Spicy Kimchi White Bean Soup (Printable Version)

Tangy kimchi meets creamy white beans in this spicy, warming bowl perfect for cold weather comfort.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
02 - 1 medium yellow onion, diced
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 medium carrot, peeled and sliced
05 - 1 cup napa cabbage, chopped

→ Kimchi & Spices

06 - 1 1/2 cups kimchi, chopped
07 - 2 tablespoons kimchi juice
08 - 1 tablespoon gochujang
09 - 1 teaspoon gochugaru
10 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

→ Beans & Broth

11 - 2 cans (15 oz each) white beans, drained and rinsed
12 - 4 cups vegetable broth
13 - 1 tablespoon soy sauce
14 - 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

→ Garnishes

15 - 2 scallions, thinly sliced
16 - 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds

# How To Make:

01 - Heat vegetable oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add diced onion and sliced carrot. Cook for 4–5 minutes until vegetables begin to soften.
02 - Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant, being careful not to burn it.
03 - Add chopped kimchi to the pot and cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally to develop flavor.
04 - Mix in gochujang, gochugaru if using, and black pepper. Stir thoroughly to coat all vegetables evenly with the spice mixture.
05 - Add white beans, vegetable broth, kimchi juice, and soy sauce. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer for 20 minutes.
06 - Stir in chopped napa cabbage during the last 10 minutes of simmering time.
07 - Remove from heat and stir in toasted sesame oil. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
08 - Ladle hot soup into bowls. Garnish with thinly sliced scallions and toasted sesame seeds before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The creamy beans perfectly balance the tangy heat of fermented kimchi
  • It comes together in under an hour but tastes like it simmered all day
  • The soup is incredibly forgiving and still tastes amazing if you need to substitute ingredients
02 -
  • Not all kimchi is vegetarian since many brands include fish sauce or shrimp paste, so check labels carefully if that matters to you
  • Reserve some extra kimchi juice when opening the jar since you might want to add more acid at the end
  • The soup tastes even better the next day as the beans absorb more of the spicy broth
03 -
  • Use slightly older kimchi from the back of your refrigerator since it has developed deeper, more complex flavors
  • Let the soup rest for at least 10 minutes off the heat before serving to allow flavors to fully marry

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