This easy vegetable side dish is flavored with doenjang (fermented soybean paste). You can make this recipe with various different green leafy vegetables.
Simply seasoned with doenjang, fermented soybean paste, this dish is a country style vegetable side dish. In general, the vegetable dishes that are seasoned with doenjang is called doenjang muchim (된장무침).
Young cabbage called putbaechu (풋배추) or eolgari (얼가리) is one of the vegetables commonly used for this dish. Often, I also use napa cabbage, baby bok choy, spinach, or kale (or baby kale). Any other green leafy vegetables would also work. Just remember to adjust the blanching time.
You can add a little gochugaru (Korean red chili pepper flakes) or gochujang (Korean red chili pepper paste) to make it a bit spicy or sweeten it with a bit of sugar. I like to keep it simple and savor the unique, deep flavor of the doenjang.
This side dish is great with any Korean meal. We enjoyed it for two meals this week – first with bulgogi and then with bukeoguk next day.
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Ingredients
- 2 bunches young cabbage (putbaechu, 풋배추) - about 8 ounces each - See note for substitutes.
- 1 tablespoon (or to taste) doenjang, fermented soybean paste
- 1/2 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil or perilla seed oil s
- 2 teaspoons sesame seeds (roasted and crusted)
- 1 teaspoon gochugaru or gochujang - optional adjust to taste
- 1 teaspoon sugar (or oligo syrup) - optional
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a rapid boil. Add a tablespoon of salt. Blanch the cabbage until the white parts turn soft, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the cabbage from the pot and shock in cold water to stop the cooking.
- Drain, and tightly squeeze out water. Cut into 2 to 3-inch lengths.
- Add the remaining ingredients and mix everything well by hand. Adjust the seasoning to taste by adding more doenjang (or gochujang or gochugaru for the spiciness). Let it sit for 10 to 20 minutes before serving for the flavor of the seasonings to seep into the cabbage.
Alexandra says
I just made this today to go with kongnamul muchim, musaengchae, and sigeumchi namul(my favorite.) I had never had Putbaechu doenjang muchim before, but I had all of the ingredients on hand and figured I would try it. It is absolutely delicious! This may become one of my favorite banchan dishes from now on. Thank you so much for sharing the recipe.
Hyosun says
That’s great! Enjoy it many more times. Thank you!
Rachel says
I made this dish for a Korean food night with friends and it was a huge hit! Everyone loved it and it was so easy to make! My boyfriend also found his recipe from this blog and it was also soooo delicious! Thanks for teaching us!
Hyosun says
aww that’s great to hear! Thanks for letting me know!!
ele,e says
this looks delicious, as all the recipes on the site. some were helpful to correct my recipes, thank you!
can i use miso paste for this recipe? i am not sure how doenjang tastes (and i am unfamilair with the taste of this dish) and whether using miso will ruin it.
Hyosun says
Sure! Although not authentic, it will still taste good.
Percy Jenkins says
Hello! My favorite vegetable is napa cabbage and I am looking for a new way to make a big batch of it so I may eat it often. How long will this last in the refrigerator with and without the fermented soybean paste?
Hyosun says
If it’s seasoned, it should be okay for 4 to 5 days. Longer for unseasoned boiled cabbage, maybe up to 10 days.
Magelinde Macdonald says
I’m so so excited, and looking forward to cook all this simple and healthy foods, I love vegetables and therefore thanks for sharing your recipes.
All the best.
Hyosun says
You’re welcome! And thank you! Hope you enjoy my recipes.
GRace says
Thank you….I also used it on some zuccuhni and it was great.
Hyosun says
Great! Thanks for letting me know.
Monica Rampo says
Hi Ms. Hyosun,
I am Monica from Indonesia..I found your website when I searched for mandu dumpling. But I was interesting more to putbaechu doenjang muchim. It look so simple and easy to make.
I have tried your recipe, but I couldn’t find Korean fermented soy bean here, so I use salted soy bean instead. What do you think? will it be the same taste if using salted soy bean?
I posted this recipe on my blog and link back to Korean Bapsang.
Next time I will try your other recipes that is easy in my mind..he he he…
Thanks for this recipe and thanks for sharing many Korean foods recipes..
Hyosun says
Hi Monica – Thank you so much for trying out my recipe and linking on your blog! I’m not sure what salted soybean is, but my guess is that the flavor will be quite different because Korean fermented soybean paste has a distinct, pungent flavor. Nothing wrong with that as long as it tastes good with the seasoning you used. Let me know how other recipes turn out for you if you try. Thanks!
Riski Fitriasari says
it’s still look so green, and yummy.. 🙂 (ah.. I feel hungry immedietly)
Hyosun Ro says
Thank you, Riski!