The BEST Ratatouille Recipe EVER! (From My Mother!)

Getting right to it, I want to happily share with you my mother’s legendary ratatouille recipe, a dish that has been one of the stars of our family dinners. But let me tell you that this isn’t just any ratatouille recipe; it’s a fusion of hearty flavours, rich aromas, and a love for cooking that has been passed down from my dear mama to me. It’s so abundant with vegetables and thus nutritional properties, that it’s a great meal for everybody from the young to the old. Yes your babies will love this as have mine!

Where does ratatouille come from?

Ratatouille comes from the Provence region of France, a traditional French stewed vegetable dish made popular in the 18th century. Typically this dish consists of tomatoes, garlic, onions, courgette, aubergine, bell peppers, and is seasoned with herbs.

What makes this particular ratatouille recipe so special?

Other than this version originating from my dear mother, this ratatouille recipe is so special because of how flavourful and hearty it is. A fusion of French and Nigerian flavours makes this dish so delightful and packed with nutritional properties. Just like how my mum makes this dish, I add mushrooms, scotch bonnet, prawns and sometimes spinach – Almost all the colours of the rainbow are in this dish! The added scotch bonnet adds a level of spiciness that is not overpowering and transforms the dish – add more to your tolerance levels! This will be such a treat for your friend and family plus guests that come over. Pair this will rice and you’ll be tempted for seconds.

Ingredients

For Chicken Seasoning

• 4 chicken thighs
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 chicken powder cubes (Maggi)

For Ratatouille

• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 aubergine, chopped
• 1 courgette, chopped
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 6 mangetout, chopped
• 1 pack baby corn, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 5 mushrooms, chopped or sliced
• Pulled chicken from cooked chicken
• 1 tbsp salt
• 2 chicken powder cubes (Maggi)
• 1 scotch bonnet, diced
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 3-4 tbsp tomato puree
• 70 ml water

Instructions

1. Prep the Chicken
Boil the chicken thighs with little water, adding onions and chicken powder. Cook for 20 minutes to concentrate the flavour. Once cool, shred from the bone and set a side.

2. Chop the Vegetables
While the chicken cooks, chop the vegetables (onion, aubergine, courgette, carrots, mangetout, baby corn, red bell pepper, scotch bonnet) and set aside.

3. Cooking the Base
In a large pot, heat olive oil and fry onions, garlic, and scotch bonnet for a minute. Add tomato puree and combine.

4. Add Hard Vegetables
Add aubergine, carrots, courgette along with salt, chicken powder, and black pepper. Stir fry for 5 minutes.

5. Add Remaining Vegetables
Introduce mangetout, baby corn, and red bell pepper, and stir fry for 3 minutes. Then, add mushrooms and pulled chicken. Sprinkle in dried thyme. Optionally, add prawns.

6. Simmer
Cover the pot and let it simmer for 5 minutes. Add water if needed.

7. Final Simmer and Seasoning
Cover and simmer for another 10 minutes. Adjust seasoning to taste.

8. Serve and Enjoy
Serve your delicious ratatouille with rice for a complete meal!

FAQs

Can I use other vegetables? Absolutely! Ratatouille is a very versatile dish, feel free to add or substitute vegetables based on availability and preference.

Is this recipe freezer-friendly? Yes, you can freeze it for up to 3 months. Just reheat thoroughly before serving.

Can I make this vegetarian? A: Yes, simply omit the chicken and prawns, and use vegetable stock cubes for a vegetarian version.

What can I serve with this ratatouille? It pairs nicely with rice, pasta, or crusty bread.

The BEST Ratatouille Recipe You’ll Ever Eat! (From My Mother!)

2.72 from 7 votes

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Course Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine French

Ingredients

  

• Chicken seasoning
• 4 chicken thighs
• 1 onion
• 2 chicken powder cubes maggi
• Ratatouille
• 1 onion chopped
• 3 garlic cloves chopped
• 1 aubergine chopped
• 1 courgette chopped
• 2 carrots chopped
• 6 mangetout chopped
• 1 pack baby corn chopped
• 1 red bell pepper chopped
• 5 mushrooms chopped or sliced
• pulled chicken from cooked chicken
• 1 tbsp salt
• 2 chicken powder cubes maggi
• 1 scotch bonnet diced
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 3-4 tbsp tomato puree
• 70 ml water

Instructions

 

• Start by boiling the chicken adding very little water to concentrate the flavour. Add chopped onions and chicken powder and cook for 20 minutes.
• Whilst the chicken is cooking, let’s prepare the vegetables. Chopped all the vegetables (onion, aubergine, courgette, carrots mangetout, baby corn, red bell pepper, scotch bonnet) and set aside.
• In a large pot, heat up enough olive oil to cover the base and then add the onions, garlic and scotch bonnet frying for a minute. Add the tomato puree and combine.
• Then add the vegetables that take the longest to cook: aubergine, carrots and courgette. Add salt, chicken powder and black pepper and stir fry for 5 minutes.
• Next add the mangetout, baby corn and red bell pepper and stir fry for 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and pulled chicken. Add dried thyme. If you want you and prawns as well!
• Cover and allow to simmer for 5 minutes.
• If juice is lacking add a bit of water. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
• Taste and add more seasoning accordingly. Serve with rice and enjoy!

Keyword One-pot

Did you make this recipe?

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