Timeless Ratatouille

By Lauren Mitchell, Test Kitchen Director · Reviewed by AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-04-01 · Updated 2026-04-01

A slow-simmered medley of summer vegetables, cooked to perfection with a bouquet of fresh herbs, honoring the French culinary tradition with no artificial shortcuts. This french-inspired vegetarian ready in about 65 minutes pairs finely chopped Yellow onion, minced Garlic, Extra-virgin olive oil for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 120 calories and feeds 6, 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 1/2-inch cubes Eggplant
• 2 medium, diced into 1/2-inch cubes Zucchini
• 1, diced into 1/2-inch cubes Red bell pepper
• 1, finely chopped Yellow onion
• 3 cloves, minced Garlic
• 1/4 cup Extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 cup Diced tomatoes
• 1 tbsp, chopped Fresh thyme
• 1 tbsp, chopped Fresh basil
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1/4 tsp Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Step 1: Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C); in a large ovenproof skillet, heat 2 tbsp olive oil over medium heat, then add eggplant and cook for 8 minutes until golden and tender, stirring occasionally.
2. Step 2: Add zucchini, bell pepper, onion, and garlic to the skillet, cooking for 5 minutes until vegetables begin to soften and onions are translucent.
3. Step 3: Stir in diced tomatoes, thyme, basil, salt, and pepper; transfer the skillet to the oven and bake for 45 minutes until vegetables are tender and sauce has thickened, stirring once halfway through.