Beans and Greens Stew With Doenjang

Name: Beans and Greens Stew With Doenjang
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 2 to 4 servings
Ingredients: 3 tablespoons olive oil; 1 large red onion, halved and thinly sliced; 4 large scallions, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces; Salt and black pepper; 3 tablespoons doenjang (fermented soybean paste; see Tip), plus more to taste; 1 teaspoon honey; Pinch of red-pepper flakes; 1 (15.5-ounce) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained; 1 teaspoon soy sauce; 1/2 bunch Swiss or rainbow chard, coarsely chopped with stems (4 packed cups); 1 large garlic clove, finely grated; Cooked white rice, for serving

By Eric Kim

Published Oct. 19, 2021

Beans and Greens Stew With Doenjang — Sang An for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Prop Stylist: Paige Hicks.

Total Time: 30 minutes
Rating: 4(1,104)
Comments: Read comments

In this deeply comforting stew, the hardest part is washing and chopping the greens, which is to say, not very hard. Earthy-sweet Swiss chard, especially rainbow chard, tastes beautiful here, but coarsely chopped spinach, kale, mustard or radish greens, napa cabbage or broccoli rabe would be lovely, too. Canned cannellini beans, crushed lightly with a wooden spoon, thicken the gentle, savory broth. The key to this dish lies in how you layer each ingredient into the pot: The onion and scallions are first browned to start an umami-rich base; the Korean fermented soybean paste, doenjang (see Tip), is bloomed in oil to awaken its deep, salty funkiness; and then the honey is caramelized slightly for sweetness and floral complexity.

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Ingredients

Yield:2 to 4 servings

3tablespoons olive oil
1large red onion, halved and thinly sliced
4large scallions, trimmed and cut into ½-inch pieces
Salt and black pepper
3tablespoons doenjang (fermented soybean paste; see Tip), plus more to taste
1teaspoon honey
Pinch of red-pepper flakes
1(15.5-ounce) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1teaspoon soy sauce
½bunch Swiss or rainbow chard, coarsely chopped with stems (4 packed cups)
1large garlic clove, finely grated
Cooked white rice, for serving

Ingredient Substitution Guide

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Preparation

Step 1
Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium and add 2 tablespoons oil, the onion and scallions. Season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly caramelized, about 10 minutes.
Step 2
Reduce the heat to medium-low, add the remaining tablespoon oil and the doenjang, and stir until heated through and fragrant, about 30 seconds. Move the onion mixture to one side of the pot, add the honey and red-pepper flakes to the empty side, and let the honey bubble and caramelize, about 1 minute.
Step 3
Add the beans and stir to coat. Add the soy sauce and 2 cups water, raise the heat to high, and bring to a gentle boil, using the wooden spoon to crush some of the beans against the side of the pot to thicken the broth.
Step 4
Stir in the chard, cover the pot and reduce heat to medium-low, simmering until the greens have cooked down and darkened in color, about 10 minutes.
Step 5
Off the heat, stir in the grated garlic. Taste and add more salt, pepper and doenjang as desired. Serve in large bowls over or alongside rice.

Tip

You can find doenjang, often labeled “soybean paste,” in any Korean or Asian supermarket and online. Funkily pungent and packed with savoriness, doenjang is a magical flavor booster that’s often compared to Japanese miso, but can taste stronger and saltier. Full of fermented sourness, it is deserving of its own spot in the sun (and in your pantry).

Ratings

4 out of 5

1,104 user ratings

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Comments

lauren3 years ago

Used miso instead and it was delicious :)

a short-tailed weasel3 years ago

Yes, you can use miso. It will obviously taste different but, in my experience, you can use doenjang and miso more or less interchangeably, provided you're not going for "authenticity." Use your discretion, but you can drop either miso or doenjang into just about any savoury soup or stew.

Chae the mediocre3 years ago

Will need to make this soon. As Maangchi said, every Korean loves doenjang. Going to be in the low 50s and rainy this weekend! I'm thinking a little kimchi added to the soup or on the side would provide a slightly spicier profile. I will use dried beans. But in cooking them, I add garlic cloves, an onion, seaweed and a two inch thick slice of fresh daikon radish, and then use that broth for the soup.

Lafayetteann3 weeks ago

Used turnip greens, kale, radish greens and some bok choy leaves that had accumulated in the fridge. Made as written plus added a squeeze of fresh lemon at the table because it needed some acid. Healthy and delicious!

Myra4 months ago

Ok- but not real exciting. Made with two cans of beans and about 3 cups of liquid- dashi broth and bean juice. Used napa cabbage as the green

ML Character4 months ago

This was way better than I thought it could be. As it was cooking I was like, oh this is going to be too virtuous and not filling, but actually when completed, it was more hearty and delicious than I expected.

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