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    Home » Recipes » Mediterranean Recipes

    Julia Child's Ratatouille

    Published: Aug 29, 2018 · Modified: Oct 6, 2022 by Samantha Ferraro · This post may contain affiliate links · 7 Comments

    Jump to Recipe

    Julia Child's ratatouille recipe is a delicate and robust vegetable stew with tomatoes, zucchini and eggplant and layered with fresh herbs and garlic.

    Julia Child's ratatouille recipe is a delicate and robust vegetable stew with tomatoes, zucchini and eggplant and layered with fresh herbs and garlic.

    Julia Child isn't always all about butter and cream and this aromatic dish will prove it. She refers to it as an eggplant casserole, built upon Mediterranean flavors. I made this vegetable dish with my abundance of seasons produce and just as Julia states, a good ratatouille should not be rushed.

    A beautiful arraw of vegetables is what makes ratatouille so beautiful.

    Traditional Ratatouille Recipe Takes Time

    And this certainly took longer than expected. The secret is to cook each vegetable separately so it is able to hold it's shape. Each vegetable layer that is cooked in the same pan creates layers of flavor for the upcoming vegetables. I followed her directions exactly, however substituted red bell pepper for the green (which I find more flavorful).

    The end result was a brilliant and robust vegan casserole. I saved it for the next day and it was even better. The tomatoes and fresh herbes deepened its flavor profile and the vegetables still intact. Serve with some good crusty bread and your favorite protein. Enjoy the flavors of the Mediterranean.

    Method:

    1) Begin by peeling the eggplant and slicing it in about ½ inch thick pieces and 3 in long.

    To make Julia Child's ratatouille, Peel and slice eggplant in about ½in thick pieces and 3 inches long.

    2) Slice  zucchini about the same size as eggplant.

    Slice zucchini into long strips to add to ratatouille.

    3) Place vegetables in a bowl and add 1tsp salt. Toss to coat and allow to sit for 30 minutes. Then drain and dry very well with a paper towel.Separate the vegetables since they will be cooked separately.

    4) While the vegetables are sitting, prepare the tomatoes. Boil water in a medium sized pot and once it is at a boil, add your tomatoes. Allow to boil in the hot water for just about 10 seconds, this will allow the skin to come off easily.

    Blanch cook the tomatoes to easily remove the skin for ratatouille.

    5) When done, drop in a bowl fill with water and ice. This stops the cooking process.

    After tomatoes are quickly blanched, place them in an ice cold water bath to stop cooking.

    6) Next, peel the tomato skin and discard. Cut the tomatoes in half and seed them. Then cut into strips. Reserve.

    Julia Child's ratatouille recipe is a delicate and robust vegetable stew with tomatoes, zucchini and eggplant and layered with fresh herbs and garlic
    Slice tomatoes into long strip to add to ratatouille.

    7) Heat a large skillet with olive oil and then saute the eggplant first until lightly browned.

    Julia Child's ratatouille recipe is a delicate and robust vegetable stew with tomatoes, zucchini and eggplant and layered with fresh herbs and garlic.

    8) Remove the eggplant and saute the zucchini until lightly browned and remove to a side dish.

    Julia Child's ratatouille recipe is a delicate and robust vegetable stew with tomatoes, zucchini and eggplant and layered with fresh herbs and garlic.


    9) In the same skillet, add the bell peppers and onions and cook slowly in the olive oil for about 10 minutes until tender but not browned. Add garlic and season with salt and pepper.

    Julia Child's ratatouille recipe is a delicate and robust vegetable stew with tomatoes, zucchini and eggplant and layered with fresh herbs and garlic.

    10) Add the sliced tomatoes on top of the peppers and onions. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and allow to cook for about 10 minutes until the tomato juices have rendered.

    Julia Child's ratatouille recipe is a delicate and robust vegetable stew with tomatoes, zucchini and eggplant and layered with fresh herbs and garlic.

    11) After about 10 minutes, uncover and raise the heat to reduce the casseroles juices, almost entirely.

    12) Place ⅓ of the tomato mixture at the bottom of a casserole dish and sprinkle with fresh herbs. Layer half eggplant mixture on top, then tomato mixture, eggplant mixture, and the rest of the tomato mixture with more fresh herbs.

    Julia Child's ratatouille recipe is a delicate and robust vegetable stew with tomatoes, zucchini and eggplant and layered with fresh herbs and garlic.

    13) Cover casserole and allow to simmer for another 10 minutes while basting it's juices.  Taste for seasoning. Allow to simmer until juices have evaporated.

    Bon Appetit!

    Have an leftover bell peppers and onions? Fry them up in my Italian style peppers and onions or add them on top of sausage and pepper pizza!

    Julia Child's ratatouille recipe is a delicate and robust vegetable stew with tomatoes, zucchini and eggplant and layered with fresh herbs and garlic.

    Julia Child’s Ratatouille

    Samantha Ferraro

    LittleFerraroKitchen.com

    Julia Child's ratatouille recipe is a delicate and robust vegetable stew with tomatoes, zucchini and eggplant and layered with fresh herbs and garlic.
    4.64 from 41 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 15 minutes mins
    Cook Time 40 minutes mins
    Total Time 55 minutes mins
    Course Appetizer
    Cuisine French
    Servings 4 servings
    Calories 91 kcal

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 1 lb eggplant
    • 1 lb zucchini
    • 1 lb roma tomatoes blanched, peeled and seeded
    • 2-3 garlic cloves smashed
    • ½ onion sliced
    • 2 bell peppers seeded and sliced in ½ in thick slices
    • Small bunch of fresh parsley and/or basil chopped
    • Olive oil for drizzling
    • Salt and pepper to taste
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions
     

    • Begin by peeling the eggplant and slicing it in about ½in thick pieces and 3 in long.
    • Slice zucchini about same size as eggplant.
    • Place vegetables in a bowl and add 1tsp salt. Toss to coat and allow to sit for 30 minutes. Then drain and dry very well with a paper towel.Seperate the vegetables since they will be cooked seperately.
    • While the vegetables are sitting, prepare the tomatoes. Boil wter in a medium sized pot and once it is at a boil, add your tomatoes.
    • Allow to boil in the hot water for just about 10 seconds, this will allow the skin to come off easily.
    • Drop in a bowl fill with water and ice. This stops the cooking process.
    • Next, peel the tomato skin and discard. Cut the tomatoes in half and seed them. Then cut into strips. Reserve.
    • Heat a large skillet with olve oil and then sautee the eggplant first until lightly browned.
    • Remove the eggplant and sautee the zucchini until lightly browned and remove to a side dish.
    • In the same skillet, add the bell peppers and onions and cook slowly in the olive oil for about 10 minutes until tender but not browned. Add garlic and season with salt and pepper.
    • Add the sliced tomatoes on top of the peppers and onions. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and allow to cook for about 10 minutes until the tomato juices have rendered.
    • After about 10 minutes, uncover and raise the heat to reduce the casseroles juices, almost entirely.
    • Place ⅓ of the tomato mixture at the bottom of a casserole dish and sprinkle with fresh herbs. Layer half eggplant mixture on top, then tomato mixture, eggplant mixture, and the rest of the tomato mixture with more fresh herbs.
    • Cover casserold and allow to simmer for another 10 minutes while basting it's juices. Taste for seasoning. Allow to simmer until juices have evaporated.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 91kcalCarbohydrates: 20gProtein: 4gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0.2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.4gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.1gSodium: 20mgPotassium: 976mgFiber: 7gSugar: 13gVitamin A: 3061IUVitamin C: 116mgCalcium: 50mgIron: 1mg
    Did you make this recipe?Let us know by leaving a comment and 5 star rating!

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    Comments

    1. Jessica@Homeaddons says

      September 19, 2018 at 4:41 am

      5 stars
      Ratatouille is my favorite dish, ever! 🙂 My boys love the movie. hahaha 😉
      Thanks for sharing the recipe.
      Cheers,
      Jessica

      Reply
      • Samantha says

        September 19, 2018 at 5:10 pm

        Thank you Jessica!!

        Reply
    2. Robert says

      October 28, 2016 at 6:00 pm

      5 stars
      Why The Beloved Julia Child

      Reply
    3. Kaitlin says

      May 09, 2012 at 10:52 am

      5 stars
      Your photos for this dish are absolutely breathtaking! Would you mind sending some of this ratatouille to me? 🙂

      Reply
    4. Jennie @themessybakerblog says

      May 08, 2012 at 4:33 pm

      5 stars
      This dish looks mouth watering. It's so beautiful. All the colors- gorgeous! I wouldn't mind digging in.

      Reply
    5. Sunithi says

      May 07, 2012 at 7:21 am

      5 stars
      Love eggplant & this dish looks super yummy ! On my " Must make list" and your new site looks fabulous . Love the lime green background and the cool slide show & the recipe collection display on home page ! Great job !!

      Reply
    6. Liz says

      May 05, 2012 at 12:33 pm

      5 stars
      This is my favorite tatatouille recipe! And I'm so hungry for it after seeing your photos 🙂 Beautifully done!

      Reply

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