Ratatouille is a famous vegetable dish from Provence, the Southern region of France near Marseilles and Nice (hence it is often called Ratatouille Niçoise, or from Nice), But what are the ratatouille vegetables? The ingredients that go into this staple dish in the original or authentic recipe?
In this article I help you understand what the basic ingredients of a French ratatouille are. If you are looking for an actual ratatouille recipe, click on the link.
Ratatouille Vegetables
Although every dish can be altered to your taste, preferences, and what’s available, an authentic ratatouille is almost exclusively made of these late-summer vegetables. They are steamed or sautéed and then cooked together to form a vegetable stew.
- Eggplant or aubergine
- Zucchini or courgette
- Red and green bell peppers
- Tomatoes (which are technically fruits but we often refer to them as vegetables)
- Onions
Other then these veggies, ratatouille is cooked with olive oil and seasoned with garlic, salt and pepper. Often thyme and bay leaves or other seasonings (such as marjoram, celery leaves, fennel, basil, herbes de Provence) are also added.
And that’s it. A good dish doesn’t need to be complicated. On the contrary, very often recipes that look quite basic tend to be the best. And ratatouille is indeed one of the best yet most simple dishes you can taste.
Try it for yourself and indulge in the aromas of the Mediterranean!
