Doenjang jjigae is a fermented soybean paste stew with tofu, zucchini, mushrooms, and optional shellfish. It is the daily stew of Seoul households.

Doenjang jjigae is inseparable from Korean daily eating culture. Doenjang (fermented soybean paste) has been made in Korea for at least 2,000 years, predating gochujang paste by several centuries. The jjigae (stew) format was the standard peasant food of the Joseon dynasty, using whatever vegetables and protein were available with the fermented paste as the flavour base. Korean doenjang is more complex in flavour than Japanese miso: it is fermented longer, often outdoors, and develops earthy, pungent, umami-rich characteristics that define the taste memory of Korean cooking.

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