Warm and Savory Napa Cabbage Soybean Paste Soup
5-Minute Meal Prep: Super Simple Napa Cabbage Soybean Paste Soup Recipe for Everyone!
Winter brings to mind sweet winter napa cabbage and comforting soybean paste soup. Today, I’ve made a Napa Cabbage Soybean Paste Soup, reminiscing of my mother’s cooking. This recipe is easy and perfect for anyone to follow.
Main Ingredients
- 1/2 head of young napa cabbage (washed clean and cut into bite-sized pieces)
- A small amount of green onion (finely chopped)
Seasoning & Broth
- 7 cups of water (using a standard paper cup, approx. 1200ml)
- 1.5 tsp Doenjang (Korean soybean paste)
- 1/2 tsp minced garlic
- 1 tsp Guk-ganjang (Korean soup soy sauce)
- 1/2 tsp Dashida (or MSG, optional, for enhanced umami)
- 2/3 tsp gochugaru (Korean red pepper flakes, adjust to taste)
- A pinch of black pepper
- 7 cups of water (using a standard paper cup, approx. 1200ml)
- 1.5 tsp Doenjang (Korean soybean paste)
- 1/2 tsp minced garlic
- 1 tsp Guk-ganjang (Korean soup soy sauce)
- 1/2 tsp Dashida (or MSG, optional, for enhanced umami)
- 2/3 tsp gochugaru (Korean red pepper flakes, adjust to taste)
- A pinch of black pepper
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, remove the outer leaves of the young napa cabbage, wash it thoroughly, and then cut it into bite-sized pieces. Finely chop the green onion. Preparing the ingredients like this will make the cooking process much smoother.
Step 2
Pour 7 cups of water (approximately 1200ml, measured with a standard paper cup) into a pot. Add 1.5 teaspoons of doenjang and stir well to dissolve it completely without clumps. It’s important to dissolve the doenjang thoroughly from the beginning.
Step 3
Once the water with dissolved doenjang starts to boil, add all the prepared napa cabbage. Increase the heat to high and boil until the cabbage wilts slightly and the soup comes to a rolling boil. This step helps to bring out the natural sweetness of the cabbage.
Step 4
After the cabbage has cooked a bit, reduce the heat to low. Now, add the minced garlic (1/2 tsp), Dashida (or other umami enhancer, 1/2 tsp), gochugaru (2/3 tsp), and Guk-ganjang (1 tsp) in order. You can adjust the amount of Guk-ganjang based on your taste preference.
Step 5
Finally, add a pinch of black pepper and let it simmer for a short while longer to allow the flavors to meld together. Avoid overcooking; a brief simmer is key to preserving the fresh taste of the ingredients! Your warm and savory Napa Cabbage Soybean Paste Soup, just like the one your mother used to make, is now ready. It’s the perfect dish to enjoy with a bowl of rice!
