Can I make ratatouille the day before?

Absolutely! Ratatouille tastes even better the next day as the flavours have more time to meld together. You can refrigerate it in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat gently in the slow cooker on Low, or serve chilled as a salad-like dish

Should I peel the aubergine before cooking?

No need to peel the aubergine — the skin is perfectly edible and contains lots of nutrients and flavour. Just wash it thoroughly before cutting. The skin softens beautifully during the slow cooking process

What should I serve ratatouille with?

Ratatouille works wonderfully alongside grilled fish, roasted chicken, or crusty bread. It's also excellent served as a vegetarian main course alongside couscous, rice, or fresh focaccia. For a light summer meal, serve it chilled with a green salad and crusty bread

Can I use tinned tomatoes instead of fresh?

Yes, tinned tomatoes work brilliantly in ratatouille and are often more reliable for flavour. Use 1 × 400g tin instead of the fresh tomatoes. There's no need to drain the liquid as the slow cooker's gentle heat prevents the dish from becoming watery

Traditional ratatouille recipe by chef Vivien

by Chef Vivien

Vegetarian

Published 25 April 2026Original video

Traditional ratatouille is a rustic Provençal vegetable dish that celebrates the natural flavours of summer produce. This slow cooker version gently combines tender aubergine, courgettes, bell peppers, tomatoes, and onions with fragrant bay leaves and thyme, allowing the vegetables to meld together beautifully without the need for constant attention. The result is a wonderfully soft, flavourful vegetable stew that's equally at home as a side dish or served on its own. This adaptation retains the authentic character of the classic recipe whilst making it more convenient for modern cooking

Video thumbnail: Traditional ratatouille recipe by chef Vivien

Watch: Traditional ratatouille recipe by chef Vivien

Original recipe video — click to play

Original video by Chef Vivien7k likes on YouTube

25 mins

Prep time

6 hrs

Slow cook (Low)

4 hrs

Slow cook (High)

Serves

6 hrs 25 mins

Total (Low)

Slow cooker setting:Low 6 hours or High 4 hours

Original method: 45 minutes on stovetop

Ingredients

Servings:

Units:

Vegetables

1 large Aubergine
, cut into 1cm cubes
About 500g
2 medium Courgettes, cut into 1cm rounds
About 400g total
1 whole Bell pepper, deseeded and cut into 2cm squares
Any colour
1 large Onion, finely diced
About 200g
2 ½ medium Tomatoes, roughly chopped, or 1 × 400g tin of tinned tomatoes
Fresh or tinned both work well

Aromatics

3 whole Garlic cloves
, minced

Herbs & Seasoning

2 whole Bay leaves, left whole
Remove before serving
2 sprigs Fresh thyme
, left whole or roughly chopped
Or 0.5 tsp dried thyme
15 g Fresh parsley
, roughly chopped
Add in final 10 minutes or just before serving to preserve colour and fresh flavour
About 2 tbsp
½ tsp Oregano, dried or fresh(optional)
Add in final 30 minutes of cooking if using
Optional; adds deeper Mediterranean flavour
¼ tsp Sarriette, dried(optional)
Add in final 30 minutes of cooking if using
Optional; traditional Provençal herb, also called summer savory
60 ml Olive oil
About 4 tbsp; use good quality extra virgin oil
½ tsp Salt
To taste; adjust at the end
¼ tsp Black pepper, freshly ground
To taste; adjust at the end

Method

1
Prepare all vegetables: cut the aubergine into 1cm cubes, slice the courgettes into rounds, deseed and chop the bell pepper into 2cm squares, finely dice the onion, roughly chop the tomatoes, and mince the garlic.
~15 mins
Tip: Proper knife work here makes assembly much faster
2
Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add the diced onion and cook for 3-4 minutes until softened and translucent.
~4 mins
Tip: This softens the onion before the slow cooker, improving the final flavour
3
Add the minced garlic to the pan and cook for a further 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently, until fragrant.
~2 mins
4
Transfer the onion and garlic mixture to your slow cooker.
~1 min
5
Add all the remaining vegetables to the slow cooker: aubergine, courgettes, bell pepper, and tomatoes. Add the bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Season with salt and pepper.
~5 mins
Tip: Do not add parsley yet
6
Stir well to combine all ingredients. Cover and cook on Low for 6 hours, or on High for 4 hours. The vegetables should be very tender and the flavours well blended.
~6 hrs
Tip: Low setting gives better texture and deeper flavour development
7
About 10 minutes before the end of cooking, if using oregano and/or sarriette, add these now and stir well.
0
Optional step
Tip: Skip this step if not using optional herbs
8
Remove the bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and black pepper as needed.
~2 mins
Tip: Bay leaves must be removed before serving
9
Stir through the freshly chopped parsley just before serving.
~1 min
Tip: Fresh parsley added at the end preserves its vibrant colour and fresh taste
10
Serve warm as a side dish or as a light main course. Ratatouille is also delicious served at room temperature or chilled the next day.
0
Tip: Flavours deepen overnight; making it a day ahead is often better

Nutrition

Detailed nutritional information is coming soon.

Frequently Asked Questions

: Absolutely! Ratatouille tastes even better the next day as the flavours have more time to meld together. You can refrigerate it in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat gently in the slow cooker on Low, or serve chilled as a salad-like dish

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