Slow Cooker Ratatouille
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Published Jun 17, 2016, Updated Mar 20, 2023
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A delicious slow cooker ratatouille with summer vegetables. Serve as a side, over rice or quinoa, with a grilled protein or even in an omelet.
Important question…where is your slow cooker right now? Is it tucked away in a cabinet? Hiding out in the basement? I know that most people, myself included, tend to forget about slow cooking over the summer because it’s HOT and we’re drawn to cold foods, but there are plenty of summer slow cooker recipes to be made! To prove it I’m teaming up with my favorite blogging friends to bring you a host of healthy slow cooker recipes that are perfect for summer.
My contribution to this roundup is a slow cooker ratatouille and I’m pretty sure this dish is going to become a summer staple because Isaac and I both LOVED it. It’s not only amazingly easy to toss together, but it’s absolutely delicious and so versatile.
It’s an awesome Sunday meal prep/batch cooking recipe because it makes a large amount and you can use it in a variety of ways throughout the week. Here’s what I’m thinking:
- as a side with grilled or baked protein
- add beans and serve as a vegetarian main
- over crusty bread, pasta, rice, polenta or quinoa
- for breakfast with eggs (shakshuka style) or in an omelet
- as a filling for crepes
- over a baked sweet potato
- on a sandwich or pizza
- cold as a salad
- with tortilla chips
So many options!! You might want to make a double batch. 🙂
Summer Vegetable Ratatouille
In terms of picking what veggies to use for the ratatouille, I simply went to our local farmers market and stocked up on all the summer veggies I could find — onions, squash, zucchini, tomatoes, bell pepper, eggplant and fresh basil.
That’s really all you need to make a good ratatouille.
Ratatouille is usually sautéed, baked or simmered in a large pot but the slow cooker makes it so easy. You simply toss all your ingredients in, set it and forget it… for a few hours. Trust me, you won’t be able to forget it for long because after a couple hours your house will smell like an amazing Italian restaurant. And once it’s cooked you’ll be delighted by the flavor.
Summertime slow cooking has never been better!
Want More Slow Cooker Recipes? Check out these:
- Vegetarian Slow Cooker Freezer Meals
- Slow Cooker Cheesy Mexican Quinoa Casserole
- Slow Cooker Sweet Potato Chili
- Slow Cooker Dairy-Free Butter Chicken
- Caribbean Pulled Chicken Lettuce Wraps
- Slow Cooker Sweet and Sour Chicken
- Summer Slow Cooker Frittata
- Slow Cooker Mango Chicken & Sweet Potato Bowls
Slow Cooker Ratatouille
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons coconut oil, or ghee
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 large eggplant, chopped
- 1 orange bell pepper, chopped
- 4 summer squash/zucchini squash
- 1 cup chopped grape tomatoes
- 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon ground pepper
- 1/2-1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper, optional
- 1 cup fresh basil, chopped
Instructions
- Add all ingredients except basil into a large slow-cooker, cover and cook. Cook for 3-4 hours on high or 5-6 hours on low). The ratatouille is ready when the vegetables have softened, but aren’t mushy. If you’re worried about the ratatouille being too watery, remove the slow cooker lid and cook on high for the last hour. Just before serving, gently stir in fresh basil. Serve warm or cold as a side or over a whole grain like quinoa or rice as a main entree.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did this one weekend and ate off it for many meals: lunches at work, dinner when I got home, and various breakfasts. I used the 2x scale and added five diced carrots and 8 oz. of button mushrooms to the pot. My local Lidl didn’t have fresh basil so I used a Tbsp of the dried stuff. I ate it over rice, quinoa, and baked potatoes, and I added a splash of soy sauce to the bowl lunches and dinners. I put it in omelets and made burritos using flour tortillas and shredded cheese. It was a helpful crockpot meal indeed when you work outside the home and you’re on a budget yet trying to eat healthy.
I forgot to rate it!
This recipe is a timeless classic in that one can always count on it to delight!
I love all your recipes. But Ratatouille made they traditional way is a work of art. It’s one of those recipes I think needs to be made the way it was meant to be. I would encourage anyone to try it! When my Son is home on leave , it is his request for dinner. Certain recipes require that kind of attention and time. I mean no disrespect! I love your recipes. This is just a thought.
Hey Jennifer – Just curious, did you make this recipe?
I love this recipe, so delicious and easy. I just put all the ingredients into the slowcooker before work, and when I come back I have ratatouille.
Yay! So glad you’ve been enjoying this recipe, Mikaela! Makes me so happy to hear. Thanks for the review!!
When I first made this, I wasn’t sure that a liked it. But as it “aged” the flavors combined and it is now a keeper. I just finished the last of it. I did add some cannellini beans for added protein. I definitely will be making it again. So much flavor.
Oh yay!! So glad this recipe was a hit, Nancy! Thanks for the review. It means so much to me!
Has no flavor whatsoever. Cooked the recipe exactly as is. It needs more of a sauce to it. Two tablespoons of tomato paste doesn’t cut it. Wish this were better but at least it’s healthy!
I am sorry to hear that this recipe did not turn out the way you had hoped, Meagan. This recipe is not really meant to have much of a sauce to it, just the juices to help from the vegetables drying out. I would definitely recommend adjusting some of the herbs and spices to your own personal preference if you felt like there was not enough flavor.