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Home ► Recipes ► Best

Ratatouille

Updated: 10.18.23 | Marc Matsumoto | 77 Comments

5 from 2 votes
Eggplant and zucchini simmered with tomatoes, caramelized onions and garlic until tender and juicy, Ratatouille Niçoise is a classic Provençal stew.
Recipe

Ratatouille is a bowl of summer's bounty, elevated beyond the sum of its parts, through the magic of heat and time. Sadly, out of season ingredients, and bad preparations have left most people craving the Disney flick over the summer stew from Provence.

If you've ever had a good ratatouille though, it's a memory that's hard to forget. Large chunks of tender vegetables, impregnated with the ripe flavors of the summer sun. Juicy, but not watery, and with a rich savoriness that tastes more sinful than its virtuous ingredients indicate.

So what's become of this French classic? Perhaps the biggest culprit is the use of poor quality ingredients. To paraphrase a computer nerd maxim: if you put garbage in, you get garbage out. The tomatoes in particular need to be grown in good quality soil and ripened by the summer sun, not some picked-green and gas ripened abomination.

The olive oil is also important because in ratatouille, it's not merely a lubricant to keep the vegetables from sticking to the pan, it's a seasoning. Use a bold cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil that tastes like the olives it comes from, not some cheap hack that misguidedly proclaims its "light taste"

But most importantly, ratatouille needs time. Time for the garlic, onions and bell peppers to caramelize, making them sweet and developing the lip-smacking umami that seasons the rest of the stew. Time for the thick-cut vegetables to soften, and of course time to coax the essence from each ingredient, allowing them to mingle and reduce before being reabsorbed by the zucchini and eggplant.

Traditional preparations have you cook each vegetable in separate pots, tending to each vegetable's needs before bringing them together at the end. While I'm sure there are some traditionalists reading this that are going to be shooting death rays from their eyes at the screen, that's not how I make my ratatouille.

I use one pot to do everything. It's not just that it's easier, the results taste better, because all the vegetables have plenty of time to get acquainted in the pot. I also don't peel or seed the tomatoes. If you have time, you're welcome to peel them, but don't remove the seeds. Contrary to traditional wisdom, the mucilaginous membranes around the seeds contain a high concentration of glutamic acids. By tossing the seeds, you're also losing taste.

For my last bit of culinary blasphemy, I prefer using Asian eggplants such as Japanese or Chinese ones in ratatouille because they have less seeds and tend to be less bitter. They also make nice little rondelles because of their narrow diameter.

If for some odd reason you find yourself with leftovers, try poaching an egg in the ratatouille the next morning for breakfast. I promise you won't be disappointed.

📖 Recipe

Ratatouille

5 from 2 votes
Print Pin
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 2 hours hrs
Total Time 2 hours hrs 10 minutes mins
Yield 4 serving

Units

Ingredients 

  • ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 55 grams garlic (~5 large cloves, roughly chopped)
  • 500 grams onions (2 large onions, sliced)
  • 120 grams red bell peppers (2 medium peppers, cored, seeded and sliced)
  • 700 grams tomatoes (6 medium tomatoes, cored and cut into 8 pieces)
  • 400 grams Japanese eggplants (3 medium eggplants, cut into ½-inch thick rounds)
  • 700 grams zucchini (3 medium zucchini, cut into ½-inch thick rounds)
  • ¼ cup flat leaf parsley (roughly chopped)
  • ¼ cup basil (roughly chopped)
  • 6 - 8 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 2 teaspoons salt (to taste)

Instructions

  • Add the olive oil and garlic to a large heavy-bottomed pot, like a Le Creuset, and sauté over medium heat until the garlic starts to brown and becomes very fragrant.
  • Turn down the heat to low and then add the onions and bell peppers. Cover the pot with a lid and let the onions wilt, stirring occasionally to prevent burning. Remove the lid and sauté the vegetables until all the water released has evaporated and the onions start to brown.
  • Add the tomatoes, cover the pot with the lid, and simmer until the tomatoes are soft and have released a lot of liquid.
  • Add the eggplants, zucchini, parsley, basil, thyme, salt and pepper. Stir to combine and then cover with a lid and allow the vegetables to cook until tender (30-40 minutes), stirring occasionally.
  • When the vegetables are soft, remove the lid, and let the ratatouille continue to simmer until the excess liquid has evaporated and the stew is nice and thick. Adjust the salt and pepper to taste and serve with crusty bread.
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Comments

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    Recipe Rating




  1. Jo says

    June 13, 2025 at 6:55 am

    5 stars
    I use this recipe all summer and I love it. I do use 2# of tomatoes though, because I like a lot of tomatoes.

    Reply
    • Marc Matsumoto says

      June 14, 2025 at 10:32 am

      I'm happy to hear you're enjoying this! Good call on the additional tomatoes, I sometimes like a saucier ratatouille as well, it makes for a great topping for cutlets and the leftovers can be turned into a pasta.

      Reply
  2. Kathy Stroup says

    August 24, 2023 at 3:45 pm

    5 stars
    One of my favorite dishes, and I agree with everything you've written here. I do freeze it; it's one of my Post Holiday remedies. Nothing better than a bowl of Ratatouille from the freezer to chase away the January gloom. Something about the silky soft veggies all mingling in their juices makes this so comforting.

    I do make a version of this on a sheet pan in the oven when I don't have time to slowly simmer the veggies. A chef friend taught it to me. The caramelization adds a wonderful dimension to the dish, but it isn't quite the Ratatouille I crave. It makes a fantastic salad, though, with the addition of Balsamic vinegar.

    Reply
    • Marc says

      August 24, 2023 at 11:07 pm

      I could see how this could work well in an oven. I might have to try that! I guess the issue is that our oven really heats up our kitchen as there's a vent on top that vents hot oven air. Wish tomatoes/zucchini/eggplant were in season in fall/winter. Also love the idea of adding balsamic vinegar. Such a good combo with eggplants and tomato!

      Reply
  3. Marc Matsumoto says

    January 05, 2017 at 2:55 am

    Hi Helene, sorry for the late response. Personally I like having a little liquid (so long as it's not watery), but if you want to make yours thicker, you can cook it without a lid so that the extra liquid evaporates.

    Reply
  4. Helene says

    December 29, 2016 at 7:45 pm

    What's the best way to get rid of the excess liquid? Simmering for an extra hour hasn't done the trick. Thank you.

    Reply
  5. Marc Matsumoto says

    December 20, 2016 at 12:48 pm

    Hi Rose, I guess if you want your Ratatouille to be soupy you could, but the vegetables release a lot of liquid which is why I don't usually add it.

    Reply
  6. Rose Boghosian says

    December 19, 2016 at 9:26 am

    A question... Can i add vegetarian broth to the recipe?

    Reply
  7. Marc Matsumoto says

    August 22, 2016 at 12:38 am

    Hi Jay, great idea!

    Reply
  8. Jay says

    August 21, 2016 at 1:58 pm

    I always dry grill my eggplant for this dish. It improves the tenderness and the slight charring lends a smoky flavour. I use a grill pan on the stovetop.

    Reply
  9. Marc Matsumoto says

    February 10, 2016 at 2:50 am

    Hi Mariette, you could freeze this in theory, but I don't really like how mushy zucchini gets when you freeze it. Maybe try a small batch and see what you think?

    Reply
  10. Mariette Buys says

    February 09, 2016 at 5:36 pm

    Hi there...is this a freezer friendly recipe? My sister gave my loads of veggies from her garden that I need to use. Thanks!

    Reply
  11. Rick Schwein says

    August 31, 2015 at 2:12 am

    I've made this three years in a row and love love love it. My differences? Maybe blanch and peel the tomatoes, and don't even eat it until a day later. What amazing flavor!

    Reply
  12. Marc Matsumoto says

    August 28, 2015 at 10:40 pm

    Hi Rose, I like the idea of putting it in the oven, makes for less work too since you don't have to stir it as often!

    Reply
  13. Rose says

    August 28, 2015 at 7:41 pm

    I totally agree with the way you make your rat. And have been making it this way for years. The only slight difference in my method is that I do it in a big roaster and into the oven it goes. I do add bay leaf and a little vegetarian beef bouillon. I like mine a smidge on the juicy side - great for dunking your bread in. I also top with cheese (really whatever I have) before serving and put it under the broiler. KAREN: I freeze mine in glass jars all the time and it's absolutely find and delicious.

    Reply
  14. Thought Dancer says

    August 27, 2015 at 12:29 am

    "Pickle" it, if you cook it add it to hot pickling jars, it will keep without refrigeration....

    Reply
  15. Suz A says

    August 25, 2015 at 6:33 am

    What does the weather have to do with it?

    Reply
  16. Karen says

    August 18, 2015 at 2:43 am

    Made this last night and it was delicious. Have you ever tried to freeze it? Using all fresh produce from my garden and I would love to put some in the freezer.

    Reply
  17. Garth Snyder says

    June 11, 2015 at 6:30 pm

    Thanks for this! It made more sense to me your way, so I followed your amendments (though I did use the herbs) and the ratatouille was delicious.

    Reply
  18. Sharmaine Parker says

    May 12, 2015 at 8:01 am

    thank you very much. i have this recipe of yours printed and prepare this twice monthly as it is a healthy favourite of my family and friends.

    Reply
  19. Tay-Yibah Aziz says

    April 14, 2015 at 12:19 pm

    How many people does this recipe serve?

    Reply
  20. Christine Smith says

    March 01, 2015 at 7:10 pm

    Love this recipe. We made burgol #3 and put the Ratatouille on top. With sausage on the side. Absolutely delicious!

    Reply
  21. Al Baierle says

    January 24, 2015 at 9:31 pm

    Thank You I had a bumper crop 2 years ago and had to put many into the freezer.

    Reply
  22. Marc Matsumoto says

    January 23, 2015 at 12:23 am

    If they're good tomatoes, then yes, certainly.

    Reply
  23. Al Baierle says

    January 22, 2015 at 5:46 pm

    can i use frozen whole tomatoes

    Reply
  24. Tony says

    December 27, 2014 at 5:54 pm

    Well I am Canadian of Italian descent, my grandmother made an excellent ratatouille, Italian style....all the ingredients mentioned here plus, a few veal ribs.....simmered ever so slowly....and a little white wine in the sauce (towards the end).

    Reply
  25. Lily says

    October 05, 2014 at 4:15 am

    I'm making ratatouille right now, but I really don't like parsley that much and I don't have any, so I'm using cilantro! so is turning into mexican ratatouille and smells good.

    Reply
  26. Cami says

    September 20, 2014 at 4:02 am

    Hello Marc,

    I love your blog and I have some advice for you on this one. I'm from Nice, and my mum and my grand mother have taught me the secret to get my ratatouille right: the vegetables need to release their water and to be seared before you cook them together, or they will mash in the pot. And a good ratatouille is not mashed at all. Every piece of vegetable must be perfectly shaped, even though its been cooking for hours. It must not be watery at all. On your picture, there's a lot of sauce. This is way too watery.

    So the first thing to do is to cook your onions (cut in big pieces, not minced) in peanut oil. I know it's strange, but we never use olive oil with fire in Nice, it's only used raw. Plus ratatouille is a recent dish (we started eating tomatoes and bell peppers very recently in France! Ratatouille is only 200 years old), and we had other oil options than olive oil when it was created: peanut oil was used to cook it since the beginning, not olive oil.

    So, back to your onions: they have to cook on medium fire in a Le Creuset type pot, in peanut oil. Sprinkle some salt so they release water and so they don't turn brown. Stir frequently.

    Then you have to cut the zucchini in thin slices (2-3 mm max) and fry them in a pan in peanut oil while the onions start to get softer. They zucchini slices have to get seared and take a nice colour. Sprinkle some salt to help them release water. After about 5 minutes, they should be nicely seared, without any water in the pan. If there's water, it just means your zucchini is off-season. They're always watery in the winter. Add them to the onions and lower the fire under the Le Creuset pot. Stir once, gently, to mix the onions and the zucchini slices.

    Repeat that operation for the bell peppers and for the eggplants cut in cubes, adding a little more oil for the eggplant because it's a real sponge. When everything is mixed and slowly cooking, add the tomatoes. They should be peeled; you can then cut them in small pieces directly above the pot, so you don't loose any juice.

    Stir once more, and let it cook uncovered for about 3 hours. When it's cooked, it should be completely caramelised, but everything must still be in perfect shape, except the tomatoes that should have disappeared. They're basically just the glossy, tasty coating of the other vegetables. Good ratatouille is never dry, never oily, never saucy or watery.

    In my family, we don't add garlic, herbs or anything. It's already saturated in flavours. We don't eat it hot, but lukewarm. It's of course better the next day. It's not worth trying this recipe if you don't have great vegetables. It's best if you find small eggplants, trompette zucchini and very ripe tomatoes, the flavours are insane. There's no need to add anything, except a little bit of back pepper at the end. You have to use the exact same volume of each vegetable (maybe a little less tomato).

    Hope you'll try the family recipe, I would be honoured!

    And one last thing: Nice is not in Provence, it's a very sensitive subject here. It's like saying to a guy from Ukraine that he is Russian, or a Scot that he is English. The Comté de Nice and Provence are two very distinct places. The people of Provence have adopted this dish, but ratatouille was originally from Nice, and before that, it was from Italy. Ratatouille is just the French version of the same dish from Gênes called ratatuia.

    Reply
  27. Guest says

    September 20, 2014 at 4:02 am

    Hello Marc,

    I love your blog and I have some advice for you on this one. I'm from Nice, and my mum and my grand mother have taught me the secret to my ratatouille right: the vegetables need to release their water and to be seared before you cook them together, or they will mash in the pot. And a good ratatouille is not mashed at all. Every piece of vegetable must be perfectly shaped, even though its been cooking for hours. It must not be watery at all. On your picture, there's a lot of sauce. This is way too watery.

    So the first thing to do is to cook your onions (cut in big pieces, not minced) in peanut oil. I know it's strange, but we never use olive oil with fire in Nice, it's only used raw. Plus ratatouille is a recent dish (we started eating tomatoes and bell peppers very recently in France! Ratatouille is only 200 years old), and we had other oil options than olive oil when it was created: peanut oil was used to cook it since the beginning, not olive oil.

    So, back to your onions: they have to cook on medium fire in a Le Creuset type pot, in peanut oil. Sprinkle some salt so they release water and so they don't turn brown. Stir frequently.

    Then you have to cut the zucchini in thin slices (2-3 mm max) and fry them in a pan in peanut oil while the onions start to get softer. They zucchini slices have to get seared and take a nice colour. Sprinkle some salt to help them release water. After about 5 minutes, they should be nicely seared, without any water in the pan. If there's water, it just means your zucchini is off-season. They're always watery in the winter. Add them to the onions and lower the fire under the Le Creuset pot. Stir once, gently, to mix the onions and the zucchini slices.

    Repeat that operation for the bell peppers and for the eggplants cut in cubes, adding a little more oil for the eggplant because it's a real sponge. When everything is mixed and slowly cooking, add the tomatoes. They should be peeled; you can then cut them in small pieces directly above the pot, so you don't loose any juice.

    Stir once more, and let it cook uncovered for about 3 hours. When it's cooked, it should be completely caramelised, but everything must still be in perfect shape, except the tomatoes that should have disappeared. They're basically just the glossy, tasty coating of the other vegetables. Good ratatouille is never dry, never oily, never saucy or watery.

    In my family, we don't add garlic, herbs or anything. It's already saturated in flavours. We don't eat it hot, but lukewarm. It's of course better the next day. It's not worth trying this recipe if you don't have great vegetables. It's best if you find small eggplants, trompette zucchini and very ripe tomatoes, the flavours are insane. There's no need to add anything, except a little bit of back pepper at the end. You have to use the exact same volume of each vegetable (maybe a little less tomato).

    Hope you'll try the family recipe, I would be honoured!

    And one last thing: Nice is not in Provence, it's a very sensitive subject here. It's like saying to a guy from Ukraine that he is Russian, or a Scot that he is English. The Comté de Nice and Provence are two very distinct places. The people of Provence have adopted this dish, but ratatouille was originally from Nice, and before that, it was from Italy. Ratatouille is just the French version of the same dish from Gênes called ratatuia.

    Reply
  28. Marc Matsumoto says

    September 16, 2014 at 11:43 am

    Hi Stu, go read this: https://scienceornot.net/2012/09/15/is-it-safe-to-cook-with-olive-oil/
    In short, any oil breaks down under extreme heat and olive oil is no worse than most oils in that regard.

    Reply
  29. Stu says

    September 15, 2014 at 4:25 pm

    I thought heating extra virgin olive oil made it toxic!

    Reply
  30. Jem says

    September 03, 2014 at 2:56 am

    We made it yesterday and it is super. The house smells like a country cottage. Even the children loved the aroma and were shocked vegetables could smell so wonderful.

    Reply
  31. Marc Matsumoto says

    September 03, 2014 at 2:15 am

    Thanks! Hope you enjoyed it:-)

    Reply
  32. Jem says

    August 30, 2014 at 5:22 pm

    We are trying your recipe today. Your writing is divine. I'm so inspired by the magic of your words.

    Reply
  33. Pamela Sistrom says

    June 18, 2014 at 6:41 pm

    Mark,
    Notice Time Magazine, June 23d cover story, "Eat Butter. Scientists labeled fat the enemy. Why they were wrong."
    Finally!
    Pam in Humboldt County, CA.

    Reply
  34. Pamela Sistrom says

    May 21, 2014 at 9:34 am

    Turned out great. The standard Ratatouille veg mix a little too much the same texture for me, but placing the mix on a bed of less cooked greens really made the experience less like a side dish as did the poached egg on top. I saw other recipes that called for canned tomatoes, but I followed your suggestion and bought some organic Roma tomatoes. They were unfortunately not ripe enough to provide enough liquid, so I added some chicken broth. Next time, both for texture and color, I would try to add the zucchini and summer squash later so they don't lose shape. Most of the greens were colors of chard, spines removed and scissor cut into ribbons. Cooked in a little chicken broth til just tender. Your pictures and explanations are so helpful and interesting! Inspirational cooking!

    Reply
  35. Marc Matsumoto says

    May 19, 2014 at 11:20 pm

    Sounds like a great idea Pamela! Maybe brown some garlic before you add the greens?

    Reply
  36. Pamela Sistrom says

    May 19, 2014 at 9:35 pm

    I have, already, a surplus of greens in my garden. Three kinds of kale, purple mustard greens, red, yellow and green chard. I've tried to find a recipe for Ratatouille WITH greens. Can't find. So, I'm gonna cut the stems out and scissor cut an assortment of greens, sauté them, add a little broth. Then, use them as a bed for the Ratatouille and then, place poached eggs on top! I will get back to you!

    Reply
  37. KatR87 says

    May 11, 2014 at 1:09 am

    Just made this. I didn't have eggplant on hand, so instead I added cucumber, carrots, extra yellow and orange bell peppers with some broccoli.... It is absolutely amazing.. Thank you for a delicious base recipe!!

    Reply
  38. marietmsn says

    April 27, 2014 at 2:56 pm

    Thanks Marc. I decided to go for the great flavor. I made it last night, with olives added, and it was a great hit with everyone.

    Reply
  39. Marc Matsumoto says

    April 25, 2014 at 4:22 am

    Hi Marietmsn, it's a good question, but unfortunately it just won't taste the same. The other thing is that the colors look great when they're raw, but when cooked (even without the tomato), the purples and greens fade. The only way I can think of that you could retain the color and still get everything tender would be deep fry the eggplant and zucchini in olive oil and then make a separate tomato sauce. This should taste pretty good and will look good as well, but you're still not going to get the nice intermingling of flavors that you get from cooking them together.

    Reply
  40. marietmsn says

    April 24, 2014 at 4:25 pm

    Hi Marc! I have another question. This dish always looks so beautiful to me before the tomato coats everything in red. Even though that tastes so delicious, I have been trying to think of a good way to maybe separate out the tomato stew part from the lovely peppers, zuchini and eggplant, and then to combine them again on the dish with the red sauce underneath the vegetables. Any ideas? Or would that just deprive those vegetables from "getting acquainted" too much? By the way, just read through your whole site and love your recipes and instructions: tonite poached salmon with salsa verde.

    Reply
  41. Marc Matsumoto says

    April 24, 2014 at 12:15 am

    Thanks Marie! Olive sound like a great addition, I think Kalamata or Niçoise would work best.

    Reply
  42. marietmsn says

    April 23, 2014 at 10:35 pm

    I love your recipe for this dish! What would you say to adding a few olives next time I make it?

    Reply
  43. armedjester says

    January 26, 2014 at 5:37 pm

    Of course, you are correct and science is on your side. The "longer cooking" however is not doing the zucchinis a favour and personally I dislike them "squishy". I think, where we agree to disagree is the "stew"-bit. I prefer to have a mix of vegetables where you can taste the flavour of each kind of vegetable and they are not blended (this is some awkward phrasing, I'm attempting here, sorry!); so it's about personal preference, I think. Next thing I'm attempting is your tea smoked lamb rack. I'll post a comment if my apartment still exists after that one XD

    Reply
  44. Marc Matsumoto says

    January 26, 2014 at 1:42 pm

    Sorry to hear you were underwhelmed, but I disagree with laughing wolf in that "searing in flavors" is a myth ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Searing ). The reason for searing has to do with browning and the Maillard reaction which is achievable with this recipe if you cook it down long enough. Personally I like my ratatouille to be more stew like, but you if you want to go for over-the-top flavor, turn up the heat towards the end and let the liquid evaporate completely. This will allow the veggies to fry in the oil, encouraging browning and caramelization which should give you the oomph I think you're looking for.

    Reply
  45. armedjester says

    January 26, 2014 at 12:12 pm

    Seconded. Both of laughing wolf's points are absolutely valid. I tried it your way and I'm underwhelmed. I guess, in this I'll stay with the traditional way

    Reply
  46. Marc Matsumoto says

    January 07, 2014 at 11:33 pm

    Hi Carole, I'm glad to hear you enjoyed it and love the idea of turning the leftovers into pasta!— Sent from Mailbox for iPhone

    Reply
  47. Carole says

    January 07, 2014 at 6:40 pm

    Great recipe! We used the left overs to make a healthy spaghetti sauce. Boy did my kids love that!

    Reply
  48. Lena Zapassky says

    December 30, 2013 at 8:41 am

    Best Second place!

    Reply
  49. laughing wolf says

    December 10, 2013 at 3:43 am

    ok one: the reason why one cooks each veg. ingredient separately is because you sear in the flavors of the veg. just like when you sear a piece of meat. that's why that is done. two: just so others who can't find the jap. eggplant if you salt the eggplant before you cook it and let it sit for ten minutes it cuts the bitterness you speak of.

    Reply
  50. Marc Matsumoto says

    October 28, 2013 at 2:13 pm

    You'll want to brown the onions and garlic in a pan over the stove first as a slow cooker doesn't get hot enough to make the Maillard reaction happen. You'll also probably want to reduce the tomatoes a bit over the stove to speed things up, but you can cook everything with the zucchini and eggplant in the slow cooker.

    Reply
  51. Cale T says

    October 28, 2013 at 3:47 am

    Hi marc,
    Do you think it's possible to cook this with slow cooker?

    Reply
  52. absolut_traveller says

    October 24, 2013 at 8:32 am

    This is thickening on my stove tight now. Added a little tomato paste too that I had in the fridge. Smells divine and can't wait to try.

    Reply
  53. absolut_traveller says

    October 24, 2013 at 4:32 am

    This is thickening on my stove tight now. Added a little tomato paste too that I had in the fridge. Smells divine and can't wait to try.

    Reply
  54. Alex says

    October 13, 2013 at 12:31 pm

    I froze a bunch of portions of this dish and found that it had indeed gone a bit mushy when I defrosted one the other day (otherwise still delicious, though). Taking a cue from the Wikipedia entry on ratatouille, I'll probably use up the rest as a filling in savoury crepes and omelets over the coming months. This would involve chopping the veg smaller which would probably make the mushy texture less critical. I'll probably also separate the liquid and reduce it further in a saucepan before reintroducing it to the vegetables.

    I keep wanting to make savoury vegetarian crepes but don't really know what to use as a filling besides the same old sauteed mushrooms (not bad in themselves, but a bit monotonous). Redefining my leftover frozen ratatouille as a crepe filling kills two birds with one stone.

    Reply
  55. cupcake6 says

    September 26, 2013 at 3:54 pm

    Just made this, easy and really delicious !!

    Reply
  56. Sia says

    September 22, 2013 at 9:05 pm

    Good to know. Thanks!

    Reply
  57. zbver says

    September 22, 2013 at 6:18 pm

    didn't have thyme, but sure smells good and looks great! thanks for this easy ratatouille! and I love to freeze portions of ratatouille for my winter table. great way to use up the garden produce.

    Reply
  58. Marc Matsumoto says

    September 22, 2013 at 5:53 pm

    It doesn't include anything that doesn't freeze well, however you may find that the texture gets a little mushy after freezing and defrosting.

    Reply
  59. Sia says

    September 21, 2013 at 10:39 am

    Can this ratatouille be frozen successfully?

    Reply
  60. Jacki Payne says

    September 06, 2013 at 10:22 pm

    Just made it w the help of My 6 year old sous chef. Great meal and great fun!

    Reply
  61. Dominique says

    September 05, 2013 at 5:06 pm

    Fairly close to an authentic recipe. But the black olives are missing! Mom grew up in Provence, and her family ALWAYS put in black olives. Give it a try. I usually add them in the last half hour, so that they keep most of their flavor, but still give the broth some too.

    Reply
  62. Pat says

    September 03, 2013 at 2:41 pm

    How do you preserve your 20 quarts, freezer, hot bath canning method or pressure cook canning method? I would
    Love to,do this I have all the ingredients.
    Thanks , pat

    Reply
  63. Nicole Holland says

    August 29, 2013 at 1:49 am

    Made the ratatouille tonight and yummo it came out wonderful! I never follow recipes to a T per say which is why I like your rustic approach its what drew me to your blog! I made a few alterations; extra herbs all fresh prob about a 1/2-3/4 cups more, 1 small can of tomato paste, yellow peppers, regular eggplant, and two small red hot peppers for just the right amount of heat (everything else included) SUPERB!!! Thickened beautifully!

    Reply
  64. Nicole Holland says

    August 28, 2013 at 9:49 pm

    Made the ratatouille tonight and yummo it came out wonderful! I never follow recipes to a T per say which is why I like your rustic approach its what drew me to your blog! I made a few alterations; extra herbs all fresh prob about a 1/2-3/4 cups more, 1 small can of tomato paste, yellow peppers, regular eggplant, and two small red hot peppers for just the right amount of heat (everything else included) SUPERB!!! Thickened beautifully!

    Reply
  65. Cathy says

    August 25, 2013 at 2:48 pm

    This is simmering right nw on my stove. Cannot wait til supper.

    Reply
  66. Teresa King says

    August 25, 2013 at 2:28 pm

    Made this yesterday using regular eggplant, summer squash in place of zucchini, orange peppers instead of red, and oregano in place of parsley. Most of the ingredients came straight out of my garden. It was fantastic. My 14 year old son ate two huge bowls and declared it delicious. Thanks for the recipe. I really liked your approach to this classic dish. I'll have to check out more of your recipes.

    Reply
  67. Stacey Dales says

    August 23, 2013 at 10:30 pm

    I grow a ratatouille garden every year. Ichiban and Ping Tung Eggplants, Green Zebra, Pearson and Black Pineapple Tomatoes. California Wonder peppers. So this weekend is the perfect time. I do this every year so I can put up about 20 quarts of Ratatouille. It keeps me through the winter 🙂

    Reply
  68. Jessica Jann says

    August 21, 2013 at 2:02 pm

    I love a GOOD ratatouille!! Now I know! 🙂 Will try this out this week!

    Reply
  69. sborosak says

    July 24, 2013 at 7:53 pm

    I love ratatouille and have tried both cooking methods where you cook each vegetable separately and now I tried Marc's recipe. It turned out fab and it is easy to make. So good!

    Reply
  70. Marc Matsumoto says

    July 14, 2013 at 12:00 pm

    Cool bit of trivia Scott, thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  71. Scott James says

    July 13, 2013 at 11:18 pm

    Just to add to this... The kitchen in the movie was designed exactly the way the kitchen is at the real French Laundry is. My friend who was a sou chef at the French Laundry for 2 years
    said it was identical with the movies animation. Without the critters of course. Fun fact no?

    Reply
  72. Kathy says

    July 01, 2013 at 8:28 am

    Mark (Bittman) and Marc (Matsumoto) are my two favorite food writers.. I just made Mark's ratatouille today which turned out very nicely, so next time I plan to try Marc's 🙂

    Reply
  73. Marc Matsumoto says

    June 18, 2013 at 9:03 pm

    Hi Marysue, in the movie, the dish Remy prepares is a modern take on ratatouille. Chef Thomas Keller from the French Laundry is often credited for creating the dish, but it's probably been around a little longer. It's now known as "confit byaldi " if you're looking for a recipe for the dish in the movie, I believe it's in Keller's French Laundry Cookbook.

    Reply
  74. Marysue says

    June 18, 2013 at 4:13 pm

    Ok...I've never had Ratatouille but have wanted to try it actually because OF the movie. But, I have looked at several recipes (because I didn't write the ingredients or instructions down while watching it) and they don't coincide with what I thought I remembered...namely, that the little guy put the ingredients in the pot ONE at a time and in a specific order, because of their individual cooking time. Am I crazy...imagined this, or did the movie actually do it that way but it's really irrelevant ?

    Reply
  75. Kelly Siew says

    June 16, 2013 at 5:44 am

    I became obsessed with Ratatouille because of the movie! My steps are identical to yours, and I shall try using the Asian eggplant next time. I actually do have all the ingredients in my fridge right now maybe I will make it tonight!

    Reply
Marc Matsumoto

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