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!
Ratatouille is, at its core, roasted seasoned vegetables. That’s something that your air fryer is actually really good at doing!
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).
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!
What You’ll Need
1 Eggplant
1 Zucchini (courgette)
1 Summer squash
1 Beefsteak tomato (or 2 small ones)
½ Medium sweet onion (such as Vidalia) – or about ½ cup diced
1 Tbsp minced garlic
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 ½ Tsp salt
½ Tsp black pepper
1 Tsp oregano
2 Tsp basil
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
Finely dice your onion
Add in minced garlic and mix to combine
Spread the onion and garlic mixture in the bottom of your casserole dish
Peel remaining vegetables if desired (optional based on preference). Then, slice them all into approximately ¼” thick slices
Preheat your air fryer to 400°F (200°C)
In a mixing bowl, combine olive oil, salt, pepper, and herbs, stirring to combine
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 400°F, or until vegetables are browned and pierce easily with a fork
Rest for 5 minutes, then garnish with fresh parsley and serve
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. 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
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!
Make tender roasted veggies with this easy air fryer ratatouille recipe. It features eggplant, zucchini, onion, and tomato with savory herbs and garlic.
½Mediumsweet onion (such as Vidalia)or about ½ cup diced
1Tbspminced garlic
3Tbspolive oil
1 ½Tspsalt
½Tspblack pepper
1Tsporegano(dried)
2Tspbasil(dried)
Fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
Finely dice your onion using a sharp knife on a cutting board
½ 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 400°F (200°C)
In a mixing bowl, combine olive oil, salt, pepper, and herbs, stirring to combine
3 Tbsp olive oil, 1 ½ Tsp salt, ½ 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 400°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 well
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
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I enjoy trying new recipes, creating my own, and dabbling with new techniques all the time. My husband loves to protest when I make him my guinea pig, but it’s all for the love of food!
