Korean Soybean Paste Stew (Doenjang Jjigae) with Tofu
A rustic, savory Korean stew of fermented soybean paste, tofu, zucchini, and mushrooms in a vegetable broth.
Doenjang jjigae is the everyday stew of Korean home cooking, built around doenjang, a fermented soybean paste with a deeper, funkier flavor than miso. It's traditionally simmered with a handful of whatever vegetables are around, which makes it endlessly adaptable while staying recognizably itself.
This version leans on a kombu-and-vegetable broth rather than the anchovy stock some recipes use, which keeps it fully plant-based while losing none of the savory depth, since the doenjang and mushrooms bring plenty of their own. Tofu adds a meaningful amount of plant protein, and because it's mostly broth, vegetables, and soybean paste with very little added fat, it fits comfortably into a heart-healthy pattern.
Serve it bubbling hot straight from the pot with a bowl of rice — this is meant to be eaten as soon as it's ready, not left to sit.
Ingredients
- 4 cups vegetable broth — or kombu dashi
- 3 tbsp doenjang (Korean soybean paste)
- 14 oz firm tofu — cubed
- 1 zucchini — diced
- 1 cup shiitake or cremini mushrooms — sliced
- 1 onion — sliced
- 1 potato — diced small
- 2 scallions — sliced
- 1 green chili — sliced, optional
- 1 tsp gochugaru (Korean chili flakes) — optional
These ingredients are common at South Asian grocers; a well-stocked international supermarket usually carries them too.
Instructions
- 1Bring the broth to a simmer in a pot. Whisk in the doenjang paste until fully dissolved.
- 2Add the onion and potato and simmer 8 minutes until the potato starts to soften.
- 3Add the zucchini and mushrooms and simmer 5 minutes more.
- 4Add the tofu and gochugaru, if using, and simmer 5 minutes until everything is tender and the flavors have melded.
- 5Stir in the scallions and chili just before serving, and ladle into bowls while hot.