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    Home » Recipes » Main Dishes

    Roasted Ratatouille with Pan-fried Onions

    May 31, 2018 • Updated: September 8, 2021 • by Renée • This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe   Print Recipe
    Ratatouille with Pan-Fried Onions | The Good Hearted Woman

    Fragrant layers of bright zucchini, tender Japanese eggplant, and juicy romas - all roasted to perfection in a nest of herby, garlicky tomatoes and pan-fried onions. 


    No one makes ratatouille like I do. In fact, it seems like E-V-E-R-Y-O-N-E puts their own flare on this simple summer vegetable medley. My personal spin? Pan-fried onions for extra sweetness and depth of flavor. SO GOOD!

    Roasted Ratatouille with Pan-fried Onions

    This post may contain affiliate links, but don't worry - they won't bite.

    Originally from the South of France, ratatouille is an amazingly versatile dish, both for the cook and as a meal. Traditionally made with a base of tomatoes, zucchini, onions, eggplant, garlic, and herbs, home chefs around the world add everything from potatoes to porcinis to the mix.

    Some cook it in a pot on the stove, others roast it in the oven. You can even make it in a slow cooker, or an Instant Pot! The whole idea is, once you have the basic recipe down, feel free to make it your own.

    Ratatouille with Pan-Fried Onions | The Good Hearted Woman

    And here's a little secret... (shhhhh....)

    When it comes to making ratatouille, it really doesn't matter how you put it together. 

    It's true! Whether you choose to "fussy up" and camera-ready your ratatouille, or just throw everything in the dish and let the chips fall where they may, the fragrant flavors of all those fresh summer veggies and herbs will magically combine to create something your tastebuds will love.

    Ratatouille with Pan-Fried Onions | The Good Hearted Woman

    Ratatouille can be enjoyed hot, cold, or somewhere in between. Serving suggestions are just as flexible, too: as is, over rice, on toast, in pasta, on a sandwich, and with eggs are just a few ideas. (One of our favorite breakfasts is leftover ratatouille with poached eggs.) Enjoy!

    Ratatouille with Pan-Fried Onions | The Good Hearted Woman

    Roasted Ratatouille Ingredient Notes

    Fresh is Best: Ratatouille is best when made with the freshest veggies possible.

    Uniform Slices: Be sure to slice your vegetables uniformly to all be approximately the same size and thickness so that everything cooks evenly.

    Japanese Eggplant is more tender than Italian eggplant, and works better for this dish. However, if you cannot find it, you can definitely use Italian eggplant as a substitute. The important thing is to cut it in approximately the same size as the other veggies you will be using so everything cooks evenly.

    Marry the Flavors: Ratatouille and similar foods (i.e., spaghetti sauce, lasagna, and eggplant parm) almost always taste better "the next day," after flavors have had a chance to marry and mellow.

    I'm sure that there is a scientific explanation for this phenomena, but whatever the reason, keep this in mind if you plan to serve this dish to company. We often make meals like this a day ahead of time, refrigerate overnight and reheat to serve.

    Roasted Ratatouille with Pan-fried Onions
    5 from 1 vote

    Ratatouille with Pan-Fried Onions

    Fragrant layers of bright zucchini, tender Japanese eggplant, and juicy romas - all roasted to perfection in a nest of herby, garlicky tomatoes and pan-fried onions. 
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Vegan, Vegetarian
    Prep Time:45 minutes
    Cook Time:1 hour
    Total Time:1 hour 45 minutes
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 124kcal
    Author: Renee

    Ingredients

    US Customary - Metric
    • 1 large red onion sliced ⅜" thick
    • 4 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil divided
    • 14 ounces crushed or diced tomatoes (1 can, drained)
    • ½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar
    • 2 cloves minced garlic about 1 ½ teaspoons
    • 1 Tablespoon fresh basil chiffonade
    • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
    • ½ teaspoon dried thyme
    • ¼ teaspoon dried rosemary or a small spring fresh, chopped
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
    • ¼ teaspoon chili powder
    • 1 lb medium zucchini sliced ¼" thick
    • 1-2 Japanese eggplant sliced ¼" thick
    • 3 fresh Roma tomatoes sliced ¼" thick
    Garnish:
    • Fresh basil
    • Finely grated Parmesan or Romano cheese optional

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a deep-dish pie plate with cooking spray. Set aside. 
    • Heat a cast iron or heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 teaspoons  of olive oil and swirl to coat skillet.
      When a water droplet sizzles on the surface, carefully place whole onion slices on the skillet.
      llow onion slices to brown and crisp on one side for a few minutes, and then carefully turn them over using a spatula and brown the other side.
      Allow onion slices to cool, and then separate onion rings from one another and set aside. 
    • In a small bowl, combine dried oregano, thyme, rosemary, salt, pepper, and chili powder.
    • In a medium bowl, combine crushed or diced tomatoes, remaining olive oil (2 teaspoons), vinegar, garlic, fresh basil, and all but 1 teaspoon of the herb mixture. 
    • Pour tomato mixture evenly into the bottom of a deep dish pie plate. (I use my cast iron pie dish.) 
    • Arrange sliced veggies around the edge of the plate in a pattern that makes you happy. (I did tomato-zucchini-eggplant-zucchini-eggplant-repeat.) 
    • Put the pan-fried onion mixture in the middle of the veggie-ring. Arrange more veggies in the middle, until you are either out of veggies or space, whichever comes first. 
    • OPTIONAL: At this point, you can spray the whole thing with a little cooking spray or brush it with just a bit of olive oil to encourage browning if you would like. Doing so also seems to make the whole thing look better after it is done roasting. 
    • Sprinkle remaining dried herb mixture over the top of the prepared ratatouille. 
    • Bake in preheated oven for an hour, or until the sauce is bubbly and the veggies are tender (but not mushy!!) 
    • Garnish with fresh basil and freshly grated Parmesan or Romano. 

    Notes

    Weight Watchers: 1 serving (¼ recipe) = 1 SmartPoint [2018]
    Alternate (aka "non-fussy") Prep: Put the crushed tomato mixture in your baking dish. Top with pan-fried onions. Throw the veggies on top. Bake as directed.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 124kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 438mg | Potassium: 883mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 914IU | Vitamin C: 40mg | Calcium: 79mg | Iron: 2mg
    This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.
    Have you tried this recipe?Mention @TheGoodHeartedWoman or tag #thegoodheartedwoman!

    If this ratatouille sounds good, be sure to try out our recipes for Eggplant Parmesan and Indian Eggplant Pickling Style LIGHT (Lake Palace Hotel Aubergine), too! 

    Ratatouille with Pan-Fried Onions | The Good Hearted Woman


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    Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, including Amazon affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that we have recommended. While clicking these links won't cost you any extra money, they do help keep this site up and running. As always, all opinions and images are my own. Please check out our disclosure policy for more details. Thank you for your support!
     
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    About Renée

    Renée is writer, music maker, artist, and storyteller. In her spare time, you can find her writing love songs about cowboys, exploring the moss-covered nooks and crannies of the Pacific Northwest, and making music with her talented singer-husband.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Joan Cajic says

      June 01, 2018 at 3:19 am

      This is so beautiful and the colours are amazing, Pinning this for reference.

      Reply
    2. Jenni LeBaron says

      May 31, 2018 at 1:58 pm

      This dish looks absolutely gorgeous! I bet it's super tasty as well!

      Reply
    3. Sharon says

      May 31, 2018 at 12:52 pm

      5 stars
      What a delicious dish just in time for Summer. This would be so great with any grilled meat.

      Reply
    4. Marlynn | UrbanBlissLife says

      May 31, 2018 at 9:33 am

      5 stars
      Your ratatouille looks beautiful! What a great way to use summer garden veggies.

      Reply
      • Renée ♥ says

        May 31, 2018 at 9:39 am

        Thank, Marlynn ? The early veggies at Farmers Markets are starting to come on, and it make me so happy!

        Reply
    5. Elaine @ Dishes Delish says

      May 31, 2018 at 8:55 am

      This ratatouille looks so unique and delicious! We used to have ours just mixed all together but I love the presentation of your recipe and want to try it asap!!

      Reply
      • Renée ♥ says

        May 31, 2018 at 9:39 am

        Thanks, Elaine!

        Reply
    6. Stephanie@ApplesforCJ says

      May 31, 2018 at 8:39 am

      5 stars
      This looks so colorful and absolutely delicious. I actually have some zucchini that I need to use so now I know what I'm making..Yum!

      Reply
    7. Dannii says

      May 31, 2018 at 8:35 am

      5 stars
      This is one of my favourite summer time dishes. Perfect with a big pan of spaghetti.

      Reply
    8. Alyssa says

      May 31, 2018 at 7:40 am

      5 stars
      Wow - it's as beautiful as it is delicious!

      Reply
    9. Lisa | Garlic & Zest says

      May 31, 2018 at 7:15 am

      Your ratatouille looks nothing like the kind my Mom used to can in mass quantities every summer. I think if it had, I'd have liked it! This looks delish!

      Reply
      • Renée ♥ says

        May 31, 2018 at 7:38 am

        Haha! Thanks, Lisa. Everyone seems to do it a little differently, for sure!

        Reply

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