One-Pot Ratatouille Pasta
Published June 3, 2024
Armando Rafael for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Cyd Raftus McDowell.
- Total Time
- 30 minutes
- Prep Time
- 10 minutes
- Cook Time
- 20 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 small globe eggplant, cut into 1-inch pieces (about 5 cups)
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
3 medium plum tomatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
Salt and black pepper
1 pound short pasta, such as rotini
2 medium zucchini, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 medium orange bell pepper, cored and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 basil sprigs
Freshly grated Parmesan (optional)
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 to 6 servings)
70 grams carbs; 3 milligrams cholesterol; 440 calories; 7 grams monosaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 12 grams fat; 7 grams fiber; 753 milligrams sodium; 14 grams protein; 10 grams sugar
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Pour ¼ cup oil into a large, wide pot or Dutch oven over medium. Add the tomato paste and gently fry, stirring occasionally, until slightly caramelized, 3 to 5 minutes. (The oil will become a bright shade of orange.) Add the Italian seasoning and stir until combined.
- Step 2
To the pot, add the eggplant, onion, half the tomatoes, all the garlic and 1 teaspoon salt. Toss until vegetables are coated with the tomato-infused oil. The eggplant will absorb most if not all the oil. Add 3 cups water, the pasta and 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium, cover and cook the pasta for half the time listed for al dente on the package directions, 4 to 6 minutes.
- Step 3
Remove the lid and stir well to combine pasta with the sauce. Add the zucchini, peppers, remaining tomatoes and a few grinds of black pepper. Fold to combine, and reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and cook until pasta is al dente and peppers are crisp-tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove lid, and turn off heat. Taste and season with salt and pepper as desired. Serve in shallow bowls and top with torn basil leaves. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with Parmesan, if using.
Private Notes
Comments
Threw in a can of cannellini beans to give it some protein. Delicious.
Add capers and crushed olives to add more acidity. If you're not vegetarian, crush an anchovy or two for more umami.
I made this as written except I did add more Italian Seasoning and pepper. I thought the 1 inch veggies and amounts of pasta and water were perfect, although it did take a bit more than 2 minutes for the pasta to finish cooking. That said, when I make it again I will double the tomato paste, Italian Seasoning, garlic, and black pepper. As many suggested, Kalamata olives would be a great addition.
Maybe I'm just hangry, but I wish I could give this zero stars. I am a seasoned cook and I made this as written. The pasta and vegetables are undercooked (including the onion, which is a deal breaker for me) and the flavor just...isn't. This is tonight's dinner, so I'm trying to salvage it, but I look forward to never making this again.
I found it needed a lot of additions. Here’s what I added: 4 yellow squash instead of eggplant Red pepper flakes 4 tsp Italian Seasoning Almost a full can tomato paste 1 onion 16 grape tomatoes 6 cloves of garlic 2 c. Chicken Broth + 1 c. Water 2 cans Cannellini Beans, drained and rinsed I cooked my pasta separately. I used protein pasta.
Nice idea. And easy to riff on. As per comments, I added anchovies to the base, capers, olives, a big squeeze of lemon and my secret ingredient, gochugaru. Very tasty. However, I wasn't crazy about the pasta being cooked in the sauce. It was kinda gummy. Next time I will cook the pasta separately and add it to the sauce at the end.