This protein packed, easy tofu stew is an ideal way to experience true Korean flavors without any animal products. Stuffed with zucchini and mushrooms, you just need a bowl of rice to make this a complete meal. You can also dump it all together in one pot and cook it within 15 minutes.
My mom served this budget friendly stew on any night of the week, except holidays. It's definitely an everday kind of food like oatmeal.
Served with steamed rice and other traditional (and vegan) Korean side dishes such as sesame spinach, 5 minute bean sprouts, and cucumber kimchi.
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Ingredients
Recipes for this soybean paste stew vary as far and wide as chicken noodle soup. The ingredient list below is based on the my mom's version.
- Tofu - The primary provider of protein in this soup, use a medium or firm tofu. Preferably medium because it should be soft to absorb all the flavors and silky in the mouth. Do not use soft or silken tofu, since it will just melt into little bits. Reserve that silken tofu for soondubu or a silken tofu salad.
- Korean Soybean Paste - Doenjiang, as it is called in Korean, is akin to Japanese miso but has a saltier, stronger, and more pronounced sour flavor. Miso has more sweet, mild flavors. Doenjiang can be boiled, while it is generally advised not to boil miso, so as not to kill its delicate aromatic compounds and probiotic bacteria. If you substitute miso paste instead of soybean paste, you would just add it at the very end to avoid boiling it.
- Vegetables - For my mom, this was always zucchini and regular old button mushrooms. I've also seen this made with cauliflower florets, diced potatoes, and fresh spinach. Generally, spongy-ish vegetables that suck up and absorb flavors work best, so things like carrots and bell peppers aren't used.
- Garlic - Fresh garlic is a must! I can't think of a single Korean recipe that doesn't have garlic. Especially for this soup, it adds an earthy back note, essential when not using animal protein.
- Jalapeno (optional) - Fresh chili slices are a must if you like it spicy!
- Gochujang (optional) - This is a restaurant-ish hack for making this tofu soup even more umami-ish. It also adds red-ish color, spice, sugar, and wheat, in case you are gluten free.
See recipe card for quantities.
What's missing in the vegan version?
The only traditional thing 'missing' from this ingredient list is the dried anchovies to make the homemade anchovy stock to use instead of water. However, the Korean soybean paste is richly flavored enough that water is sufficient.
What exactly is Doenjang?
- Doenjiang, or Korean soybean paste, is akin to Japanese miso but has a saltier, stronger, and more pronounced sour flavor. Miso has more sweet, mild flavors.
- Substitute - You could use red Japanese miso, rather than the yellow or white miso. The red miso is the strongest and saltiest in flavor, though more delicate and less sour than doenjiang.
- How long does it last? The plastic tub is shelf stable. Once opened, it should be refrigerated. It will last for years but does dry out. It should be consumed within a year.
- It is pronounced "dwen-jahng."
- Dojenjang Jjigae vs. Doenjang Guk - Jjigae is the Korean word for stew, and guk is the Korean word for soup.
- The doenjiang jjigae version usually always has tofu while the guk version usually contains just vegetables such as soybean sprouts, spinach, mushrooms and more water.
Instructions
This dump and go method is similar to putting everything in a pot like a slow cooker, except this cooks much quicker.
Chop zucchini into half moons or quarter moons.
Slice or quarter mushrooms.
Cut tofu into slices or cubes.
Place the vegetables, tofu, and pastes into a pot.
Add water and bring to a simmer.
After the vegetables are cooked, add the fresh garlic and chili to simmer for a minute or two before serving hot.
Serve hot, and be sure to skim off any foam that rises to the top from the cooked vegetables.
Other Additions
This stew also works really well with any the following additions or substitutions for the vegetables:
- cauliflower florets
- spinach, baby or regular with stems
- cubed, peeled potatoes
- large diced onion
Equipment
I used a 3.5 qt Dutch oven to make this. But more traditionally, it is cooked in black stoneware pots. However, these are usually only large enough for 1-2 servings.
Storage
Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Like many stews, it tastes even better the next day.
I don't recommend freezing because it changes the texture of the tofu, and the tofu in this dish is meant to have a molten lava like quality.
Tips to make it better @home
- This stew is meant to be eaten with rice. Reduce the amount of soybean paste if you do not want it too salty.
- In place of or in addition to the zucchini and mushrooms, you could add cauliflower florets, spinach, cubed, peeled potatoes, and/or large diced onion.
- You don't have to add the gochujang chili paste. It makes it taste more restaurant style rather than homestyle.
- Some people like to saute the vegetables with oil first in the pot, before adding the remaining ingredients. This additional step does develop another layer of flavor but also take a little bit longer.
- You could add the garlic and jalapeno at the beginning too. I just add it at the end of cooking to keep the garlicky and spicy flavors nice and peppy.
- Store up to 3 days in the fridge. Leftovers are just as good as the original!
Related Vegan Korean Recipes
More Vegan Recipes
Vegan Doenjiang Jjigae (Korean Soybean Paste Stew)
Ingredients
- 14 oz tofu, medium or firm texture or roughly 1 carton, usually 14-16 oz
- 2 ea zucchini, sliced into ¼" thick half moons about 1 lb, or 3 cups sliced
- 8 oz mushrooms, button or crimini, silced ⅛" thick this is 1 plastic carton of mushrooms,
- 3 c water
- ¼ c doenjiang, Korean soybean paste or dark/red miso paste
- 2 teaspoon garlic, minced this is about 2 large cloves
Optional
- 1 Tb gochujang, Korean chili paste for richer flavor, see Note 3
- 1 ea jalapeno, sliced with seeds if you like it spicy!
Instructions
- Add all ingredients, except the garlic and jalapeno, to a pot, cover, and bring to a boil. (The cover will help it come to a boil faster.)
- Lower heat, then simmer for about 5-8 minutes until the vegetables are cooked through. They should turn soft but but not mushy. Gradually stir as it cooks to make sure the soybean and red chili paste (if using) have dissolved and no chunks remain.
- If you see bubbles of vegetable scum floating to the top, skim them off. I cook it uncovered, so I can do this gradually as it cooks.
- Add the garlic and jalapeno. Simmer another 1-2 minutes, uncovered.
- Serve hot.
Notes
-
- This stew is meant to be eaten with rice. Reduce the amount of soybean paste if you do not want it too salty.
- In place of or in addition to the zucchini and mushrooms, you could add cauliflower florets, spinach, cubed, peeled potatoes, and/or large diced onion.
- You don't have to add the gochujang chili paste. It makes it taste more restaurant style rather than homestyle.
- Some people like to saute the vegetables with oil first in the pot, before adding the remaining ingredients. This additional step does develop another layer of flavor but also take a little bit longer.
- You could add the garlic and jalapeno at the beginning too. I just add it at the end of cooking to keep the garlicky and spicy flavors nice and peppy.
- Store up to 3 days in the fridge. Leftovers are just as good as the original!
Food safety
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands after touching raw meat
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
See more guidelines at USDA.gov.
Fortune Cookie 🥠
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Kay says
This is absolutely delicious! Have made it twice already in the past month and it's super comforting and so morish that I went back to get a second bowl each time. 🙂 Thank you for this recipe, I already know it'll become a staple for me!
asiantestkitchen@gmail.com says
Thank you so much Kay! So proud of you for trying this recipe, which is not so commonly known outside of Korean home kitchens. Really appreciate your kind feedback. Have a wonderful day! 🙂
R Jones says
Awesome!!! I am so glad I decided to try this. The only things I did different was 1) add some potatoes, which went in first while I brought the water and pastes to a boil and 2) add some vegan dashi bags while the potatoes were boiling. Such a hearty, tasty dish. Served with rice. 🙂
Michael Currie says
I have been exploring Korean cuisine, and being a big fan of miso, decided to give doenjang a try. Good move…it’s wonderful stuff. In addition to my usual recipes in which I’ve subbed doenjang for the miso, I went looking for uses in traditional Korean dishes. This was the first - and best - that I tried.
Quite honestly, I am not a big tofu lover, at least with milder flavors. This recipe emphasizes the virtues of tofu without the sort of ‘cardboard’ flavor that I dislike. In other words, this is a near perfect vegan dish - rich, extremely flavorful, and tremendously satisfying. I added a few more vegetables, including the suggested cauliflower and, most interestingly, some shredded Napa cabbage literally right before serving. I have also tried it with and without the gochujang, and prefer it in, along with the jalapeños. No surprise there (I manufacture hot sauce). I served with jasmine rice laced with toasted sesame seeds. Truly outstanding.
Thanks so much for providing this recipe. We’ll be enjoying it on a regular basis.
asiantestkitchen@gmail.com says
Hi Michael! Wow, thank you so much for your very kind comments and for trying out this recipe so thoroughly! Doesn't it taste so good with the cauliflower? I love that addition too. I was initially unsure about sharing a recipe that's not really considered popular in Korean cuisine, and I remember being embarrassed eating this as a kid because it was so foreign to others. Therefore, it makes me beyond delighted to hear how much you enjoyed it. Happy cooking, and cheers to many more bottles of your hot sauce! 🙂
CO_BRO says
Great recipe... my sister in law is Korean and I have been exploring the cuisine more as I try to eat less meat... though Koreans eat meat quite a lot, there are still a lot of interesting flavor profiles like this soup for a westerner to try out.
I started with plain water and added kombu seaweed and simmered for 5 minutes to add a layer of flavor. Dashi powder (vegan or otherwise) would add even more. I also added 1 chopped potato which was a highlight for me and I would not skip.
I didn't follow the quantities in the recipe, but for what is listed there, I think 3 cups of water is way too low. Despite my potato addition, I used less solids than called for (1/2 tofu pack instead of a full pack per the recipe, and less than 1 zucchini vs 2lbs in the recipe) and found that 5-6 cups of water along with slightly more doenjang worked for me. So, if you're a recipe-follower, I'd increase the water quantity and adjust the seasoning accordingly if you plan to use that amount of veggies/tofu. Thanks for the recipe!
asiantestkitchen@gmail.com says
Wow that is so awesome to hear! Thank you so much for your kind comments and trying to the recipe. So happy to hear about your explorations! I love the potato addition too. 🙂