Vegan Gochujang Potato Stew | 비건 고추장 감자찌개 | Veganer Gochujang-Kartoffeleintopf

A warm, spicy Korean-style stew made without meat, perfect for rainy days.

 

It’s raining softly across Europe these days.
On days like this, I find myself thinking of Korea and craving a comforting bowl of hot stew.
Today, I’d like to share a hearty vegan gochujang potato stew with simple ingredients, deep flavor, and no meat required.

---

🛒 Ingredients (Serves 2)

• 1 medium potato
• ½ large onion (or 1 small one)
• ½ zucchini (Korean or regular)
• 1 tbsp minced garlic
• 2 tbsp gochujang (Korean red chili paste)
• 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
• 1.5 tbsp vegan fish sauce (mushroom-based or similar)
• 1 tbsp Korean chili flakes (gochugaru)
• 700 ml of water
• 1 tbsp cooking oil
• (optional) a pinch of black pepper

---

🥬 Vegetable Prep

• Cut the potato into 6 large chunks.
• Dice the onion into roughly thumbnail-sized cubes.
• Cut the zucchini into similar-sized pieces.
• Mince or crush the garlic.

---

🍲 Cooking Instructions

1. Add cooking oil to a pot or Korean earthenware pot (ttukbaegi).
2. Before the pot gets too hot, add the potatoes, onions, and zucchini.
   (If the pot is too hot, the starch from the potatoes may cause sticking.)
3. Add 2 tbsp of gochujang and lightly sauté the vegetables together.
   Stir gently over medium-low heat so the gochujang doesn’t burn.
4. Pour in 700 ml of water and add soy sauce, vegan fish sauce, garlic, and chili flakes.
5. Bring to a boil over medium heat and let it simmer until the potatoes are fully cooked and tender.
6. Once the potatoes are soft enough to mash with a spoon, turn off the heat.
7. Add a pinch of black pepper if you want to add more layer of spiciness to your soup.

 

---

💡 Tips

• Make sure the potatoes are thoroughly cooked – they should mash easily with a spoon.
• If the stew reduces too much while simmering, feel free to add more water and adjust the seasoning.
• If it’s too spicy, add more water and balance the flavor with a little extra vegan fish sauce.
• Enjoy it hot with freshly steamed rice – perfect for chilly weather. 

---

🌱 About Vegan Fish Sauce

The vegan fish sauce used here is a mushroom-based soy sauce alternative.
You can either make it yourself or purchase a store-bought version.
Compared to regular fish sauce, it’s milder and less salty, with a gentle umami flavor.

In recipes that typically use traditional fish sauce, you may need to use 1.5 to 2 times more vegan fish sauce to achieve a similar depth of flavor.

 

I’ve even successfully made vegan kimchi with this mushroom sauce!

In the future, I’d love to share a recipe for a vegan fresh napa cabbage kimchi ("geotjeori") as well.
Even without meat or fish sauce, you can still enjoy the rich, authentic flavors of Korean cuisine on a vegetarian or vegan diet.

Guten Appetit