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Gochujang Potato Stew | New York Times

A pot of stew is so cozy and welcoming in the depth of winter. We had gochujang potato stew one night, a New York Times recipe, waiting for me at the end of a road trip. The unexpected flavor of a warm bowl of stew perks me up instantly. You can make a large recipe of the stew. Have it sit on the stove and serve it to whoever shows up for dinner. It’ll warm body and heart.

Assuming that there are aromatics in the pantry to jumpstart building the flavor base, you’re in luck. Have any red or white onions, cloves of garlic, and importantly, a container of gochujang? Gochujang is a spicy, funky, fermented, red-pepper Korean paste that has gained popularity and became a pantry staple in my fridge. Use less if you want the stew to be less spicy, more if you love heat. Using gochujang in a stew is a great idea which elevates a plain stew to be almost company-worthy.

Potatoes and a can of beans (any beans or chickpeas) add heft to the stew. Best of all, the stew comes together quickly and full of flavor — making it hard to beat for a weekday meal. For the greens, I like a combination of spinach and kale, in any amount you so desire.

For the last part: cleanup for a one-pot meal doesn’t get easier than this.

Print Recipe

Gochujang Potato Stew

Ingredients

2 tablespoons unsalted butter or olive oil
1 large red onion, coarsely chopped
Salt and black pepper
5 large garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons gochujang, plus more to taste
3 cups vegetable broth
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon honey or dark brown sugar
1 pound baby gold or fingerling potatoes, large ones halved
1 15-ounce can cannellini or butter beans, rinsed
1 large bunch Tuscan kale, stems and leaves chopped (6 packed cups)
Cooked white rice, for serving
Sour cream and chopped flat-leaf parsley (both optional), for serving

Instructions

Sauté the aromatics: Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high. Melt the butter and add the onion. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion starts to soften, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the garlic and gochujang, and stir until heated through and fragrant, just a few seconds.

Make the stew: Stir in the vegetable broth, soy sauce, honey, potatoes and beans. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil over high, then reduce the heat to medium-low to maintain a gentle boil. Cover and cook for 10 minutes, then add the kale. (It will seem like a lot at first but will wilt down considerably.) Tamping down the kale, continue gently boiling the covered stew, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are tender and the broth is thickened to your liking, 10 to 20 minutes. Taste the broth and add more salt, pepper and gochujang as desired.

Serve: Serve the stew alongside white rice and, for coolness against the heat, top with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkle of parsley, if using.