Korean Spinach Soybean Paste Soup

Quick answer

Total time: 25 min
Level: Easy
Servings: 2 servings
Ingredients: 6

About this dish

Sigeumchi-doenjang-guk is a foundational Korean soup that combines spinach with soybean paste in anchovy-kelp stock, producing a broth that is earthy, warm, and deeply familiar to anyone who grew up eating Korean home cooking.

Doenjang is dissolved into the simmering stock first, establishing a savory, slightly funky baseline. Spinach is added near the end and wilts within seconds, contributing a soft green color and a faint bitterness that, rather than clashing with the fermented paste, amplifies its complexity. Tofu is a common addition that gives the soup more substance and a creamy counterpoint to the leafy greens. Garlic and green onion handle the aromatics, and no chili is used, keeping the soup on the gentle end of the Korean flavor spectrum. The key technical point is timing: spinach left in boiling liquid too long turns dull and mushy, so experienced cooks drop it in and turn off the heat almost immediately. This soup is one of the most frequently prepared versions of doenjang-guk in Korean kitchens precisely because spinach is available year-round, affordable, and cooks in moments. It pairs seamlessly with any banchan spread and never competes for attention on the table.

Ingredients

servings

IngredientAmountUnit

spinach180 gg

soybean paste1½ tbsptbsp

anchovy stock1200 mlml

minced garlic1 tsptsp

green onion½ eaea

tofu120 gg

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Instructions

Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.

6 steps

1

Prep

Trim the root ends from 180 g spinach, then wash it in two or three changes of cold water until no grit remains.

Drain well and cut the leaves and stems in half for easy eating.
2

Heat

Cut 120 g tofu into about 1.5 cm cubes so it warms without breaking apart.

Slice 1/2 green onion thinly, and keep 1 teaspoon minced garlic ready because the final cooking moves quickly.
3

Control

Pour 1200 ml anchovy stock into a pot and bring it to a boil over medium-high heat.

Once bubbling, lower to medium and press 1.5 tablespoons soybean paste through a strainer into the stock.
4

Control

When the broth returns to a gentle simmer, add the tofu and cook over medium-low heat for 5 minutes.

Avoid vigorous stirring so the cubes stay neat while the broth seasons them evenly.
5

Control

Add the minced garlic and let it scent the broth for about 30 seconds.

Add the spinach, press it under the liquid, and simmer only about 1 minute so it stays bright green.
6

Finish

When the spinach has wilted and the stems feel tender, add the sliced green onion.

Turn off the heat right away, stir once gently, and serve hot before the spinach dulls.

Practical Cooking Checks

The cues that matter most while cooking.

Key technique: Sigeumchi-doenjang-guk builds layered depth from spinach and fermented soybean paste.
Finish cue: When the spinach has wilted and the stems feel tender, add the sliced green onion.
Avoid this: Avoid vigorous stirring so the cubes stay neat while the broth seasons them evenly.