Types of Korean Stew: Names, Differences, and a Recipe

Korean stews are simmered, savory dishes often built around soybean paste, kimchi, soft tofu, or a rich meat broth, and they are usually served hot with rice and side dishes. This recipe is doenjang jjigae, a flexible soybean-paste stew with vegetables and tofu; Korean families and regions make it in many different ways.

Common Types of Korean Stew

There is no single stew that represents every Korean table. Doenjang jjigae gets its deep, earthy flavor from doenjang, Korean fermented soybean paste, and commonly includes tofu, zucchini, mushrooms, or potato. Kimchi jjigae uses well-fermented kimchi, often with pork or tofu, for a tangy, robust broth. Sundubu jjigae centers on very soft, unpressed tofu and is often served bubbling, sometimes with seafood or meat and an egg added near the end.

Other familiar bowls include budae jjigae, a spicy shared stew with a mix of ingredients such as kimchi, tofu, and processed meats; gamja tang, a hearty pork-and-potato stew; and cheonggukjang jjigae, made with a strongly aromatic fermented soybean paste. Names and ingredients can overlap, and the exact balance varies by household. The recipe below is a meat-free doenjang jjigae, chosen as a practical starting point: its paste-based broth is quick to build, and the vegetables are easy to change with the season.

Ingredients

4 cups (950 ml) water
1 piece dried kelp, about 3 inches (5 g)
2 dried shiitake mushrooms (about 10 g)
3 tablespoons (45 g) doenjang, Korean fermented soybean paste
1 medium Yukon Gold or other waxy potato, about 6 ounces (180 g), cut into ½-inch (1.25 cm) cubes
½ medium yellow onion, about 2.5 ounces (75 g), cut into bite-size pieces
1 medium zucchini, about 7 ounces (200 g), cut into half-moons
4 ounces (115 g) fresh mushrooms, such as shiitake or cremini, sliced
2 garlic cloves (6 g), finely chopped
½ teaspoon (1 g) gochugaru, Korean red pepper flakes, optional
½ teaspoon (3 g) fine salt, plus more only if needed
14 ounces (400 g) firm or medium-firm tofu, drained and cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) cubes
2 scallions (20 g), thinly sliced
1 teaspoon (5 ml) toasted sesame oil
4 cups cooked short-grain rice (about 720 g), for serving

Instructions

Prepare the ingredients, 25 minutes. Rinse the kelp briefly if it has visible grit, wipe the mushrooms clean, and cut the vegetables and tofu as listed. Keep the potato pieces fairly even so they soften together. In a small bowl, stir the doenjang with a few tablespoons of water until it loosens; this makes it easier to distribute through the pot. Do not rinse the tofu after draining it.
Make a quick broth, 8 minutes. Put the measured water, dried kelp, and dried shiitake in a medium heavy pot. Warm over medium heat until the water is steaming and just beginning to simmer, then maintain a gentle simmer for 8 minutes. Lift out the kelp with tongs and discard it, or slice it thinly and return it to the pot if you like its chewy texture. Leave the shiitake in the broth; remove it briefly to slice if it is whole, then return it.
Simmer the potato and season the broth, 10 minutes. Add the potato, onion, garlic, doenjang mixture, gochugaru if using, and salt. Stir until the paste dissolves into the broth. Bring the pot to a steady simmer, then lower the heat enough to keep it bubbling gently for 10 minutes. Stir once or twice, scraping the bottom so the soybean paste does not settle and scorch. Check a potato cube; it should be nearly tender, not falling apart.
Add the softer vegetables, 6 minutes. Stir in the zucchini and fresh mushrooms. Return the broth to a gentle simmer and cook for 6 minutes, uncovered. The zucchini should be tender but still hold its shape, and the mushrooms should have softened. If the stew boils vigorously, reduce the heat; a rolling boil can break up the vegetables and make the broth cloudy.
Warm the tofu and finish, 6 minutes. Nestle in the tofu and simmer gently for 6 minutes, spooning broth over the cubes rather than stirring hard. Taste the broth and add a little more salt only if it needs it; doenjang brands vary in saltiness. Turn off the heat, add the scallions and sesame oil, and let the stew settle for a minute before serving. Serve hot with rice.

Tips

Choose the right paste. Doenjang is Korean fermented soybean paste, with a savory, earthy taste and a thicker texture than many Japanese miso pastes. Look for it in Korean or other East Asian grocery stores, usually refrigerated. If it is unavailable, white or yellow miso can work in a pinch, but it is usually milder and sweeter; start with 2 tablespoons (about 36 g), taste the broth, and add more as needed. The result will not taste quite like doenjang jjigae.
Keep the simmer gentle. Once the paste is in the pot, stir the bottom occasionally and avoid a hard boil. Fermented paste can stick and scorch, while vigorous bubbling can break the tofu and zucchini into the broth.
Adjust salt after the paste dissolves. Doenjang varies substantially in saltiness, so the listed salt is a starting amount. If the stew tastes too salty, add a splash of water or unsalted broth rather than adding more vegetables at the last moment.
Use what you can find. A waxy potato keeps its shape better than a floury baking potato, but either works. If dried kelp is hard to find, use water or unsalted vegetable broth; the stew will be a little less rounded in flavor. Do not substitute sweetened seaweed snacks for dried kelp.

Serving Suggestions

Serve the stew in individual bowls or place the pot on a heat-safe trivet in the middle of the table. Give each person rice to eat alongside the broth and vegetables; the rice balances the concentrated, salty-savoriness of the doenjang. A modest selection of banchan, or Korean side dishes, is enough. Try kimchi, seasoned spinach, cucumber salad, or simply sliced raw vegetables. Since the stew is already seasoned, keep side dishes light rather than adding several salty or spicy items.

For a filling meal, serve about 1 cup (180 g) cooked rice per person and ladle plenty of potato, zucchini, mushroom, and tofu into each bowl. If serving children or anyone who prefers milder food, leave the gochugaru out of the pot and offer it separately. The stew is best served promptly while the tofu is intact and the vegetables are warm; keep the rice in a separate bowl so it does not soak up all the broth.

Variations

Make it more like a classic anchovy broth version: Replace the water, kelp, and dried shiitake with 4 cups (950 ml) of prepared Korean dried-anchovy-and-kelp broth. Strain out the solids before adding the vegetables. The broth will taste more distinctly savory and seafood-like; check its salt level before adding the full amount of salt. For a vegetarian pot, keep the kelp and shiitake broth or use unsalted vegetable broth.

Change the vegetables: Add ½ cup (75 g) sliced Korean radish, or use daikon if that is what you have, with the potato. Napa cabbage, a handful of greens, or sliced eggplant can replace some of the zucchini or mushrooms. Add quick-cooking greens during the final 2 to 3 minutes so they wilt without losing all their color. If you use extra vegetables, add a little water if the stew becomes too concentrated.

Make it spicier or richer: Increase the gochugaru to 1 teaspoon (2 g), or stir in 1 teaspoon (5 ml) of gochujang for a sweeter, thicker, more chile-forward broth. Gochujang is not a direct replacement for doenjang; keep the soybean paste as the base. For a non-vegetarian variation, add thin slices of pork belly or beef and cook them thoroughly in the pot before adding the broth. That changes the dish and its cooking time, so use a food thermometer for meat: USDA FSIS safe minimums are 145°F (63°C) with a 3-minute rest for whole cuts of pork or beef, and 160°F (71°C) for ground meat.

Storage and Reheating

Refrigerate leftover stew within 2 hours of cooking in a covered container. It keeps for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator. Store rice separately, if possible, so it does not absorb the broth. The tofu may become a little firmer and the vegetables softer after chilling, but the stew remains suitable for reheating within that storage window.

Reheat only the portion you plan to eat in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring gently until steaming throughout. USDA FSIS recommends reheating leftovers to 165°F (74°C); check the center with a food thermometer. Add a splash of water if the broth has thickened. You can freeze the stew in a freezer-safe container for about 2 months for best quality, although tofu can turn spongier and zucchini softer after thawing. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat to 165°F (74°C). Do not leave the pot at room temperature for extended storage.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the most common types of Korean stew?
Well-known examples include doenjang jjigae with soybean paste, kimchi jjigae with fermented kimchi, and sundubu jjigae with very soft tofu. Budae jjigae is a spicy mixed-ingredient stew, while gamja tang is a hearty pork-and-potato stew. Recipes differ by region, household, and available ingredients, so those names describe broad styles rather than one fixed ingredient list.

What does jjigae mean?
Jjigae is a Korean term for a stew, generally served hot with a relatively concentrated broth and ingredients such as tofu, vegetables, meat, seafood, or fermented paste. It is often shared at the table with rice and side dishes. Korean food terms can overlap, so a dish’s name does not always establish a strict boundary between stew and soup.

Is doenjang jjigae always vegetarian?
No. Some versions use dried anchovies or anchovy broth, and others include meat or seafood. This recipe uses kelp and shiitake for a meat-free broth. To keep it vegetarian, check that the doenjang has no unexpected animal-based additions and avoid anchovy broth; the exact ingredients can vary by product and recipe.

Can I make this stew without doenjang?
You can use white or yellow miso as a practical substitute, but expect a milder, somewhat sweeter flavor and a less rustic broth. Begin with 2 tablespoons (about 36 g), dissolve it into the broth, and taste before adding more. Miso is not identical to Korean soybean paste, so the result is a variation rather than a traditional-tasting doenjang jjigae.

Can I prepare doenjang jjigae ahead?
Yes. You can cut the vegetables and tofu a day ahead and keep them covered in the refrigerator, or cook the stew fully and refrigerate it for up to 3 to 4 days. For the freshest texture, add the tofu and quick-cooking vegetables when reheating, if you have kept them separate. Reheat leftovers to 165°F (74°C) and avoid repeated cooling and reheating of the whole pot.

How do I make the broth less salty?
First check whether the paste has fully dissolved and taste again; the flavor can be uneven before stirring. If it is still too salty, add water or unsalted broth a little at a time and bring the pot back to a gentle simmer. A little extra tofu or unsalted vegetable can also soften the overall taste, but adding rice directly to the pot will make leftovers thicken quickly.

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Safety notes: safe minimum internal temperatures from USDA FSIS; raw and undercooked fish guidance from the U.S. FDA. Food safety notes

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