French-Inspired Passkey Ratatouille with Herbed Polenta

By Lauren Mitchell, Test Kitchen Director · Reviewed by AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-06-17 · Updated 2026-06-17

A colorful vegetable ratatouille slow-simmered to unlock rich flavors paired with creamy herbed polenta, inspired by the idea of access and layered complexity. This french-inspired vegetarian (vegetarian) ready in about 45 minutes pairs medium, chopped tomato, olive oil, medium, chopped onion for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 280 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 1 medium, diced into 1-inch cubes eggplant
• 1 medium, diced into 1-inch cubes zucchini
• 1, diced into 1-inch pieces red bell pepper
• 1, diced into 1-inch pieces yellow bell pepper
• 3 medium, chopped tomato
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium, chopped onion
• 3 minced garlic cloves
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup polenta
• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Instructions

1. Step 1: Heat 3 tbsp olive oil in a large deep skillet over medium heat, add 1 medium chopped onion and 3 minced garlic cloves, sauté for 3-4 minutes until translucent and fragrant.
2. Step 2: Add 1 medium diced eggplant, 1 medium diced zucchini, 1 diced red bell pepper, and 1 diced yellow bell pepper to the skillet. Stir and cook for 7 minutes until vegetables start softening.
3. Step 3: Stir in 3 chopped medium tomatoes, 1 tsp dried thyme, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper, pour in 1 cup water, cover, and simmer gently for 20 minutes until all vegetables are tender and sauce is thickened.
4. Step 4: While the ratatouille simmers, bring 2 cups water to a boil in a saucepan, whisk in 1/2 cup polenta slowly, reduce heat to low, and cook for 5 minutes stirring frequently until thickened.
5. Step 5: Remove the polenta from heat and stir in 2 tbsp butter and 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley for creaminess and herb flavor.
6. Step 6: Serve the ratatouille hot over a bed of the creamy herbed polenta for a comforting French-inspired meal.