Light & Easy Ratatouille
Steamed rather than stewed, Light & Easy Ratatouille is a quick and healthy summer vegetable dish delicious eaten cold or warm. Eggplant, zucchini, tomatoes, onions, garlic and oregano makes for a tasty companion to many main courses.
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This Light & Easy Ratatouille recipe does not come from the kitchens of Paris.
It comes from the sweet memories I have of cooking with my mom.
I can still see her mincing the garlic and telling me that minced garlic is much better over crushed for this dish.
With her guidance I would be the watchful eye over the eggplant and zucchini, making sure they were steamed to just the right tenderness.
Her voice still rings like music in my ear telling me that it was important to let the steamed veggies cool enough that it doesn’t cook the tomatoes.
I see her cutting the tomatoes, lining them up on the cutting board and getting them ready for their sprinkling of salt and pepper.
I don’t know if she ever wrote this recipe down but thank God the memory is still so ingrained in me.
This Light & Easy Ratatouille recipe is in no way traditional but it is however a flavorful way to use summer veggies.
For me it is filled with fond memories of my mom and I spending time together.
What is Ratatouille
Traditional French Ratatouille is a stew of fresh summertime garden veggies. The traditional approach, although an easy dish to make, can be time consuming compared to this Light & Easy Ratatouille recipe.
Ratatouille Ingredients
For this Easy Ratatouille Recipe you will need:
- 1 medium eggplant
- 3 small zucchini
- 1 medium white onion
- 3 large tomatoes
- 2 tbsp minced garlic, about 4-5 large cloves
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- salt and pepper to taste
Additional Ingredient Options
- yellow squash
- green bell pepper
- orange bell peppers
- red bell peppers
- extra virgin olive oil
- basil
- thyme
- small mozzarella balls
- Balsamic Glaze
How To Make Light & Easy Ratatouille
- Cut eggplant, zucchini and onion into larger bite-sized pieces.
- Mince garlic.
- Place half of eggplant, zucchini and onions pieces in the insert of a steaming basket. Pro Tip: This is may favorite cookware to use for this recipe because of its simplicity, however this steamer can be used also.
- Sprinkle half of oregano and garlic over veggies. Repeat with a second layer of veggies, garlic and oregano.
- Bring 1 inch of water to a boil in bottom of steaming pot. Once boiling add veggies and cook for 10 mins. Stir halfway through.
- Cut tomatoes into large bite-sized chunks and spread pieces evenly onto a cutting board. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Once cooked, remove veggies from steaming basket, add to a large serving bowl and let cool for 10 mins. Gently stir in tomatoes and enjoy.
2) Steaming basket to cook veggies.
3) Layering of cut veggies, garlic and oregano.
What To Serve With Ratatouille
For both my brother and I this side dish brings us back to sweet memories of childhood, so we love it with just about everything. However, here are some ideas fro your dinner table.
- Best Rib Eye Steaks
- Bacon Wrapped Chicken
- Easy Broiled Pork Chops
- Mom’s Classic Meatloaf
- Easy Greek Chicken
- Grilled Rosemary Lamb Chops
- Rosemary Lemon Garlic Chicken
Light & Easy Ratatouille
Ingredients
- 1 med eggplant *cut into large bite-sized pieces
- 3 sm zucchini *cut into large bite-sized pieces
- 1 med white onion *roughly chopped
- 3 lg tomatoes *cut into large bite-sized pieces
- 2 tbsp minced garlic *about 4-5 lg cloves
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- salt & pepper *to taste
Instructions
- Prepare first 3 ingredients and layer half in the bottom of a steaming basket.
- Sprinkle half of oregano and garlic over eggplant mixture. Repeat with second half of eggplant mixture.
- Bring approximately 1 inch of water to boil in the bottom of a steaming pot.
- Once boiling, steam vegetables for approximately 10 mins, stirring halfway through cooking. Cook to about 80% doneness. Vegetables will continue to cook while cooling. Once cooked remove veggies from steaming basket and transfer into a large serving bowl to cool.
- Meanwhile, cut tomatoes and spread evenly on cutting board. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Once steamed veggies are cooled to room temperature, gently mixed in tomatoes.
- Salt and pepper additionally if needed.
Notes
- Make sure to cut veggies to most appealing size for you. If smaller pieces are used, adjust cooking times accordingly.
- Letting steamed veggies cool is an important step as it prevents tomatoes from cooking.
- See above for other ingredient options.
Nutrition
Delicious,light flavour full and colourful on the plate. Served with rice for lunch.Expect to add it to spaghetti sauce for a completely different taste.
I am so glad you enjoyed it and the spaghetti sauce is a great idea!