No. 006 · Jang

What Is Doenjang? Korean Soybean Paste Types and Storage

된장 · Doenjang

At a Glance

Type: Hansik doenjang or doenjang (Korean food types within jang, fermented pastes and sauces)
Made from: Soybeans (as meju, fermented soybean blocks) and salt; some products add rice, barley or wheat
Taste: Salty and savory, with a strong fermented aroma
Texture: Thick paste
Sister product: Traditional methods that separate the liquid also yield guk-ganjang (Korean soup soy sauce) from the same meju

Coarse yellowish-brown doenjang with visible soybean bits in a wide brown bowl with a wooden spoon, painted illustration — PLATE 1 된장

About This Ingredient

Dried yellow soybeans, a meju block with a straw tie beside it, and coarse salt in one row, painted illustration of doenjang raw materials — PLATE 2 Main raw materials. Not shown: Water, Rice, barley and wheat (used in some products).

Doenjang (Korean soybean paste) is a fermented paste aged with salt, made from soybeans turned into meju (fermented soybean blocks) or from soybeans or grains fermented with starter cultures (microbes used to start fermentation). It is salty and savory with a strong fermented aroma, and it seasons doenjang jjigae (Korean soybean paste stew), doenjang soups, seasoned vegetables and ssamjang (Korean dipping paste for wraps). This entry covers the types, how to read the label, where to buy it and how to store it.

In traditional methods that separate the liquid, meju is soaked and aged in salt water; the liquid is drawn off as guk-ganjang (Korean soup soy sauce), and the remaining solids are aged into doenjang. The other method ferments the ingredients with selected starter cultures, mixes in salt and ages the paste; some products add grain or are heat-treated before packing.

Korea’s Food Code separates hansik doenjang, made from traditional meju with the liquid separated, from doenjang, a type that covers both fermentation with starter cultures and the meju method. A label reading doenjang therefore does not mean no meju was used, and the food type and ingredient list say more than words such as traditional on the front.

History

Jang has a long record. The Samguk sagi, compiled in 1145, lists jang and si (fermented soybeans) among gifts for the wedding of the Silla king Sinmun in 683. That record alone does not show whether this jang was the same food as today's doenjang.

Studies propose different places where soybeans were first grown as crops. A 2010 genetic study proposes a single domestication in southern China, while a 2011 archaeological study suggests several regions across China, Korea and Japan. The origin of soybean pastes is also debated: some scholars look to Manchuria and the Goguryeo region, others examine early Chinese records.

Joseon-era texts record making jang from meju and drawing off the liquid as a separate sauce. The Sanga yorok (about 1450) and the first volume of the Suun japbang, written by Kim Yu around 1540, include such methods, and the Jeungbo sallim gyeongje of 1766 also describes making jang.

Factory products came in the modern era. Gyeonggi Nongsan launched Songhak-brand doenjang in 1970; the Korean Industrial Standard for doenjang dates from 1972, and the traditional food standard from 1993. Today's traditional food standard covers methods both with and without drawing off the soy sauce.

Types

Hansik doenjang: A Korean food type made by fermenting traditional meju in salt water and separating the liquid.
Doenjang (food type): Made by fermenting soybeans or grains with starter cultures and aging them with salt, or by fermenting meju in salt water and separating the liquid; the meju method is included too.
Makjang: A paste made from meju powder and other ingredients without drawing off soy sauce; grains and seasonings vary by region.
Soybean, rice and barley doenjang: Names based on the main ingredient or grain used; adding grain does not make a doenjang non-traditional.

How to Choose

Name: Look for doenjang, 된장, soybean paste or Korean soybean paste. Check for the Korean name 된장, because cheonggukjang (quick-fermented soybean paste) is also sold as fermented soybean paste.
Food type: Korean labels state the food type: 한식된장 (hansik doenjang), 된장 (doenjang) or 혼합장 (mixed paste). The type describes the method, not quality.
Seasoned products: Yangnyeom doenjang (seasoned doenjang) adds seasonings such as garlic, onion or sugar. Plain doenjang lists soybeans and salt near the top.
Ingredients and allergens: Doenjang contains soy. Some products contain wheat, and some contain anchovy extract, so it is not always vegetarian.
Nutrition: Sodium and serving sizes vary by product. Compare sodium per the same weight.
Storage and date: Read the storage instructions and the date together; some products state a limit after opening.

Where to Buy

Korean grocery stores sell it. Ask for doenjang.
Asian grocery stores and online shops also sell it.
For products labeled for room-temperature storage, the sauce and paste shelf is a place to start. Follow the storage note on the package.

Storage

Before opening, follow the storage note on the package. Keep shelf-stable tubs in a cool place away from direct sunlight.
NOTE
Do not use the printed date alone to judge safety after opening. Follow any limit after opening on the package.
After opening, close the lid and keep the tub in the refrigerator.
Doenjang can darken as it ages. Color alone does not show whether it has spoiled.
White crystals of amino acids can form in doenjang. Not every white spot is a crystal, so do not assume an unknown white change is one.
WARNING
Discard the entire contents if mold is present. Do not eat doenjang with an unidentified white film.
Mold can grow at refrigerator temperatures and in salty foods.

Substitutes

Another doenjang product: Saltiness varies by product, so there is no fixed ratio. Start with less and add to taste.
Yangnyeom doenjang (seasoned doenjang): Added seasonings change the flavor, so it does not swap one for one.
Ssamjang (Korean dipping paste for wraps): It contains gochujang (Korean red chili paste) and other seasonings, so the flavor changes; it is not a full substitute.

Similar Ingredients

Gochujang (Korean red chili paste): A red paste with chili, spicy and slightly sweet, so its taste and color differ from doenjang.
Cheonggukjang (quick-fermented soybean paste): Soybeans fermented for a short time with a stronger aroma; Korea's Food Code classifies it as a separate species (food type).
Ssamjang (Korean dipping paste for wraps): Doenjang and gochujang mixed with other seasonings for dipping, so its makeup differs from plain doenjang.

Used In

FAQ

Is the strong smell of doenjang normal?

A fermented aroma is part of doenjang. Smell alone cannot tell you whether it has spoiled, so do not eat it if you see mold or an unidentified white film.

What can I use if I can't find doenjang?

The sources reviewed do not identify a substitute with the same flavor. If you switch to another doenjang, start with less because saltiness varies. Ssamjang contains other seasonings, so the flavor will change.

How long does opened doenjang last?

There is no single limit for every product. Close the lid, keep it in the refrigerator and follow any limit after opening on the package.

What does doenjang taste like?

Salty and savory, with a strong fermented aroma. Flavor and texture vary by product and method.

Is doenjang vegetarian or gluten-free?

Not always: some products contain wheat or anchovy extract. For a gluten-free product, check the gluten-free label; an ingredient list without wheat alone does not confirm it. Doenjang still contains soy, so read the ingredient list and allergen statement.

Sources

Compiled and reviewed by Nuri · Published October 14, 2026