Air Fryer Ratatouille Recipe with Eggplant and Zucchini

Ratatouille originates from French cuisine, but has gained popularity in a lot of locations. That’s because it’s a delicious way to prepare roasted vegetables that make for a perfect side or meal. This air fryer ratatouille recipe makes it even easier to create this vegetable casserole!

roasted ratatouille in air fryer recipe dinners done quick

Why This Recipe Works

Ratatouille is, at its core, roasted seasoned vegetables. That’s something that your air fryer is actually really good at doing!Β 

It takes less time to cook and heats up your house far less than turning on your range oven. That’s important, since ratatouille is best with fresh summer vegetables (meaning it’s hot outside).

delicious and colorful air fryer roasted ratatouille

You can use whatever vegetables you have on hand as well, though, making it super versatile. Eggplant, zucchini, tomatoes, bell pepper, and onions are most traditional. However, I’ve seen potatoes, carrots, beets, and other veggies swapped in for variations!

If you love those vegetables and want an alternative to french fries, then try making these Aldi eggplant fries in the air fryer.

What You’ll Need

roasted ratatouille in air fryer ingredients on a counter
  • 1 Eggplant
  • 1 Zucchini (courgette)
  • 1 Summer squash
  • 1 Beefsteak tomato (or 2 small ones)
  • Β½ Medium sweet onion (such as Vidalia) – or about Β½ cup diced
  • 1 Tbsp minced garlic
  • 3 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 Β½ Tsp salt
  • Β½ Tsp black pepper
  • 1 Tsp oregano
  • 2 Tsp basilΒ 
  • Fresh parsley for garnish

Special Equipment Note: You’ll need a cake pan, casserole dish, or other similar oven-safe baking dish that fits in the basket of your air fryer for this recipe.

Ingredient Substitutions and Variations

  • Vegetables. Honestly this recipe can be done with any variety of vegetables. I prefer slices for the look, but you can cube them as well. Add or swap in potatoes, sweet potatoes, beets, carrots, bell peppers, or whatever else you like
  • You can also use canned crushed or diced tomatoes in the bottom of the dish in lieu of fresh slices
  • Seasonings. The above list is my preference, but you can add other seasonings such as thyme, rosemary, herbs de provence, or similar
  • Cheese variation. If you want to add some cheese, sprinkle with 1 Tbsp grated parmesan and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes until melted
  • If you’d like a bit more acid, add 1 Tbsp white or balsamic vinegar to your oil mix

How to Cook Ratatouille in the Air Fryer

  1. Finely dice your onion
finely dice onion
  1. Add in minced garlic and mix to combine
add minced garlic to onion
  1. Spread the onion and garlic mixture in the bottom of your casserole dish
spread onion and garlic mixture on bottom of casserole dish
  1. Peel remaining vegetables if desired (optional based on preference). Then, slice them all into approximately ¼” thick slices
cut vegetables into even slices
  1. Preheat your air fryer to 400Β°F (200Β°C)
  2. In a mixing bowl, combine olive oil, salt, pepper, and herbs, stirring to combine
mix olive oil, salt, pepper, and herbs in a bowl
  1. Toss the oil and seasoning mixture with the sliced vegetables to evenly coat them
toss the vegetables in the olive oil mixture
  1. Add the vegetable slices over top of the onions and garlic in the casserole dish. You’ll want to alternate different vegetables to create a striped pattern. You can insert them vertically, or lay them down with some overlap (depending on the size and shape of your dish)
set sliced vegetables in the casserole dish alternating colors
  1. Set the vegetable filled casserole dish into your preheated air fryer basket
add vegetables in the casserole dish to your air fryer basket
  1. Cook on the air fry setting for 20-30 minutes at 400Β°F, or until vegetables are browned and pierce easily with a fork
  2. Rest for 5 minutes, then garnish with fresh parsley and serve
overhead view of roasted ratatouille from the air fryer on a square plate

What to Serve With RatatouilleΒ 

  • Rice or risotto
  • Gnocchi or dumplings
  • Grits
  • Polenta
  • Pasta
  • Couscous
  • Focaccia and other breads
  • Eggs
  • Red wine
  • Chicken
  • Steak
  • PorkΒ 
  • Lamb
  • Italian sausage
  • Falafel

Try your ratatouille with our Air Fryer Arancini, these easy Air Fryer Polenta Cakes, atop a bowl of cheesy Microwave Grits, as a side to Trader Joe’s Air Fryer Frozen Falafel, or with a simple side of Air Fryer Focaccia.Β 

Recipe FAQs

Can You Cook Ratatouille in an Air Fryer?

Yes, you can cook ratatouille in an air fryer.

It will lightly brown the vegetables and cook them to a soft state. It takes less time and puts off less heat than using the standard oven preparation.

Does Eggplant Need to Be Peeled for Ratatouille?

No, eggplant does not need to be peeled for ratatouille.

However, you can if you prefer.Β It does add a slightly tougher texture, but the color contrast with the other vegetables makes it look very pleasing.

How Should I Cut My Vegetables for Ratatouille?

Vegetables can either be cut in thin slices or cubes for ratatouille.

The slices make a more elegant presentation, but generally take longer to make all the cuts. Regardless of the way they are cut, make sure your pieces are as even as possible for uniform cooking.

Do I Need to Salt My Eggplant Before Making Ratatouille?

You do not need to salt eggplant before making ratatouille. That will actually soften it, so it doesn’t retain its shape well when assembling the dish.

That said, salt should be added to all of the vegetables as part of cooking for flavor. You simply don’t need to salt and let eggplant sit ahead of time.

Recipe Pro Tips

  • If you use sliced vegetables, you do not need to flip during cooking. If you’ve cubed them instead, I do recommend stirring them once midway to promote even cooking
  • For very large diameter vegetables, feel free to cut in half and use half-moon shaped slices. Pack small slices into gaps between larger ones
  • I have a Ninja Foodi Dual Zone air fryer, so I’ve used two small casserole dishes. However, you can use a singular large one in a one-basket air fryer
  • Messy as it is, I recommend using your hands to toss the vegetables in the oil and seasonings. The tomatoes and eggplant are delicate and tend to fall apart if you try and use utensils
  • For me, 25 minutes of cooking time was perfect but other air fryers may vary. Thickness of vegetables can make a difference as well
  • Make sure to spray your casserole dish with nonstick spray if it doesn’t have a nonstick coating on it
roasted ratatouille from the air fryer spread out on a square plate

More French Inspired Air Fryer Recipes to Try

Final Thoughts

This easy air fryer ratatouille recipe is the perfect way to make roasted vegetables. Use whatever you like or whatever is in season for a side dish that wows!

The seasonings are versatile, whether you keep them classic or put an Italian twist on them. If you want to add cheese, no one is going to stop you!

Pair with a protein for a complete meal, or add to starches, pasta, or similar for a vegetarian friendly option.

Vegetarians may also want to check out my guide on the best microwave steamers to learn what works best for delicious vegetables!

roasted ratatouille in air fryer recipe dinners done quick featured image

Air Fryer Ratatouille Roasted Vegetable Recipe

Make tender roasted veggies with this easy air fryer ratatouille recipe. It features eggplant, zucchini, onion, and tomato with savory herbs and garlic.
5 from 2 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Resting Time 5 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American, French, Vegetarian
Servings 4
Calories 161 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients
Β Β 

  • 1 Small eggplant
  • 1 Small zucchini (courgette)
  • 1 Small summer (yellow) squash
  • 1 Large Beefsteak tomato (or 2 smaller ones)
  • Β½ Medium sweet onion (such as Vidalia) or about Β½ cup diced
  • 1 Tbsp minced garlic
  • 3 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 Β½ Tsp salt
  • Β½ Tsp black pepper
  • 1 Tsp oregano (dried)
  • 2 Tsp basil (dried)
  • Fresh parsley for garnish

Instructions
Β 

  • Finely dice your onion using a sharp knife on a cutting board
    Β½ Medium sweet onion (such as Vidalia)
  • Add in minced garlic and mix to combine
    1 Tbsp minced garlic
  • Spread the onion and garlic mixture in the bottom of your greased casserole dish
  • Peel remaining vegetables if desired (optional based on preference). Then, slice them all into approximately ¼” thick slices
    1 Small eggplant, 1 Small zucchini, 1 Small summer (yellow) squash, 1 Large Beefsteak tomato
  • Preheat your air fryer to 400Β°F (200Β°C)
  • In a mixing bowl, combine olive oil, salt, pepper, and herbs, stirring to combine
    3 Tbsp olive oil, 1 Β½ Tsp salt, Β½ Tsp black pepper, 1 Tsp oregano, 2 Tsp basil
  • Toss the oil and seasoning mixture with the sliced vegetables to evenly coat them
  • Add the vegetable slices over top of the onions and garlic in the casserole dish. You’ll want to alternate different vegetables to create a striped pattern. You can insert them vertically, or lay them down with some overlap (depending on the size and shape of your dish)
  • Set the vegetable filled casserole dish into your preheated air fryer basket
  • Cook on the air fry setting for 20-30 minutes at 400Β°F, or until vegetables are browned, soft, and pierce easily with a fork
  • Rest for 5 minutes, then garnish with fresh parsley and serve
    Fresh parsley for garnish

Notes

  • This recipe can be made with any variety of vegetables. Add or swap in potatoes, sweet potatoes, beets, carrots, bell peppers, or whatever else you like
  • I prefer to slice my veggies for the look, but you can cube them as wellΒ 
  • You can also use canned crushed or diced tomatoes in the bottom of the dish in lieu of fresh slices
  • The seasonings here are my preference, but you can add other seasonings such as thyme, rosemary, herbs de provence, or similar
  • For a variation with cheese, sprinkle with 1 Tbsp grated parmesan and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes until melted
  • If you’d like a bit more acid, add 1 Tbsp white or balsamic vinegar to your oil mix
  • You do not need to flip during cooking if you’re using sliced vegetables. If you’ve cubed them instead, I do recommend stirring them once midway to promote even cooking
  • For very large diameter vegetables, feel free to cut in half and use half-moon shaped slices. Pack small slices into gaps between larger ones
  • I have a Ninja Foodi Dual Zone air fryer, so I’ve used two small casserole dishes. However, you can use a singular large one in a one-basket air fryer
  • Messy as it is, I recommend using your hands to toss the vegetables in the oil and seasonings. The tomatoes and eggplant are delicate and tend to fall apart if you try and use utensils
  • For me, 25 minutes of cooking time was perfect but other air fryers may vary. Thickness of vegetables can make a difference as well
  • Exact nutritional values will vary based on brand of ingredients and quantity consumed, so please consider this a guideline only

Nutrition

Serving: 317.6gCalories: 161kcalCarbohydrates: 15.8gProtein: 3.2gFat: 11.1gSaturated Fat: 1.6gSodium: 887mgPotassium: 625mgFiber: 6.9gSugar: 8.6gCalcium: 55mgIron: 1mg
Keyword air fryer eggplant and zucchini, air fryer ratatouille, cook ratatouille in air fryer, ninja foodi ratatouille, ratatouille, ratatouille air fryer recipe, roasted ratatouille, zucchini and tomatoes in air fryer
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Katie Vine