Spicy, comforting, and bursting with flavors, this Korean-inspired gochujang soup is a heartwarming recipe perfect for chilly evenings. It is simple to prepare and comes together in 30 minutes, making it a perfect weeknight meal.
Gochujang is one of my favorite condiments! Its complex flavor profile adds tons of flavor to dishes, working great in various dishes, such as gochujang fried rice, tteokbokki, and this soul-soothing gochujang soup.
Also known as gochujang jjigae, this hearty vegetable stew is bold and delicious yet incredibly easy to make. It is also a great meal to clean the fridge, as any veggies will work in this recipe!
Although commonly served with rice, I love pairing it with noodle dishes such as tofu japchae and vegan yakisoba.
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💚Why you will love this recipe
- Hearty, warm, and incredibly flavorful
- A nourishing soup made from wholesome ingredients and is packed with colorful vegetables
- Simple to prepare and is ready in 30 minutes
- Highly customizable - feel free to add any ingredients you like to this soup!
🤔What is gochujang
Gochujang is a common condiment used in Korean cooking. It is a thick red pepper paste made from fermenting soybeans with glutinous rice, gochugaru (Korean chili flakes), and seasonings. You can use it in stir-fries, to coat protein (like my gochujang tofu), or as a sauce to drizzle over bibimbap.
This paste has a complex flavor profile described as umami, spicy, and slightly sweet. However, gochujang's spice level and specific flavors will vary from brand to brand. Hence, if you have a lower spice tolerance, simply opt for mild gochujang instead of the regular ones.
Nowadays, it is really easy to find gochujang, and is commonly sold in the Asian aisle of major groceries, or your local Asian market.
🌶What you will need
📃Ingredients notes and substitutions
- Gochujang - The star ingredient of this recipe. This thick Korean red pepper flake gives spiciness and umami flavor to the soup.
- Doenjang - Another popular Korean fermented soybean paste that is non-spicy. Feel free to substitute it with an equal amount of miso.
- Mushrooms - I am using shimeji, but feel free to replace it with other types of mushrooms.
- Vegetables - You can use any vegetables on hand to make this recipe. Some of my go-to's include carrots, cabbage, tomatoes, and other variety of mushrooms.
🔪How to make
- Step 1: Heat some oil in a 5-6 qt Dutch oven or soup pan. Add onion, sauteing until translucent.
- Step 2: Add garlic next and cook until fragrant.
- Step 3: Pour in water, then stir in gochujang and doenjang. Bring mixture to a gentle simmer.
- Step 4: Add potato cubes, and allow to cook for 3-4 minutes.
Tip: You can push your paste through a small, fine mesh strainer for easy mixing.
- Step 5: Add zucchini next, simmering for another 4-6 minutes until tender.
- Step 6: Stir in shimeji and cook for a minute. Top with some chopped scallion and enjoy gochujang jjigae while warm.
✔Helpful tips
- Cut veggies into similar-sized chunks - To ensure they cook evenly and at the same rate.
- Lower the spice level - I recommend purchasing a mild gochujang instead of the regular ones. Or, reduce the amount added by half, adding more to taste towards the end of cooking.
- Season to taste - Give gochujang soup a taste before serving, adding salt, soy sauce, or fish sauce to taste if needed.
- Adjust the amount of water added - This soup is on the thicker side. However, if your soup is reduced too much, or if you prefer a thinner soup, add more water until desired consistency is achieved.
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🥦Variations and add-ins
Veggies - Gochujang jjigae works great with almost any veggies! I sometimes add carrots, tomatoes, napa cabbage, radish, or bok choy to mine.
Add protein - Silken tofu, sliced pork belly, or beef slices are commonly added. However, you could also crack an egg or add pan-fried tofu/sliced fish cakes.
Making noodle soup - Add cooked or fresh noodles to gochujang soup for a heartier meal. Korean rice cakes are another great option. However, double the amount of water and seasoning added to ensure there is sufficient broth.
Dial up the heat - Add a generous pinch of gochugaru or regular red chili flakes.
🍽How to serve
Gochujang soup is best served with freshly cooked rice. You could also serve it with noodle dishes like my vegan jjajangmyeon, kimchi fried rice or main dishes such as bulgogi or tofu bulgogi.
I also love pairing my soup with banchan (side dishes), such as my tofu kimbap or Asian cucumber salad.
❄️Storing leftovers
Leftover gochujang soup can be refrigerated for 2-3 days in an airtight container. Reheat it in the microwave or in a pot, adding a splash of water if the mixture is too thick.
?Commonly asked questions
Gochujang is spicy as it is made from Korean chili flakes. However, the exact spice level varies depending on the brand.
If you are sensitive to spices, mild gochujang is recommended. You could also start with ½ the amount and adjust to taste.
You can substitute gochujang paste with doenjang or miso. To make up for the heat, add a generous pinch of gochugaru, regular chili flakes, or sriracha to taste.
Not all gochujang are gluten-free, as some brands might include wheat or barley in the fermentation process. Gluten-free versions are available in the market. Hence, checking the label and purchasing a certified gluten-free brand if you are intolerant is important.
🍽More quick vegan Asian dinners
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📖 Recipe
Korean Gochujang Soup (Gochujang jjigae)
Ingredients
- ½ medium yellow onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 cups water
- 1 tablespoon gochujang paste
- ½ tablespoon doenjang paste ( or miso paste)
- 1 large russet potato diced (about 7 oz)
- 1 medium zucchini diced (about 7 oz)
- 1 container shimeji mushroom about 3.5 oz (or other mushrooms)
Instructions
- Heat up a tablespoon of oil in a medium soup pot or Dutch oven. Once pot is heated, place in onion and cook for 3-4 minutes until translucent, stirring frequently.½ medium yellow onion
- Next, add in garlic and saute for another 1-2 minutes until fragrant.3 cloves garlic
- Now, pour in water into the pot and bring it to a boil. Stir in gochujang and doenjang until they have fully dissolved.2 cups water, 1 tablespoon gochujang paste, ½ tablespoon doenjang paste
- Add in potato cubes. Bring mixture to a boil once again, then lower heat to a gentle simmer. Cook for 3-4 minutes, or until potatoes are partially cook.1 large russet potato
- After that, toss in zucchini and simmer for another 4-6 minutes, or until veggies have softened. You can test doneness of potato by poking it with a fork.1 medium zucchini
- Lastly, stir in mushroom and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes. Give it a taste and add more gochujang or doenjang, if needed. Optionally, top it with some chopped scallions. Gochujang soup is ready to be served!1 container shimeji mushroom
Notes
- Lower the spice level - I recommend purchasing a mild gochujang instead of the regular ones. Or, reduce the amount added by half, adding more to taste towards the end of cooking.
- Season to taste - Give gochujang soup a taste before serving, adding salt, soy sauce, or fish sauce to taste if needed.
- Adjust the amount of water added - This soup is on the thicker side. However, if your soup is reduced too much, or if you prefer a thinner soup, add more water until desired consistency is achieved.
Save this recipe!
Email yourself a link to this page and come back later.
Also get a FREE high-protein vegan recipe eBook + weekly new recipes! Unsubscribe anytime.
Nutrition
Nutrition info calculated is just a rough estimate and is provided as a courtesy. Bear in mind that value will vary based on variables like specific brand or type of product used. To obtain the most accurate representation, it is highly recommended that you calculate it on your own with the actual amount and type of ingredient used.
Karla says
This stew is awesome. I followed the recipe exactly (except used regular white sliced mushrooms) and ended up with a delicious meal that even pleased by picky 11 year old! I will be making this again and again! Thank you!
Jim Mee Sha says
Am so glad that you and your family love it!