There’s no better time than late summer to make our ratatouille recipe. With in-season eggplant, zucchini, and bell peppers plus plenty of garlic and olive oil, the Provençal stew is a plant-based main dish that will please meat-eaters and vegetarians alike. It also gets better the longer it sits, making it an ideal candidate for making ahead for summer entertaining. This recipe makes about three quarts of ratatouille, so plan to have leftovers if you’re not feeding a crowd. Try tossing it with pasta, baking it with eggs, or simply freezing it and enjoying it on a cold winter day for a dose of summery warmth.

Why Ratatouille Should Be On Your Summer To-Do List

Ratatouille is a celebration of late-summer produce. Full of flavor and hearty without being heavy, it’s the kind of dish that improves the longer it sits in the fridge, making it perfect for a string of laidback lunches or easy entertaining. And while you can find the ingredients for it year-round at the supermarket, a ratatouille made in the dead of winter doesn’t compare with one made when each vegetable—from meaty eggplant to sweet bell pepper to mild-yet-earthy zucchini—is at its peak.

Like salad Niçoise and vegetable tian, this dish comes from Provence, the southeastern region of France known for its seasonal, vegetable-centric cooking and olive groves. As such, it features a hefty amount of olive oil—which adds a silky richness and keeps it from tasting too virtuous—plus there are plenty of herbs for an aromatic boost.

Ratatouille Dos and Don’ts

Don’t chop too finely: When prepping vegetables for ratatouille, aim for large, chunky pieces (roughly one-inch or so). It’s key to the dish’s rustic appearance and will ensure the vegetables don’t break down too much as they cook.

Do roast your tomatoes: This recipe leans on canned tomatoes, which eliminates the need to blanch and peel fresh ones. A quick stint in the oven concentrates their flavor and thickens the liquid, which keeps the ratatouille from tasting watery. Don’t be tempted to skip this step—it can be done while the eggplant drains and is worth turning on your oven for.

Do season as you go: Instead of waiting to season the ratatouille at the very end, add a bit of salt and pepper as you add in each vegetable. It will help bring out their natural flavor and make it easier to adjust the seasoning at the end.

Don’t overcook: Ratatouille should be more of a stew than a sauce. It’s ready to come off the stove when each vegetable is softened and tender—but not mushy. Taste it periodically as it simmers in step 4, erring on the side of underdone rather than overdone (especially if you plan to reheat it).

Regardless of your thoughts on rats in the kitchen, you can make this excellent ratatouille recipe. This flavor-packed summer vegetable stew is great warm—and possibly even better cold or room temperature the next day, making it ideal for meal prep.

Originating from Provence, France, traditional ratatouille combines zucchini, eggplant, and sweet peppers with fresh tomatoes, but the formula is adaptable. Out of zucchini? Yellow squash works fine. You could substitute red onions, leeks, or any type of onion, really. Replace the individual dried herbs with a dash of herbes de Provence or a bundle of fresh thyme, savory, or oregano sprigs. Finish the cooked ratatouille with a scattering of mixed fresh herbs, including parsley and chervil, along with the basil from your garden.

Serve your ratatouille as a side dish to pan-seared pork chops or grilled fish. Top it with a jammy egg over crusty bread, or turn it into the star of a vegetarian main course by spooning it over Creamy Polenta or tossing with pasta.