Roasted Garlic Ratatouille + Giveaway!
A ratatouille with tons of flavor! Roasted garlic sauce is covered in paper-thin spiced vegetables. This would be perfect for an impressive summer dinner or appetizer! Scroll down to enter today’s awesome GIVEAWAY from Hidden Valley, woohoo!
Yesterday afternoon my sisters and I were hanging out eating cold pizza that was at LEAST 4 days old. And not just any 4-day old pizza: hot-dog stuffed-crust 4-day old pizza.
I thought we had reached the depths of trashiness, when Nikki turns from where she was standing at the counter: “I have to say, putting butter on your cold pizza is the way to go.”
And there you have it my friends: What’s Wrong With America.
When I was little I used to be grossed out by how much butter my mom put on her rolls, but these days I’m the one slathering it on. Nikki was just telling me yesterday that when her friends comment on the yummy-looking food on my blog, she tells them, well yeah, if I started every recipe with a stick of butter, my food would be that good too. (Butter is where it’s at guys.)
Well, if butter-slathered cold hot dog pizza is what’s wrong with America, here’s what’s right about France: Ratatouille. More specifically, Roasted Garlic Ratatouille. Full of vegetables, and no butter in sight.
Have you ever had Ratatouille? I first heard of it from the movie, of course, and I tried my first traditional version just a couple months ago. Honestly? Kind of bland! After all that hype and rat endorsement, I was like really, this is it?
Enter Hidden Valley, king of flavor! I sprinkled a packet of their new Greek Yogurt Mix into some of the roasted garlic sauce and on top of the veggies, and it was pretty magical. I made this here at my sister Nikki’s house and she LOVED it. I didn’t use an entire packet in the original version, and she kept going back to sprinkle more on top, even after it was baked. (No, she didn’t add butter this time.)
You could eat ratatouille with potatoes, polenta, couscous, pretty much any grain you can think of. I spread softened goat cheese on a slice of toasted French bread and put the veggies on top, like in this photo. SO GOOD. We ate nearly the whole pan, and then tonight I had a ratatouille taco with the leftovers.
Now here’s the thing about ratatouille: there is a LOT of slicing. I highly recommend a mandoline for this project. I actually made this one using a knife because I’m at my sister’s house and when I asked her if she had a mandoline she said isn’t that an instrument? And then I still had to borrow knives from her neighbor because hers suck so bad. (She’s a writer, not a cook, though to her credit none of her 5 children have starved yet.)
>>>GIVEAWAY! (This giveaway is closed.) Hidden Valley is going to give FIVE of my awesome readers a fun prize! The prize includes samples of Hidden Valley’s newest products, a $75 Target gift card, as well as a vegetable peeler set and cutting board. (Free ranch! Free kitchen stuff! $75 at Target! Just think how many 6 dollar tees that is.)
To enter all you have to do is leave a comment on this post. Tell me which new Hidden Valley salad dressing you would try first! (They are all amazing). Contest ends THIS Sunday, June 28th, at 9pm PST, so hurry and enter now! Open to U.S. residents only. Good luck!
Roasted Garlic Ratatouille
Serves 4-6 adjust servingsIngredients
- 1 head garlic
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 3/4 cup cream
- 1 teaspoon white wine
- 1/4 chopped onion
- 1 package Hidden Valley Greek Yogurt Dips (not made), divided
- 1/4 cup fresh Parmesan
- fresh thyme, optional
- 1 long red bell pepper
- 1 medium-large zucchini
- 1 large yellow squash
- 1 eggplant*
- grated Parmesan, to garnish
- at least 4 ounces softened goat cheese, for spreading
- crusty French bread
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Use a sharp knife to cut off the top of the head of garlic so that the inner flesh is revealed. Remove the papery layers on the outside that come off easily (don't take them all off though, you want the head to remain intact.)
- Place the head of garlic on a square of aluminum foil and drizzle with 2 teaspoons olive oil. Wrap the foil around the garlic, place on a baking sheet, and roast for about 25 minutes.
- When cool enough to handle, squeeze the soft cloves of garlic into a small saucepan. Mash with a fork. Turn the heat to medium and add cream, wine, onion, and 1 tablespoon of the dip package. When is starts to bubble slightly, add the Parmesan. Stir until the mixture thickens slightly. Add fresh thyme to taste, if you want.
- Pour the sauce into a 10-inch cast iron skillet. Set aside.
- Use a sharp knife to cut out the top of the red bell pepper. Remove as much of the core as you can, leaving the pepper in it's original shape. Use a sharp knife or mandoline to slice the pepper into rings.
- Use a mandoline or a very sharp knife to slice the zucchini, squash, and eggplant.*
- Layer the vegetables in the skillet with the sauce. Start on the outside edge. Layer them in whatever order you want, I did eggplant, zucchini, squash, then pepper. Continue layering until you run out of vegetables.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Sprinkle the remainder of the ranch packet over the vegetables. You don't have to use all of it.
- Cut out a circle of parchment paper that is about the size of your skillet and lay it on top of the vegetables. This keeps it from getting brown and dried out.
- Bake at 375 for about 38-40 minutes. Remove from the oven.
- Toast a slice of bread, spread it with goat cheese, and spoon some of the ratatouille on top. Enjoy!
by The Food Charlatan
You might like these summer recipes too!
Poblano, Corn, and Zucchini Lasagna:
Grilled Squash, Red Pepper, and Feta Sandwich: (This ones an oldie but a goodie, I’ve made it so many times)
Easy Caramelized Gnocchi with Cherry Tomatoes and Mozzarella:
More ratatouille from friends:
Spicy Smokey Ratatouille Casserole from Tori Avey
Ratatouille’s Ratatouille from Smitten Kitchen
Ratatouille Pizza from The Healthy Foodie << that sounds amazing
Chickpea Ratatouille from 86 Lemons
This post is sponsored by Hidden Valley, whose products I always have on hand. Seriously, working with brands I love is the best! It’s basically like a party. Thanks for coming!
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
delicious! I used the spicy Dips though.
I made this for our Lent dinner at church. It was casserole night. Since I’m a vegetarian I always make something so I will have a meal I can eat. So far everyone loves the dishes I bring. But this dish was the hit of the night!! Comments are still coming to me. Plus everyone wants the recipe. Love it!!
So happy to hear that Marki!! It’s definitely an impressive dish to bring to a get together :) Thanks for the review!!
Am anxious to try this recipe!! Sounds like it would taste fabulous!!! The new Hidden Valley Ranch dressing that i would try first is the Avacado…….just love those green miracles! But the Roasted Garlic and Cucumber also sound terrific too. Any Hidden Valley Ranch dressing will be used up quickly in our house……..our most favorite brand!!
It’s not a ratatouille it’s called a tian.
My husband and I hosted our first Thanksgiving two years ago and made this recipe as a pre-meal snack (we eat consistently, all day long on Thanksgiving). This was such a hit that it’s been a holiday staple since. I’m back checking the recipe for Thanksgiving this year!!
So beautiful and so full of flavor, definitely a hit with both of our families. It is the perfect side dish to bring if you don’t want to accidentally bring the same thing as someone else, too. Thank you for sharing. :)
Happy Holidays!!
That is so much fun Jenna! I never would have thought to make this for Thanksgiving! But yes, total show stopper. What a great idea! You can always be sure you’re not bringing the same thing as someone else, you are so right :) Happy Thanksgiving!
Can I make this ahead and freeze it for serving in a few days?
Hey Wendy! I would not recommend it! I think the squash would get very mushy.
The photos are beautiful and your description was so convincing I had to try it. Sadly it was not very good.
First off, ratatouille does not have cream sauce, so the name should be something else altogether. Secondly, the visual appeal of this is really tied to finding eggplant, peppers and squash the same diameter (good luck). Assembling this was so tedious to even come close to the intended results. Lastly, after all that effort it was pale, milky, and very bland at best. Really not worth the effort. Perhaps skip the sauce and slice in some vine ripened tomato for a more authentic ratatouille.
I can’t even understand a food writer recommending use of junk like powdered salad dressing. A fully sad and disappointing meal if it weren’t for bread and goat cheese to shine on their own merits without this dreadful excuse of a dish. Sorry but that’s how my entire family ranked this never to be made again mess.
Wow Patricia! That was really harsh. My family and I liked it a lot, I’m sorry yours didn’t. If you don’t like “junk” powdered salad dressing, I recommend finding a recipe that doesn’t use it. Also, next time you comment on a food blog, try to remember that you’re talking to a person, not a computer.
Can’t help but ask and I’m too impatient to read through these comments. Your pic sure looks like more than one zucchini and squash to fill that pan. And did you steam them or micro them first to get them to bend like that in the middle? I’m just trying to see what I’ll be up against once I start!
Hey Hannah! No, that’s exactly the amount I used actually. When you slice them that thin, there is a lot to go around. :) And no, I didn’t microwave them, when you slice them thin enough, they become flexible. I highly recommend a manodline for this project! I hope it goes well!
Bahaha when I saw an advertisement for that hot dog stuffed pizza, I said to Lucas, “this is what’s wrong with America” – but then…BUTTER! Haha. You are my hero.
Also – could this ratatouille be ANY prettier?! Seriously – that takes some talent and dedication. And that first photo = <3 <3 <3.
I am currently loving taziki so the cucumber one looks good!
I’ve got to try this stuff!
I like avocado!
The roasted garlic sounds really good!
It’s amazing! I use it in a lot of other recipes now. It’s really easy to do!!
The sweet chili would be perfect for me. Thanks so much.
Oh that avocado ranch looks really good!!! As if ranch by itself was not already delicious enough?! Yum.
The Avocado one sounds so light and refreshing for summer!
demureprincess7(at)gmail(dot)com
Mmm, definitely the Sweet Chili Ranch. Yummy!
This ratatouille looks fabulous, Karen! I love the idea of using a seasoned packet to add a punch of flavor to the sauce. I think I’d want to try the garlic flavor from Hidden Valley the most because I’m such a sucker for garlic-flavored food.
P.S. Butter totally makes everything better! :)
I would try the avocado ranch flavor first….well I like ranch and I like avocado, so them together might just be awesome.
Definitely the avocado ranch dressing — thanks!
Both the cucumber & the roasted garlic sound good!
Roasted garlic Hidden Valley ranch sounds amazing!
Pinned this recipe and shopping immediately. Thanks!
Butter on everything is seriously what I love most about America. On pizza? Yeah, that’s happening next time I order a pie. This recipe is definitely a must make!
I’d try the avocado.
Definitely the avocado ranch. I’m obsessed with taco salads and it sounds perfect! Thanks for the giveaway!
I’d love to try the greek yogurt ranch mix! YUM! Beautiful layering friend, must have took some time :)
I would like to try the Italian Dressings. They have several I think. The tomato-bacon dressing is smoky goodness. And I think its called Chipolte Mango is spicy and fresh
I would love to try the Roasted Garlic flavor. It looks delicious.
I would try the roasted garlic first. Thank you so much for the chance!
I have to say the avocado, which will make you laugh, I bet! Your pics are fabulous – Kris is right, frame worthy indeed!
Oh my gosh, you crack me up so much! I made a traditional ratatouille once, and I spent 45 minutes peeling the skin off roasted vegetables, because the recipe told me to. So I’m not a huge fan of the traditional, labor-intensive version. I love the looks of your version, and it looks so pretty too!
I think I would like the Cucumber Dressing. We ate a lot of cukes growing up and really like them.
The avocado one would be first on my list to try!
Cucumber. All the way.
I’m intrigued by Sweet Chili.
I really love avocados so I’d really like to try the avocado dressing!
Stunning my friend. Veggies never looked so good!
Looks awesome! Can’t wait to try! I would love the avacado ranch. I love avacados!
Hi, I would love to try the avocado dressing. Thank you for the chance to win this Package of wonderful goodies. I use only Hidden Valley dressings, wonderful homemade freshness makes everything taste awesome!
I live reading your posts! They always make me smile. Your ratatouille looks so pretty and delicious! I’d try the avocado.
I’d try the Avocado first.
Um…..cucumber! Aw yeah! I’m in love with cucumbery things. Also, Karen, you are awesome. I hope I can grow up to be like you someday. ;) And I’ll keep my fingers crossed that I actually win. That would be cool. I kind of never win anything. But it’s all good.
I definitely need to try the avacado. My boys love ranch dressing, in fact my youngest licked it off his plate at lunch instead of eating his carrots and salad…
i love love love garlic, so I’m going to try that one ASAP! Garlic Ranch sounds so good!
It’s a toss up between avocado reand and the garlic ranch, both look great!
This looks amazing! I can’t wait to try it! The avocado ranch would be my choice…..I have a teenager who loves veggies with ranch dressing, and loves avocados. Match made in heaven.
Avocado!
Would love to try the roasted garlic and AVACADO
Hey there, Karen! You were gorgeous in your bridesmaids dress! Therefore, I would like the cucumber, but since I’m family, I’m probably ineligible.
I would like to try the cucumber& sweet chili.But havent seen it in my store yet
Roasted garlic will be the first I will try.
This is the best looking ratatouille I’ve ever seen. And avocado flavored ranch = yes please! I want to try that one STAT!
I would try the avocado first but they all look amazing!
I am most interested in the roasted garlic variety. I am not into guacamole, but I imagine in a ranch dressing I would like it.
Ooooh it looks amazing! I would love to try the cucumber dressing first!
Avocado ranch??! Gorgeous photos.
I would try the roasted garlic flavor.
Sweet chili looks amazing. I have enjoyed trying your recipes.
I would like to try the avocado salad dressing first!
Roasted garlic sounds amazing! I would love to give it a try:)
Well you told everyone the secret and now everyone and their mom is entering! What a rip off! ;)
I love using the original ranch packets to make potato salad or cream cheese chicken chili but I think the roasted garlic or the spicy ranch would make those extra good.
Gorgeous pictures! :)
They all sound pretty interesting. I think the roasted garlic because sounds versatile. Almost any (savory) recipe could use a kick garlic.
I’d like to try the Cucumber Ranch, followed by Spicy Ranch. And your cooking looks absolutely divine!
Oh my gosh, I love your blog… can’t wait to try this recipe. I love veggies and who doesn’t like ranch dressing. Can’t wait to use the Cucumber Ranch.
Karen! Remember me? I pretended not to speak English at your parents house :) I would love to try the avocado dressing! Miss yah!
Um, of COURSE I remember you Rachel, you don’t forget magic moments like that. Gosh I need to write about that, that was so freaking funny. So good to hear from you!!
Roasted Garlic first. We put garlic in everything at my house.
I want to try the avocado ranch although the cucumber looks refreshing also
Well, this already looked delicious, but then you had to throw goat cheese in there and now my stomach is growling.
As far as Hidden Valley is concerned…I’ve said that garlic and avocado are God’s gifts to the world, so it would definitely be one of those. Or both. Straight into my mouth.
Hidden Valley dressings are always so delicious. I’d love to try the Roasted Garlic flavor. It sounds delicious.
I would try the avocado one first! I love avacado!
Absolutely love this ratatouille! Perfect for summer vegetables! You nailed the photos too, they’re beautiful!
Yesssss gimme them ALL. but first, maybe cucumber.
Cucumber Ranch sounds delish!
I want to try the avocado one!!! Plus, the Target gift card and Hidden Valley stuff for the win! I buy the hidden valley mix by the Giant Costco counter _and use it on tons of things! Hopefully, you’re old fellow David John Hall connection can win this! Karen, I love all the stuff you post and now I know what I’m going to do with all the zucchini and summer squash !
Wow this is beautiful! I love ratatouille. It is such a great summer dish.
That first picture is a work of art. I want to print it and frame it and put it in my kitchen!
I think I would go for the Roasted Garlic. You can never have too much garlic in my opinion.
Thank you Kris! Now I know what to get you for Christmas :) hehe
I love the sounds of ALL the new flavor’s. I use hidden Valley dressings and dry ranch in a lot of things I cook from salads to casseroles and much more. The roasted garlic would be awesome in my twice baked potato casserole and the avocado ranch would really add a great flavor to my Mexican lasagna and salads. Can’t wait to try them all!
Butter on pizza??? No, Karen. No. This ratatouille on the other hand is AMAZING! I would never have the patience to make this, but I love admiring your hard work. It’s absolutely gorgeous. Thanks for the giveaway too. I love me some Target (and Ranch!). I would pick the cucumber first. Or avocado. Or both.
Finally, SOMEBODY calls out the butter on pizza thing. I agree! It’s so wrong!! :) Thanks Andi!!
That ratatouille looks amazing Karen! Now I know what to do with all the surplus squash my coworker bring in to work. I’ve always been a fan of the classic homemade Hidden Valley buttermilk ranch dressing. It was all my mom ever made. But the creamy spinach Parmesan ranch dip is next on my list!
There’s a Hidden Valley Ranch party in my mouth!
http://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live/video/taste-test/n13215
Sweet Chili
They need to make an adobo ranch.
Oh my goodness. I can’t choose between Avocado and Roasted Garlic. They both sound delish! I definitely want to give both a try.
This ratatouille is pure perfection! And what a genius way to use HV dip mix! Love it! I can’t wait to try the roasted garlic dressing!
This looks awesome. I am super excited to try it! Never made ratatouille before. This looks like a delicious intro :)
Avocado! Mmm… avocado dressing on an avocado salad with an avocado smoothie for dessert. Can you tell I love avocados? ;)
What a fun giveaway! I love your recipes!
Oh man I’d like to try the Avocado dressing! This recipe looks amazing Karen!! And I love your stories so much. I can just picture Nikki talking when you write about her. Haha. You’re awesome!!
Haha writing about Nikki is probably the easiest/funniest thing ever. She’s the best :)
You know I would want avocado
I would like to try the roasted garlic first, of course they all sound good and the orginal is so good to use for dressing, dips etc. Hope to win.
I would totes try the avocado one…and maybe doctor it up a bit with some cilantro! I would hope that it might taste a little like the Crazy Chicken’s creamy cilantro dressing. YUM!
Greek yogurt ranch, genius! I can’t wait to try it! I will have to admit, the powdered Hidden Valley Ranch is my “secret ingredient” in pretty much everything! It makes chicken salad zing and and adds a creamy yummy-ness to soup. Try it!
This recipe looks so so good! And I’m all about roasted garlic ranch dressing. Yum!
I LOVE roasted garlic, so since they don’t have a butter dressing…that one would be the winner! Haha. But seriously.
Avocado ranch definately. Don’t think you could go wrong with that combo.
i have just been looking for a new way to incorporate more veggies into meals, and this actually looks really good. I am going to have try this recipe with the new Greek yogurt dip added. The roasted garlic dressing also sounds really good to try.
I can’t get enough avocado or garlic, so I would love to try either of those! Your ratatouille is gorgeous – I can’t believe you sliced it all by hand, but it looks and sounds like it was worth it!
Such a beautiful dish, Karen! Love your blog!
And, I’d have to try Hidden Valleys garlic or avocado dressing. Yum!
This is beautiful!! I would try the cucumber and roasted garlic dressings :)
Avocado Ranch, though the cucumber also looks tempting. And those veggies are gorgeous!
I would love to try the cucumber dressing!
I would like to try the cucumber dressing…yum!
I can’t decide between the sweet chili and roasted garlic versions, so I’ll just have to try them both. This ratatouille looks phenomenal. Who knew such a simple rustic dish could be recreated so elegantly? Definitely worth the time and effort doing all that slicing.
Without a doubt it would be the Sweet Chili dressing!
GARLIC RANCH YUM
This looks so neat how you layered it! Love all those veggies! I think I would like to try the avocado ranch.
Hidden Valley has the best dressings!!! I’d love to try cucumber and/or the avocado. So many things to use both on. Your recipes are the cat’s meow !!!
Yummy! I would try the cucumber.
Why didn’t I THINK of that? Ratatouiiuouillllle with BUTTER?! You’re giving me ideas, Karen. Also, I have to point out to your readers that a girl who loves butter is more than qualified to rate your ratatoiuouilliue, regardless of whether I can spell it.
My bunch would love to try to Roasted Garlic. We eat Hidden Valley Ranch on EVERYTHING!
I’m excited about the new flavors, since my family likes sweet and spicy I would buy/use Sweet chili first, then probably the cucumber salad dressing.
This absolutely sounds delicious! I have a get-together this Sun
You have mad knife skills girl, looks amazing!
I’m looking for ways to add veggies to my diet, and this sounds like a really yummy way!
That’s very generous of Hidden Valley to do the giveaway. I think I would like to try the Roasted Garlic dressing. :)
Love your recipes! I have a tab on Gmail especially for the emails I get from your site.
Apparently the Roasted Garlic isn’t new. So I guess I would like to try the Fiesta Salsa. :P
Lauralynn, I don’t even think my own mother has a special tab for my email, so you win the loyalty prize :) Thanks for reading, and good luck on the contest!
I made something similar to this, with different veggies which I loved! I can only imagine how much better it would have been with the roasted garlic sauce. Thanks so much! I think I would really like the Hiden Valley roasted garlic dressing too!
Hey Karen,
I would prolly try the cucumber dressing first….with feta, kalamata, onion and chicken and tomatoes on greens! Yeah…..that would be first. Thanks!
Id like to try the cucumber and the avocado.
I love ratatouille, and your idea of using roasted garlic sounds superb. Can’t wait to try it. I believe I’d try the cucumber dressing first because I love a good cucumber salad in the summer.
I would try the avocado dressing first, but the sweet chili looks good too! Can’t go wrong with ranch!
This recipe is beautiful!! I’m excited to try the cucumber ranch dressing the most :)
Looks delicious! And I can’t wait to try the Hidden Valley Avocado Dressing!
I would love to try the new avocado dressing!!! This ratatouille looking amazing!!! I can’t wait to make it next week!!!
gorgeous creation! i’d dry the avocado dressing first, because AVOCADO. :)
Genius! I would never think to do that!! Plus, I can just imagine the sweet, nutty flavor of the roasted garlic working to enhance everything… And your pictures? They make we want to dive through my computer screen! Well done!
I would absolutely try the roasted garlic dressing from Hidden Valley
I would try the Avacado first, then one by one, all the new flavors. Sounds yummy !
Would love to try Sweet Chili Dressing. Have not seen it in my store
Will definitely be trying the cucumber dressing, didn’t realize it existed, Can’t wait
Awesome–your ratatouille looks delish! (I’m with you–the “normal” recipes seem a bit drab, but this one looks good enough to make all those healthy veggies seem like an indulgence.)
As for the “new” flavors from Hidden Valley–Cracked Peppercorn and Bacon both sound interesting, but “the one I’d try first” is definitely Roasted Garlic.
Thanks for all your hard work on your blog–it’s much appreciated, visually and gustatorily!
Kiki
Kiki, nice use of the word gustatorily, I have got to start working that into my daily vocabulary :) thanks for coming by!!
Which is my favorite……hmmmmm….. I’d have to say, good ole original!
I would love to try the Roasted Garlic dressing. What’s not to love???
I would love to try the new Sweet Chili and the Cucumber dressing.
Hidden Valley has been a staple in our house for years….both bottled and the dry mix.
We use it on salads, sandwiches, to give a pop of flavor to recipes and as a dip for French fries.