Quick and easy ratatouille

Ratatouille was one of the first recipes we’ve been taught in my Parisian alma mater Le Cordon Bleu. Delicious, yet so time-consuming.

However, after keeping it on a “special occasion” shelf for years, I came up with some shortcuts and tricks I’m sharing here. This recipe comes together in under 30 minutes, it’s PACKED with vegetables, flavors, and textures.

You can add a little cheese like I do or keep it vegan.

Full disclosure: this is an unorthodox ratatouille recipe and I’m not trying to have a pretense of authenticity in any way. BUT it’s absolutely freaking delicious and I insist you give it a try!

My best quick and easy ratatouille tips:

• Use jarred roasted peppers instead of fresh peppers to add a tasty smoky note. It’s also a huge time-saver!
• Use kalamata olives (lots of them). Add a splash of olive juice to the sauce.
• Topping your ratatouille with aged sheep/goat cheese is a good idea. It helps balance the acidity of tomatoes and adds a (good) funky note.
• I promise you won’t need eggplants in this recipe. But if you must – use 1 large (or 2 small ones), cut into 1 cm thick chunks. Steam for about 20 minutes and add to the dish at the very end.

Good to know:

1. Flavors in this ratatouille will get even better the next day. 
2. It tastes amazing as a cold appetizer.
3. It tastes even better shakshuka-style, topped with eggs (if you eat eggs).

More vegetarian appetizers:

• Vegetarian mushroom paté
• Georgian eggplant rolls with walnut filling
• Andalusian gazpacho
• Crispy chickpeas, feta, and shallot vinaigrette salad

Knowing that you use my recipes makes me so happy! If you make my Quick and easy ratatouille please leave me a starred review here or tag me on Instagram  @olesiaguts.nutrition so I can see your creations!

Quick and easy ratatouille

Serves: 4-5 Prep Time: 20 Minutes Cooking Time: 10 Минут 10 Минут

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 5.0/5

( 6 voted )

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Ingredients

•  3 zucchinis (~7 oz ea.), cut into 5 mm rounds
• 1 onion, thinly sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced • 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
• 8 oz roasted peppers in a jar, drain, and chop into 1x1 inch chunks
• 15-20 pitted olives, (ideally kalamata), chopped
• 1 tsp ea: basil, chili flakes*,  garlic powder
• 2 tsp high-quality smoked paprika

 

* I promise you won’t need eggplants, but if you must - use 1 large (or 2 small ones), cut into 1 cm thick chunks. Steam them separately for ~20 min and add to the dish at the very end. You can also increase the amount of diced tomatoes to 1.5 cans (21 oz.)

Instructions

1. Heat olive oil in a pan over medium, add onions, salt them generously (it will help caramelize them faster), and saute until golden brown, for ~10 min. Add garlic, tomato paste and cook for 1 min. Add tomatoes, spices and simmer for about 10 min, until slightly reduced and tomato water has evaporated. 
2.  In a large pan, heat 2 tbsp olive oil over high heat. Add zucchini slices, reduce heat to medium and fry for 4-5 min. You want them to get a brown crust, but stay juicy and al dente. Do not salt them yet! And generally, don't salt them until the very last moment as they'll turn sad and soggy. 
3. Add tomato-onion mixture to zucchini. Top with chopped olives and chopped peppers. Cover and simmer for 5 min to let the flavors meld. Salt and top with some aged goat or sheep's cheese. Enjoy! Good to know: Flavors will get even better the next day.  

Notes

*use less or forgo completely if you don't like it spicy