Doenjang vs. Miso: What’s the Difference?

Doenjang is a bean paste made by fermenting soybeans in a sea salt brine. It has a chunky consistency and a sharp, salty, umami flavor. Doenjang is a staple in traditional Korean cuisine and has a multitude of uses and applications in Korean dishes, both as a component in dipping sauces and condiments and as a base for soups and stews. Some of its most well-known uses in Korean food are:

• Ssamjang: Ssamjang is a condiment used largely in Korean barbecue made by combining doenjang and gochujang (a red chili paste made from the same chili peppers used to make gochugaru, or chili flakes), which is then smeared inside a lettuce wrap with bulgogi (marinated, thin-sliced beef).
• Yangnyeom doenjang: Yangnyeom doenjang is a flavoring agent used in soups and stews. It’s made by combining doenjang with dried anchovies and other aromatics.
• Doenjang jjigae: This popular Korean stew has doenjang as its base and includes tofu as well as potato, zucchini, green onion, and other veggies.

Miso is a salty, umami-rich fermented soybean paste that’s made by adding a koji starter to rice or barley and combining the grains with salt and soybeans. It’s an essential component of Japanese cuisine and is used in dressings, marinades, and even as the base of soups in the case of miso soup and some ramen broths. Soy sauce, another famous Japanese condiment, is a byproduct of miso paste production.

There are many kinds of miso. Generally speaking, the longer miso has been left to marinate, the darker it gets and the stronger the funky, salty flavor becomes. Red miso, for example, is saltier and has a more powerful flavor than white miso.

Korean doenjang and Japanese miso are both fermented foods with an umami flavor and a shared main ingredient: fermented soybeans. They’re also both gluten-free. But they differ from each other in several important ways:

• Country of origin: Doenjang and miso are both East Asian, but doenjang is from Korea and miso is from Japan.
• Ingredients: With the notable exception of mame miso, miso is made with a combination of a koji starter, grains, soybeans, and salt. Traditional doenjang is made only with soybeans and salt, though some grocery store doenjang may contain other additives.
• Texture: Miso tends to have a smooth consistency, whereas doenjang is usually chunkier.
• Process: Unlike miso, doenjang is exposed to air during its fermentation process. Also, doenjang requires at least six weeks of fermentation, while certain kinds of miso are ready to eat after only one week.

Doenjang and miso share some characteristics and can therefore be used in place of one another in a pinch, with some important caveats. Doenjang has a much saltier, funkier flavor than miso so should be used in smaller quantities when substituting it for miso.

By the same token, miso has a gentler, smoother quality that makes it a better choice for a dish like traditional miso soup. In instances where that subtle flavor is less essential, doenjang can be swapped in.

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