Baked Ratatouille in a Cast Iron Skillet
When I was growing up, my mom cooked a lot of zucchini and eggplant. So naturally, this baked ratatouille recipe reminds me of Mom’s delicious cooking! This is one of those recipes that has it all: It’s a tasty, healthy, one-pot meal made beautifully in a cast iron skillet. And for that reason, your mandoline slicer will become your best friend—more on that below.
This is a vegetarian recipe, but it’s so rich and filling that it can be served as a main course with a tasty carb like crusty bread, pasta, mashed potatoes, or rice. You can use the leftovers in an omelette for breakfast or reheat them and serve alongside creamy polenta. The possibilities are endless! I like making a big batch and serving it all week long!
What is ratatouille?
Ratatouille is a delicious baked dish that comes from the French provincial region. A good ratatouille is usually gorgeous to look at, and definitely the star of the show. I find that ratatouille is best served as the main dish with a variety of sides like slices of rustic bread and butter. Yum!
What ingredients are in ratatouille?
Ratatouille is traditionally made with eggplant, zucchini, yellow squash, and tomatoes. And by the way, the secret to making your ratatouille beautiful is to make sure all the vegetables are cut the same size! Keep reading and learn how to make ratatouille from scratch! It might be easier than you think!
Tips for Making Perfect Homemade Ratatouille
#1. Look for vegetables uniform in size.
I prefer to select two small eggplants, rather than one regular-sized eggplant, for this recipe. Visually, the circumference of each eggplant should be similar to that of a zucchini or yellow squash—and the squashes should be similar in size to one another, too. Choosing vegetables similar in size helps ensure that they cook evenly when you bake your ratatouille.
#2. On that note, consider using Chinese or Japanese eggplants, and get the small ones!
I love Chinese or Japanese eggplants for this recipe since they are closer in size to zucchini and yellow squash. You can usually find these in large grocery stores, specialty stores, or local Asian markets.
#3. Look for Kumato or vine-ripe tomatoes—they’re easier to slice.
The same goes for your tomato selection. Look for ones that will give you about the same size round as the zucchini and yellow squash. Kumato tomatoes are great for this. The color is a deep brown red and they are firm, making them easier to slice. Another good choice are vine-ripe tomatoes that tend to be fairly uniform in size. One note on slicing the tomatoes: Though you can use the mandoline slicer if the tomatoes are very firm, you might want to use a sharp chef's knife for the tomatoes.
#4. Use a mandoline slicer.
A mandoline slicer is a very useful kitchen tool with a horizontal blade that slices veggies to any thickness you want. Think of it as a wonderful alternative to cutting loads of veggies fast while still maintaining a uniform size. I highly recommend using a mandoline slicer to get those perfect slices that you want for a recipe like ratatouille. You can check out my Italian Chopped Salad Recipe with Homemade Vinaigrette or Au Gratin Potato Casserole recipe for tips on how to use a mandoline for a breezy prep.
Once your veggies are sliced, keep them in their respective areas so you can pick them up as you need them. I suggest allowing about 20 mins for assembly. Though this dish takes a bit longer to prepare, I promise the result is well worth it.
#5. Make it beautiful: Presentation matters!
The reason for putting in this effort during the prep stage of this dish is because presentation matters! Ratatouille is a visually iconic dish. The colors of all the neatly arranged veggies are lovely. Bring out your favorite cast iron pan and have fun layering these veggies around.
I encourage you to take the time to create the beautiful design I created in my cast iron skillet. And like I said before, the secret to that stunning visual effect is evenly slicing the vegetables nice and thin. It’s both a beautiful and delicious way to get your family to eat more vegetables.
More Veggie-Forward Recipes to Nourish the Whole Family
If you’re feeling inspired to do a deep dive into veggie-forward recipes full of flavor, I have a few suggestions for you. Leave behind those bland pan sheet bakes and indulge in some nutrition that tastes great!
Baked Ratatouille Recipe in a Cast Iron Skillet
Ingredients
Instructions
- You will be using a 10 or 12-inch cast iron skillet for this recipe. Make sure you have one before you start cooking! Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
- Start by slicing the zucchini, yellow squash, small eggplants, and tomatoes into thin (⅛-inch) round slices. I use my mandoline slicer for all of the vegetables except the tomatoes. I like to use a sharp chef’s knife to cut the tomatoes. Keep the vegetables separate from one another for now.
- Prepare the sauce. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to a sauté pan and heat on medium heat. Add the diced bell pepper and sauté until softened, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add the garlic cloves and sauté for 30 seconds being careful not to brown the garlic. Add the marinara sauce. Reduce the heat to low and warm the sauce.
- Pour the sauce into the bottom of your cast iron skillet. Now it’s time to layer the vegetable rounds in a spiral pattern around the skillet. I start on the perimeter and work my way in. You can stagger the pieces one vegetable at a time or place 3 pieces at a time and make a fan-like design. I usually place the tomatoes in various spots as there are more of the other vegetables than tomatoes.
- Once the vegetables are all nestled in a spiral pattern in the cast iron skillet, prepare the olive oil herb drizzle: Place the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil, parsley and thyme in a small bowl. Whisk to combine. Drizzle the olive oil herb mix over the vegetables, then season the top of the vegetables with salt and pepper to taste.
- Cover the pan loosely with aluminum foil. Bake for 40 minutes covered, then remove the foil and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes or until the vegetables are soft.
- Remove from the oven and let your ratatouille rest for 15 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
