Ratatouille
This delicious fiber-rich dish has a few classic ingredients—eggplant, zucchini, onions and tomatoes, but you can make it with a variety of other chunky veggies! In fact, the word “ratatouille” derives from two early French words meaning stirring up a chunky vegetable stew!
Prep Time: 20 minutes Simmer Time: 45-60 minutes
WHAT YOU NEED:
1/4 cup olive oil, divided
1 large eggplant (about 1-1/4 lbs.), trimmed but unpeeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
3 medium zucchini (about 1-1/4 lbs.), trimmed but unpeeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
2 medium onions, cut into 1-inch chunks
2-3 red or green bell peppers, trimmed and cut into 1 inch squares
2 - 14-oz cans diced tomatoes (or 1 - 28-oz can) or use about 6-8 fresh tomatoes
4 - 5 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 Tbsp)
½ cup water
2 tsp. dried Italian herbs (or 1 tsp. dried oregano plus 1 tsp. dried thyme)
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. red pepper flakes (or to taste)
MAKING IT:
Heat half the olive oil (about 2 Tbsp) in large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add cubed eggplant saute until browned, about 5-6 minutes. Add remaining oil plus zucchini and onions, continue to saute for an additional 4-5 minutes.
Add all the remaining ingredients to the pot; stir well. Reduce heat to low; cover pot and simmer for about 45 minutes. Remove lid and increase heat to medium to reduce the liquid. Cook for an additional 10-15 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent scorching. Season with additional salt, herbs and/or pepper, as desired. Makes about 6 main dish servings.
NUTRITION:
Nutrition Information per serving (1/6 recipe): 180 Calories; 10g Total Fat; (1.5g Sat Fat; 0g Trans Fat); 0mg Cholesterol; 710mg Sodium; 22g Total Carb; 7g Fiber; 12g Sugars (includes 0g Added Sugars); 4g Protein; 20% DV Potassium
TIPS:
Other chunky veggies to try in ratatouille: carrots, cauliflower, broccoli, green beans, potatoes.
Ratatouille is wonderful served over warm polenta or pasta
Leftover ratatouille makes an easy cold lunch or snack when served on top of crackers or grilled bread
