Oven-Baked Ratatouille with Fresh Herbs

By AislePrompt Test Kitchen · Reviewed by AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-06-08 · Updated 2026-06-08

Layers of zucchini, eggplant, bell peppers, and tomatoes baked with garlic and fresh herbs create a colorful and aromatic vegetable medley. This french-inspired vegetarian ready in about 80 minutes pairs olive oil, minced garlic cloves, fresh thyme leaves for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 180 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, thinly sliced into 1/8-inch rounds zucchini
• 1 medium, thinly sliced into 1/8-inch rounds eggplant
• 1 medium, thinly sliced into strips red bell pepper
• 1 medium, thinly sliced into strips yellow bell pepper
• 3 medium, thinly sliced into 1/8-inch rounds tomatoes
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 4 cloves, minced garlic cloves
• 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 small, finely chopped onion
• 2 tbsp tomato paste

Instructions

1. Step 1: Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). In a skillet, heat 2 tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Add 1 small finely chopped onion and 4 minced garlic cloves, sauté for 5 minutes until translucent and fragrant.
2. Step 2: Stir in 2 tbsp tomato paste, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Cook for 2 minutes until the tomato paste darkens slightly. Spread this sauce evenly on the bottom of a 9-inch round or oval baking dish.
3. Step 3: Arrange thin slices of 1 medium zucchini, 1 medium eggplant, 1 medium red bell pepper, 1 medium yellow bell pepper, and 3 medium tomatoes alternating in a circular overlapping pattern on top of the tomato sauce.
4. Step 4: Drizzle the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil over the vegetables and sprinkle 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves evenly on top.
5. Step 5: Cover the dish with foil and bake for 40 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 20 minutes uncovered until vegetables are tender and edges slightly caramelized.
6. Step 6: Garnish with 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil before serving warm or at room temperature.