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Best-of-the-best ratatouille

Name: Best-of-the-best ratatouille
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 1 h 30 min
Total time: 1 h 55 min
Yield: Serves 4 (or 6 as a side)
Cuisine: French recipes
Ingredients: 1 large green courgette; 1 large yellow courgette; 2 medium slim aubergines; 3-4 large vine tomatoes; 3 tbsp fresh thyme leaves; ½ x 25g bunch basil, leaves picked; For the sauce; 2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra to brush; 1 onion, finely chopped; 5 garlic cloves, finely sliced; 400g tin chopped tomatoes; 50g unsalted butter; 2 tsp herbes de provence; 150g roasted red peppers from a jar, finely chopped; Specialist kit; Round glass or earthenware oven dish (about 24cm); Mandoline (optional)

By: Pollyanna Coupland
Food producer, delicious.

Published: 6 Aug 24
Updated: 6 Aug 24

Want to make perfect ratatouille? Follow our recipe for the ultimate take on the iconic French summer stew, packed with aubergine, tomato and courgettes. Curious about which vegetables are included in a ratatouille, or why we’ve baked it rather than stewing on the hob? Read our expert guide to this classic recipe.

Once you’ve done the prep, this dish is fairly hands-off, so there are a few elements you can prepare ahead for ease. You can salt the vegetables and make the sauce a day in advance, then assemble and bake the next day if you want to save time. The tomato sauce can also be scaled up and frozen in portions for up to 3 months (it’s great with pasta).

Medium
August 2024

Test kitchen approved

Serves 4 (or 6 as a side)
Hands-on time 25 min, plus at least an hour salting and 10-15 min resting. Oven time 55-60 min, plus simmering time 25-30 min

Nutrition: Per serving (for 4)

Calories: 273kcals
Fat: 18g (7.8g saturated)
Protein: 4.8g
Carbohydrates: 18g (16g sugars)
Fibre: 6.7g
Salt: 0.1g

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Before you start

Don’t try to rush the salting; if you haven’t extracted enough water from the veg before baking, you’ll end up with watery ratatouille.

Before you start

Don’t try to rush the salting; if you haven’t extracted enough water from the veg before baking, you’ll end up with watery ratatouille.

Ingredients

1 large green courgette
1 large yellow courgette
2 medium slim aubergines
3-4 large vine tomatoes
3 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
½ x 25g bunch basil, leaves picked

For the sauce

2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra to brush
1 onion, finely chopped
5 garlic cloves, finely sliced
400g tin chopped tomatoes
50g unsalted butter
2 tsp herbes de provence
150g roasted red peppers from a jar, finely chopped

Specialist kit

Round glass or earthenware oven dish (about 24cm)
Mandoline (optional)

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Method

Finely slice the courgettes, aubergines and tomatoes, taking care to keep them all the same thickness (5mm is ideal; a good mandoline makes this task much easier). Lay out on several kitchen paper-lined trays, then sprinkle generously with fine sea salt and leave for at least an hour. Pat dry with kitchen paper, trying to get rid of as much liquid as possible, then sprinkle with ground black pepper and the thyme leaves.
Meanwhile, make the sauce. Heat the oil in a saucepan over a medium heat. Add the onion, cook for 3 minutes until starting to soften, then add the garlic and cook for another few minutes until everything is soft but not coloured. Pour in the tinned tomatoes, then half-fill the tin with water, swish it around and pour the water in too. Add the butter and a pinch of salt and pepper, then stir and bring to a gentle simmer. Turn the heat to low and cook for 25-30 minutes.
Taste and add more salt or pepper if it needs it, then use a stick blender to whizz the mixture to a smooth sauce. Pour into the oven dish, then stir in the herbes de provence and chopped roasted peppers.

Now you’re ready to assemble the ratatouille. Construct tall stacks of sliced veg, starting with a piece of aubergine, followed by yellow courgette, green courgette, tomato and a basil leaf (keep a few leaves back for the final garnish). Arrange on their sides in the oven dish, packing them in tightly so each slice of veg holds up the next, in a concentric pattern, starting from the outside and spiralling into or filling out the centre.
Set aside for 10-15 minutes while you heat the oven to 170°C fan/gas 5. Dab the top with kitchen paper to remove any residual water, then cover the dish with a sheet of baking paper and tightly seal with a sheet of foil. Bake for 40 minutes, then remove the foil and paper, brush the tops of the vegetables with a little more oil and return to the oven, uncovered, for 15-20 minutes more. The vegetables should just be starting to brown and crisp when it’s ready. Sprinkle with any remaining basil leaves.