Name: Easy Ratatouille
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 1 medium eggplant, cut into bite-sized pieces; Kosher salt and freshly-ground black pepper; 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided; 1 medium white onion, peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces; 6 cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped; 2 bell peppers, cored and cut into bite-sized pieces; 2 large zucchini, cut into bite-sized pieces; 2 pints fresh cherry or grape tomatoes; 2 tablespoons finely-chopped fresh basil leaves; 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes; 1 bay leaf; 1 large sprig fresh rosemary (or 2 sprigs fresh thyme); 1/2 cup dry white wine* (or dry red wine)

Description

This easy ratatouille recipe is the perfect use for leftover summer veggies, it’s wonderfully fresh and flavorful and hearty, and it’s ultra-simple when sautéd together in a large pot (instead of the traditional method of neatly layering all of those veggies).

Ingredients

Scale

1 medium eggplant, cut into bite-sized pieces
Kosher salt and freshly-ground black pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 medium white onion, peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces
6 cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
2 bell peppers, cored and cut into bite-sized pieces
2 large zucchini, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 pints fresh cherry or grape tomatoes
2 tablespoons finely-chopped fresh basil leaves
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 bay leaf
1 large sprig fresh rosemary (or 2 sprigs fresh thyme)
1/2 cup dry white wine* (or dry red wine)

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Instructions

Add diced eggplant to a colander, and toss with 1 teaspoon salt. Let sit 15 minutes, then rinse and squeeze out excess liquid.
Meanwhile, in a large Dutch oven or stockpot, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium. Add onion and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, garlic, bell peppers, and zucchini, and sauté for an additional 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are mostly cooked through.
Stir in the eggplant, tomatoes, basil, red pepper flakes, bay leaf, and rosemary, and cook for 10** more minutes, stirring occasionally. Slowly add in the wine, stirring the bottom of the pan to scrape up any brown bits that may have formed. Cook for 5 more minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and black pepper, and remove the bay leaf and rosemary.
Serve warm, with a side of crusty bread, quinoa, rice or pasta. (I also recommend sprinkling on some Parmesan cheese, if you’d like.)

Notes

*If you do not cook with wine, feel free to substitute in 1/4 cup chicken or vegetable stock + 1/4 cup red wine vinegar instead of the wine.

**If you would like more of a stew consistency, feel free to reduce the heat to medium-low after 10 minutes, cover, and simmer for an additional 10-15 minutes.