Jjigae & Stews
Doenjang Jjigae
된장찌개 · doenjang “fermented soybean paste” + jjigae “stew” = “soybean-paste stew”
A stew of fermented soybean paste — salty, vegetal, and barely spicy.
See the list- Spice
- Mild
- Format
- Both
- Beginner-friendly
- 2/3
Editorial scale. Actual heat varies from one kitchen to another. Editorial assessment.
What it is
Doenjang jjigae occupies the position a house stock occupies elsewhere: always around, rarely announced, quietly load-bearing. The fermented soybean paste gives it a salty, long-finishing flavour, related to miso but rougher and more insistent. Courgette, potato, tofu, onion, and sometimes a little meat or a few clams fill out the pot.
It arrives bubbling and is eaten by the spoonful, either straight from the shared pot or from a small bowl of your own. Alternate it with rice and banchan rather than drinking it on its own, because it is deliberately salty. At a grill table it closes the meal rather than opening it.
Served with
steamed rice · banchan · grilled meat
Tip — If you are new to Korean food and chilli is the obstacle, this is the stew to start with.
Main ingredients — Doenjang · Tofu · Vegetables
We don't list allergens: recipes vary from one restaurant to another. For any allergy or dietary restriction, ask the restaurant directly.
Where to eat it in Paris· 13 addresses
MA-SHI-TA
14eKorean Meals · Galbi · Japchae
- Date night
- Drinks
- Special occasion
4.8
Kochi 꼬치 串
15eKorean Meals · Samgyeopsal · Bibimbap
- With friends
- Drinks
- Korean speaking
4.9
Misa Bulgogi 미사 불고기
17eKorean Meals · Bulgogi · Galbitang
- With friends
- Family
- Team dinner
4.8
In Korea
11eKorean Meals · Bibimbap · Japchae
- With friends
- Groups
- Korean speaking
4.7
Gooyi Gooyi
11eKorean BBQ · Samgyeopsal · Galbi
- Date night
- With friends
- Quick lunch
4.6
Jium
15eJjigae & Stews · Kimchi Jjigae · Bibimbap
- Solo dining
- Family
- Korean speaking
4.6
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