Slow Cooker Ratatouille

4.09

43

Save to FavoritesPrintJump to Recipe

This post may include affiliate links. Thank you for your support.

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.

A serving platter with slow cooker ratatouille piled a top it.

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.

A slow cooker full of ingredients for ratatouille.

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. 🙂

A serving dish full of ratatouille.

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.

Closeup photo of ratatouille in a serving dish.

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.

Overhead photo of a serving dish full of ratatouille.

Summertime slow cooking has never been better!

Want More Slow Cooker Recipes? Check out these:

Want to save this recipe? Enter your email below and we’ll send the recipe to your inbox. Plus you’ll get great new recipes every week!
4.09 from 49 votes

Slow Cooker Ratatouille

Load your summer farmers market haul into the slow cooker for a delicious ratatouille that you can use in a variety of ways. Serve as a side, over pasta or bread, with a grilled protein or even in an omelet.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 4 hours
Servings: 8

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

Serving: 1/8th of recipe | Calories: 127kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 5g | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 9g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Lunch/Dinner
Cuisine: American
Keyword: slow cooker ratatouille
Did you make this recipe?Mention @eatingbirdfood and tag #eatingbirdfood!

About Brittany

Hey there, I’m Brittany, the creator of Eating Bird Food, cookbook author, health coach and mama of two littles. Here you’ll find quick and easy recipes that make healthy fun and enjoyable for you and your family!

More about Brittany
Chicken fajita filling on a sheet pan with a wooden spoon. Tortillas are resting on the bottom of the sheet pan.
Get Your FREE High-Protein Meal Plan
Struggling to eat enough protein? Subscribe to my email list and I’ll send you a 3-Day High-Protein Meal Plan with a Shopping List!

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




43 Comments

  1. I love making ratatouille in the summer, and that you figured out how to do it with the slow cooker. What a great idea for a link up!

  2. You know what? I’ve NEVER had ratatouille! BUT this looks SO good girl..I need to change that! Pinned!

  3. This looks amazing! I feel like we usually keep slow cooker recipes for winter but I love the idea of pulling it out for summer meal prep! I’m definitely going to be trying this!

  4. I hate to admit this, but, my slow cooker is tucked away in a cabinet! I better dust it off for sure because, looking at this line-up, my slow cooker needs to be become a permanent fixture on my counter!

    1. No worries. My slow cooker was definitely tucked away in a cabinet before I took it out to make this recipe. 🙂

  5. This ratatouille looks BEYOND amazing! I’ve always wanted to try ratatouille too. It sounds amazing! And I don’t have a slow cooker unfortunately, which means that I have to get one!

    1. Oh girl, you have to get a slow cooker! There are so many great slow cooker recipes out there and coming home to a fully cooked meal (in the slow cooker) after a long day of work is simply amazing.

  6. Now that the slow cooker is out, I can’t wait to make this one! Totally serving it up over some sticky white rice 🙂

  7. I love ratatouille! Never thought to make it in the slow cooker before, but what a brilliant idea! I’m going to have to try this for some easy work lunches!

    1. Once you try it in the slow cooker you’ll never go back to cooking it on the stovetop. 🙂

  8. Gahhh the ONE time my slow cooker is packed away in a box, I want to use it, ha! After we get settled in – we move on Thursday – I need to try this! Pinned 🙂

    1. You have a good excuse, Jess!! I hope the move goes well and congrats again! The pictures from your wedding are beautiful. 🙂

    1. I don’t see why it wouldn’t work on the stovetop using medium/low heat. That said, I don’t know how long it will take because I haven’t tried it. I’m guessing 20-30 minutes — maybe less. I’d just keep stirring and checking it and stop cooking when the veggies are tender to your liking. Let me know if you try it!!

  9. I’ve been looking for a good slow-cooker Ratatouille recipe, after reading the comments, I definitely need to try it. Could this be scaled down for a 4 quart slow cooker? Any recommendations on adjustments?

    1. Hi Andy! So glad you found my recipe. I think your best bet would be to half the recipe for a 4 quart slow cooker! Let me know how it turns out.

  10. 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.

  11. 3 stars
    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.

  12. 5 stars
    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.

    1. Yay! So glad you’ve been enjoying this recipe, Mikaela! Makes me so happy to hear. Thanks for the review!!

  13. 5 stars
    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.

  14. 2 stars
    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!

    1. 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.