Ratatouille

Ratatouille is lovely, summery, packed full of veggies, and an irresistibly bright side dish! We’ve got a nice hearty tomato sauce to round out all our punchy flavors. This recipe stores perfectly in the freezer so you can have a taste of summer even in the chillier months!

📝 Ingredients

• 1 medium eggplant (cut into 1/3 inch cubes)
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 small zucchini (cut into 1/3 inch cubes)
• 1 small yellow squash (cut into 1/3 inch cubes)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 small onion (chopped)
• 1 small red bell pepper (diced)
• 1 small yellow bell pepper (diced)
• 3 cloves garlic (minced)
• 2 cups crushed tomatoes
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
• 4 fresh basil leaves (finely chopped)

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1Cook the eggplant: Heat 2 tbsp of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the eggplant and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until the eggplant starts to brown, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
2. 2Crisp the veggies: Add another tbsp of olive oil to the skillet, and add the zucchini and squash, season with salt and pepper and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until tender crisp. Transfer to a plate.
3. 3Tenderize the rest: Add remaining tbsp of olive oil to the skillet and add the onion and bell peppers. Cook. stirring for about 5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for 2 more minutes. Do not brown.
4. 4Cook the sauce: Add the tomatoes, sugar, red pepper flakes, bay leaf, thyme and stir. Cook for another 10 minutes until the tomatoes cook down. Add the cooked eggplant and turn the heat to a medium-low. Cook, stirring occasionally for another 10 minutes, until the eggplant is cooked through.
5. 5Finish the dish: Stir in the zucchini and squash and cook for 2 more minutes until heated through. Taste for seasoning and adjust with salt and pepper as needed. Garnish with fresh basil and additional olive oil if preferred. Serve warm.