A lot of people might have had their first love affair with food through the magic of cinema! I doubt I’d be the only person to say that the first time I’d ever seen ratatouille was, fittingly, in Ratatouille (2007). Food flicks are a delight to see and there’s something inspiring about watching delicious food eaten by famous faces.
Here are a couple of film recommendations to get you inspired to make other fantastic dishes!
Chef (2014): Jon Favreau’s fictionalized dive into the world of food trucks and fine dining takes a humble cast across America for scrumptious cinema-worthy foods like slow-cooked smoked brisket, aglio e olio, and chocolate lava cake!
The Menu (2022): A horrifying (yet comedic) take on the proletariat phrasing “eat the rich”, Ralph Fiennes serves a chilling banquet of chicken tacos, pressure cooked “mess”, and soft boiled eggs.
Ratatouille (2007): The classic tale of a man and his mouse, an aspiring chef and the son of a local French restauranteur work together to cook delicious plates of potato and leek soup and, of course, ratatouille!
INGREDIENTS
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/4 cup onion, finely chopped
- 1 cup crushed tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/4 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 medium eggplant, sliced into 1/8 inch thick rounds
- 2 medium zucchini, sliced into 1/8 inch thick rounds
- 3 medium Roma tomatoes, sliced into 1/8 inch thick rounds
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
INSTRUCTIONS
Sauté
Cook onion and garlic; simmer sauce.
Layer
Arrange sliced vegetables over the sauce.
Bake
Cover, bake, uncover, and finish baking.
Devour!
FAQs & Tips
Ratatouille is best served fresh, but it’s also delicious after a day of marinating! Refrigerate your ratatouille for up to five days and, when you mean to serve it, slowly bring it to room temperature to preserve the integrity of your layers!
A lot of film depictions of ratatouille utilize extra thin slices of ingredients to create a rainbow-like spiral with extra smooth textures. Using a mandolin might help you achieve the thin slices you would need for film-to-table accurate dishes of ratatouille!
Classic ratatouille isn’t spiraled at all! Ratatouille is a stirred mixture of the vegetables listed in our ingredients list, regardless of their cut and presentation! Your flavors will be exquisite regardless!
Serving Suggestions
Ratatouille is best served alongside French favorites and twists! Try pairing your ratatouille with a slice of classic quiche or a plate of splendidly sautéed brussels sprouts. When you’re done, cap off the evening with a delicious French 75 cocktail for a dinner experience that feels as luxurious and lavish as a Parisian night!
Ratatouille Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ¼ cup onion finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 cup crushed tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- ¼ teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 medium eggplant sliced into ⅛-inch thick rounds
- 2 medium zucchini sliced into ⅛-inch thick rounds
- 3 medium Roma tomatoes sliced into ⅛-inch thick rounds
- Salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 375°F. In a skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Sauté onion and garlic until softened, about 3 minutes.
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Stir in crushed tomatoes, basil, and parsley. Simmer the sauce for 10 minutes, allowing it to thicken slightly. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
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Spread the tomato sauce evenly in the bottom of a baking dish. Arrange the sliced eggplant, zucchini, and Roma tomatoes in alternating layers over the sauce.
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Drizzle the vegetables with olive oil and season with additional salt and pepper. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
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Remove the foil and continue to bake for another 40 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender and the top is slightly caramelized.
Nutrition
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