Is Doenjang Jjigae healthy?

Doenjang being a fermented food, is full of micronutrients and has great health benefits . However, it contains a high level of sodium. If you need to watch your sodium intake, I recommend using less doenjang to make the stew. In addition, Korean stews are not meant to be eaten by themselves. The stew is meant to be enjoyed with a bowl of rice.

Is Doenjang same as Miso?

No. Doenjang is made with soybean and salt where miso has Koji (mold/fungus from grains) in addition. Miso is umami front and slightly sweet. But Doenjang is saltier, earthy, and has a deeper flavor. When the miso is cooked over time, it loses its flavor and fragrance where doenjang tends to develop a deeper flavor. If you want to learn more about doenjang, here is an excellent article you can read.

Can I use Ssamjang instead of Doenjang?

No. Ssamjang has doenjang as one of the ingredients but it is NOT the same . It is sweeter and somewhat tangier due to other ingredients. If you were to make a stew using ssamjang, it won't taste the same.

What goes well with Doenjang jjigae (what do serve with it)?

Traditionally, it is served with cooked rice and other side dishes (ban-chan 반찬) such as Kimchi and sauteed doraji . Also, it is a great addition to Korean BBQ such as bulgogi (here is my seitan bulgogi recipe ).

Vegan Doenjang Jjigae (Korean soybean paste stew)

Name: Vegan Doenjang Jjigae (Korean soybean paste stew)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Cuisine: Korean
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons Korean Soybean paste; 1 and 1/2 cup water; 2 teaspoons Korean red pepper flakes (optional); 3 cloves garlic, minced; 1/2 block medium to firm tofu; Mushroom (I use 1.5 ounces of enoki mushroom but you can substitute with 2 to 4 ounces of button mushroom); 1/2 large onion, chopped; 1 jalapeño (or serrano pepper), sliced (optional); 1/2 zucchini, chopped; 2 green onion, chopped; Cooked rice (for serving)

Vegan Doenjang Jjigae (Korean soybean paste stew)

doenjang jjigae with other korean side dishes and rice.

Print Recipe

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Vegan Doenjang Jjigae - Craving an umami-packed, authentic Korean flavor? This vegetarian/vegan version of Korean soybean paste stew will be sure to satisfy your craving!

Author: Georgie
Prep Time: 10 min
Cook Time: 15 min
Total Time: 25 minutes
Yield: 2 servings 1x
Category: Stew
Method: Boil
Cuisine: Korean
Diet: Vegan

Ingredients

Scale

2 tablespoons Korean Soybean paste
1 and 1/2 cup water
2 teaspoons Korean red pepper flakes (optional)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 block medium to firm tofu
Mushroom (I use 1.5 ounces of enoki mushroom but you can substitute with 2 to 4 ounces of button mushroom)
1/2 large onion, chopped
1 jalapeño (or serrano pepper), sliced (optional)
1/2 zucchini, chopped
2 green onion, chopped
Cooked rice (for serving)

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Instructions

In a small pot, bring 1 and a half cups of water to a boil. Add 2 tablespoons of Korean soybean paste, minced garlic, and Korean red pepper flakes (optional).
Add chopped tofu, onion, and mushroom. Continue to boil for 5 minutes.
Add the jalapeño (optional), zucchini, and green onion to the stew and boil for an additional 2 to 3 minutes.
Serve with a bowl of rice.

Notes

The original post was published on July 10, 2019, and was updated on July 21, 2021. The original post did not include mushrooms and the order of ingredients added to the stew has changed (the vegetables are added at last so that they won't be as soggy and the tofu is added earlier to soak up more flavor). However, both original and updated recipes capture the authentic flavor of the stew.
If you are not a fan of spicy food, omit Gochugaru (Korean red pepper flakes) and jalapeno.
If you wish to keep the stew vegan but don't want to use tofu, you can use a small amount of potato (please read the section "how to make it without tofu" above for detailed instruction).
The stew can be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days. Although it can be frozen, it will change the texture of the vegetables and tofu.
Please refer to the FAQ and helpful tip sections above for more information.

Find it online: https://www.myeclecticbites.com/vegan-korean-miso-soup-korean-soybean-paste-soup/