Who else is heading full-throttle into summer?! I think these hot days are finally here to stay! And by the looks of it, we are in for one HOT summer. With the beginning of summer, it always brings the reminder of all the yummy summer vegetables that are to come! Do you have a summer garden? What about summer vegetables that you are always trying to use up? Well this Summer Vegetable Ratatouille is the PERFECT recipe to use and really celebrate all of these wonderful vegetables! In my opinion, vegetables can be super underrated depending on how they're cooked. Don't get me wrong, I love the classic fried squash & onions that is an abundance in southern house holds. But, I also think it's fun to experiment and try new things with vegetables! Plus, I think it really helps make it exciting for kids to eat their vegetables. That's why I love this ratatouille recipe! It is FULL of summer vegetable flavors. Now, if you look up the traditional ratatouille then you will see it is usually made with a tomato base sauce. Which I am sure is very tasty as well. But, I personally think that the roasted red pepper sauce in this recipe is what seals the deal! If you've been here a while, then you know that I used to not love peppers and therefore have not made many red pepper sauces in my life. But alas, that has changed- and for the better may I say! This sauce SLAPS, as the new kids would say haha. And what's even better? You can save the leftover sauce to use on all kinds of things! Like roasted chicken breast, or pasta, or simply with delicious crunchy bread. The freshness from this sauce is just so amazing, it honestly feels like you are sitting in your garden eating it. Now we currently don't have a garden while we are living in our townhouse and building our dream home, but I can't wait for all of the gardening to come in our new home. And there WILL be lots of peppers, that I can promise! I hope you will branch out and try this delicious side dish! Serve it up with any roasted or grilled protein of your choice. Or for a full vegetarian dish, just simply eat it as is. It is just as scrumptious alone, trust me. Happy summer eating friends! And tag along as I cook my way through summer.
Serves: 4-6
Ingredients:
1-2 large yellow squash (depends on dish)
1-2 large zucchini (depends on dish)
3-4 red bell pepper (I used 4 to have extra sauce)
4-6 roma tomatoes (depends on dish)
2 yellow onion
4 large cloves garlic
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried basil
Fresh basil for garnish (optional)
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
Cracked black pepper
Shredded or grated parmesan for topping (optional)
Note:
Vegetarian
Gluten free
Dairy free
Whole30
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Place red peppers and garlic cloves (peeled whole) in dish. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and cracked pepper. Roast in oven, uncovered for 20 to 30 minutes until tender. Broil at the end to achieve a charr on the peppers.
While the peppers are roasting, slice the squash, zucchini, onions and tomatoes into thin rounds. You are going to want to save the smaller rounds for the center of the ratatouille.
Once peppers are finished, remove from oven. Remove core and most seeds and place in blender with garlic cloves, spices, salt and pepper. Blend well until a smooth sauce consistency is achieved. Spray your pie or oval dish with cooking spray. Then layer the bottom of the dish with 1 to 2 cups of sauce depending on your dish size. I used a larger oval dish and used about 2 cups for mine.
Now layer your vegetables into stacks into the dish, alternating with your vegetables going around the dish in a circle. First do the outside rows, then fill center with a smaller circle. See pictures for arrangement. Use remaining olive oil to brush onto top of the vegetables. Sprinkle with kosher salt and cracked black pepper. Cover with foil and back in oven for 40 mins to 1 hour depending on thickness of veggies. At the end, broil for a few minutes to add some caramelization.
Remove from oven, let cool & enjoy! Top individual portions with a sprinkle of parmesan for an extra delicious flavor.
Note: The amount of vegetables that you will need depends on the size of dish that you choose. I went with an oval dish that is larger than a pie dish so I used more vegetables. For pie dishes you will probably need less. And the extra red pepper sauce? Don't throw it out! Store it in a mason jar and eat with pasta, chicken or simply toasted bread. You'll thank me later!
What recipes are you excited for this summer? Have something in mind that you want to see? Feel free to comment below or send me a message on instagram!
Until next time, Cheers! Magen Check
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