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Cheonggukjang

Cheonggukjang is a Korean fermented soybean paste used to make hearty stews and sauces.

Cheonggukjang — illustrative ingredient image

About Cheonggukjang

Cheonggukjang is a Korean fermented soybean paste made from cooked soybeans fermented until the beans become soft and cohesive. It is distinct from smoother, longer-fermented soybean pastes because it commonly retains visible bean pieces.

It contributes savory, earthy, and pungent flavors to hearty stews, soups, dipping mixtures, and sauces. Its texture can be chunky and bean-filled or partly mashed, depending on the preparation.

Cheonggukjang is sold as a fresh or packaged refrigerated paste. Cooking it into a stew or sauce disperses the soybean pieces and changes the consistency, while commercial and fresh forms can differ in texture and intensity.

Ingredient type
paste

Forms & related ingredients

  • Soybeancontains · Cheonggukjang → Soybean
  • Saltcontains · Cheonggukjang → Salt

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Where cheonggukjang appears

1 linked foods

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Soups

Ingredient connections awaiting review · Coverage is still growing, including packaged snacks.

Name examples awaiting language review. Confirm the specific food or product.

Local names for cheonggukjang

Names and romanised forms to recognise on menus and labels.

English

Cheonggukjang

English

Cheonggukjang, Powder

Search alias · Not a confirmed translation

Available names only. Languages may be spoken in other countries; a name alone does not identify every ingredient in a dish.

Cheonggukjang nutrition & diet

Cheonggukjang nutritional value

Reference: Cheonggukjang, Fermented soybean paste

Per 100 g of the edible portion in the named reference form.

Calories
217kcal
Protein
20.8g
Carbs
12.8g
Fat
9.6g

Per 100 g edible portion. Rural Development Administration, Korean Standard Food Composition Database 10.4 (2026). Original reference food and preparation are shown; product recipes and moisture can differ.

Portions & preparation

Match the reference to Korean cheonggukjang fermented soybean paste, distinguishing it from other soybean pastes and from a finished stew. Fermentation stage, salt, texture, and brand recipe may differ. Record the amount of paste used, while assessing broth, vegetables, tofu, meat, seafood, and other additions separately.

Compare the right form: Use a reference for branded or recipe-specific cheonggukjang paste, distinguishing it from doenjang and matching the paste’s fermented, salted form.

Diet considerations

Cheonggukjang is plant-derived soybean paste, but a stew made with it may contain beef, pork, seafood, anchovy stock, dairy, or other animal additions. Recipes can also include wheat or other cereal ingredients, depending on the product. Dietary compatibility therefore depends on brand, broth, accompanying ingredients, and portion.

AI-authored reading notes · Awaiting editorial review. Measured values, where available, have a separate source above.

Dietary compatibility

  • Vegan
    May be compatible
  • Vegetarian
    May be compatible
  • Pescatarian
    May be compatible
  • Keto
    Not established
  • Paleo
    Typically incompatible
  • Low-carb
    Not established
  • Halal
    Not established
  • Kosher
    Not established
What these diet assessments mean
Vegan · May be compatible
The recorded ingredients may fit this pattern. This is not a complete recipe or manufacturing specification; check additions and preparation.
Vegetarian · May be compatible
The recorded ingredients may fit this pattern. This is not a complete recipe or manufacturing specification; check additions and preparation.
Pescatarian · May be compatible
The recorded ingredients may fit this pattern. This is not a complete recipe or manufacturing specification; check additions and preparation.
Keto · Not established
A defined serving and sourced carbohydrate data are needed before assessing this dietary pattern.
Paleo · Typically incompatible
Recorded common ingredients: Soybean. This profile falls outside the conventional paleo pattern used here (grains and pseudograins, legumes, dairy or refined sugar). Recipes and products can differ.
Low-carb · Not established
A defined serving and sourced carbohydrate data are needed before assessing this dietary pattern.
Halal · Not established
Sourcing, processing and any applicable certification have not been verified. A food name alone does not establish halal status.
Kosher · Not established
Sourcing, processing and any applicable certification have not been verified. A food name alone does not establish kosher status.

For the plain ingredient · Awaiting review. Diet compatibility is not allergy suitability or halal/kosher certification. Keto and low-carb depend on the portion.

Reviewed ingredient entryIngredient reference · Preparations vary

AI-generated illustration for visual context. It does not identify a particular product or establish allergen content.

Sources & review

Nutrition reference: Korean Standard Food Composition DB 10.4 — R0320000009a ↗. Values are scaled from 100 g of the recorded edible form. Individual portions have no assumed fixed weight.

Expanded overview, name examples and nutrition notes are database drafts awaiting editorial review. Numeric nutrition values, where shown, have their own source and food-form reference.

The ingredient description and dish connections come from the draft catalogue and may change after review.

Last recorded verification: .