Ratatouille à ma façon

oil painting of a ratatouille plate
Léonce Chenal

Ladies and gentlemen, let me introduce you to ratatouille à ma façon—which, in English, means my way. Originally shared exclusively in my newsletter a few weeks ago, I’ve since noticed quite a few searches for this recipe on my site. And some of you who’ve tried it have sent me such lovely feedback! So, I thought—why not dedicate a blog post to it? It’s incredibly simple to make and absolutely delicious (you’ll have to let me know what you think!).

Now, you might be wondering, why “ratatouille à ma façon”? Well, quite simply because this version doesn’t include eggplant. While I do enjoy eggplant—especially in the form of a baba ganoush—it tends to release too much water in ratatouille and adds a slight bitterness that, personally, I don’t love in this dish.

By leaving out the eggplant and following my recipe, you’ll get a ratatouille that’s naturally sweeter (thanks to the red bell peppers) and has just the right amount of juiciness from the tomatoes. Serve it with a perfectly crisp baguette, and voilà—pure delight ;)!

oil painting of a ratatouille plate

Ratatouille à ma façon

Here’s my favorite ratatouille recipe—à ma façon (my way), without eggplant.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Course Main Course
Cuisine French
Servings 4 people

Ingredients
  

  • 2 tomatoes
  • 2 zucchinis
  • 2 red bell peppers
  • 3 onions
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 1 tbsp of Herbes de Provence
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • Extra virgin olive oil

Instructions
 

  • Start by finely chopping the onions and garlic. In a cast iron pot, such as a Staub or Le Creuset, heat a drizzle of olive oil over high heat. Add the onions and garlic, letting them sweat and caramelize uncovered.
  • While they cook, wash and finely chop the tomatoes, zucchinis, and bell peppers into small, even pieces.
  • Once the onions and garlic are golden and fragrant, reduce the heat to medium-low and add the chopped vegetables to the pot. Stir well, drizzle a little more olive oil, and sprinkle in the Herbes de Provence. Mix everything thoroughly to combine the flavors.
  • Cover the pot with its lid and let the ratatouille simmer gently over low to medium heat for about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally to ensure even cooking.
  • When the ratatouille is ready, season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Serve immediately, and don’t forget to pair it with a crusty French baguette to mop up the delicious sauce. Bon appétit!
Keyword vegetables

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