Late Summer Ratatouille Rice Bake with Sausage
9+ colorSTHE WHY BEHIND THIS RECIPE
Having just moved to Minneapolis from Los Angeles (and living in a temporary Airbnb), I’ve been craving comfort but also simplicity. I’ve also been trying to make lots of one-pot, one-bowl meals that have fat, fiber, protein, and blood sugar friendly carbs all in one. I really love a meal that doesn’t need multiple sides to feel complete.
This late summer ratatouille is is saucy, hearty (but not heavy!), and endlessly flexible: swap in whatever vegetables you’ve got, change up the sausages, add your favorite herbs or spices, and you’ve got a whole new riff. The formula is simple = a flavorful base, a mix of vibrant veg, one protein that holds it all together, and a creamy finish.
This recipe is truly just a template for one of my favorite ways to cook a colorful, simple, protein rich meal, no matter what season you’re in or what’s in your fridge.
Yields: 4-6 servings
Total time: ~45 minutes
Prep time: ~10-15 minutes
Cook time: ~25-30 minutes
WHAT YOU NEED
TOOLS
Large cast iron or oven safe skillet
INGREDIENTS
Base
1 cup cooked white rice (can use frozen here if you’d like)
1 cup cauliflower rice (fresh or frozen)
Note: You can do all rice, or all cauliflower rice, totally up to you!
1 cup bone broth (or vegetable broth)
1 cup tomato sauce
Vegetables
*The key is to try and cut all the veggies the same size!
1 small eggplant, diced into 1/4-inch cubes
2 zucchini and/or yellow squash, halved lengthwise and sliced into half-moons
1 red bell pepper, roughly chopped
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
Protein
4 Italian sausage links (sweet or spicy, your choice!)
Flavorings
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves, roughly chopped (or ½ tsp dried)
½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional, add more if you like spice!)
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
dash of kosher salt + freshly cracked black pepper
Finish
1 ball burrata or ½ cup ricotta
Torn fresh basil (large handful)
Extra drizzle of olive oil
HOW TO DO IT
Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Chop the veggies. Pat dry the zucchini and eggplant and then lightly salt them and let them sit while you do the next step. This helps draw out excess moisture.
Brown the sausages: Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet or cast iron over medium heat. Add sausages and sear. Let the sausages sit undisturbed for a few minutes so you actually build fond (the brown bits) in the skillet. That fond is flavor gold for the veggies and rice base! This should take about 5–6 minutes (they don’t need to be fully fully cooked through yet). Remove and set aside.
Cook the veggies: Add remaining olive oil to the pan if needed (sometimes the remaining sausage fat is enough). Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, ~1 minute. Add eggplant, zucchini, and bell pepper, season with salt and pepper, and sauté 6–8 minutes until starting to soften. Stir in cherry tomatoes, thyme, crushed red pepper and 1 tsp balsamic vinegar; cook another 3 minutes until tomatoes begin to collapse. The veggies don’t need to be totally cooked here, they’ll finish in the oven.
Add the rice + sauce: Stir in 1 cup white rice and 1 cup cauliflower rice. Pour in bone broth and tomato sauce, then bring to a gentle simmer. Taste the liquid and adjust seasoning pending your preferences, it should taste flavorful at this stage.
If using already cooked rice or frozen pre-cooked rice: Stir it in directly here with the cauliflower rice. Since it’s already cooked, you’re really just warming it through and letting it absorb flavor, so reduce the oven bake time to about 15 minutes (just enough for the cauliflower rice and veggies to finish and the flavors to meld).If cooking raw uncooked rice in the pan: Add it here with the broth and tomato sauce. Make sure the liquid fully covers the rice. You’ll need the full 20–25 minutes in the oven for the rice to cook through. Check at 15 minutes and add a splash of broth if it’s looking dry before the rice is done.
Nestle in the sausages: Mix the sausages back in. Cover skillet tightly with foil (or lid).
Bake Transfer to oven and bake 20-25 minutes, until rice is tender and liquid absorbed. (Check at 15 minutes; if it’s dry before rice is done, add ¼ cup more broth or water and re-cover.) For last 5 minutes, take the foil off and turn oven to broil. This helps the top brown.
Finish + serve: Top with torn burrata or dollops of ricotta. Garnish with torn basil and drizzle with olive oil!
SWAPS, TIPS & TRICKS
Swaps:General swaps: Use what veggies you have on hand for this, this recipe is more a framework than anything else.
Vegetarian (or vegan) swaps:
Replace sausage with:
Chickpeas or white beans (tossed in smoked paprika, fennel seed, garlic powder, and olive oil to mimic sausage flavor).
Mushrooms (portobello or cremini, sautéed until deeply browned with fennel seed + chili flakes to give sausage vibes).
Broth: Use vegetable broth instead of bone broth.
Cheese: For vegan—skip burrata/ricotta and finish with a cashew cream drizzle or dollops of plant-based ricotta.
Flavor Variations
Spicy southern Italian: Add kalamata olives, capers, and a pinch of chili flakes.
Provençal: Add herbes de Provence and swap the burrata for goat cheese!
Middle eastern: Season with cumin, coriander, and cinnamon, and top with tahini-yogurt sauce instead of burrata.
Comforting casserole vibes: Stir shredded mozzarella into the rice/veg base before baking for more of a baked ziti texture/flavor
Tips:Sausage browning: Don’t just sear quickly, use moderate heat and let the sausages sit undisturbed so you actually build fond (the brown bits) in the skillet. That fond is flavor gold for the veggies and rice base.
Crispy top: Uncover and broil for the last 5 minutes for a golden, bubbly finish!
Prevent soggy eggplant and zucchini: Salt the diced eggplant and zucchini and let it sit for 10–15 minutes, then pat dry before cooking. This pulls out excess water so your base doesn’t get too soupy.
Meal prep: Leftovers taste even better the next day as the flavors meld IMO. They also freeze well if you portion them in small glass containers!
More veg = More color: You can easily toss in mushrooms, kale/spinach, or even roasted carrots for extra nutrients and texture.
Nutritional Info
Per serving, yields 4-6 servings
Calories: 564 cal
Carbohydrates: 46g
Fiber: 6g
Net carbs: 40g
Protein: 25g
Fat: 32g
Sodium: 668 mg
Sugar: 9g
