The fresh vegetables of summer mingle marvelously in this simple meatless supper or side dish. While one vegetable cooks, I can chop the next one, saving time and fuss. I tend to avoid turning on my oven whenever possible in the summer. Ratatouille is a delicious way to taste the fresh flavors of summer and keep the kitchen cooler.
Eggplant is a traditional component, but this early in the summer season, squash and okra are more abundant. You can leave out the okra if you are not a fan, and possibly swap in eggplant. While I used paprika and cumin for a touch of Moroccan influence, you could opt instead for adding you favorite blend of Italian herbs, including fresh basil.
One-Pot Ratatouille with Summer Squash and Okra
Ingredients:
- 2 summer squash
- 2 zucchini
- 12 to 16 ounces fresh or frozen okra, chopped
- 2 white onions, thinly sliced
- 8 to 10 cloves fresh garlic
- 4 medium vine-ripe tomatoes
- sea salt, to taste
- smoked paprika, to taste
- ground cumin, to taste (or about 1/4 teaspoon)
- Fresh basil leaves, optional
- 3 Tablespoons olive oil or avocado oil, divided
Directions:
- In a large pot, heat 1 Tablespoon oil over medium heat. Stir in sliced onions and let them cook until tender, golden brown, and caramelized, stirring frequently, for about 12 minutes.
- Meanwhile, peel and mince garlic. Then chop squash and zucchini into quarter rounds.
- Transfer cooked onions from the pot to a large serving dish. Add 1 Tablespoon oil to the cooking pot, followed by okra and cook over medium-high heat for 7 to 10 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently. Transfer okra to the same serving dish with the onions. Rinse and scrape the pot to remove any sticky residue before heating the pot again. Add 1 Tablespoon oil and heat over medium heat. Add minced garlic; sauté for 1 minute before adding squash and zucchini pieces. Cook squash for 5 to 7 minutes, until tender, stirring occasionally.
- Meanwhile, while other vegetables cook, coarsely chop tomatoes. Add tomatoes to cooked squash mixture. Transfer cooked onions and okra back to the pot and bring to a gentle simmer. Season with paprika, cumin, and generous additions of sea salt to taste. Continue to simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes or longer, stirring occasionally. Serve ratatouille warm, with bread, rice or pasta.
I’m sharing this at Allergy Free Thursday this week.
Swirls and Spice 
I’m making ratatouille right now! I wish I had some okra! I love your version!!
Neat! What did you put in yours?
Eggplant onion garlic peppers zucchini and tomatoes. I think that was it! And we piled it on top of kale. Yum😊
Thanks for this idea, Julia! We love the Moroccan flavours but I also have lots of fresh basil!
You’re welcome! As long as there’s plenty of garlic and onions and salt, I think you can spice it in a variety of ways. Do you have a big vegetable garden? I wish we did, though we did inherit some beautiful flowers in our new place.
Would love to try it soon.
I hope you do. 🙂
I love this variation of ratatouille! The Moroccan spices would be a perfect addition, and even though I put cumin in pretty much everything, I hadn’t thought to include it in ratatouille before.
Everything about this recipe sounds so healthy and flavorful. I like it! 🙂
I’m so glad you do! Summer veggies are the best!
Healthy food made with the best veggies of summer! Thanks for sharing!
My pleasure!
Very cool! I’m curious, does the okra retain its typical slimy texture? (I really hate putting it that way – I love okra, but I’m sure you know what I mean). Regardless, the combination looks absolutely wonderful!
I find that when I cook okra in a skillet with oil, it reduces the moisture level and has a better texture. So by sautéing before the simmer step, the okra stays much more palatable-comparable to a tomato perhaps. I am definitely an okra fan, but the mode of preparation can make or break it!
Yum! I’ve been experimenting with okra lately and I love everything about this meatless summer dish. I’ve just pinned it to try the recipe later. Thanks for the inspiration!