Perfect Pairings & Recipes for
Doenjang

Top flavour pairings and doenjang recipes, revealed through the hidden methmatics of flavour.

Doenjang immediately conjures the evocative embrace of bean and the bracing kiss of glutamate, but beneath its umami surface lies a nuanced symphony of subtle flavour notes: protease, hay, and even hints of porcini. These are the notes that lend it such remarkable, resonant depth. And the true alchemy of the kitchen begins when we seek out partners that allow these individual notes to truly sing, to harmonise in unexpected and delightful ways.

To map these harmonies, we analysed thousands of ingredients, breaking each one down across 150 flavour dimensions, identifying which notes complement and contrast. Our analysis reveals, for example, how courgette's cucumber tones carry doenjang, and how thyme's salvian notes create a surprising synergy with its starchy aroma.

An ingredient's flavour stems from its core characteristics, such as earthy, maillard, or acidic, combined with layers of subtle flavour notes (outer bars). For a balanced dish, pair ingredients with a variety of core flavours, and choose complementary aroma notes for harmony.

The Flavour Code

To understand exactly which flavours harmonise, we compiled a database of over 50,000 ingredient pairings commonly used in cooking. We then analysed these pairings, identifying the specific flavour notes that frequently appear together.

The Flavours That Harmonise With Bean Notes

Our analysis shows that the flavour of bean is strongly associated with the flavour of sage. This suggests we should look for ingredients with a sage-like flavour, such as thyme, when pairing with the beany aroma notes of doenjang.

The recipe below provides inspiration for pairing doenjang with thyme.

Harmonious Flavours Of Doenjang

Just as our analysis highlighted that bean and sage-like flavours are harmonious, we can identify the full profile of flavours that harmonise with each of the flavour notes present in doenjang. E.g. the glutamic notes of doenjang are often used with spinachy and rice-like notes.

The notes linked to the various aroma accents of doenjang can be seen highlighted in the pink bars below.

Matching Flavour Profiles

The flavour profile of courgette offers many of the aromas complementary to doenjang, including cucumber and spinach accents. Because the flavour profile of courgette has many of the of the features that are complementary to doenjang, they are likely to pair very well together.

The chart above shows the unique profile of courgette across 150 dimensions of flavour, while the recipes below offer inspiration for bringing these flavours together with doenjang.

Recipes That Pair Doenjang With Courgette

Linked Flavour Notes

Looking at the notes that are most strongly associated with the various flavours of doenjang, we can identify other ingredients that are likely to pair well.

The left side of the chart above highlights the aroma notes of doenjang, along with the complementary aromas associated with each note. While the right side shows some of the ingredients that share many of the notes complementary to doenjang.

What To Drink With Doenjang

The cucumber notes in cucumber juice make it a perfect pairing with doenjang. Likewise, the rice flavours in genmaicha tea create a match made in heaven. Explore a variety of ingredients below that beautifully complement the unique character of doenjang below.

Which Vegetables Go With Doenjang?

For doenjang, choose vegetables that enrich its grassiness or cut through its savoury richness. Courgette and cos lettuce offer vibrant, clean counterpoints, their verdant freshness lifting the palate. Mung bean sprout add a gentle, oniony brightness, while pea shoots introduces a sophisticated, anise-tinged elegance.

Alternatively, embrace vegetables that harmonise with doenjang's earthiness. The addition of napa cabbage, with its subtle brassica notes, can complement the porcini beautifully, while mooli lends a watery aroma.

How Flavonomics Works

We've pioneered a unique, data-driven approach to decode the intricate art of flavour pairing. Our goal is to move beyond intuition and uncover the science of why certain ingredients harmonise beautifully. This rigorous methodology allows us to provide you with insightful and reliable pairing recommendations.

Our analysis begins with over 50,000 carefully selected recipes from acclaimed chefs like Galton Blackiston, Marcello Tully, and Pierre Lambinon. This premium dataset ensures our model distils genuine culinary excellence and creativity.

Each ingredient from these recipes is deconstructed across 150 distinct flavour dimensions, creating a unique numerical "flavour fingerprint." This quantification allows us to apply advanced analytical methods to identify complex patterns between flavour notes.

We identify popular ingredient combinations that frequently appear in our recipe database. Regression analysis is then performed on these pairings to statistically validate and pinpoint truly harmonious flavours.

These insights drive our predictive model, which allows us to take any ingredient (e.g., Doenjang), analyse its detailed flavour profile, and accurately reveal its complementary flavours and perfect ingredient partners.