What to Serve With Ratatouille: 23 Tasty Sides! - A Pinch of Adventure (2024)

Ratatouille is always a favorite! It’s versatile, healthy, delicious, and tastes like home (bonus points if you’ve seen the Pixar film!)

While it’s great on its own, sometimes I want a little more than just veggies to round out my meal.

That’s why I have a go-to list of the perfect sides to serve with ratatouille! I’m sharing it here so you can find your own favorites and enjoy a delicious pairing of dishes. I’ll cover:

• Pasta and bread
• Meat dishes
• Other sides
• Drinks
• Desserts
• And more!

Want to know what to serve with ratatouille? Let’s get cooking!

1. Homemade French Bread

What do you traditionally eat with ratatouille? If you’re after a simple, delicious, and satisfying carby side, this bread is the way to go.

Of course, you can always grab a store-bought loaf (no judgment here), but this homemade recipe takes it to the next level.

This bread is surprisingly easy to make, and quick too; the longest portion is the rising time.

It also looks so picturesque! It’s soft with a crunchy, scored crust, and is perfect next to ratatouille — especially served with a generous layer of butter.

It’s not strictly traditional, but I sometimes scoop my ratatouille straight onto my bread to get everything in one bite! Having a bread side is great for soaking up the flavor-packed juices leftover from cooking as well.

2. Easy Grilled Chicken Breasts

This recipe is especially ideal if you’ve got really fresh and seasonal veg in your ratatouille. The plainer chicken breast really allows the veggies' flavors to pop, while still being really delicious.

These breasts are far from tasteless, however! This recipe seasons them with vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in a marinade.

This allows the meat to soak up all that delicious flavor without any one ingredient becoming overpowering.

3. Garlic-Butter Steak

When it comes to what to eat with ratatouille, this garlic butter steak is one of my all-time go-to meals. The simple, strong flavor profile complements the more varied and subtle palette of the ratatouille so well!

I also love this recipe because it’s so quick and simple, while still serving that amazing depth of flavor you only get with home-cooked meals.

The whole thing comes together in only twenty minutes! That includes both making your own garlic butter and cooking the steak to perfection.

4. Mushroom Rice Pilaf

What goes with ratatouille better than some mushroom rice pilaf? Not much, I say!

This recipe packs in the protein as well, and is a great choice to serve with ratatouille if you’ve been searching for a very healthy dinner that doesn’t sacrifice anything in terms of flavor.

Because it has carbs as well, this dish really rounds out your meal and will leave you super satisfied.

By adding mushrooms, butter, garlic, shallots, thyme, veggie broth (or chicken if you prefer), and sherry, this recipe transforms simple into a super warming and flavorful creation.

If you’re vegan, have vegan guests to cater to, or just want to try out a plant-based meal, it’s so easy to sub out the butter in this recipe for olive oil or a dairy-free butter substitute. Since ratatouille is accidentally vegan anyway, that’s all you’d need to do!

5. Veal Milanese

On the other hand, if you won’t have any vegans dining with you, you could go all out with this veal Milanese!

It uses succulent veal cuts as well as eggs in the breading mixture, although it’s still dairy-free if you have that dietary requirement!

While I absolutely love ratatouille, I sometimes miss both a hearty protein and a crunchy aspect when I’m eating it on its own. This recipe takes care of both of these cravings!

The bread crumb coating plus the tender, flavorful veal is the perfect pairing, and is sure to turn your dinner into a delicacy. Plus, it comes together in only thirty minutes!

6. Pasta Bolognese

Sometimes, it’s time to go back to basics.

This Bolognese recipe will remind you of the spaghetti you had growing up as a quick weeknight dinner, but with a massive upgrade (sorry Mom!)

It uses all the most authentic Italian ingredients, including San Marzano tomatoes, red wine, and a mirepoix base.

You can make this recipe with spaghetti, but I sometimes prefer penne or rigatoni to get more of the meat sauce with every bite.

I like to go heavy on the dairy too — especially when I’m pairing it with a light veggie dish like ratatouille — and sub the whole milk in this recipe for heavy cream. You’ll also find me being extremely generous with my parmesan topping!

7. Baked Pork Chops

These pork chops are scrumptious, simple, and super quick to put together (under twenty minutes!)

The spice rub is definitely the star of this dish, with a delicate mix of brown sugar, paprika, onion powder, thyme, and of course humble salt and pepper.

They’re so tender and just the right amount of sweet, and a great quick protein choice to pair with ratatouille.

8. Baked Polenta Chips

These chips are crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside, and oh-so satisfying! Polenta is a corn meal-based carbohydrate, making these chips both a little healthier than potato-based chips and gluten free!

You can serve these chips as the recipe states, topped with garlic powder, paprika, and salt and pepper for a savory and popular taste.

If you want to switch things up, try a blend of parsley, thyme, marjoram, and oregano to keep up the French flavor profile for an ultimate authentic pairing with ratatouille.

I’d also personally recommend adding a little parmesan on top to get a cheesy and crunchy crust on these chips.

9. Homemade Cornbread

If you want a different, softer corn-based carb with your vegetable medley, this is my go-to cornbread recipe!

You’ve caught me — I have a soft spot for the cornbread from Trader Joe’s. I don’t know what it is about the cornbread, but it’s just unbeatable… or so I thought!

This recipe takes everything I love about the store-bought cornbread and makes it even better — not to mention customizable to your own tastes!

This cornbread is so buttery; just the right balance of salty and sweet, and super versatile to boot!

In my opinion, it goes great with just about everything (and especially ratatouille). If you want to pack in even more veggies, you can also add frozen corn kernels to your bread.

10. Crispy Fried Eggs Recipe

Looking to add some protein to your ratatouille meal, but low on time (or energy)?

Fried eggs are so easy and quick to make, and this is the best way to make them!

The combo and contrast between the crispy edges and gooey runny yolk makes this one-ingredient recipe just as interesting as more intricate dishes.

Eggs with ratatouille might not be a traditional combo, but it sure is delicious! If you’re a fan of shakshuka (Turkish eggs) you’ve got to give this combo a try. I usually indulge in a thick slice of buttered sourdough, but it’s great without as well.

11.

This salad is one of my favorites! The quinoa is filling, seasoned, and nutritious, and the pomegranate ( and the dressing) makes it fresh, slightly sweet, and tangy.

Don’t get me started on halloumi!

Many people call halloumi “squeaky cheese”, and while it’s certainly still a treat when it squeaks, this recipe absolutely transforms it.

Making your halloumi on the grill means it has a crunchy, slightly charred outside, and the inside turns gooey and melty while still holding its shape. This perfectly prepared cheese makes this salad an absolute star.

12. Teriyaki Salmon Salad

After a bit of fusion? Make your meal a blend of the best of French and Japanese flavors by serving your ratatouille alongside this teriyaki salmon salad!

This salad is light and fresh, flavored with soy sauce, ginger, garlic, and rice vinegar (among other condiments), and it pairs so well with the heartier and richer flavors of vegetable medley.

13. Italian Sausage

Want to flex your chef muscles? You could go above and beyond and serve this homemade sausage with your ratatouille, proving you’re a master of both meat and veg!

My favorite part of making your own sausage is being able to adjust the spice levels to your personal preference.

This recipe recommends fennel, coriander, basil, oregano, nutmeg, red pepper, sea salt, black pepper, sugar, paprika, and garlic, and it is definitely an amazing and authentically Italian spice mix.

However, you can change the amount of each of these or add in your own favorite flavors!

14. Easy Homemade Pita Bread

If you’re looking for a simpler side to really let your ratatouille shine, give this homemade pita bread recipe a try!

Even though it’s totally from scratch, it only takes fifteen minutes of active time from you (plus a couple of hours for the dough to rise).

The resulting pitas are soft, airy, and easy to pull apart. This dish is great to serve as a simple accompaniment to your meal, and I also like to use these pita breads to make wraps with leftover ratatouille (it’s delicious both hot and cold!)

This is so ideal when you have an awkward amount of leftovers that are not enough for another full meal.

15. Root Vegetable Mash

Want to double down on the veggies?

This recipe is just as creamy, buttery, smooth, and satisfying as mashed potatoes, but it uses sweet potato, parsnip, rutabaga, and carrots instead.

This gives it its vibrant orange color, as well as making it packed full of vitamins and nutrients.

It’s a little sweet, which complements the flavors of the ratatouille incredibly well. If you like, you can easily make this recipe vegan as well — just swap out the butter for olive oil!

16. Homemade Egg Noodles

I think you might be surprised by how easy it is to make your own noodles!

All you need for this recipe is flour, salt, eggs, water, a rolling pin, a knife, and fifteen minutes of your time.

You read that right: that’s all there is between you and having your own, fresh, egg pasta!

It cooks so much faster than normal pasta and adds carbs and a little protein to your ratatouille-based meal.

I like serving these noodles pretty plain with just butter, parmesan, a little lemon juice, and black pepper. You can serve them on the side of your veggies, or combine them for a more varied bite!

17. Cheese Grits

Wanting some smooth, creamy, cheesy goodness?

You can never go wrong with some humble grits! These come together on the stove in just fifteen minutes, and are sure to leave you satisfied and smiling.

For best results, use sharp cheddar cheese (I prefer American-style orange for color and authenticity). If you’re combining your ratatouille with your grits, make sure to cook separately before combining so the veggies don’t go mushy or lose their shape.

18. Spaetzle

Spaetzle is another type of homemade egg noodle — this time German in origin.

This recipe is super easy as well, using only four ingredients and taking less than twenty minutes. If you don’t have a spaetzle maker or pasta press, you can also make it in any colander or steamer that has large holes!

You can serve this pasta straight out of the water, but I think they’re best sauteed in a pan with some butter to brown and crisp them slightly. Cheese is also never a bad idea!

Honorable Mentions

19. Butternut Squash Risotto

What goes with ratatouille for dinner? This risotto is creamy, sweet, and flavorful and pairs so well with the vegetable dish!

20. Chicken Shawarma

This hearty, savory grilled chicken contrasts amazingly with ratatouille while adding a protein punch!

Red Wine

While any drink will be fine with ratatouille, red wine is definitely the go-to. Bonus points for a lighter, French wine.

21. Lemon Tart

Tangy, sweet, and encased in a buttery crust, this tart is the perfect finisher to ratatouille!

22. Dark Chocolate Mousse

This silky, decadent single-serve mousse is a crowd-pleaser for any occasion.

23. Panna Cotta

Another single-serve creamy dessert, this panna cotta is rich, intricate, and best served with fresh and seasonal fruit.

📖 Recipe