• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Korean Bapsang logo

  • Start Here
  • Recipes
    • Appetizer/Snack
    • Main Dish
      • Meat
      • Noodles and Rice
      • Seafood
    • Side Dish
    • Slow Cooker
    • Soup
    • Stew
    • Desserts/Sweets
    • Korean-Chinese
    • Vegetables
    • Vegetarian dish
    • Traditional holiday food
      • Chuseok (Korean thanksgiving)
    • Special Event
    • Korean BBQ
  • Pantry
  • About
    • Privacy Policy
    • Featured On
    • Contact
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Start Here
  • Recipes
  • Pantry
  • About
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×
    Home » Soup

    Baechu Doenjang Guk (Soybean Paste Soup)

    Published 02/23/2011. Updated 12/14/2021

    Jump to Recipe

    DSC 1853 1 e1638594739321 - Baechu Doenjang Guk (Soybean Paste Soup)
     
    Doenjang, fermented soybean paste, is a staple Korean condiment and used as a base for stew or soup. As with doenjang jjigae (stew version), doenjang guk (soup) is also one of the most representative Korean home cooked dishes. While the stew version is typically hearty, thick and pungent, the soup is light and mild and has more broth.
     
    This doenjang based soup made with napa cabbage (baechu) is especially popular during late fall when napa cabbages are abundant. During kimjang season, Koreans make a large amount of kimchi for upcoming winter, so there are plenty of napa cabbages around.
     
    DSC 1809 - Baechu Doenjang Guk (Soybean Paste Soup)

    Korean home cooks usually save the water used to rinse rice, ssalddeummul, and use it for this soup. The rice water adds starch to the soup and works as a binding agent between the soybean paste and the broth, while enhancing the flavor of the doenjang.

    I like to add a little bit of gochujang (Korean red/hot pepper paste) to this soup for a bit of extra layer of flavor without overpowering it. If you have this classic soup along with a bowl of rice and some kimchi, you have a meal – very satisfying one!

    DSC 1833 - Baechu Doenjang Guk (Soybean Paste Soup)

    For more Korean cooking inspirations, follow  along on YouTube, Pinterest, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

    DSC 1853 1 350x350 - Baechu Doenjang Guk (Soybean Paste Soup)

    Baechu Doenjang Guk (Soybean Paste Soup with Napa Cabbage)

    4.82 from 27 votes
    Soup
    Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Servings: 4
    Print Recipe

    Ingredients

    • 1/4 head medium size napa cabbage about 1 pound
    • 4 cups anchovy broth* or beef broth
    • 2 tablespoons Korean soybean paste doenjang
    • 1 teaspoon Korean red pepper paste gochujang
    • 1 tablespoon soup soy sauce guk ganjang
    • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
    • 2 scallions cut into 2 inch lengths
    • salt and pepper to taste

    Instructions

    • Make anchovy broth by boiling, uncovered, about 12 medium size dried anchovies in 6 cups of water (or water used to rinse the rice) for 10 minutes. Fish out the anchovies and discard.
    • While the broth is being made, cut the cabbage into 2 to 3-inch pieces.
      Baechu 2BDoenjang 2BGuk1 e1505615702914 - Baechu Doenjang Guk (Soybean Paste Soup)
    • Stir the soybean paste and red pepper paste in to the broth, or run them through a strainer in the broth. The latter process helps dissolve the pastes easier and catches any big chunks of beans remaining in the soy bean paste. Add the soup soy sauce to the broth.
      Baechu 2BDoenjang 2BGuk2 e1505615955187 - Baechu Doenjang Guk (Soybean Paste Soup)
    • Add the cabbage, cover and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and cook until the cabbage becomes soft, 1o to 15 minutes. Add the scallions and garlic and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Add salt, if necessary, and pepper to taste.
      Baechu 2BDoenjang 2BGuk3 e1505616066831 - Baechu Doenjang Guk (Soybean Paste Soup)
    Tried this recipe?Mention @koreanbapsang or tag #koreanbapsang!

    You may also like:

    • 15 Easy Kimchi Recipes e1612498561532 150x150 - Baechu Doenjang Guk (Soybean Paste Soup)15 Easy Kimchi Recipes
    • DSC 0066 e1539057703301 150x150 - Baechu Doenjang Guk (Soybean Paste Soup)Jjamppong (Spicy Seafood Noodle Soup)
    • DSC 0209 e1508292591559 150x150 - Baechu Doenjang Guk (Soybean Paste Soup)Mu Doenjang Guk (Soybean Paste Radish Soup)
    • DSC 1810 e1485144037279 150x150 - Baechu Doenjang Guk (Soybean Paste Soup)Slow Cooker Chicken Soup with Napa Cabbage
    « Modeumjeon (Fish, Shrimp and Zucchini Jeon)
    Muguk (Radish Soup) »
    2557 shares
    • Share
    • Tweet
    • Email

    Primary Sidebar

    Welcome to Korean Bapsang

    Korean Bapsang Author
    Hi! I'm Hyosun, and I am a Korean-American mom of two wonderful grown-up children. Here, you will learn how to cook Korean dishes the way we Koreans traditionally eat at home. Read More...

    Never Miss a Recipe

    Popular Recipes

    • a large bowl of red spicy Korean stir-fried rice cakes with serving plates and chopsticks Tteokbokki (Spicy Stir-fried Rice Cakes)
    • 2 quarter-heads of napa cabbage kimchi in a large ceramic bowl Traditional Kimchi
    • Stir-fried glass noodles with beef and vegetables in a square bowl Japchae (Stir-Fried Starch Noodles with Beef and Vegetables)
    • Sundubu Jjigae (Soft Tofu Stew)
    • Korean noodles in a black bean sauce topped with cucumber matchsticks and served in a white bowl Jajangmyeon (Noodles in Black Bean Sauce)
    • A 6-photo collage of 15 Korean vegetable side dishes 15 Vegetable Side Dishes (Banchan)
    • Korean fried chicken nuggets in a sweet and savory sauce Dakgangjeong (Sweet Crispy Korean Fried Chicken)
    • kimchi stew with tofu in an earthen pot with the lid laid on the side of the pot Kimchi Jjigae (Kimchi Stew)

    Popular Categories

    Noodles and rice category banner

    Korean BBQ category banner

    Stews category banner

    As Featured On:

       

    Footer

    Korean Bapsang New Logo

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube

    Copyright © 2024 · All rights reserved · Korean Bapsang

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required