This ratatouille recipe is usually prepared in the summer when the vegetables are at their peak; however in our modern age its always summer somewhere and therefore the ingredients are readily available. Usually a side dish, it can be served as the main entrée accompanied with rice or fresh bread.
Ratatouille regained its popularity after the 2007 release of the Disney movie bearing the same name. Initially a poor man's meal, ratatouille originated in an area around Nice, France. It comes from the word touiller, which means to toss food.
Ingredients:
6 tomatoes
1/4 cup olive oil
1 medium onion, sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
1 eggplant, sliced into 1-inch pieces and quartered
2 zucchini, sliced into 1/2 inch pieces and halved
1 red bell pepper
3 Tablespoons wine vinegar
2 Tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
black pepper
Prep Directions:
1. Prepare vegetables before beginning recipe. Slice onion, cut garlic into slivers or mince, chop parsley, cut eggplant into 1-inch rounds, cut zucchini into 1/4-inch rounds, seed and chop red pepper.
2. Blanch tomatoes by placing in boiling water for 10 seconds. Drain, and when cool enough to handle, peel, seed and chop. Reserve juice from tomatoes.
Directions:
1. Heat oil in a deep, heavy saucepan. Add onion, garlic and 1 tablespoon parsley. Sauté about 3 minutes or until onion is soft. Add eggplant, zucchini and red sweet pepper and mix well.
2. Cover pan and simmer over low heat until the vegetables are tender; about 30-35 minutes. Add tomatoes with the juice, stir well, cover again and simmer 10 minutes more.
3. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 10 minutes.
4. Add wine vinegar and black pepper to taste. Stir well.
5. Place into serving dish and garnish with fresh parsley, basil or oregano. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Is Ratatouille Healthy?
Given how many vegetables are in ratatouille, you might wonder if this dish is considered healthy! Given that this recipe lacks many of the ingredients that make recipes unhealthy, like cheese, butter, and red meat, we consider ratatouille a healthy choice! If you're looking to lose weight or just eat healthy, then this recipe is definitely for you. Let's check out some of the benefits ratatouille can provide.
Zucchini has a lot of folate, potassium, and vitamin A in it. Folate is especially important for pregnant women, since it plays a vital role in fetal development. Zucchini also has a good amount of fiber in it, which is necessary for a healthy gut.
Eggplant also contains a good amount of folate and fiber, among other nutrients. It's important to keep in mind that some people can't digest eggplant well. These people experience an upset stomach, abdominal cramping, and other issues when they eat eggplant. If someone in your family is like this, you may want to leave out the eggplant or make a different dish.
Ratatouille is also low in calories. In a world where it's hard to find low-calorie options, this is a great choice. You can give this to your family knowing that you're arming them with nutrients they need to be healthy and strong, while not packing on an unhealthy amount of calories. If you enjoyed this recipe, we strongly encourage you to check out some of our other recipes! We've got some truly incredible ones here.
The image featured at the top of this post is ©Diana Sklarova/Shutterstock.com.