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Remi's Ratatouille Soup

Remi's ratatouille soup is a French-style vegetable soup simmered until zucchini rounds and eggplant are very tender. Diced eggplant, squash, bell pepper, and garlic simmer in crushed tomatoes and vegetable broth with herbs de Provence, then finish with fresh basil.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: French-American
Calories: 210
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Eggplants
  • 2 eggplants small, diced
Zucchini
  • 2 zucchini diced
Yellow squash
  • 2 yellow squash diced
Red bell peppers
  • 2 red bell peppers diced
Onion
  • 1 onion diced
Garlic
  • 6 cloves garlic minced
Crushed tomatoes
  • 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
Diced tomatoes
  • 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
Vegetable broth
  • 4 cup vegetable broth
Olive oil
  • 3 tbsp olive oil plus more for serving
Herbs de Provence
  • 2 tsp herbs de Provence
Dried basil
  • 1 tsp dried basil
Dried thyme
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
Red pepper flakes
  • 0.5 tsp red pepper flakes
Fresh basil
  • 0.25 cup fresh basil chiffonade, for finishing
Parmesan
  • 1 parmesan for serving
Salt and pepper
  • 1 salt and pepper to taste

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Prep the vegetables
  1. Toss diced eggplant with salt and let sit 15 minutes, then rinse and dry. This helps temper bitterness and keeps the pieces from getting watery.
  2. Chiffonade the fresh basil for finishing. Set it aside so it stays bright when stirred in at the end.
Sauté aromatics and vegetables
  1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat, then sauté the onion and red bell peppers for 5 minutes. Cook until they soften and look glossy.
  2. Add the minced garlic and diced eggplant, then cook for 5 minutes. Stir until the eggplant is lightly coated and fragrant.
  3. Add the zucchini and yellow squash, then cook for 3 minutes. Keep stirring until the vegetables are just starting to soften.
Simmer into soup
  1. Add the crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, vegetable broth, herbs de Provence, dried basil, dried thyme, and red pepper flakes. Stir well so the seasonings disperse evenly.
  2. Simmer for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until all vegetables are very tender. Watch for a thickened Provençal broth and tender eggplant that breaks easily.
  3. Stir in the fresh basil, then season with salt and pepper to taste. Turn off the heat once the basil wilts for a fresher green color.
  4. Finish with a drizzle of good olive oil and serve hot. For serving, add parmesan if desired.

Notes

Pro tip: rinse and dry the salted eggplant well before sautéing so the soup simmers without excess liquid. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge up to 4 days; reheat gently on the stove. Freezing is yes—freeze cooled soup for up to 3 months. For a lighter option, reduce olive oil to 2 tbsp total; the soup will still simmer down into a rich tomato-herb broth.