I credit my time living in the United Kingdom for acquainting me with this rustic French dish. Before then, I had never heard of ratatouille nor considered combining summer garden vegetables together to make this hearty side. I can recall it served several different ways including with a main course, a vegetarian stew in a crock or a spread on crusty bread. Through my experiences living in England, I discovered ratatouille and came back home knowing it would be something I’d make on my own.

Cooking Methods

If you do a search for ratatouille recipes online, you find a variety of cooking methods from cooking in a Dutch oven on your stovetop to baking in your oven in a large casserole. I never followed a recipe to make this dish. I always used a big, foil-covered lasagna pan cooking it slow and low so all the veggies would get soft and meld together. I made it this way for decades, recreating the dish based on how I remembered it from years ago.

Until this summer. I changed my process by cooking it on a high roasting temperature on sheet pans. The goal was to retain a bit more of a chewy bite while shortening the cooking period. I’m quite pleased with the results … and hope you’ll be too! See my other sheet pan posts including tips and tricks on this cooking method and a quick chicken sausage and veggie supper.

In this recipe, you’ll want to crowd the sheet pan with the vegetables because as they cook, they’ll stew in their juices. It’s important for the eggplant, tomatoes and onions to get extra soft while larger chunks of the squash and peppers cook without getting overly mushy.

My Version of French-Inspired Dish

I use classic ratatouille ingredients: eggplant, summer and/or zucchini squash, peppers, fresh tomatoes, onion, garlic and fresh basil. In my humble opinion, the star of this dish is the eggplant. I cut it up in small cubes so it’ll get soft and creamy. I also roughly cup the onions so they’ll essentially melt into the mixture, too.

Healthy cooking is always important to me, which is why I like making ratatouille in the oven. My sheet pan recipe only needs a few tablespoons of EVOO, which is contrary to some that call for up to one cup of oil, especially some stovetop recipes. Oh my! That’s because when sautéing eggplant before adding in other ingredients, it quickly soaks up oil like a sponge.

If you’re watching your sodium, note my recipes usually include small amounts of salt, but you can always leave it out. In fact, many recipes using eggplant require you to salt to draw out moisture to remove bitterness. That step isn’t needed in this recipe.

While on the topic of eggplant: I confess that sometimes I’ll roast a batch with eggplant and garlic only or with tomatoes and peppers. Of course, that’s not really ratatouille, but it’s delish if you have a thing about eggplant like I do.

Something Extra

If you want to mix things up a bit more, I’d recommend adding or subbing a veggie with something you think would enhance the dish. Just remember to prepare/cut them proportionally to the cooking time with the rest of the ingredients. I’ve tried fennel and okra and found they married well into my recipe. Some recipes add in mushrooms, too.

I suggest including chick peas if you want to add in a protein to make it a complete vegetarian meal. Meatless Monday? Maybe serve over brown rice?   

Sometimes if I want to add in some salty brininess, I’ll toss in some kalamata olives or capers with the basil (and if watching your sodium, omit adding in the salt). It’s so good! Some recipes call for a splash of vinegar, especially balsamic, which is something you could try, too.

For seasoning, I personally like to keep it simple with fresh garlic and basil and a little salt, freshly ground black pepper and red pepper flakes. Many recipes include fresh rosemary, oregano and thyme or herbs de Provence, which you can try if any of them call out to you!

What Pairs Well with Ratatouille

I often plan my meal around vegetables instead of a protein source, and this recipe is an example of that concept. I’ll usually make a double batch on two pans so I’ll have it all week to mix and match with whatever is on the menu or I’ll stow some in the freezer. Ratatouille is versatile on its own and pairs well with virtually everything, for example, see how it partners with the following:

• Chicken, beef, pork? Yes, yes, yes!
• Grilled or baked fish? Yep.
• Scallops or shrimp? Delish!
• Eggs: poached, scrambled or an omelet? Yes, please!
• Mashed potatoes, rice or pasta? Absolutely!

I hope you’ll enjoy my recipe of my version of ratatouille. As I always say, use my recipes to guide you but feel free to adjust the ingredients to your taste preferences. So, if you want to swap out or add something extra, go for it to customize your own ratatouille recipe! Voila!

See My Other Sheet Pan Cooking Posts

Check out my previous posts on this cooking method:

• Quick Sheet Pan Supper Made Easy with Chicken Sausage
• Sheet Pan Cooking Is My Thing (Long Before It Got Trendy!)

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