Doenjang Jjigae aka Korean Bean Paste Soup (Easy Step by Step Recipe)
Doenjang jjigae, also known as Korean bean paste soup is such a healthy, nutritious, spicy, tasty and comforting dish. If you can get your hands on bean paste, put this on your menu asap. You won’t regret it.
I wish I’d known about this Doenjang jjigae Korean soup recipe many years ago. Is it just me, or do you ever ponder about what food is out there that you’ve never heard of or tasted, but you’d absolutely love?
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After years of being exposed to Korean food on a pretty regular basis from when I was about 11 years old, I started to think about other ethnic foods I’d never tasted. This is because until then, I had really only been exposed to Italian and British dishes.
Since then, I’ve fallen in love with many Indian, Korean, Chinese, Filipino, Mexican and Peruvian dishes, just to name a few, but I still wonder what else is “out there” as I’ve not really travelled outside of North America, the Caribbean, Europe, and Australia.
Korean Cuisine
In case you’ve never tried many Korean dishes, I’d like to share one of my favorites with you. I learned about this soup from my Korean friends, Soon and Oke, who also introduced me to so many other amazing Korean dishes like mung bean pancakes, bulgogi, Korean cucumber pickles, and more.
Doenjang Jjigae is very healthy
This doenjang jjigae recipe is made from a soybean paste base (it does contain wheat, so it is not gluten free) and includes lots of healthy and nutritious ingredients like onion, garlic, zucchini, mushrooms, tofu, green onions and jalapeños. While not authentic, use vegetarian stock and you can make doenjang jjigae vegan, and it’s still very tasty!
Try this Korean gamja potato salad recipe, it’s delicious!
It is spicy, but if you don’t like it too spicy, you can omit the hot pepper paste and/or jalapeños. If you order this in a Korean restaurant, it will come out in a scorching-hot stone bowl, bubbling away like magma in a volcano. (I couldn’t resist and I bought two of these bowls!)
Is Doenjang the same as Doubanjiang?
No, they are not the same as one is a mild Korean fermented bean paste, and the other is a spicy Chinese fermented bean paste.
My family has fallen for this Korean-American corn cheese!
What do you eat with Doenjang Jjigae?
As noted below, doenjang jjigae is essentially a full meal in itself and all it needs is a little scoop of cooked sticky, white rice added into the bowl when serving.
How to Serve Doenjang Jjigae
My mother ordered Korean bean paste soup at a restaurant once and realized there was an empty bowl near her, but she was already halfway through her meal. I suggested that maybe she was supposed to have dished the bean paste Korean soup into the bowl to eat it.
We asked the waitress towards the end of our meal, and she told my mother that she had, in fact, eaten it out of the serving bowl. If you know my mother, you’d realize just how horrified she was to hear this. Of course, being the supportive family that we are, we just had a good laugh at her expense!
Doenjang Jjigae
aka Korean Bean Paste Soup
Ingredients
- beef (or vegetable for VEGAN) stock
- soybean paste (found at Korean markets-or Amazon, if you can’t find it near you)
- Gochujang Korean hot pepper paste
- onion
- garlic
- zucchini
- potatoes
- tofu
- mushrooms
- green onions
- jalapeños (optional)
- chili pepper flakes (optional)
- cooked sticky rice (to serve)
Directions
Place broth, soybean paste, hot pepper paste (if using) in a pot and bring to a boil.
Once it comes to a boil, add the chopped potatoes, and simmer for 5 or 6 minutes.
Next, add the zucchini, garlic and onion, continue to simmer about 5 minutes.
Now add the mushrooms.
Then add the tofu.
Lastly, add the green onions and jalapeños.
Let the soup come to a boil for a minute, so it’s very hot, then immediately place into warmed serving bowls and add a tablespoon or so of cooked rice.
If this Korean Bean Paste Soup doesn’t warm you up on a cold winter’s day (it was 32ºF here in LA today) nothing will!
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Doenjang Jjigae aka Korean Bean Paste Soup
Ingredients
- 6 cups beef stock (or vegetable stock for a vegan recipe)
- 3 Tbsp soybean paste found at Korean markets-or Amazon, if you can't find it near you
- 1 tsp Gochujang more or less, to taste
- 1 small onion diced
- 1 tsp garlic finely chopped
- 1 medium zucchini halved lengthwise and chopped
- 2 small potatoes or one medium
- 8 oz firm tofu cut into small cubes, (or soft tofu, if you prefer)
- 4 oz enoki mushrooms or sliced, plain white mushrooms
- 2 green onions chopped into small pieces, at an angle
- 1 jalapeños (OPTIONAL: chili pepper flakes, to taste)
- 1 cup cooked sticky rice to serve
Instructions
- Place broth, soybean paste, hot pepper paste (if using) in a pot and bring to a boil.
- Once it comes to a boil, add the chopped potatoes, and simmer for 5 or 6 minutes.
- Next, add the zucchini, garlic and onion, continue to simmer about 3 minutes.
- Now add the mushrooms. Then add the tofu and simmer another 2 minutes.
- Lastly, add the green onions and jalapeños. Let the soup come to a boil for a minute, so it's very hot, then immediately place into warmed serving bowls and add a tablespoon or so of cooked rice.
Notes
- Include a bit of beef, if desired.
- I used water with 2 Tbsp of Better than Bouillon in place of stock
Nutrition
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Does it matter if the zucchini is peeled or unpeeled?
Nope, however you like it! :)
I have Black Bean Sauce, would that work for this recipe or do I need the paste?
Hi Janie, it’s different, so yes, you would need the Korean bean paste.
Seriously, that looks absolutely amazing! A total must make during these cold winter months!
Absolutely, Kaitie!
I wonder this all the time! What else is out there, what haven’t I tasted?? I like watching travel/food shows for this very reason, so I can at least try to imagine some of the cuisine I’m missing out on. :P
I am not very familiar with Korean food, so for me this would be one of those foods! This Doenjang Chigae sounds so rich and tantalizing. Pinning it so I can try it later!
I’m so glad, Willow! Do try it as it’s so incredibly tasty!!