Ratatouille is a French vegetable bake, but this Korean version gives the classic tomato base a deep, savory kick with gochujang (Korean fermented chili paste). The result is a dish that feels familiar yet distinctly Korean — slightly sweet from apple and sugar, fragrant with basil, and warmly spicy from the gochujang stirred into the tomato sauce.
This kind of fusion side dish is popular in Korean home cooking and cafés, especially when people want something that looks impressive but is actually simple to put together. It’s often served as a light meal or a colorful side dish alongside rice or bread, and it works well for entertaining guests since it can be prepped ahead and finished in the oven.
The layered vegetables baked over a rich, spiced tomato sauce make this a great way to use up zucchini, mushrooms, and eggplant, while the low-sodium salami adds a savory, meaty note without overwhelming the dish.
Ingredients
- Zucchini 70g (1½ pieces)
- Button mushrooms 60g (3 pieces)
- Eggplant 70g (1/2 piece)
- Low-sodium salami 25g
- Apple 60g (1/3 piece)
- Onion 40g (1/5 piece)
- Garlic 10g (2 cloves)
- Tomatoes 600g (3 pieces)
- Sugar 10g (2 teaspoons)
- Basil 50g
- Gochujang (Korean chili paste) 15g (1 tablespoon)
Instructions
- Finely chop the onion and garlic and sauté them, then add the tomato flesh, sugar, and basil, and mix in the gochujang to make the tomato sauce.
- Slice the eggplant, button mushrooms, zucchini, and apple, and blanch the salami.
- Spread the tomato sauce evenly over an oven-safe pan, layer the zucchini, eggplant, button mushrooms, and salami overlapping on top, then bake in an oven preheated to 180°C (350°F) for 30 minutes to finish.
Tips & Variations
Ingredient notes:
- Gochujang can be found at any Korean grocery store or in the international aisle of larger supermarkets; it keeps well refrigerated for months.
- Low-sodium salami can be substituted with any mild, low-salt cured sausage or even omitted for a vegetarian version — just add a pinch of salt to balance the sauce.
- Use ripe, in-season tomatoes for the best sauce; canned crushed tomatoes work in a pinch if fresh ones aren’t available.
Common mistakes:
- Don’t skip blanching the salami — it removes excess surface fat and firms up the texture before baking.
- Slice the vegetables evenly (about 1/4-inch thick) so they cook at the same rate in the oven.
- Make sure the tomato sauce isn’t too watery before layering the vegetables, or the final bake will be soupy — simmer it down slightly if needed.
Nutrition
- Calories: 62.6 kcal
- Carbohydrates: 7.6 g
- Protein: 3.1 g
- Fat: 2.2 g
- Sodium: 138.5 mg