Cast-Iron Rainbow Ratatouille
This colourful cast-iron ratatouille layers zucchini, summer squash, eggplant and tomatoes over a rich herb-infused tomato sauce for a simple French-inspired vegan dinner.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large red onion finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt divided
- 1 red bell pepper finely chopped
- 2 cans 28 ounces/800 mL each crushed tomatoes
- 2 teaspoons herbes de Provence
- 3 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves divided
- ½ cup tightly packed fresh basil leaves chopped, more for garnish
- 1 green zucchini sliced into ½-inch rounds
- 1 yellow summer squash (or another green zucchini) sliced into ½-inch rounds
- 1 Japanese eggplant sliced into ½-inch rounds
- 3 Roma tomatoes sliced into ½-inch rounds
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper Fresh basil leaves for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Heat the olive oil in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Add the red onion, garlic, and ¾ teaspoon of the salt. Cook, stirring often, until the onion has softened, about 10 minutes.
- Add the bell pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 7 minutes. Pour in the crushed tomatoes and season with the herbes de Provence and 2 teaspoons of the thyme. Cook at a low simmer until the sauce has slightly thickened, 10 to 15 minutes. Add the basil and stir to combine. Remove from the heat.
- Starting from the outer edge of the skillet and working your way to the middle, arrange the sliced veggies over the tomato sauce, snugly upright but slightly angled, and alternating the colours (zucchini, summer squash, eggplant, and tomato). Fan them apart slightly, if needed, to cover the entire pan with no large gaps. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 teaspoon thyme, remaining ¼ teaspoon salt, and the black pepper.
- Cover the skillet with foil or an oven-safe lid and bake the ratatouille for 40 Remove the foil and continue cooking until the vegetables are very soft and the ratatouille is bubbling, another 20 to 30 minutes. Garnish with basil leaves just before serving, if desired.