Authentic Ratatouille Recipe For Baby and Toddler
Table of Contents
Lovely Mediterranean Medley Of Vegetables
This is such a great recipe and so tasty and sweet, with minimal prep work.
It is packed full of veggies that are rich in vitamins and minerals that will most definitely get those veggies into your little ones and the whole family.
I love the fact you can just chop everything up and cook with little skill needed to make this!
The peppers with the courgette and aubergine and onion is just so tasty!
This is great if you have some vegetables to use up, for example if you had peppers onions and courgette and not the aubergine, you could add something else like peas or mushrooms! You can really tailor the recipe to what you have or what your little one likes, the best part is it tastes great without any added salt.
Traditional Ratatouille
Ratatouille is a classic French vegetable stew made with a variety of colourful and nutritious vegetables. The traditional ingredients include aubergine, courgette, peppers, tomatoes, onions, and garlic. These vegetables are typically cooked in olive oil and seasoned with herbs like basil, and oregano.
Ratatouille is a fantastic choice for baby-led weaning (BLW) due to several reasons:
Nutrient-Rich: The combination of vegetables in ratatouille provides a wide array of essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that are beneficial for a growing baby's development.
Texture: When cooked properly, ratatouille has a soft and tender texture that is ideal for babies who are learning to chew and swallow solid foods. The vegetables can be easily mashed or cut into tiny pieces, making it safe for little ones to handle.
Versatile: Ratatouille can be served as a standalone dish or paired with other foods like rice, pasta, or bread. It can also be pureed for younger babies or left chunky for older ones to practice self-feeding.
Introduction to Flavours: By introducing babies to a variety of vegetables and herbs early on, ratatouille can help expand their palate and encourage them to enjoy a diverse range of foods as they grow older.
Family Meal: Ratatouille is a versatile dish that the whole family can enjoy together, promoting a positive mealtime environment and encouraging babies to mimic the eating habits of their parents and siblings.
Great For The Whole Family
Ratatouille: A Family-Friendly Meal
Ratatouille is a versatile dish that can suit every family member's needs, making it an excellent choice for households practicing baby-led weaning to parents looking for a wholesome meal option. Here's why ratatouille is a great meal for the whole family:
Adaptable Recipe: Ratatouille can be customised to suit different preferences. For babies, the vegetables can be pureed or mashed to the desired consistency. Older children may enjoy the colours and flavours of the individual vegetables, encouraging them to try new foods. Adults can enjoy the flavours of the dish, perhaps paired with crusty bread or protein of choice.
Easy to Prepare in Bulk: Ratatouille can be made in large batches and stored for future meals, making it a time-saving option for busy parents. Whether it's a quick weeknight dinner or a meal prep option for the week, ratatouille offers convenience without compromising on taste or nutrition.
Promotes Family Dining Experience: Sharing a dish like ratatouille promotes a sense of togetherness during mealtime. Parents can model healthy eating habits, while children can explore different tastes and textures in a communal setting. This shared experience is a great way to help positive associations with food with the rest of the family,
Ingredient Information
Olive oil - I have used olive oil but a great substitute is avocado oil.
Large onion - if you have 2 banana shallots you could use these instead for a slightly sweeter taste.
Courgette - Courgettes are great for vitamin C, and lovely for soaking up all the flavour.
Aubergine - Rich in vitamin B1 and B6 they are a great addition to a main meal, especially if you’re following a plant based diet.
Red pepper (bell pepper) - Rich is vitamin A, red peppers are sweet and so tasty cooked.
Green pepper - Green peppers are rich in vitamin C, so yummy cooked and as part of this recipe.
Cherry tomatoes - I have left the skins on, if you wanted to remove the skins or leave them out altogether you can.
Chopped tomatoes - You can use plum tinned tomatoes if you prefer.
Garlic powder - If you’re using fresh garlic cloves you will just need one clove, crushed.
Oregano - If you wanted to use mixed herbs or basil as well you can. Fresh herbs are great to use too!
Tomato purée - I like to add tomato to add richness to the sauce.
Balsamic vinegar - I like to add some balsamic as this counteracts the sweetness of this recipe.
Serving suggestion
You could serve this with a piece of grilled white fish and cannellini beans with olive oil and lemon. Or you could even blitz the ratatouille in a food processor to make a delicious pasta sauce! Or serve with sweet potatoes.
Other similar healthy easy recipes: Margherita pasta, Black eyed peas curry and Aubergine pasanda.
Storage instructions
The ratatouille can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days, stored in an airtight container.
If you wanted to freeze the ratatouille, you will need to make sure that the ratatouille has cooled down before transferring to either a freezer bag (carefully) or airtight container. Ensure that the bag/airtight container is labelled with the item and the date. I use masking tape to label the airtight container.
To defrost the ratatouille, leave in the fridge overnight and make sure that it is fully defrosted, before re heating.
To reheat, place the defrosted ratatouille in a saucepan and reheat on a low heat for 10 minutes or so. You can add in a splash of cold water if the ratatouille is very thick.
Once the ratatouille has been defrosted you will not be able to reheat or re freeze.
Equipment Used To Help With This Recipe
Saucepan - So many pan sets out there but I particularly like to use pans with a non-stick surface for ease of cleaning and ones that are suitable for different types of hob surface.
Airtight container - I much prefer the click-shut lids on these containers compared to others. They are also dishwasher and freezer safe and BPA free, so very suitable for food use.
Recipe | Authentic Ratatouille Recipe For Baby and Toddler
Makes 6 portions for little tummies
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, diced
1 courgette, chopped into 1cm cubes
1/2 an aubergine, chopped into 1cm cubes
1 red pepper, chopped into 1cm cubes
1 green pepper, chopped into 1cm cubes
6 cherry tomatoes, chopped into 1cm cubes
1 tin 400g chopped tomatoes
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon oregano
1 tablespoon tomato purée
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Instructions
Place the olive oil into a large saucepan and heat, add in the onion and cook for 10 minutes until just starting to brown.
Add in the courgette, aubergine, red pepper, green pepper and cherry tomatoes if you’re using the tomatoes.
Cook for a further 5 minutes, turn the heat down if the vegetables start to stick, and if this happens add in a splash of water.
Add the garlic powder and oregano and cook for 1 minute.
Add in the chopped tomatoes, cover, turn down the heat and cook for 30 minutes. Half way through cooking add in the tomato purée and stir.
Check and stir the ratatouille often.
Add in the balsamic vinegar and stir before serving. Finish with black pepper if you like.
Hope you and your family enjoy!
Recipe notes
You could add mushrooms to this if you prefer, or you could double the ingredients to make a bigger batch, and freeze for a delicious veggie side on hand to add to almost any main meal!
The recipe is great for a dairy-free diet, so feel free to add in lots of other yummy veggies to the ratatouille.
©The Petit Spoon
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