Rustic French Ratatouille with Fresh Herbs

By Lauren Mitchell, Test Kitchen Director · Reviewed by AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-05-04 · Updated 2026-05-04

A colorful, slow-simmered vegetable medley featuring tomatoes, zucchini, eggplant, and bell peppers infused with fragrant fresh herbs. This french-inspired brunch (vegetarian) ready in about 70 minutes combines extra virgin olive oil, medium, diced yellow onion, minced garlic cloves into a breakfast that fuels the morning without the midday crash — make-ahead-friendly and balanced enough to anchor the first meal of the day. Each serving lands at about 150 calories and feeds 6, so it sits comfortably in a weekly breakfast rotation alongside fruit, yogurt, or coffee. 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

• 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 medium, diced yellow onion
• 3, minced garlic cloves
• 1 medium (about 1 lb), diced into 1-inch cubes eggplant
• 2 medium, diced into 1-inch cubes zucchini
• 1 large, diced red bell pepper
• 1 large, diced yellow bell pepper
• 4 medium, chopped ripe tomatoes
• 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
• 1/4 cup, chopped fresh basil leaves
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

Instructions

1. Step 1: Heat 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat until shimmering, about 2 minutes. Add 1 medium diced yellow onion and 3 minced garlic cloves, sauté for 5 minutes until soft and fragrant.
2. Step 2: Add 1 medium diced eggplant (1-inch cubes) to the pot, stirring well. Cook for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until eggplant begins to soften and caramelize at edges.
3. Step 3: Stir in 2 diced medium zucchinis and 1 each diced large red and yellow bell peppers. Cook for 7 minutes until vegetables start to soften.
4. Step 4: Add 4 chopped ripe tomatoes, 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Reduce heat to low, cover pot, and simmer gently for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.
5. Step 5: Remove from heat and stir in 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm or at room temperature with crusty bread.