Korean Young Napa Soybean Paste Soup
Quick answer
Eolgari-doenjang-guk is a traditional Korean soup made with young napa cabbage and fermented soybean paste.
What makes this special
- Eolgari doenjang guk uses starchy rice-rinse water to soften the fermented soybean paste and young napa leaves.
- Rice water smooths out doenjang's rough edge and builds a gentle umami base
- Anchovy powder anchors the undertone; chili cleans up the finish
Key ingredients
Core cooking flow
- 1 Cut 300g young napa cabbage into 4cm pieces.
- 2 Pour 1400ml rice-rinse water into a pot and set 40g doenjang in a fine strainer.
- 3 Place the pot over medium-high heat. When bubbles gather around the edges, a...
Eolgari-doenjang-guk is a traditional Korean soup made with young napa cabbage and fermented soybean paste. The recipe uses rice-rinse water as the soup base instead of plain water, which helps reduce the sharpness of the soybean paste and adds a mild, rounded starchiness. Straining the doenjang through a sieve before boiling is recommended to ensure a smooth, lump-free broth. Once the soup comes to a boil, anchovy powder and minced garlic are stirred in to establish a rich umami depth. The young napa cabbage is added next and cooked briefly so the leaves retain their fresh flavor and crisp bite. In the final stage, sliced green onions and cheongyang chilies are added, simmering for just two minutes to infuse the broth with a clean, spicy finish. This comforting soup pairs naturally with a hot bowl of steamed rice.
Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Finish
Cut 300g young napa cabbage into 4cm pieces.
Slice 70g green onion and 10g hot green chili into 0.5cm rounds, then keep them separate so the finishing aromatics can go in at the right time.
- 2Step
Pour 1400ml rice-rinse water into a pot and set 40g doenjang in a fine strainer.
Press and stir until no firm lumps remain, which keeps the broth smoother and prevents gritty paste from settling.
- 3Control
Place the pot over medium-high heat.
When bubbles gather around the edges, add 8g anchovy powder and 15g minced garlic, then stir along the bottom so the powder disperses instead of clumping or sticking.
- 4Heat
When the broth reaches a steady boil, add the young napa cabbage and press it gently under the liquid.
It will look crowded at first, but after about 2 minutes the leaves should wilt and fit easily.
- 5Control
Lower to medium heat and simmer for about 10 minutes, then season with 15ml soup soy sauce.
The cabbage stems should look slightly translucent but still hold their shape, not collapse completely.
- 6Control
Add the sliced green onion and hot green chili, then simmer only 2 more minutes.
Once their aroma rises and the broth tastes balanced, turn off the heat before the cabbage becomes tough or mushy.
After the steps
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Continue with shared ingredients, meal pairings, or a similar method.
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