Soybean Paste Stew or Doenjang Jjigae is a rich stew made with soybean paste! It does not use any meat, but it’s delicious, hearty, and super comforting!
When I was growing up, Deonjang Jjigae was one of the soups my mom would usually make for me. I remember her calling me to eat and she would often serve this super hot in a ttukbaegi. In its sizzling and bubbly form, I drink the soup and all I can feel is my mom’s love for me!
This soup is very nostalgic for every Korean. For sure, some would have their own family recipe for soybean paste or some would have a unique way of cooking the soup and it would altogether bring memories just like what I shared. Soybean paste stew is a staple and classic soup, rich from the soybean paste and hearty from the vegetables in it.
What is Soybean Paste?
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Soybean Paste is fermented soybeans and it was invented to preserve and make something that will add more protein to any dish. It is very similar to miso, however, this is the chunkier, saltier, darker, smellier, and richer version of it. Just like kimchi, many Korean families would ferment soybeans to create their own paste, but these are also widely available in Asian grocery stores.
A small amount of this paste can enhance any dish you put it in. When you put it in Kimchi Jjigae, Bossam, or Soybean Paste Pork Belly, it can improve the dish by a lot!
A tub of store-bought soybean paste can last for a long time. However, be mindful that it may change in color and flavor over time. Always follow the indicated expiration date, keep it in the fridge, and use a clean spoon to keep it from any contamination.
To make this recipe, the closest alternative to soybean paste would be miso. However, that would completely alter the intended taste so I still highly recommend using the original!!
How to cook the best Soybean Paste Stew?
For this recipe, I will be sharing my top three tips-slash-secrets to make the best doenjang jjigae!
- Use Korean radish to make the soup base/broth. Some people like to use dried anchovies, and some like to use rice water, but I like to radish that you boil for 10-15 minutes to have that super refreshing broth. I like to remove them from the soup but you can also keep it if you like radish!
- Allow the soybean paste to boil for an extended period. After making the radish broth, add in soybean paste, mix well to loosen it, and just allow it to continuously boil. The more it boils, the more flavors get extracted that make the soup rich.
- While the soup is enjoyable and freshly cooked, the flavors develop even more when you reheat it the next day. It’s like “twice cooked”, and will make all the difference in the taste!
Honestly, soybean paste soup does not smell good. If you’re not Korean, you might even question what you’re cooking, but trust the process! This soup is super easy to make but super delicious!
- In your ttukbaegi, make the radish-soybean paste broth. Once you taste this, it should be earthy and umami-filled. This is now ready to be used!
- Add your vegetables such as onion, zucchini, potatoes, and tofu. The onion and zucchini will add sweet and fresh flavors to the soup, while the potatoes will make it slightly thick with starch. The tofu will become the protein for this dish. Nevertheless, you can also add pork, beef, or seafood according to your preference.
- Season your soup with some garlic, pepper paste, pepper flakes, and chopped pepper. The spice will bring contrast to the stew! Allow the soup to continuously boil until all vegetables are cooked. All the flavors will come together really well in this process!
How to serve Soybean Paste Stew?
Soybean Paste Stew is hands down best served in ttukbaegi, boiling hot, accompanied by freshly cooked rice and kimchi or other Korean banchan. There’s not much needed to make this an exceptional meal, personally speaking.
However, you can opt to serve this during Korean BBQ— it’s perfect with a bite of rice, a bite of Soy Garlic Chicken BBQ, Spicy Chicken BBQ, Spicy Pork, or LA Galbi, and one big sip of the soup.
How to store leftover Doenjang Jjigae?
To store, simply place the soup in a clean container and store it in the fridge for no more than a week. As mentioned, this is even more delicious when reheated. You can reheat it stovetop to ensure the flavors continue to come out. Serve it fresh and hot!
Other Korean soup dishes you might like:
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Soybean Paste Stew (Doenjang Jjigae)
Ingredients
- 2 cups Water
- 50 grams Korean Radish
- 5 tbsp Soybean Paste
- 1/2 cup Zucchini Cubed
- 1/2 cup Onion Cubed
- 1/2 cup Potatoes Cubed
- Handful Scallions Chopped
- 1/2 cup Tofu Cubed
- 1 tbsp Minced Garlic
- 1/2 tsp Korean Red Pepper Paste
- Pinch Korean Red Pepper Flakes
- Peppers Chopped
Instructions
- Bring the water and Korean radish to a boil for 10-15 minutes. Afterward, remove the radish.
- Add the soybean paste and mix to loosen it. Continue to boil for 10 minutes as this process will extract all flavors.
- Continue to mix to make sure there are no more chunks of paste.
- Once it is opaque and tasty, the soup is ready so add the zucchini, onion, potatoes, and tofu one by one.
- Season the soup with garlic, pepper paste, and pepper flakes, and allow the vegetables to cook.
- Add the peppers last and allow it to continue to boil.
- Once the vegetables have cooked down, serve the soup super hot with rice and kimchi!
- For any leftovers, reheat it stove top, it should taste even better. Enjoy!
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