Ratatouille Mash with Roasted Chickpeas – Family Meal Friday

Ratatouille is a dish that I have wanted to try making for so long and this recipe combines the ingredients into a simple, tasty, veggie mash!

I had always thought ratatouille was a super difficult dish to make, until I discovered that you could make it in the form of a veggie mash… and I love veggie mashes because they are super simple to make, are full of so many beautiful flavors, and are packed with healthy ingredients! They are also very versatile and pair well with so many different sides.  

The recipe combines most of the ingredients that you would find in traditional ratatouille: onion, garlic, eggplant, zucchini, and tomatoes. What’s great is that you could adapt this recipe based on what you have, or add ingredients such as bell peppers. There’s no exact measurements, just throw in what you have or prefer and mix it all together to make a delicious combination!  

Serve this with fresh sourdough or toasted bread with olive oil. Top with some roasted chickpeas for some added protein to make this a complete meal!

Family Meal Friday Prayer

Try this meal on a friday night or over the weekend with your family or friends! Gather to share in thanksgiving for the Lord’s provision throughout the week over a home cooked meal with loved ones!

“Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for your love and your grace always. You are so righteous and good, full of unfailing love. Help us to love others as you love us, extending your grace to all who we meet. Thank you for this food you have blessed us with and for all of your provisions. Please bless this meal and the people around this table, so we may be filled with nourishment. We love you so much and praise you, in Jesus name, Amen!”

Ingredients & Substitutions

• Olive Oil: you could use regular olive oil or extra virgin, but extra virgin will give it a more intense flavor. This provides healthy fats among many other health benefits.
• Onions: I like to use yellow/white onions for this recipe, however purple onions work as well. Cooking them down and caramelizing them in olive oil will bring out sweet and savory smells and flavor.
• Garlic Cloves: I used 4 cloves in this recipe, but feel free to use as much as you like. This helps build the flavors in the recipe. Health wise, this is great for building immunity among other benefits.  
• Eggplant: this supplies the bulk of the veggies for the mash. It provides fiber and antioxidants as well as other vitamins and minerals.
• Zucchini: combines with the other veggies and gives a sweetness to the mash. It provides vitamin C, vitamin B6, fiber, antioxidants and other health benefits.
• Tomatoes: they also help create a sweet and savory flavor within the veggie mash. They provide vitamin c, vitamin k, potassium, folate, and other health benefits.
• Chickpeas: roasting the chickpeas in olive oil and seasonings make them crunchy and toasty. This helps provide protein, fiber, healthy fats among many other benefits.
• Spices: this recipe uses a dash of salt in the ratatouille mash. The roasted chickpeas are seasoned with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning to taste.

Equipment

• Frying pan
• Knife for chopping veggies
• Garlic press
• Vegetable peeler
• Can opener
• Spoons for mixing
• Baking sheet with aluminum foil
• Stove
• Oven

How to make: step-by-step

Make the mash: dice the onions and push the garlic through a garlic press so that it is prepped and ready to cook. You can dice the other vegetables one at a time while the other veggies start cooking.

Pour the olive oil into a frying pan over medium/high heat. Once the oil is hot, add in the diced onions and mix to coat. Add in the pressed garlic cloves and mix; lower to medium heat.

While the onions and garlic are cooking, peel and dice the eggplant; add to the frying pan with the onions and mix. Peel and dice the zucchini; add to the frying pan and mix. 

Dice the tomatoes; add to the frying pan and mix. Season with a dash of salt.

Allow all the veggies to cook together for about 15-20 over medium/high heat with the cover on. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking. You can use the back of the mixing spoon to mash the veggies together more. Once you see that the veggies have cooked through, lower the heat and let them simmer for another 15-20 minutes or until you’re ready to serve. 

Make the roasted chickpeas: Pour the roasted chickpeas onto a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Pour over the olive oil and seasoning and mix until they are all coated. 

Bake at 425° on roast for about 15-20 minutes out until the chickpeas start to turn golden brown. 

Assemble: Spoon a generous servion of the veggie mash onto a piece of sourdough or toasted bread. Top with the roasted chickpeas and enjoy!

Serving and Storage

Serve as a main dish for lunch or dinner, you should get about 4 servings. This is a delish atop of fresh sourdough bread or another type of bread toasted with olive oil. In addition to the roasted chickpeas, you could also top this off with some grated cheese, or feta cheese crumbles.

Any leftover ratatouille mash can be stored in a glass container with a coving. Keep in the refrigerator for 1-2 days. 

For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love. For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Galatians 5:13-14