How should I reheat ratatouille?

Ratatouille can be reheated in a covered dish for optimal reheating. When reheated in a covered dish, slices of ratatouille heat through evenly without drying out the exposed edges too quickly. When rushed for time, ratatouille can be reheated in a microwave on the reheat setting. Smaller portions of ratatouille reheat more evenly than larger portions.

Can I assemble ratatouille ahead?

Yes, you can prepare the sauce and vegetable slices ahead of time to use when baking the main dish. Arrange the prepared ingredients to help when layering the vegetable slices in the baking dish according to your preferred pattern. Pat dry the tomato slices before placing them in the baking dish to reduce excess liquid. Drizzle oil and remaining Italian seasoning over the vegetables when arranging them in the baking dish.

Can I double this ratatouille recipe?

Yes, you should make double the vegetable recipe to cook the vegetables in two appropriately sized pans. It is hard to cook vegetable slices evenly in one large pan. You will need to make enough smooth tomato sauce to cover the bases of both pans. Try to slice vegetables to the recommended thickness for even cooking in both pans.

What can replace eggplant?

You can omit or increase the amount of zucchini or other squash in the recipe. Adding zucchini or other squash to the recipe is nutritionally and structurally similar to the traditional recipe. The dish will be less visually appealing without the dark purple color of the eggplant. Select zucchini and other squashes of similar size for even cooking and layering.

Why is my ratatouille watery?

Excess liquid in the soup probably comes from fresh tomato slices or canned tomato sauce. To reduce liquid, season fresh tomato slices and drain them in a colander into a bowl before adding them to the soup. Simmer canned tomato sauce to reduce liquid. Do not skip the step of baking the soup uncovered to reduce and brown the tomato slices.

Baked Ratatouille with Garlicky Tomato Sauce and Tender Summer Vegetables

By Liam CarterOct 1, 2026

Process garlic and tomatoes for ratatouille enough to serve eight people. You can bake the ratatouille another day. A covered pan will help cook the eggplant, zucchini, squash, and tomatoes in the tomato sauce. Cooking the dish uncovered for some of the time will brown the vegetables.

Baked Ratatouille with Garlicky Tomato Sauce and Tender Summer Vegetables

The sauce is a combination of sautéed peppers and onions in olive oil, garlic, and salted, Italian-seasoned canned diced tomatoes. To thicken the sauce and make it easier to spiral vegetables in, it is simmered. Flat slices of eggplant, zucchini, summer squash, and Roma tomatoes cook quickly and evenly and are easy to spiral, good choices for casseroles made ahead of time.

As the vegetables bake, they will become tender, and exposed parts of baked vegetables will develop some browning. Soggy vegetables are a common problem with this recipe. To help prevent sogginess, you may want to sprinkle salt on the sliced tomatoes, drain them in a colander, and pat them dry with a towel before using them in the recipe. Slicing all the vegetables similarly can help prevent eggplant slices from staying raw longer than other vegetables.

Serve warm ratatouille with bread, such as baguette, or rice, such as basmati, for a more substantial meal. Serve leftover ratatouille cold or reheat refrigerated leftovers more evenly in a covered pan. Keep fresh herbs, such as parsley, basil, and thyme, to garnish ratatouille, if desired.

Why you'll love this recipe

Eight servings, so one layering of vegetables will serve several lunches and other side dishes and require making the sauce only once.
The tomato mixture can be prepared while draining the other vegetables to save time later when preparing the casserole for baking.
Leftovers can be served hot or cold because peeled vegetables and other toppings do not become inedible when refrigerated.
Covering food during baking protects vegetable slices while they soften. Uncovering food toward the end of baking browns the top of the vegetable slices without requiring a second baking pan.
Thin 1/8-inch slices will cook evenly and can be more easily sliced into serving pieces after cooking. Thick slices will not be combined with other vegetables in the final product.
Covering the entire pan promotes even cooking of the tomatoes and other vegetables to prevent them from drying out at the edges.

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat.

Add the onion and bell pepper and cook until tender, about 8 minutes.

Add the garlic and cook for another minute.

Add the canned tomatoes, salt, and 1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning.

Stir to combine and simmer over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes, or until most of the liquid has evaporated.

Allow the sauce to cool slightly.

Add the sauce to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.

Pour the sauce into an 11-inch skillet or baking pan.

Arrange the sliced eggplant, zucchini, squash, and tomatoes in a pattern over the sauce.

Drizzle the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil over the vegetables and sprinkle with the remaining 1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning.

Cover the pan and bake for 30 minutes.

Remove the cover and bake for an additional 15 to 30 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender and slightly browned on top.

Serve warm.

FAQ

Freezing is not recommended for this baked ratatouille recipe. Thawed frozen vegetables will be mushy and less appealing when reheated and ruin the layered presentation of the dish. Store leftover ratatouille in the refrigerator. To help make serving leftovers easier, let the ratatouille cool in the pan before transferring it to airtight containers to store in the refrigerator, maintaining the layered presentation.

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Dinner Side Dishes Casseroles Vegetarian Mediterranean Baking

Baked Ratatouille with Garlicky Tomato Sauce and Tender Summer Vegetables

By Liam CarterOct 1, 2026

Servings

Jump to recipe

Why you'll love this recipe

Eight servings, so one layering of vegetables will serve several lunches and other side dishes and require making the sauce only once.
The tomato mixture can be prepared while draining the other vegetables to save time later when preparing the casserole for baking.
Leftovers can be served hot or cold because peeled vegetables and other toppings do not become inedible when refrigerated.
Covering food during baking protects vegetable slices while they soften. Uncovering food toward the end of baking browns the top of the vegetable slices without requiring a second baking pan.
Thin 1/8-inch slices will cook evenly and can be more easily sliced into serving pieces after cooking. Thick slices will not be combined with other vegetables in the final product.
Covering the entire pan promotes even cooking of the tomatoes and other vegetables to prevent them from drying out at the edges.

Ingredients

Servings8

•3 tbsp olive oil (divided)
•1 small onion (chopped)
•1 bell pepper (diced)
•4 garlic cloves (minced)
•14 oz canned diced tomatoes
•1 tsp salt
•2 tsp Italian seasoning (divided)
•1 small eggplant (sliced into 1/8-inch-thick circles)
•1 medium zucchini (sliced into 1/8-inch-thick circles)
•1 medium squash (sliced into 1/8-inch-thick circles)
•3 Roma tomatoes (sliced into 1/8-inch-thick circles)

Instructions

1
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
2
In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat.
3
Add the onion and bell pepper and cook until tender, about 8 minutes.
4
Add the garlic and cook for another minute.
5
Add the canned tomatoes, salt, and 1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning.
6
Stir to combine and simmer over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes, or until most of the liquid has evaporated.
7
Allow the sauce to cool slightly.
8
Add the sauce to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.
9
Pour the sauce into an 11-inch skillet or baking pan.
10
Arrange the sliced eggplant, zucchini, squash, and tomatoes in a pattern over the sauce.
11
Drizzle the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil over the vegetables and sprinkle with the remaining 1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning.
12
Cover the pan and bake for 30 minutes.
13
Remove the cover and bake for an additional 15 to 30 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender and slightly browned on top.
14
Serve warm.