Brothy beans are a love language, and these Gochujang Brothy Beans are no exception. These are the perfect mixture of comforting, warm and spicy with a subtle richness that will make any meal. Plus the best part is this recipe is easy and lightning-fast. If you are looking for a quick weeknight meal that is easy to make or a vegetarian soup or entree that is sure to impress, I say that these beans can do it all.
And if you’re feeling adventurous, you can add cured eggs with it! The egg yolks add a richness and a depth of flavor that I can’t explain other than saying – it’s so good. This recipe is one of my absolute favorites, and you can keep scrolling for all my tips and tricks on how to make it your own brothy bean magic.
Table of contents
What is gochujang?
I LOVE gochujang and I hope you feel the same way about it that I do. It is a Korean red pepper paste that is fermented. A true gem. The fermentation gives it a unique flavor that you can’t replicate with other condiments.
My favorite thing about gochujang is it’s simultaneously savory, sweet and spicy. The most common preparation involves gochugaru (Korean red pepper flakes), glutinous rice, meju powder, yeotgireum and salt. The sweetness comes from the starch of rice, which is then cultured with saccharifying enzymes during the fermentation process.
Gochujang is one of my favorite ingredients to cook with, and I feel like it gives these gochujang brothy beans a different level of flavor, all without adding any work.
What is miso?
Miso is a traditional Japanese condiment made of fermented soybeans that are ground into a paste. It’s most commonly known for being the base of miso soup, but miso is used in so many different dishes.
This condiment is salty and packed with umami richness, adding complexity and depth to any dish. Miso paste is so versatile too – I love to mix some into my morning oats, pasta, or even cookie batter for salty/sweet cookies.
Plus, miso paste is great for you! The fermented soybeans contain healthy probiotics and vitamins that can improve digestion and strengthen the immune system. If you find ways to incorporate miso into your cooking on a regular basis, you’ll not only love your food but also feel great.
The ingredients for these Gochujang Brothy Beans
So besides the gochujang and miso, here are the rest of the ingredients you’ll need for this recipe. I’ve found they don’t all intuitively go together, but it’s the contrast that makes everything just work. Here is everything you will need:
- 2 large egg yolks, reserve the whites for another recipe
- 1/4 cup tamari or soy sauce
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/2 white onion, sliced
- 2 sprigs rosemary, stems removed
- 2 sprigs thyme, stems removed
- 1-inch knob of ginger, grated
- 1 tablespoon white miso paste
- 2 tablespoons gochujang, plus an extra tablespoon if you like extra heat!
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 cups vegetable stock
- 1 (15-ounce) can of butter beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
The best way to make this brothy bean recipe
This recipe is fairly simple, and the beauty is that it is done all in one pot. To make these Gochujang Brothy Beans, you want to start by cooking down the onion and the herbs. This will not only give you a toasty, rich base, but it will let the onions become soft and malleable. Be sure to use enough oil in step #1, or else it will come back to haunt you later!
Then you add in the ginger to get just a whiff of aromatics. It might not be a significant amount, but it really helps the recipe!
Then the easiest part is whisking together the miso, gochujang, honey and broth. It creates a gorgeous red color for the brothy beans.
Add this and the beans to the dutch oven and simmer! It’s really such an easy and gorgeous recipe, and everything can be done in about 30 minutes!
FAQ
For this recipe, I recommend gochujang specifically. This is because it has both heat and sweetness, along with a texture similar to tomato paste, making it super easy to melt into the brothy beans. The gochujang also supplies a depth of flavor that pairs perfectly with the miso and herbs. While I love my other chili pastes, I recommend staying with gochujang for this recipe!
The beauty of brothy beans is that they LAST. So you can store this recipe for up to 5-7 days in an air-tight container in the fridge.
Not at all! Any white beans, like navy, cannelloni or chickpeas will work!
Of course, I like adding kale, spinach, or any other greens that can easily wilt into the gochujang brothy beans. Just be warned, if you use a heftier vegetable (like cauliflower, for example) you’ll need to increase the simmering time.
Looking for other bean-based recipes?
You’ve come to the right place – I’m a total bean fanatic. Here are a few other favorites from the blog!
If you make it, please tag me on Pinterest or Instagram so I can see! It’s my favorite thing to scroll through stories and see what you all are making.
And of course feel free to leave any questions, comments or reviews! This is the best place to reach me, and I’d love to hear from you <3
Gochujang Brothy Beans
Ingredients
- 2 large egg yolks reserve the whites for another recipe!
- 1/4 cup tamari or soy sauce
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/2 white onion sliced
- 2 sprigs rosemary stems removed
- 2 sprigs thyme stems removed
- 1 inch knob of ginger grated
- 1 tablespoon white miso paste
- 2 tablespoons gochujang add an extra tablespoon if you like extra heat!
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 cups vegetable stock
- 1 (15-ounce) can of butter beans drained and rinsed
- 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
Optional, for garnish
- Fresh mint, cilantro, or scallions roughly chopped
Instructions
- Begin by adding the egg yolks to the soy sauce. Use a spoon to cover them with a layer of soy sauce. Quickly "cure" these in the fridge while you prepare the rest of the recipe. (*Note: this step is completely optional, feel free to omit if egg yolks aren't your thing!)
- Add the olive oil to a large dutch oven and place on medium heat. Add in the sliced onion and cook for 2 minutes. Add in the rosemary and thyme and continue to cook for another 4-5 minutes until the onion is soft and transluscent.
- Add in the ginger and continue to stir and cook for another minute.
- In a separate cup, whisk together the miso paste, gochujang, honey and vegetable stock until smooth.
- Add the butter beans to the dutch oven and stir. Pour in the gochujang broth.
- Add the rice vinegar and let this come to a gentle simmer for about 6-8 minutes.
- Serve warm with crusty bread and garnish with tender herbs, if desired. If using the egg yolks, remove them from the soy sauce and place them directly in the bowls with the beans. Enjoy!
Justine, this is the best AND easiest recipe I’ve made. I know you juuust posted it but I’ve made it twice already! Going to try mixing and matching ingredients using the same format because it’s that good. Thank you!
I made this for lunch today and really loved it! I had never cured an egg yolk before and it was so good.
This was insanely good! I was a little skeptical at first because the rosemary smell was *strong* and I was worried it would overpower the other flavors but it married sooooo well with the gochujang! I ate the whole thing by myself in one sitting. No regrets.
I’m a big fan of this. Never thought to put all these flavors together and it turned out amazing. It all also came together in 35 mins for me (I’m not the fastest in the kitchen) which was pretty close to the estimated time mentioned. Great weekday dinner recipe!
OMG! I made this soup today and it was fantastic! I overdid the gochujang though haha, I made my own so I thought it would be milder. However, if you eat it lukewarm, it is easier to eat even if its extra hot. Thanks Justine, very yummy! Will go on repeat.
AMAZING!! Love the blends of all these flavors! The only thing I’ll recommend is just a splash of coconut milk to bring out that nuttiness and creaminess 😄
Hi there. Gosh, I am just discovering our recipes and am very excited to try these!!! I am unable to leave comments when I used the Chrome browser. It was driving me bananas and I finally read somewhere that it’s often an issue. So I’m using Safari… oh well. Thanks for the yummy food.
Oh that’s so good to know! I’ll flag that for a web developer and hopefully we can fix it! Thank you for taking the time to find out how to leave a comment, I appreciate it so much 🥲
Excited to try this!
Question about the cured egg! I
For reheating leftovers of this dish what do you recommend? Should I make a separate cured egg yolk each time I want to reheat and let it cure for about 30 min and then add to the serving once it’s reheated? Or is there any way to make multiple cured egg yolks ahead of time?
You can cure a bunch of eggs ahead of time! The beauty is that they can cure in the fridge for up to 72 hours, so just get one when you need one!
LOVED this! Added silken tofu for extra protein it was perfect
This is my new favourite soup to make. I’m totally hooked. All of the flavour – and the cured egg – my goodness. Yummmmm!