Tian Provençal

Name: Tian Provençal
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 85 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: France
Ingredients: 2 slim courgettes; 1 long aubergine; 4 firm tomatoes; 3 onions; 3 garlic cloves; 5 tbsp olive oil; 2 tsp dried thyme; 1 tsp dried oregano; Salt and pepper

Local name: Tian provençal

Thin rounds of courgette, aubergine and tomato fanned tightly over a bed of thyme-scented softened onions.

Published on 13 April 2026·Updated on 10 September 2026

VeganGluten-free#vegetables#baked#provence#thyme#courgette

Photo: Marianne Casamance , CC BY-SA 4.0

Prep: 25 min
Cook: 60 min
Total: 85 min
Serves: 4
Difficulty: Easy

Method

Slice the onions finely and soften them for 15 minutes in 2 tbsp of the oil with the crushed garlic, until tender and translucent.
Spread this onion bed across the bottom of an oval gratin dish and season lightly.
Slice the courgettes, aubergine and tomatoes into 3 mm rounds, ideally on a mandoline, so they cook at the same rate.
Stand the slices upright and packed close together, alternating the three vegetables in a spiral or tight rows.
Drizzle with the remaining olive oil, season, and scatter over the thyme and oregano.
Cover with baking paper and bake at 180°C for 40 minutes, then remove the paper and cook for 20 minutes more to colour the edges.

The tian takes its name from the earthenware dish it has always been baked in across Provence. Thin, evenly cut slices are the only real requirement of the recipe.

The techniques this recipe uses

Sweat the aromatics
Medium heat, no browning: the onion should turn translucent and sweet, not toasted.

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Nutrition per serving

Calories: 271 kcal
Protein: 4.8 g
Fat: 18.3 g
Carbohydrate: 26.4 g
Fibre: 8.1 g

An estimate computed from the recipe quantities and the USDA food composition database. Real values vary with the products used.

Frequently asked questions

Why must the slices be the same thickness?

It is the one real demand of this dish. Courgette, aubergine and tomato cook at similar rates at 3 mm; the moment one slice is thicker, it stays raw while its neighbours collapse. A mandoline settles the matter.

Why cover with baking paper for the first forty minutes?

The paper traps the vegetables' steam, so they cook in their own moisture without drying or scorching on top. Taking it off for the last twenty minutes lets the water evaporate and the edges colour.

What is the bed of onions for?

Softened for fifteen minutes with the garlic, the onions make a cushion that keeps the slices off the hot base and releases a fragrant juice for them to confit in. Without it the bottom row catches and burns.

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