Ratatouille Casserole Recipe
A vibrant and delicious Ratatouille Casserole featuring layers of thinly sliced tomatoes, zucchini, and eggplant arranged in a spiral, baked with a flavorful mixture of white wine, tomato paste, roasted red bell peppers, garlic, basil, and thyme. This hearty vegetable dish is perfect as a side or a main course and can be made ahead for convenience.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Sauce and Flavor Base
- 2 tbsp dry white wine
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 cup diced roasted red bell peppers
- 1/3 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
- 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tsp roughly chopped fresh thyme leaves
- 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Vegetables
- 3 medium Roma tomatoes (about 3/4 lb total), thinly sliced
- 1 large zucchini (about 12 oz), thinly sliced
- 1 small globe eggplant (about 12 oz), halved lengthwise and thinly sliced into half moons
Instructions
- Prepare the base: Preheat the oven to 425ºF. In a shallow 2-quart baking dish, whisk together the dry white wine and tomato paste until smooth. Add diced roasted red bell peppers, chopped fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced garlic, 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Toss to combine and spread the mixture evenly in the baking dish.
- Arrange the vegetables: Stack one slice each of tomato, zucchini, and eggplant, and vertically arrange them along the edge of the baking dish with the eggplant skin side facing up. Repeat the stacking with remaining slices of tomato, zucchini, and eggplant, forming a spiral pattern inside the baking dish.
- Season the vegetables: Drizzle the extra-virgin olive oil over the arranged vegetables and sprinkle with roughly chopped fresh thyme. Season the dish with 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt and a few grinds of freshly ground black pepper for balanced flavor.
- Bake covered: Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake in the preheated oven for about 30 minutes, or until vegetables are just beginning to turn tender and the juices are bubbling.
- Bake uncovered: Remove the foil and continue baking for an additional 30 minutes, until the vegetables are knife-tender and thoroughly cooked. After baking, let the casserole rest for 10 minutes to allow flavors to meld before serving.
- Optional make-ahead: This Ratatouille Casserole can be baked up to one day in advance. After baking and cooling, cover the pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Notes
- Use fresh, firm vegetables for best texture and appearance.
- Roasted red bell peppers add a sweet depth to the sauce base; you can use jarred roasted peppers for convenience.
- Allowing the casserole to rest before serving improves the melding of flavors.
- Make ahead tip: Bake the casserole a day in advance and reheat gently before serving.
- Adjust salt and pepper seasoning according to taste preference.
Keywords: ratatouille, casserole, baked vegetables, French cuisine, vegetarian dish, summer vegetables, zucchini, eggplant, tomatoes
Find it online: https://thefoodrecipe.com/ratatouille-casserole-recipe/
