Nearly every mom out their wants their kids to grow up healthy and strong. This often begins with the begrudged vegetables, something so many children disdain. Like many moms out there, I try to find fun ways to serve vegetables to Raegan. Today’s dairy-free life post focuses on a truly special dinner course, one full of delicious vegetables. Its name piqued my daughter’s interest since she saw it in a famous Disney film. This one is full of fresh vegetables and a creamy sauce built on a dairy-free alternative. It’s perfect on a hot summer day or the coming fall.
Today’s dairy-free dinner recipe is ratatouille. This one calls for the freshest vegetables, cut in the same thickness to allow the dish to bake evenly. For that reason I recommend you use a mandoline slicer or a very sharp knife. Assembling the ratatouille allows your creative juices to flow as you see the vibrancy of the colors in this dish. Though this dish takes some time to bake, your patience will be rewarded with its tastiness! Make it a family affair on a weekend by inviting the kids to help you assemble it,Ā then pop in the Disney film for a fun family memory! Enjoy!
Ingredients
- The Sauce:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large red bell pepper, diced
- 4 minced garlic cloves
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 tablespoon herbes de provence
- ground black pepper
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
- 1 1/2 cups crushed tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 8 to 10 basil leaves, chopped
- 1/2 cup Silk dairy-free heavy whipping cream
- The Vegetables:
- 4 large tomatoes
- 1 large eggplant
- 2 zucchinis
- 2 yellow squash
- The Topping:
- 2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
- 1/2 cup vegan parmesan cheese, optional
Instructions
- The Sauce
- 1. Heat a large frying pan over medium heat and the olive oil. Once the olive oil is heated, add the red pepper. SautƩ the mixture for 2 to 3 minutes, then add the garlic. Do not brown the mixture.
- 2. Season red pepper-garlic mixture with the paprika, ground black pepper, herbes de provence, thyme, and salt. Next, add the crushed tomatoes, sugar, and balsamic vinegar. Cook the sauce over medium-low heat, simmering for about 5 minutes. Add the chopped basil and then stir in the dairy-free heavy cream. Remove from heat.
- The Vegetables
- 3. Preheat the oven 375Ā°F. While the oven is preheating, cut all vegetables to the same thickness, about 1/8 of an inch. Layer them alternating 4 vegetables, creating small stacks for assembly.
- 4. Spread 3/4 of the sauce into the bottom of a large casserole dish. Arrange the vegetables in the in a ring around the edge, starting from the outer edge of the casserole and work your way in. Be sure to pack them in tightly.
- 5. Spoon the remaining sauce in between the vegetables and around the edges.
- The Topping
- 6. To create the topping, combine the olive oil with the thyme. Using a pastry brush, brush the oil-thyme mixture over the vegetables. Cover the ratatouille with foil and place into the oven.
- 7. Bake for 50 minutes, then remove the foil, add the parmesan if you desire, and bake for another 10 minutes uncovered.
- 8. Allow the ratatouille to cool for 15 to 20 minutes before serving.
