Geundae-guk (Korean Swiss Chard Doenjang Soup with Tofu)
Quick answer
Geundae-guk is a homestyle Korean soup made by simmering Swiss chard leaves and stems in anchovy stock seasoned with doenjang.
What makes this special
- Geundae-guk is a Korean Swiss chard and tofu soup built on savory doenjang broth.
- Swiss chard stems stay pleasantly chewy inside the doenjang broth
- The leaf's slight bitterness pairs with doenjang's fermented savory notes
Key ingredients
Core cooking flow
- 1 Rinse 200 g Swiss chard under running water, shaking the leaves to remove grit, then drain well.
- 2 Pour 500 ml anchovy broth into a pot and bring it to a boil over high heat.
- 3 Set 2 tbsp doenjang in a fine strainer and press it into the hot broth with a ladle.
Geundae-guk is a homestyle Korean soup made by simmering Swiss chard leaves and stems in anchovy stock seasoned with doenjang. Swiss chard, called geundae in Korean, has broader leaves and thicker stalks than spinach, giving the soup a more substantial bite, and the greens' mild bitterness pairs naturally with the fermented depth of doenjang into an earthy, grounding flavor. Cubed tofu is typically added alongside for protein and a soft contrast to the chewy greens, while minced garlic rounds out the aroma of the broth. The entire cooking process takes barely ten minutes once the stock is boiling, making this one of the quickest doenjang soups in the Korean home-cooking repertoire. In Korean households, this soup appears most often in spring and autumn when fresh chard is in season, though frozen chard works through the rest of the year without significantly changing the flavor of the broth. Overcooking the greens after adding doenjang softens the leaves until they lose their texture, so pulling the pot off the heat three to four minutes after the paste dissolves preserves the chard's pleasant chew.
Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Heat
Rinse 200 g Swiss chard under running water, shaking the leaves to remove grit, then drain well.
Cut it into 4 cm pieces, separate stems from leaves, and split thick stems lengthwise for even cooking.
- 2Control
Pour 500 ml anchovy broth into a pot and bring it to a boil over high heat.
Once it boils, reduce to medium heat so the broth stays active without reducing too quickly.
- 3Step
Set 2 tbsp doenjang in a fine strainer and press it into the hot broth with a ladle.
Stir until no clumps remain and the broth turns evenly amber brown.
- 4Control
Add the Swiss chard stems first and simmer over medium heat for about 1 minute.
When the stems brighten in color and the edges look slightly translucent, add the leaves.
- 5Control
Cut 100 g tofu into 2x2 cm cubes and add it with the leaves.
Simmer for about 2 minutes, just until the leaves wilt and the tofu is heated enough to move gently in the broth.
- 6Control
Stir in 1 tsp minced garlic and simmer for 30 seconds to round out the aroma.
Taste the broth, adjust with salt only if needed, then turn off the heat before the leaves become mushy.
After the steps
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