A traditional peasant dish from France, this Easy Ratatouille Recipe is a fresh twist on the classic stew! With beautiful summer vegetables piled high on a bed of creamy parmesan polenta, this dish aims to please even the pickiest palate, and the whole meal cooks up in just 30 minutes, making it a wonderful addition to any weeknight dinner. Put those vegetables to work in the easiest ratatouille around, and don’t forget to pair it with a classic Louis Jadot Beaujolais!
What Is Traditional Ratatouille?
Considered a peasant dish, ratatouille is actually a French stew!
- It’s made by sautéing each vegetable individually first
- Then everything is brought back together in a single pot to finish
There are barely any ingredients involved beyond the vegetables themselves, other than some salt and pepper. The vegetables stew in their own juices for a most flavorful dish, and unique like these chipotle shredded beef tacos and this Italian sausage soup with caramelized fennel.
So What Vegetables Are In This Easy Ratatouille Recipe?
All the best summer vegetables, of course!
- eggplant
- zucchini
- sweet red bell pepper
- purple onion
- tomato
They are all diced up and mixed with fresh, minced garlic and finished with fresh oregano. It’s so simple it’s crazy!
Paired with an amazing bottle of Louis Jadot Beaujolais, a plump and juicy wine with notes of strawberry and black cherry, and peppery finish, this dinner explodes with an array of complementary flavors. I seriously need to make this dinner again ASAP, especially while summer produce is at its freshest.
What’s In This Creamy Polenta Recipe?
The parmesan polenta for this recipe is a wonderful and simple base, that you could easily use in other dishes, especially if you’re gluten-free!
Most people are familiar with the ready-to-eat polenta logs you find in most stores, but granular polenta is generally just as accessible if you know where to look!
I often find it in the health foods area, or with other loose-grain products, and often under the name of corn grits.
We cook the polenta up in a pot of boiling water with a bit of salt, but the fun comes at the end when we stir in some butter and grated parmesan. The flavor and texture of fresh creamy polenta is spectacular in comparison to what you’d get with the log variety, so definitely make the parmesan polenta fresh!
How Do You Make This Easy Ratatouille Recipe?
In all honesty, the prep takes the longest, because you have to dice a lot of veggies before you can actually get to the cooking part!
- Start the polenta before cooking the vegetables
- Sauté the eggplant by itself, then remove from the pan
- Sauté the zucchini by itself, then remove from the pan
- Sauté the bell pepper and onion together with the garlic, then add the tomato
- Add the eggplant and zucchini back in and let cook for a few more minutes
- Finish the polenta with butter and parmesan
- Serve!
Easy Ratatouille Recipe with Creamy Polenta
Put that summer produce to work in this fantastic twist on the classic French peasant dish! This easy ratatouille features flavorful eggplant, zucchini, and crunchy peppers and onion, browned and stewed with tomato, garlic and fresh oregano for a complex and delicious dinner. Served atop a bed of creamy parmesan polenta, this simple meal cooks up in just 30 minutes and will be a huge hit with the whole family. Serve it tonight with a bottle of Louis Jadot Beaujolais for the perfect pairing!
If you like this recipe, please give it a 5-star rating!
You May Also Like…
Easy Ratatouille Recipe with Creamy Polenta
Ingredients
- olive oil divided
- 3 cups eggplant cubed
- 3 cups zucchini cubed
- 2 cups red bell pepper diced
- 2 cups red onion diced
- 2 cups tomato seeded and diced
- sea salt to taste
- freshly cracked pepper to taste
- 4 cloves garlic smashed and minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh oregano torn
- 1 cup polenta
- 2 tablespoons butter
- ⅓ cup parmesan cheese grated
Instructions
- In a large pot, bring 4 cups of water to a boil with a big pinch of salt. Slowly whisk in the polenta to prevent clumps, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 10-12 minutes, or until the polenta is thickened and tender. Remove from heat and stir in the butter and parmesan.
- While the polenta cooks, heat a large, high-sided skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 teaspoons olive oil, and once hot, add the eggplant in a single layer; season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring infrequently, until browned and slightly softened, about 4 minutes. Transfer eggplant to a large bowl.
- Heat another 2 teaspoons of olive oil in the same pan, then add the zucchini in a single layer; season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring infrequently, until browned and slightly softened, about 3 minutes. Remove zucchini from pan and add to the bowl with the cooked eggplant.
- Heat another 2 teaspoons of olive oil in the same pan, then add the bell pepper, onion, and minced garlic. Season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and slightly softened, about 4 minutes. Add the tomato, season with salt and pepper and continue cooking until the mixture has thickened slightly, about 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the eggplant and zucchini back into the pan with the other vegetables, then season with salt and pepper and let cook for 4-5 minutes, or until mixtures thickens slightly but vegetables still hold their shape.
- Divide parmesan polenta and ratatouille between four bowls and garnish with fresh oregano. Enjoy immediately.
Nutrition
Share your photo and tag @asimplepantry or #asimplepantry!
backlinks example says
thank you for sharing with us, I believe this website truly stands out : D.
Marianne says
Superb! It’s the combination that knocks it out of the park. My husband and I enjoyed the wine and our teenage daughters tasted some too.
Jennifer Banz says
This is a keeper! Thanks for sharing!
Ashley says
The rataouille is delicious but the creamy polenta really makes this recipe! I will be adding this to my regular dinner rotation. It’s so good!