If you’re looking for the perfect pairing for ratatouille, this recipe collection has what you need! Featuring everything from steak to chicken to rice and more!
Ratatouille…This picturesque meal is super healthy and makes a fine main course or an exquisite side dish. With its robust tomato sauce base and artistic thin-sliced summer veggies, it won’t soon be forgotten.
If you’re an adventurous home cook, it’s nice to pretend you’re a chef in a French countryside restaurant. For now, your dining room will have to do.
So when you’re looking to conquer the next ‘great thing’, consider an elegant stew from the south of France, known as ‘ratatouille’.
You’ll also learn your first four words of French: “La présentation est magnifique!” (The presentation is gorgeous!).
But beyond the visual appeal, you’ll find a hearty meal that’s fun to make. It’s also the best choice for getting a variety of vegetables on the dinner table.
Most recipes use eggplant, zucchini, yellow squash, and tomatoes. Start by cutting them into thin slices with a sharp knife or mandolin.
Next, make a quick sauce with crushed tomatoes, garlic, onions, and fresh herbs. Once you marry the flavors, pour over the neatly-arranged summer vegetables and roast in the oven.
Now, let’s find an equally beautiful and delicious side to serve with your classic French ratatouille recipe.
Best Side Dishes for Ratatouille
Easy Crusty French Baguette
When your guests dine at your bistro, you will serve them the freshest French baguettes straight from your oven. This crusty bread uses simple ingredients and is the best thing for picking up all the flavors of your baked ratatouille.
Vegan Mushroom Risotto
Even if you use non-vegan ingredients, this creamy risotto perfectly complements your ratatouille dish. One excellent tip for fresh mushrooms: remove them from the original plastic packaging and store them in a paper bag in the fridge.
Pan Seared Flank Steak with Garlic Butter
There are so many things to love about this dish - it's affordable, healthy, fast, and full of flavor. Oh, and it's one of the best side dishes for your vegetarian stew. Use a cast iron skillet for a good sear and juicy steak.
Pastina
This recipe gives you a new way to explore a type of pasta that you probably only tossed in soups. Whether you're using the star-shaped or plain, these small pieces of pasta make a great side dish.
Classic Caesar Salad
Here's a pretty salad that blends the rich taste of garlic, egg yolks, anchovies, and a few basic ingredients for a dressing you'll want every day! If you're new to anchovies, use a tiny amount first; you can also substitute with fish sauce.
Risotto Zafferano
This special risotto achieves its golden hue from saffron, and you can add more to get a deeper color. Focus on your stirring skills and slowly add chicken broth as you go, or you'll end up with a mushy mess.
Air Fryer Potato Croquettes
Kids of all ages will love this! It's also the perfect dish because it uses the air fryer, keeping the oven free for your savory vegetable stew. Experiment with the bread crumbs to see which type you prefer.
Air Fryer Chuck Roast
Thanks to your handy air fryer, you can have delicious chuck roast strips in under 10 minutes! It's the same pot roast you would buy for the popular oven dish but cut into smaller pieces.
Keto Pasta Noodles
Making fresh pasta is easier than you think - the only equipment you need is a food processor and a sharp knife. These sturdy egg noodles have a chewy bite and neutral taste, making them an excellent choice for your main dish.
Easy Focaccia Bread Recipe
This marvelous, dimpled bread turns your ratatouille into an elegant yet simple meal. In fact, it's such a versatile dish that you can even make sandwiches out of it.
Whipped Sweet Potatoes
Here's one of the more decadent ways to make sweet potatoes. This recipe steams the sweet spuds and whips them slowly with an outrageously delicious combination of heavy cream, butter, nutmeg, and vanilla extract.
EASY Rice Pilaf (made in one pan!)
Don't confuse this with simply boiling a pot of rice. Rice pilaf roasts the rice grains in butter with onions and garlic. And the best part is, it's almost as easy as making plain rice but much more flavorful.
Lemon Pasta
This lemony pasta dish serves as a fantastic base for a hefty topping of your ratatouille, but it's divine all on its own. Make sure to use fresh lemon juice and gratings from a chunk of Parmesan cheese instead of the pre-shredded stuff.
Pasta Aglio Olio e Peperoncino
Warning: from the moment you get a whiff of the aromatic Calabrian chili peppers and garlic, your stomach will growl loudly! This pasta dish carries quite a kick and is best enjoyed immediately.
Rice with Mushrooms
Here's a captivating dish that uses an interesting cooking technique to bring out the mushrooms' flavor. The result is a fluffy and incredibly tasty companion to your ratatouille.
Roast Chicken Recipe
Pair this mouthwatering recipe for scrumptious oven-roasted chicken with your ratatouille, and your humble meal is suddenly a feast. The recipe is also filled with tips to ensure that your entree will not disappoint.
Flaky Buttermilk Biscuits
The best way to make these buttery biscuits is to keep them close to each other so they bake up and not outward. And don't twist the pastry cutter while you're making the circles. Once you master these little techniques, you will have a delectable way to enjoy the delicious sauce of the ratatouille.
Grilled Italian Sweet Sausages with Peppers
Three ingredients - that's all you need for this yummy side dish. Grill, roast, or cook the sausages on the stovetop (preferably in a cast-iron skillet, so it browns nicely). Then, combine with peppers and onions, and you're ready to indulge!
Lyonnaise Potatoes
These potatoes are everything we look for - crunchy, tender, and fluffy. It's a classic dish in French cuisine, with flavor highlights from sweet caramelized onions and soft, creamy Yukon Gold potatoes.
Polenta 3 Ways
This Italian cornmeal recipe is both comforting and versatile. Polenta is a fun ingredient to work with and pairs well with almost any entrée, especially with the saucy, roasted vegetables of the ratatouille.
Lemon Pepper Pork Chops
These zesty pork chops can be prepared in different ways - grilled, roasted, or stovetop. The secret to a satisfying dish is the lemon pepper marinade, which tenderizes the meat and adds a ton of flavor.
Brown Butter Cauliflower Rice
This easy side dish converts stalks of cauliflower into a fluffy rice alternative that's low-carb and full of nutrients. The cauliflower takes on the rich taste of the browned butter but be careful not to let it burn.
Greek Quinoa Salad with Chickpeas
Quinoa, feta cheese, and chickpeas are how spectacular meals begin. Add lemon dressing and a few other popular ingredients, and you'll have a hearty dish to enjoy with your ratatouille.
While you’re enjoying your classic French vegetable stew with one of these luscious and healthy recipes, pull up the timeless Disney movie. Enjoy how cooking becomes art, and art becomes a delightful and complete meal you’ll want to recreate over and over.