| Articles All Categories

Is MasterClass
Community AndrightGovernment
for me? Wellness
Take this quiz to find out.

FOOD

Doenjang vs. Miso:

What’s the Difference?
Written by MasterClass
Last updated: Oct 28, 2021 • 2 min read

Doenjang and miso are two different

ingredients that both add a salty, umami kick to
East Asian foods. Learning how to best use
these different kinds of fermented soybean
pastes is an important step in mastering
Japanese or Korean cooking.

Learn From the Best

ellness Food Design & Style Arts & Entertainment

Teaches Cooking I Teaches Cooking Teach

Techniques I: Vegetable…
Pasta, and Eggs

Sign Up

SAVE SHARE

Jump To Section
What Is Doenjang?

What Is Miso?

Doenjang vs. Miso: What’s the Difference?

Can Doenjang and Miso Be Used Interchangeably?

Want to Learn More About Cooking?

Niki Nakayama Teaches Modern Japanese Cooking

What Is Doenjang?

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.

Meet One of Your New Instructors

Sign Up

What Is Miso?

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.

Doenjang vs. Miso: What’s the

Difference?

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.

Can Doenjang and Miso Be Used

Interchangeably?

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.

Want to Learn More About Cooking?

Become a better chef with the MasterClass

Annual Membership. Gain access to exclusive
video lessons taught by the world’s best,
including Niki Nakayama, Gabriela Cámara,
Chef Thomas Keller, Yotam Ottolenghi,
Dominique Ansel, Gordon Ramsay, Alice
Waters, and more.

Try some of our classes

Enter your email and we’ll send you some

samples of our favorite classes.

Email

Enter Email Address

I agree to receive email updates

Submit

FEATURED MASTERCLASS INSTRUCTOR

NIKI NAKAYAMA

Niki Nakayama of two-Michelin-starred n/naka

teaches you how to honor fresh ingredients with her
innovative take on Japanese home cooking
techniques.

Explore The Class

LEVEL UP YOUR TEAM

See why leading organizations rely on
MasterClass for learning & development.

Contact Sales

Learn More

Wine 101: What Is Barrel Aging?

Understanding The Barrel Aging
Process In Winemaking And The
Difference Between Steel And
Oak Barrels
Sep 2, 2022

Almond Meal Vs. Almond Flour:

What’s The Difference?
Sep 7, 2021

What Is DOC And DOCG Wine?

Differences Between DOC,
DOCG, IGT, And VdT On Italian
Wine Labels
Aug 10, 2021

How To Cut Shiitake Mushrooms

Mar 25, 2022

How To Sharpen A Serrated

Knife: Method And Tips
Jan 4, 2022

What’s Honeycomb? How To Eat

Honeycomb
Oct 21, 2021

OTHER ARTICLES

Types of Asparagus: 6 Popular Asparagus

Varieties
Aug 10, 2021

How to Hang Curtains Without Drilling: 3 Easy

Methods
May 5, 2022

Social Criticism: Types of Social Criticism

Dec 13, 2022

Learn About Gross National Product: Definition

and Formula for Calculating GNP
Oct 12, 2022

Claude Debussy: A Guide to Claude Debussy’s

Life and Music
Jun 25, 2021

How to Play Basketball: Explore the Basics of

Basketball
Jun 7, 2021

Explore About

MasterClass Live Diversity, Equity, and

Inclusion
Articles
Careers
Sitemap
Newsroom
Gifts
Security

Privacy

Terms

Social Impact

MasterClass at Work

Support

Learn from the best.

Get Unlimited Access to 180+ Classes

Plans start at C$13/month, billed annually.

Sign Up
© 2023 MasterClass

Secured with SSL

Articles Videos Instructors