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Grilled Ratatouille (with Gnocchi)

In Italy, the art of making good food using the least expensive, freshest and most seasonally available ingredients is cucina povera. Literally meaning “poor kitchen,” it sounds much more romantic in Italian.

While Italy made the term famous, this concept of cooking exists all over the world, and especially around the Mediterranean.

It’s also a term that makes perfect sense for the summertime, when so much produce is in season.

grilled ratatouille in a bowl
Photo: Casey Barber

Pound for pound, a basket of vegetables is going to be cheaper than the same amount of meat or poultry, so it’s a great time to start experimenting with veggie-focused recipes.

In Provence, the quintessential summer dish is ratatouille—a dish that’s quite possibly even more famous than the term “cucina povera,” thanks to the Pixar film.

(It’s also my favorite Pixar film, obviously. Anyone can cook!)

onion, eggplant, bell peppers, zucchini and squash
Photo: Casey Barber

Immortalized by the animated film of the same name, ratatouille is an aromatic stew that makes use of seasonally plentiful eggplant, sweet peppers, tomatoes, zucchini, squash, and fresh herbs.

Classic versions of the dish from Julia Child and Jacques Pepin involve a multi-step simmering process, which is rather time-consuming.

Grilled ratatouille might take a bit of time as well, but it makes cooking way more fun in the summertime.

grilled ratatouille with gnocchi
Photo: Casey Barber

Grilling keeps the kitchen cool and lets you chill outside, preferably with a frosty beverage in hand, while you wait for the hot grates to do their work.

As I’ve evangelized via my many efforts to convince everyone to use their grill as an oven, this concept doesn’t only apply to vegetables.

grilled ratatouille with gnocchi
Photo: Casey Barber

You can also do sheet pan meals on the grill, with or without the sheet pan! I like to toss my grilled ratatouille with grilled gnocchi for a complete vegetarian meal.

If you love roasting gnocchi to get those crispy browned edges, grilling gnocchi will be your new favorite method too.

Toss the gnocchi with olive oil and salt and spread on a grill mat or in a perforated grill pan.

grilled ratatouille in a bowl
Photo: Casey Barber

Or use the grilled ratatouille as part of a cold pasta or grain salad, or simply as a side dish to your favorite cookout dinners.

(May I suggest marinated hot dogs, if you’re into that sort of thing?)

grilled ratatouille in a bowl

By the way, if you’ve ever wondered why eggplant can be so spongy and dense, it’s because the vegetable has a high water content.

But if you salt the eggplant it while it’s raw, it releases excess moisture and helps make those eggplant slices crispy and browned instead of soggy and sad.

grilled ratatouille in a bowl

Grilled Ratatouille

Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Additional Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Grilled ratatouille is the ideal summer vegetable dish, packed with eggplant, peppers and squash. Try it as a side dish with your favorite cookout dinner or toss it with grilled gnocchi for a vegetarian meal.

Ingredients

  • 4 Japanese eggplant or 2 regular eggplant
  • kosher or sea salt
  • 3 bell peppers of any color
  • 1 large or 2 small zucchini
  • 1 large or 2 small yellow squash
  • 1 large sweet onion
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 large heirloom tomato
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley, basil, thyme, or oregano—any combination
  • 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar or Champagne vinegar

Instructions

Prep and preheat:

  1. Preheat a charcoal or gas grill to medium heat (about 450 degrees F).
  2. Lop off the stem ends of the eggplant and slice lengthwise into quarters (if using mini eggplant) or planks (if using regular eggplant).
  3. Sprinkle the slices of eggplant liberally with salt and arrange in a colander to drain for 20 minutes.
  4. Lop off the stem ends of the zucchini and squash and slice lengthwise into quarters.
  5. De-rib and de-seed the peppers and cut each into three or four rectangular planks.
  6. Slice the onion crosswise into 1/2-inch thick rounds and thread diametrically onto a skewer.

onion slices on skewers for grilling

Grill the vegetables:

  1. You'll probably have to grill the vegetables in two batches, since the cut veg likely won't all fit on the grill at once. So while the eggplant drains, start grilling.
  2. Brush the cut vegetables lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
  3. Place as many of the vegetables as will fit comfortably on grill and cook for about 5 minutes to let them char.
  4. Flip the vegetables when they start to blacken on one side, then continue cooking for about 4-5 minutes per side.
  5. Remove vegetables from the grill once they're tender—they won't all cook at the same rate, so keep checking—to make room for more vegetables to go on.
  6. Rinse the eggplant to remove excess salt and pat dry on a clean cotton towel.
  7. Brush with olive oil and add to the grill to cook with the other vegetables.

Assemble and serve:

  1. While the vegetables grill, roughly chop the tomato and add to a large bowl.
  2. Once the vegetables are grilled and blackened, chop into bite-size pieces and add to the bowl with the tomatoes.
  3. Toss with the remaining olive oil, herbs and vinegar. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Notes

To grill gnocchi:

  1. Toss 1 package refrigerated gnocchi with about 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt.
  2. Place a grill mat or perforated grill pan on the preheated grill.
  3. Add the gnocchi in a single layer.
  4. Cook for about 5-8 minutes per side, flipping as needed until browned.
  5. Toss with the grilled ratatouille.

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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 391Total Fat: 16gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 169mgCarbohydrates: 65gFiber: 17gSugar: 27gProtein: 8g

The nutritional information above is computer-generated and only an estimate.

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This post was originally published on September 8, 2011 and updated with completely new content and images on June 7, 2022.

FTC Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Good Food Stories LLC receives a minuscule commission on all purchases made through Amazon links in our posts.

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9 Comments

  1. I love this dish! It is one of those dishes where the sum is greater than the parts. If you add wood chips to the grill, it gets even better.

  2. That’s a great idea, Amy. I would see your grilled corn and raise you some avocado stirred in.

  3. I’m excited to see this post…I make ratatouille often, but have never ever grilled to prepare it. This sounds really good.

  4. We grill veggies all summer long. They go with almost any grill dish, although grilled egplant with a little parm cheese on it is delightful

  5. I’ve been grilling squashes and peppers lately, but hadn’t remembered eggplant. thanks for the reminder.

    I am surpised and encouraged at the veg prices available in NYC neighborhoods, too.

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