Ingredients
- doenjang (fermented soybean paste)
- gochugaru (Korean chilli flakes)
- garlic cloves, crushed
- firm tofu, in cubes
- zucchini or potato, in chunks
- anchovy or vegetable broth
- spring onion, sliced
Food therapy
Doenjang-jjigae (Korean fermented soybean stew)
Updated 21 October 2026
A small pot of doenjang-jjigae sits at the centre of the Korean daily meal. The fermented soybean paste brings deep savoury flavour into a warm broth (note: simmering kills most live cultures, so the live-ferment benefit comes from uncooked ferments such as fresh kimchi or doenjang used as a table condiment rather than in the stew), usually built around the day's leftover vegetables. It is the kind of pot that turns a tired gut into a calm one over time, eaten slowly with rice and a few banchan at the side.
Herbs and practices affect people differently — nothing here suits everyone. Take it as reference.
Tonight, try this
Make one small pot of doenjang-jjigae for tonight's dinner: simmer broth, whisk in a spoon of doenjang, add whatever firm vegetable you have, a few cubes of tofu, and a pinch of gochugaru. Eat it warm, slowly, with a bowl of rice — phone in another room.
How it is made
- Bring the broth to a gentle simmer in a small pot.
- Stir the doenjang into the warm broth until it loosens.
- Add the harder vegetables first — potato or radish — and let them soften.
- Drop in the tofu and zucchini, then a small spoon of gochugaru for warmth.
- Crush the garlic in last so a little raw edge stays.
- Let everything share the pot for a few minutes, no rolling boil.
- Finish with sliced spring onion and serve with a bowl of warm rice.
When it is made
On a quiet weekday evening, when the fridge is half-empty and the gut wants something warm rather than rich. In Korean homes it shows up at least once a week as the everyday pot — not the celebration pot, the steady pot that quietly supports the middle burner through cold weather and busy weeks alike.
Disclaimer
Soy is a real allergen for some people; if that is you, a miso-style paste or a non-soy ferment does similar work. Pregnancy and childhood sit comfortably with this as ordinary home food. There are no widely documented concerns at routine portions, but if a clinician has flagged fermented foods for you, run it past them first.
Where this comes from
- Traditional practice as recorded in classical texts and public formularies (public domain)
- Everyday food culture, described as practice rather than studied therapy
- PubMed abstracts only for studies this page actually names