Oven-Baked Ratatouille with Herbed Tomato Sauce

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-05-10 · Updated 2026-05-10

Layers of thinly sliced eggplant, zucchini, and bell peppers baked in a rich tomato sauce infused with fresh herbs. This French-inspired vegetarian recipe, ready in about 60 minutes, pairs eggplant, zucchini, red bell pepper 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, sliced into 1/4-inch rounds eggplant
• 1 medium, sliced into 1/4-inch rounds zucchini
• 1 large, sliced into thin strips red bell pepper
• 1 large, sliced into thin strips yellow bell pepper
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 4 cloves, minced garlic cloves
• 1 1/2 cups canned crushed tomatoes
• 1 tsp, chopped fresh thyme
• 1/4 cup, chopped fresh basil
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 cup (optional) grated Parmesan cheese

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Instructions

1. Step 1: Preheat oven to 375°F. In a saucepan, heat 2 tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Add 4 minced garlic cloves and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
2. Step 2: Stir in 1 1/2 cups canned crushed tomatoes, 1 tsp chopped fresh thyme, 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes until sauce thickens slightly.
3. Step 3: Spread tomato sauce evenly on the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish.
4. Step 4: Arrange slices of 1 medium eggplant, 1 medium zucchini, 1 large red bell pepper, and 1 large yellow bell pepper in overlapping layers over the sauce.
5. Step 5: Drizzle remaining 1 tbsp olive oil over the vegetables, cover with foil, and bake for 35 minutes.
6. Step 6: Remove foil, sprinkle 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese if using, and bake uncovered for an additional 10 minutes until vegetables are tender and top is lightly browned.
7. Step 7: Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.