Polydish city guide
Best Ratatouille in Chicago
“A traditional French vegetable stew from Provence, developed as a practical way to use surplus summer produce.”
What the real thing tastes like
Ratatouille ( RAT-ə-TOO-ee, French: [ʁatatuj] ; Occitan: ratatolha [ʀataˈtuʎɔ] ) is a traditional French vegetable dish originating in the Provence region of southern France, particularly associated with Nice and its surrounding region. It developed within the context of rural Provençal cuisine, where seasonal vegetables were stewed together as a practical means of putting surplus summer produce to use. The dish consists of a stew or saute of seasonal summer vegetables cooked in olive oil and is sometimes referred to as ratatouille niçoise (French: [niswaz]). Although preparation methods and cooking times vary considerably by region and household, ratatouille is typically made with tomatoes, onions, garlic, courgettes (zucchini), aubergines (eggplants) and bell pepper, seasoned with herbs characteristic of Provençal cuisine. These may include fresh herbs such as basil, marjoram or fennel, as well as dried herbs such as thyme, bay leaves, or blended herbs de Provence.
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Ratatouille is a Provençal stew born from necessity—Niçoise cooks figured out how to turn the summer vegetable glut into something greater than the sum of its parts. Tomatoes, eggplant, zucchini, peppers, and onions collapse together in olive oil, their edges softening and flavors knitting tight with basil, thyme, and bay. The dish shifts and breathes depending on who's cooking it and where, but that flexibility is the point: it's meant to work with whatever the season offers.
Order it here when it has
- practical resourcefulness
- regional depth (Niçoise tradition)
- flexible by household and region
- aromatic herb profile
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