This Vegan Chickpea Ratatouille with Roasted Veggies is a delicious, nutritious way to use up your favorite summer produce! Seasoned with garlic and pleasantly aromatic Herbes de Provence, it’s a simple, comforting vegetable dish.
Ratatouille is a naturally vegan dish of stewed vegetables that originated in the southern Provence region of France in the 1700s. Like many of you, I was first inspired to try ratatouille after watching the adorable Pixar film of the same name, and I was thrilled to be able to keep ratatouille on the menu after I decided to go fully vegan in 2014!
Traditionally, ratatouille is made by sautéing a mix of chopped vegetables, typically eggplant, summer squash, onion, and bell peppers, and adding them to a tomato stew base seasoned with an Herbes de Provence blend. With so many vegetables, the recipe requires you to sauté them in multiple batches, which honestly takes more effort than I usually care to expend on a weeknight.
Instead, I’ve modified the traditional recipe by roasting my veggies in the oven. While they roast, my tomato stew base has plenty of time to thicken and become more flavorful. I also simmer canned chickpeas in the stew and serve the final dish with crusty bread, quinoa, or pasta for a balanced, nutritious plant-based meal.
If you’re looking for a delicious way to use up some summer produce, I highly recommend this colorful recipe!
Ingredients
- Extra-virgin olive oil – Rich in heart-healthy monounsaturated fats and antioxidants, extra-virgin olive oil adds flavor and healthy fats while boosting the absorption of lycopene from the tomatoes.
- Red onion and garlic – Aromatics that help create a flavorful base for this stew.
- Herbes de Provence – A classic French seasoning blend with thyme, oregano, marjoram, rosemary, tarragon, and other floral, aromatic ingredients. (I recommend choosing a blend with lavender!)
- Canned crushed tomatoes – These are used to create a stew base for the roasted vegetables.
- Canned chickpeas – A quick, convenient source of plant-based protein and complex carbohydrates that transforms ratatouille into a balanced meal.
- Eggplant – Eggplant adds a gorgeous deep purple color and a boost of anthocyanins, an antioxidant found in deep blue/purple plant foods, to this vegetable stew.
- Zucchini and yellow squash – Additional colorful summer produce.
- Roma tomatoes – Tomatoes add acidity and brighten the flavors of this stew.
- Red bell pepper – Another seasonal vegetable, red bell peppers add a significant boost of antioxidant vitamin C and taste incredible when roasted.
- Fresh basil – A fresh basil garnish adds a boost of flavor and makes this colorful stew even more eye-appealing!
How to Make
Preheat your oven to 400℉ and line two large, rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
Heat 1 Tbsp of the extra-virgin olive oil in a large pot on medium heat.
Once the oil is hot, add the diced red onion and sauté until soft and browned, about 5-8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Add the garlic and Herbes de Provence and sauté for 30 seconds.
Add crushed tomatoes, water, and chickpeas. Simmer on low while you prep the veggies.
Roughly chop the eggplant, zucchini, yellow squash, tomatoes, and bell pepper into 1-2 inch pieces. I like my ratatouille to be a little chunky for more texture. Mix in a large mixing bowl (you may have to separate them into two batches) with the remaining olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper.
Spread the vegetables evenly on the lined baking sheets and roast for 15 minutes. Flip the veggies over with a spatula so they brown evenly, and roast for another 10-15 minutes. Watch them carefully to prevent burning.
Add the roasted vegetables to the tomato stew and mix evenly. Taste and add more salt and pepper as needed. Garnish with fresh basil and enjoy!
Nutrition & Health Benefits
- With 16 grams of dietary fiber per serving, this recipe is an excellent way to support your gut health. Fiber helps keep you regular and feeds the beneficial bacteria in your gut microbiome, reducing inflammation and helping them flourish.
- Ratatouille has a rainbow of colors from the variety of vegetables, meaning you’re getting a range of different antioxidants and phytochemicals that help reduce inflammation and fight oxidative stress.
- Extra-virgin olive oil is rich in monounsaturated fats, which can help reduce the risk of heart disease and lower cholesterol levels when used to reduce saturated fats in the diet.
- Chickpeas are one of the best iron-rich vegan foods, and one serving of this Vegan Chickpea Ratatouille provides 4 milligrams of iron. Iron is an essential mineral needed for the production of red blood cells and the prevention of iron-deficiency anemia. (Bonus: the addition of vitamin C-rich red bell peppers boosts iron absorption!)
Recipe card
Vegan Chickpea Ratatouille with Roasted Vegetables
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil divided
- 1/2 medium red onion diced
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1.5 tbsp Herbes de Provence
- 28 oz canned crushed tomatoes with basil, if you can find it!
- 1 cup water
- 2 15 oz cans low-sodium chickpeas drained and rinsed
- 1 eggplant chopped
- 2 zucchini sliced in half moons
- 2 yellow squash sliced in half moons
- 7 Roma tomatoes chopped
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400℉ and line two large, rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Heat 1 Tbsp of the extra-virgin olive oil in a large pot on medium heat.
- Once the oil is hot, add the diced red onion and sauté until soft and browned, about 5-8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Add the garlic and Herbes de Provence and sauté for 30 seconds.
- Add crushed tomatoes, water, and chickpeas. Simmer on low while you prep the veggies.
- Roughly chop the eggplant, zucchini, yellow squash, tomatoes, and bell pepper into 1-2 inch pieces. I like my ratatouille to be a little chunky for more texture. Mix in a large mixing bowl (you may have to separate them into two batches) with the remaining olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper.
- Spread the vegetables evenly on the lined baking sheets and roast for 15 minutes. Flip the veggies over with a spatula so they brown evenly, and roast for another 10-15 minutes. Watch them carefully to prevent burning.
- Add the roasted vegetables to the tomato stew and mix evenly. Taste and add more salt and pepper as needed.
- Garnish with fresh basil and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition Info
Per serving:
- Calories: 323
- Protein: 14g
- Carbohydrates: 50g
- Fiber: 17g
- Added sugars: 0g
- Fat: 9.5g
- Saturated fat: 1.2g
- Monounsaturated fat: 4.5g
- Polyunsaturated fat: 2g
- Sodium: 722mg
- Calcium: 146mg
- Iron: 4mg
Variations & Substitutions
- Vegetables – If you don’t like one of the vegetables in this recipe, simply replace it with more eggplant, squash, or bell pepper. The tomatoes, however, can’t be replaced.
- Chickpeas – Feel free to use another mild-flavored bean, like white beans, in place of the chickpeas. Strongly flavored beans like black beans, lentils, or kidney beans will overpower the vegetables. Alternatively, you can omit the chickpeas and serve this ratatouille with a side of air-fried or grilled tofu.
- Oil – I prefer extra-virgin olive oil in this recipe because it adds a great depth of flavor, but you can use other oils like avocado oil, canola oil, or sunflower oil if that’s what you prefer.
- Oil-free: If you prefer a whole food plant-based no oil option, you can omit the oil entirely. Sauté the onion with a little water or vegetable broth to keep from sticking. You can also drizzle the roasted vegetables with a little broth before putting them in the oven. Lining your baking sheets with silicone baking mats will help keep the veggies from sticking.
FAQ
Can I omit the eggplant?
Yes! You can replace the eggplant by adding more of the other vegetables in this recipe.
Is this recipe oil-free?
This recipe contains extra-virgin olive oil, but you can omit the oil if you prefer. Use water or broth to saute the onion and roast the vegetables with a sprinkle of water or broth for moisture. Alternatively, you can saute all of the vegetables in batches in the pot and remove them to a bowl before starting your tomato stew base.
Make ahead / storage / reheat tips
To save time, you can chop the onion, zucchini, yellow squash, and bell pepper up to a few days ahead of time as long as you store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
This recipe will keep in the fridge for about 5 days. I don’t recommend freezing it as the vegetables will become too mushy.
Reheat in the microwave for 2-3 minutes or in a small pot on the stove with a few extra tablespoons of water.
Serving Suggestions
- Serve with crusty bread, quinoa, or pasta for a fully balanced meal
- Pair with a fresh side salad dressed with balsamic vinaigrette for a lighter meal
