Classic Ciambotta – Hearty Southern Italian Vegetable Stew

Make Ciambotta Italian summer stew (gambotta) loaded with eggplant, zucchini, potatoes, onions, and tomatoes. My recipe uses the conventional method of sauteing each vegetable individually, allowing them to retain their individual flavor and texture!

A dutch oven filled with ciambotta garnished with a basil leave

Ciambotta is a summer Italian vegetable stew made with the freshest vegetables from your garden or farmers’ market. There are many different versions, but one thing all recipes have in common is eggplant, zucchini, and bell peppers.

Now, for the essential ciambotta step, you cannot skip: each vegetable has to be sautéed separately. This preserves their flavor and texture and helps reduce the water. The vegetables become watery and lose their texture and flavor when cooked together. This extra step takes a little more time, but it’s the difference!

I like to pair this recipe with Arabic parsley salad (tabouli) and spicy Middle Eastern potatoes on the side. I know it’s a lot of potatoes, but trust me, it’s good! For special occasions, I like to serve ciambotta with olive and rosemary crown bread.

A Dutch oven filled with Ciambotta garnished with a basil leaf.

Ciambotta Summer Stew

Quick Summary

EASE: Medium. It takes time, but it’s worth it!
CUISINE: Italian
COURSE: All Day
TIME: 1 hour and 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • Cherry or grape tomatoes add pops of flavor.
  • Crushed tomatoes are the base of this stew. My recipe is heavy on tomatoes. You can easily adjust this. Add fewer tomatoes while adding more vegetable broth.
  • Eggplant cooks down and adds a subtle flavor and thickness to the stew. Even if you are shy about eggplant, you will love it in this recipe!
  • Potatoes make this dish hearty and rib-sticking!
  • Red or yellow pepper brings a pop of color and texture. I like to use yellow peppers to make the ciambotta more visually interesting!
  • Zucchini is the quintessential summer vegetable! It adds flavor and texture!

See the recipe card for complete information on ingredients and quantities.

Ciambotta Top Tip:
To achieve the best flavor, sauté each vegetable separately. This traditional ciambotta cooking technique preserves the distinct flavor and texture of each vegetable. I know it takes more time, but when the vegetables are cooked together, they can become a watery mush with a uniform taste.

A single serving of ciambotta in a wide bowl

Personalize this recipe!

All you have to do is make a few adjustments to make this ciambotta summer stew perfect for your palette! Here are my top suggestions

  • Make it spicy by adding a teaspoon of crushed red pepper
  • Rinse, drain, and add a can of white cannellini beans to add protein.
  • My recipe is perfect for tomato lovers. But if you like tomatoes but don’t love them, you can adjust the recipe. Simply offset the ounces of reduced tomatoes with more vegetable broth.

Perfect Pairings

Frequently Asked Questions

“Giambotta” and “Ciambotta” are essentially different spellings for the same dish, a Southern Italian vegetable stew. The variation in spelling typically arises from regional dialects and linguistic preferences within Italy.

Place the ciambotta in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The longer the ciambotta is stored, the more water the vegetables will release. Drain off the excess water. Then you can reheat or eat it cold; I like it lukewarm.

Did you make this? Leave a comment below and let me know how it turned out!

A Dutch oven filled with Ciambotta garnished with a basil leaf.

Classic Ciambotta – Hearty Southern Italian Vegetable Stew

Ciambotta Italian summer stew (giambotta) loaded with eggplant, zucchini, potatoes, onions, and tomatoes. My recipe uses the conventional method of sauteing each vegetable individually, allowing them to retain their individual flavor and texture!
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Course: All Day, American
Cuisine: Italian
Diet: Vegan
Servings: 6
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes

Equipment

  • 1 dutch oven or large pot
  • 1 medium sized bowl
  • 1 Colander

Ingredients

  • 1 medium eggplant Unpeeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 large zucchini or yellow summer squash Cut into 1-inch pieces
  • Kosher salt for salting the eggplant and zucchini
  • 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive or avocado oil
  • 1 white or yellow onion Finely chopped
  • 5 cloves garlic Minced
  • 2 large potatoes Unpeeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
  • 1 large red or yellow bell pepper seeds removed and cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 28 ounces crushed tomatoes*
  • 1 cup vegetable broth increase to 2 cups if using 14 ounces of crushed tomatoes
  • 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes Halved lengthwise
  • ¼ cup chopped basil
  • ¼ cup chopped parsley leaves
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Optional garnish: Parmesan or vegan Parmesan

Instructions

Prep the Eggplant and Zucchini:

  • Place the eggplant and zucchini pieces in a colander. Sprinkle with kosher salt and let sit for 30 minutes to draw out excess moisture. Rinse and pat dry.

Sauté Garlic and Onions:

  • Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over low – medium heat. Add the finely chopped onion to the pot. Sauté until translucent, about 5-7 minutes.
  • Add the smashed garlic and cook until fragrant and lightly browned about 2 minutes. Set the onions and garlic aside.

Sauté Potatoes:

  • Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large. Add the cubed potatoes to the pot with the onions. Cook, stirring occasionally, until they begin to brown and soften, about 10 minutes. Remove from the pot and set aside.

Sauté Eggplant:

  • Add a bit more oil to the pot as needed. Add the eggplant and sauté until it starts to brown and becomes tender, about 8-10 minutes. Remove the eggplant from the pot and set aside.

Sauté Zucchini:

  • Add more oil to the pot as needed. Add the zucchini and sauté until it starts to brown and becomes tender about 5-7 minutes. Remove the zucchini from the pot and set aside.

Sauté Bell Peppers:

  • Add a bit more oil if needed. Add the bell peppers and sauté until they soften and brown slightly, about 5-7 minutes. Remove the bell peppers from the pot and set aside.

Combine and Cook:

  • Return the sautéed garlic, onions, potatoes, eggplant, zucchini, and bell peppers to the pot.
  • Add the 1 can of crushed tomatoes, vegetable broth, and the halved cherry or grape tomatoes.
  • Cook uncovered over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender and the flavors are well combined, about 30-40 minutes. If the stew is too watery, increase the heat slightly and cook for a few more minutes, stirring frequently.

Final Touch:

  • Stir in the chopped basil and parsley just before serving.
  • Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

Serve:

  • Serve hot, garnished with extra basil and parsley. You can also add grated Parmesan or vegan Parmesan.

Notes

*This recipe is perfect for tomato lovers. If you prefer a milder tomato flavor, you can adjust the amount of crushed tomatoes used. I recommend using one 14-ounce crushed tomatoes instead of the usual 28-ounce can. Increase the vegetable broth from 1 cup to 2 cups to balance the flavors.
How to store and reheat: Place the ciambotta in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The longer the ciambotta is stored, the more water the vegetables will release. Drain off the excess water. Then you can reheat or eat it cold; I like it lukewarm.

Nutrition

Calories: 40kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 159mg | Potassium: 282mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 451IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 12mg | Iron: 1mg
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Did you make this? Leave a comment below and let me know how it turned out!

Ruth holding a whisk to her chin.

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