Check out this French ratatouille stuffed bell peppers recipe
Ratatouille, a classic French vegetable stew from Nice, meets vibrant bell peppers in this vegetarian, eggless dish. Celebrating summer vegetables, it has been a staple in French cuisine for centuries. Stuffing this stew into bell peppers adds extra flavor and texture. This dish pays homage to its cultural origins and offers a colorful, nutritious meal option. Let's get cooking.
Gather the following ingredients
To prepare this dish, you will need four large bell peppers (any color), one zucchini, one yellow squash, one small eggplant, two tomatoes, one onion, three cloves of garlic (minced), two tablespoons of olive oil, one teaspoon of dried thyme, and salt and pepper to taste. For the sauce, one can (14 oz) of crushed tomatoes and one teaspoon of dried basil.
Preparing the vegetables
Begin by preheating your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit (190 degrees Celsius). Wash all vegetables thoroughly. Dice zucchini, yellow squash, eggplant, and tomatoes into small pieces. Finely chop the onion. This ensures even cooking and a perfect fit into the bell peppers later. The uniform size of the vegetables guarantees that they cook evenly and nestle well into the peppers for stuffing.
Sauteing vegetables
In a large pan over medium heat, warm up the olive oil. Add the chopped onions and minced garlic to the pan. Saute until they become translucent—about three minutes. Then add in your diced zucchini, yellow squash, eggplant, tomatoes along with dried thyme; season with salt and pepper according to taste. Cook for about 10 minutes until everything is nicely softened.
Preparing bell peppers
As the vegetables continue to cook from step two, begin by preparing the bell peppers. Cut off their tops and remove the seeds inside, thus creating hollow but intact vessels. Next, place these peppers in the preheated oven to roast for roughly five minutes. This roasting makes them tender while ensuring they maintain their shape perfectly, preparing them for stuffing later on.
Stuffing and baking
Mix crushed tomatoes with dried basil, setting aside half a cup for later. Stir the rest into the vegetable mixture, fill the peppers, and place them in a baking dish. Pour the saved sauce around them, cover with foil, and bake until tender, about 25 minutes. Uncover for the last 10 minutes to brown tops. Serve warm as a vegetarian dish.
