Gochujang stew is spicy, savory, and super comforting— the perfect soup when you’re craving something spicy and warm. This gochujang stew is made with extra soft tofu, zucchini, onion, and bean sprouts. It’s so simple but definitely does not lack in flavor!
What is Gochujang?
Gochujang is a spicy fermented paste made with red chili peppers. This is commonly used in Korean cuisine for soups, stews, and sauces.

What you’ll need for Gochujang Stew:
- Sesame oil: adds a nice nutty flavor to the stew.
- Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes): is added for spiciness, but feel free to adjust depending on how spicy you’d like.
- Gochujang: Korean chili pepper paste adds so much flavor and umami to the broth.
- Zucchini
- Onion
- Green onion
- Fish sauce: this is another ingredient that adds umami flavor to the stew.
- Bean sprouts
- Water
- Soup soy sauce: this type of soy sauce is a little different than regular soy sauce. Soup soy sauce is lighter in color and saltier in taste, so you can use less of it without turning your soup too dark in color. This can be found in most Korean grocery stores, but if you can’t find it— use ½ tablespoon of regular soy sauce and season with ½ of salt.
How to make Gochujang Stew:
This stew is really simple and is a one-pot type of recipe, which is another reason why I love making this when I’m feeling lazy for dinner!
- In a medium-sized stone pot or dutch oven, cook the gochugaru (Korean chili pepper flakes) in some sesame oil until fragrant.
- Next, add your water, gochujang (Korean red pepper paste), zucchini, onion, sprouts, fish sauce, and soup soy sauce.
- Bring the stew to a simmer and add your extra soft tofu and green onions.
- Enjoy with hot, fresh rice 🙂

Watch how to make Gochujang Stew

Ingredients
- 1½ tablespoon sesame oil
- 3 cups water
- 1 tablespoon gochugaru (Korean chili pepper flakes)
- 2 tablespoons gochujang (Korean red pepper paste)
- 1 cup zucchini, medium dice
- 1 cup yellow onion, medium dice
- ½ cup green onion, chopped
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 cup bean sprouts
- 1½ tablespoon soup soy sauce (see notes for alternatives)
- 1 package of extra soft tofu, sliced
Instructions
- In a medium-sized stone pot or dutch oven, cook the gochugaru in sesame oil on medium heat for about a minute or until fragrant. This creates a chili oil and adds so much depth to the stew.
- To the pot, add the water, gochujang, diced zucchini, diced onion, bean sprouts, fish sauce, soup soy sauce, and bring it to a simmer.
- Once the stew is at a simmer, add your sliced soft tofu and top with chopped green onion.
- Serve while hot with a bowl of fresh rice 🙂 Hope you enjoy it!
Notes
*Soup soy sauce alternative: Use ½ tablespoon of regular soy sauce and ½ teaspoon of salt to season.
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