Roasted Low FODMAP Ratatouille
Low FODMAP Ratatouille (rat-tuh-TOO-ee) is based on the classic late-summer vegetable stew featuring eggplant, zucchini and red bell peppers. Our version uses scallion greens instead of onions and uses the oven to roast the vegetables with olive oil, which concentrates the vegetable’s flavors. Then the veggies are combined with fresh tomatoes on top of the stove and cooked until soft, silky and rich. Flavored with thyme, rosemary and low FODMAP garlic, this vegan dish is incredibly versatile.
Low FODMAP Serving Size Info: Makes about 6 cups (1.4 kg); 8 servings; ¾ cup (170 g) per serving
Ingredients:
- 1 cup (64 g) roughly chopped scallions, green parts only
- 3 medium zucchini, about 8-ounces/225 g each, trimmed and cut crosswise into ¼-inch (6 mm) thick discs
- 2 medium eggplant, about 1-pound/455 g each, trimmed and cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) cubes
- 3 red bell peppers, cored and cut into ¼-inch (6 mm) strips
- Scant ½ cup (120 ml) Low FODMAP Garlic-Infused Oil, made with olive oil or purchased equivalent, plus more as needed
- Kosher salt
- 3 small sprigs fresh rosemary, plus extra as needed (see Tips)
- 6 fresh sprigs thyme, plus extra as needed (see Tips)
- Kosher salt
- 3 large beefsteak tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon FreeFod Garlic Replacer
- 1 bay leaf
- Freshly ground black pepper
Preparation:
-
Position three racks in oven evenly spaced out (see Tips). Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Have three half-sheet pans ready to use.
-
Scatter the scallion greens and zucchini on one pan. Drizzle with 3 tablespoons of the oil, season lightly with salt and toss around to coat vegetables (make sure scallions are coated with oil so they do not burn). Lay one small spring of rosemary on top along with 2 small sprigs of thyme (see Tips for info on dried herbs).
-
Scatter the eggplant on another pan in as even a layer as possible. Drizzle 3 tablespoons of the oil, season lightly with salt and toss to combine. Lay one small spring of rosemary on top along with 2 small sprigs of thyme (see Tips for info on dried herbs).
-
Scatter the pepper strips on the last pan. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the oil and season lightly with salt and toss to coat. Lay one small spring of rosemary on top along with 2 small sprigs of thyme (see Tips for info on dried herbs).
-
Roast in oven for about 45 minutes to an hour. During the roasting time check on the vegetables once or twice and stir them around on their pans. Each pan might roast at a different rate and moving them from rack to rack during one of your checks is prudent. Roast until soft and beginning to shrink and concentrate in size (and flavor). Discard fresh herb stems when you remove pans from oven.
-
Meanwhile, place a strainer over a large Dutch oven. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, drop in tomatoes for about a minute or until skins split. Remove and place in strainer. Cool, then slip off and discard skins. Remove seeds (I just use my fingers) and allow any juice to collect in Dutch oven. Add the tomato flesh to the pot as well, chopped, or simply squeeze with your hands into small-ish pieces. Discard seeds in strainer.
-
Stir in the FreeFod Garlic Replacer, then add all of the roasted vegetables to the Dutch oven, including any oil. Add the bay leaf. Give everything a good stir and add another glug of oil to the pot. Taste and season with salt and pepper, cover and cook over very low heat for about 30 minutes.
-
At this point the ratatouille is done. You could easily cook it another 15 minutes if you like to even further concentrate the flavors but at this point everything will be well blended and the texture will be rich and silky.
-
The ratatouille is ready to eat but we think it is even better on Day 2 or 3. Simply cool, pack into airtight containers and refrigerate for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 1 month. Serve as a side dish, with rice, throw on a poached egg, heat up with tofu to make a vegan stew or slather on crostini.
Notes:
Tips
- Some ovens only come equipped with 2 racks. I have had success in some ovens by placing a full-size cooling rack on the floor of the oven and using that as a third shelf. You can only try this with ovens that do not have a bottom element.
- Dried Herbs: You can use dried herbs. Simply sprinkle each sheet pan with ¼ teaspoon of rosemary and ¼ teaspoon of thyme (crushed between fingers) and add more to taste later in recipe as described.
FODMAP Information
Our recipes are based on Monash University and FODMAP Friendly science.
- Eggplant: Monash University and FODMAP Friendly have both lab tested eggplant (also called aubergine) and have declared it to be low FODMAP in 1 cup (75 g) amounts.
- Monash University also tells us that eggplant becomes Moderate for FODMAPs at 2 ½ cups (182 g) and High for FODMAPs at 3 ½ cups (260 g). Curiously, Monash says that eggplant contains sorbitol. FODMAP Friendly says it contains fructans and a small amount of GOS.
- Garlic-Infused Oil: Make your own Garlic-Infused Oil or buy a commercial equivalent for the easiest way to add garlic flavor to your food. Fructans in garlic are not oil-soluble, so garlic-infused oil is low FODMAP.
- Red Bell Peppers: Red bell peppers have been lab tested by Monash University and have shown no detectable FODMAPs. FODMAP Friendly has lab tested red bell peppers and states that 1 small pepper at 75 g is low FODMAP.
- Scallions: The green parts of scallions are low FODMAP as determined by Monash University lab testing and can be used to add onion flavor to your low FODMAP cooking.
- Zucchini: Both Monash University and FODMAP Friendly have lab tested zucchini (also called marrow or courgette). FODMAP Friendly gives it a “Pass” at 1/2 cup (75 g) portions. Monash lists 1/3 cup (65 g) as low FODMAP, showing it to be Moderate for fructans in portions of ½ cup (75 g).
Please always refer to the Monash University & FODMAP Friendly smartphone apps for the most up-to-date lab tested information. As always, your tolerance is what counts; please eat accordingly. The ultimate goal of the low FODMAP diet is to eat as broadly as possible, without triggering symptoms, for the healthiest microbiome.