What happens when you take thinly sliced vegetables, layer them in a dish, add a rich red sauce, plenty of herbs, and a cheesy topping? You get this insanely delicious homemade ratatouille, aka “the vegetable dish that vegetable haters won’t be able to get enough of.” While this interpretation of ratatouille isn’t exactly traditional, I think you’re going to love it. And once you learn how to make ratatouille this way, you’ll want to make it all the time!
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“Easy to make, beautiful to look at, really inexpensive, very healthy and MUCH better than my stovetop ratatouille. My husband and I devoured it. Yum with a capital Y.”
Vicky
Easy Ratatouille Recipe with a Twist
Ratatouille is a classic French vegetable dish from Provence, and its name is linked to the French verb touiller, meaning ‘to stir.’ Traditional ratatouille is usually a rustic vegetable stew (hence the name!), but I went with a pretty layered version instead. It looks similar to a vegetable tian because both arrange thinly sliced summer vegetables in rows, but this recipe skips the potatoes, adds eggplant, and bakes everything over a saucy layer of marinara.
However, don’t let those neat layers fool you. This oven-roasted ratatouille is easy enough for beginners and a little more hands-off than cooking each vegetable on the stovetop, which I appreciate. I’ve also included step-by-step videos below to show you exactly how I build those layers! Roasting helps the eggplant, zucchini, squash, and tomatoes keep more of their individual flavor and texture, which you don’t get from a classic stovetop ratatouille. Then the marinara mixes with their juices to create the most delicious, rich, tangy, herby sauce (get some bread ready for dipping). Lastly, I topped it with cheese, which definitely isn’t the norm for ratatouille, but adds a creamy, salty finish. And don’t just take my word for it! Many of our readers have described this recipe as fresh, hearty, and inexpensive, and one eggplant skeptic even said it was the best vegetarian dish they’d ever had…hands down! 😉
Recipe Tips & Variations
- This recipe is extremely flexible. I’ve given some approximate weight values for the vegetables below, but you can really use whatever size you have available and whatever you can squeeze into your baking dish. But a word of advice: once sliced, the volume of the vegetables always ends up being more than you estimated, so err on the side of smaller vegetables.
- I don’t peel my vegetables as the skins help hold their shape and add color to the finished dish. However, feel free to peel your veggies if preferred!
- Use soft veggies (and slice them evenly). While this recipe is my easy oven-roasted version, I kept the vegetables true to a classic ratatouille recipe by using eggplant, zucchini, tomatoes, and onions. If you want to change things up, you can mix in other soft veggies like red or orange bell peppers, sliced mushrooms, or other tomato varieties like beefsteak tomatoes. Just make sure everything is cut to about the same thickness so the layers cook evenly.
- Check the veggies before adding the cheese. Ovens and vegetable sizes vary, so I highly recommend using the baking time as a guide! The eggplant should feel tender when pierced with a thin knife, and the onion should look translucent. If either still feels firm, keep baking in 5-minute increments before adding the mozzarella.
Ratatouille Recipe
Cost $6.48 recipe / $0.81 serving
Ingredients
- 1 cup marinara sauce ($0.49*)
- 1 yellow onion (thinly sliced, (170g, 1¼ cup) $0.90)
- 1 eggplant (thinly sliced, (about 1 lb, 450g, 3 ½ cups), $1.56**)
- 1 zucchini (thinly sliced, (about ½ lb, 227g, 2 cups) $0.74)
- 1 yellow squash (thinly sliced, (about ½ lb, 227g, 2 cups) $0.84)
- 3 Roma tomatoes (thinly sliced, (360g, 2 ½ cups) $0.87)
- 1 Tbsp olive oil ($0.18)
- ½ tsp dried basil ($0.25)
- ½ tsp dried oregano ($0.03)
- ⅛ tsp black pepper (freshly cracked, $0.03)
- ⅛ tsp salt ($0.01)
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese (shredded, $0.97)
- 1 Tbsp fresh parsley (chopped (optional), $0.05)
Video
Instructions
- Gather all your ingredients and preheat the oven to 400ºF.
- Thinly slice the yellow onion. Slice the eggplant, zucchini, yellow squash, and tomatoes into ⅛-inch thick slices. Cut any pieces with a larger diameter into half-rounds.***
- Pour the marinara in the bottom of a large casserole dish. Sprinkle the sliced onions over top.
- Begin to line up the sliced eggplant, zucchini, squash, and tomatoes into the dish, standing on their sides, and in an alternating pattern until all of the pieces are used up. Drizzle the olive oil over the vegetables, then sprinkle the basil, oregano, salt, and pepper over top.
- Transfer the dish to the oven and roast the vegetables for 40 minutes. After 40 minutes, remove the dish from the oven and sprinkle the shredded mozzarella over top. Return the casserole dish to the oven for five minutes, or until the cheese is melted and creamy.
- After roasting, sprinkle the chopped parsley over top, then serve.
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Notes
Nutrition Information
Have you tried this recipe?Mention @budgetbytes or tag #budgetbytes on Instagram!How to Make Oven Roasted Ratatouille Step-by-Step Videos
Gather all of your ingredients: Preheat your oven to 400ºF. For this recipe, I used one small eggplant (about 1 lb.), one yellow onion, one yellow squash (about ½ lb.), one zucchini (about ½ lb.), and three Roma tomatoes. The eggplant, squash, zucchini, and tomatoes are the vegetables that will get layered pretty in the dish, while the onion will hide underneath in a base layer.
Slice the vegetables thinly and evenly: Slice the eggplant, yellow squash, zucchini, and Roma tomatoes into ⅛-inch-thick rounds. Thin, even slices are important here, so all the vegetables soften at about the same rate. Cut any larger rounds into half-moons so the pieces are a similar height when arranged in the casserole dish. I usually halve the eggplant slices and the wider ends of the squash and zucchini.
Add the marinara and onion: Slice 1 yellow onion as thinly as possible, then spread 1 cup marinara evenly across the bottom of a large casserole dish. Sprinkle the onion over the sauce in an even layer, breaking up any thick clumps so it cooks through properly.
Layer the vegetables: Stand the sliced vegetables on their sides and arrange them in an alternating pattern, like cards in a card catalog (wait, did I just date myself??). They don’t need to look perfect! Just start squeezing them in as best you can. It’s nice to try to alternate them in a pattern, but once you get toward the end, you might have more left of one type of vegetable, so just start popping them in there anywhere they’ll fit.
Drizzle 1 Tbsp olive oil evenly over the vegetables, then sprinkle with ½ tsp dried basil, ½ tsp dried oregano, ⅛ tsp freshly cracked black pepper, and ⅛ tsp salt. The vegetables should look lightly glossy, with the herbs and seasonings scattered evenly across the top.
Bake until tender: Transfer the dish to the preheated 400ºF oven and roast for 40 minutes. The sauce should be gently bubbling around the edges, and the vegetables should look softened and slightly shrunken. Check the eggplant with a thin knife or fork. It should slide through easily without the eggplant feeling rubbery or firm. If the eggplant or onion (if you can see them under those layers!) is still underdone, continue baking in 5-minute increments before adding the cheese.
Once the vegetables are tender, sprinkle 1 cup shredded mozzarella evenly over the top. Return the dish to the oven for about 5 minutes, or until the cheese is fully melted and creamy.
Garnish and serve: Sprinkle 1 Tbsp chopped parsley over the top, if using, then serve. The vegetables will release some juices as they roast, which mix with the marinara to make a rich, flavorful sauce…and it’s just begging for a beautiful baguette to bathe in it. Mmmmm. You’ve got to spoon some of that sauce from the bottom of the pan onto your plate!
Closer look? So pretty. I ❤️ vegetables!
Serving suggestions
This homemade ratatouille makes 8 servings (¾-cup each!), and I think it’s a delicious side dish for grilled or roasted meat. I always make it whenever my juicy herb roasted pork tenderloin is on the menu. Both recipes bake at 400ºF, but pork is usually ready before the ratatouille, so I let it rest while I add the cheese and finish baking the veggies. Or serve it next to garlic butter baked cod, where the flaky, buttery fish is a lighter contrast to the tender vegetables and tangy tomato sauce.
For something equally satisfying, I’ll pair it with juicy baked chicken breasts to turn this vegetable side into a filling family meal. Another good pairing would be our rich and creamy Parmesan risotto, which is a delicious vegetarian option, or spoon it over soft polenta so it can soak up all that herby tomato sauce!
Storage & Reheating
Store leftover ratatouille in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Let it cool before storing and transfer it to the fridge within 2 hours of cooking to keep it fresh and safe to eat!
Meal Prepping
I think this recipe works well for meal prep because it’s easy to portion with plenty of sauce and reheats well for quick lunches or dinners. Divide the ratatouille into individual containers, making sure to spoon some of the marinara and vegetable juices into each one. I’d store any sides separately until serving.
Reheating
Reheat individual portions in the microwave until hot, using short intervals to avoid overcooking the vegetables. Spoon some of the sauce over the top first to help keep everything moist as it reheats.
Freezing
You can freeze ratatouille in an airtight, freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. However, the eggplant, zucchini, squash, and tomatoes will be much softer after thawing, so I prefer this recipe fresh or refrigerated. Thaw frozen portions overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Try These Easy Classic French Dishes Next:
- I save this French Onion Soup for cozy days when sweet caramelized onions and gooey cheese sound especially good.
- A classic Niçoise Salad is a hearty meal-prep lunch with plenty of contrasting flavors and textures!
- I’d put this Quiche Lorraine on the menu whenever an effortless but impressive brunch dish is needed.
More Veggie Side Dish Recipes
Our Oven Roasted Ratatouille recipe was originally published 5/19/14. It was retested, reworked, and republished to be better than ever 10/27/25.
I swear that Beth is some sort of food wizard. Every recipe I’ve made on her page has turned out delish. I made this one and it was very yummy
I adore eggplant–never tasted it as a child because even though my dad loved it, too, mom didn’t and never grew it or cooked it. Ratatouille, which I discovered as a new bride with Julia Child’s 1st cookbook in hand, is one of my summer treats. This version, a traditional tian, or, gratin, since it includes cheese, is no more fiddly than the traditional version of individually diced and sauteed veggies–and much prettier. I love it! I don’t think eggplant freezes well, but since the leftovers disappear within a few days, I never tried to freeze them. When I make the more traditional version, I add some chopped Kalamata olives making a dish that’s kind of a hybrid between ratatouille and caponata, but that salty bite is delicious with the blander flavors of eggplant and squashes. I don’t like this dish “crispy,” but I do want it well cooked.
After reading the comments, I suggest that it may take more or less time in the oven than the recipe indicates! Ovens and individual preferences vary, so if a dish needs more time, don’t blame the recipe, but give it more time. Common sense rules always!
Actually, Julia Child’s 1st volume of French Cooking does construct Ratatouille like this, minus cheese. But every slice is sauteed in oil, as are the sliced onions and peppers–no possibility of an undercooked final product. I can’t remember where i first encountered the dice and saute instructions, which usually been my usual method.
I’ve been making this recipe for years! Before I bake it, I just savor the “colors of summer. It’s my go-to: “I have too much squash, zucchini, eggplant, etc…” recipe! SOOOOO good with my homemade sourdough! Thanks, Beth! You never disappoint!
I dislike egg plant. I’m neutral on summer squash and zucchini. For some reason this was awesome. My wife and I made it together and as it came together, I became a believer. Best vegetarian dish I’ve ever had, hands down.
I really enjoyed this recipe! So fresh & easy to put together (thanks to the mandolin my mom gave me.) I baked it for 40 min plus 5 after adding cheese & it came out perfectly! My boyfriend & I enjoyed it for dinner & paired with just some simple toasty buttered bread. I did a modify a couple things though.
– I cut the veggies to 1/4”
– I used 2 beef steak tomatoes because the Roma tomatoes looked sad that day
– I used 1/2 tsp salt & 1/4 tsp ground black pepper (plus more to taste after baking was finished)
– I topped it off with fresh basil, thyme, & parmesan cheese instead of parsley
10/10 will make again!
I really like this dish, because I was able to eat something both delicious, hearty and vegetarian. I recommend wetting the eggplants though, not drying them because crispy food hurts my teeth… and if u don’t like your sauce too watery just blend like a teaspoon of some flour into the sauce. that is all my personal choices though. This dish is truly an inspiration to me though.
This recipe sounded delicious and I was super excited to try it, but it was a complete disappointment. The onions tasted raw and the eggplant was rubbery and underdone. The first unsuccessful recipe I’ve had from Budget Bytes.
I tried this recipe too, but from my experience with eggplant I have to wet it, not dry it before slathering oil all over it.. i covered it as well til the end to make the top crispy and i think the next time i will have to add a teaspoon of flour to thicken the sauce a bit and catch any water that falls from the veggies.
This is a GREAT recipe for the summer veggies! I first used it about 10 years ago when my daughter belonged to a basket program, & we got lots! of zucchini & needed to find a way to use it….we found this recipe & it has been a family favorite!
I made this with marinara sauce, two different types of squash (zucchini and patty pan), sliced onion and sliced tomato and topped it with cheddar cheese and parmesan cheese. It was delicious. I will enjoy making it again as summer progresses and the mix of garden produce changes.
yes
Looks tasty
This looks so delicous to make
(Cant spell)
Easy to make, beautiful to look at, really inexpensive, very healthy and MUCH better than my stovetop ratatouille. My husband and I devoured it. Yum with a capital Y.
My family LOVED this recipe! It was quick to pull together, inexpensive, and beautiful. I served it alongside crusty “pan de agua” for a complete vegetarian meal. This one is going on my meal rotation. Well done! 👏🏽
Delicious! Much tastier than the stovetop ratatouille I’ve been making for years, and it’s got a nice crunch to it, too. Thanks!