Easy Kimchi Stew Recipe (Jjigae) With Pork and Tofu (2024)

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Bring the wave of Korean dramas right into your kitchen with this easy recipe for kimchi stew with pork and tofu! This popular Korean dish, kimchi jjigae is deliciously rich and flavorful! A bowl of salty, sour, sweet, and spicy stew in one!

Easy Kimchi Stew Recipe (Jjigae) With Pork and Tofu (1)

I've been cooking this dish for a while but have not quite gotten the right balance of saltiness and spiciness until recently. I always skip adding the kimchi brine that was why my kimchi stew before was just meh and bland.

My love for kimchi started during our trip to South Korea in 2017. When you eat at any diner in Korea, there's always kimchi and lots of sides in every dish! Authentic kimchi is not just spicy and salty but amazingly has a tinge of sweetness. The cabbage tastes fresh and crunchy too.

Make sure to try my homemade kimchi recipe.

I'm glad that here in the US, Asian store is abundant. I usually buy kimchi in bulk. A 10-pound jar costs $20. I use it all the time, especially when I cook this stew or as a side to any fried food I eat. This stew is a household favorite I have in rotation twice a month.

How To Make Kimchi Stew with Pork and Tofu?

Easy Kimchi Stew Recipe (Jjigae) With Pork and Tofu (2)

Cooking kimchi stew is easy and simple using store-bought broth like chicken, beef, or vegetables. In Korea, they usually make their stock from scratch using anchovy.

But I'm using chicken broth for this recipe because that's what I have on hand. You can also use beef or vegetable stock.

To make kimchi stew, you will need sesame oil, garlic, onions, pork belly, kimchi, its brine, broth, gochujang (Korean red pepper paste), salt, sugar, firm tofu, and scallions.

Except for kimchi, I never really liked spicy food so this version is a bit mild on the spiciness. If you like hot and spicy kimchi stew, add more red pepper paste and chili flakes.

You will need a pot to cook this stew. In Korean dramas, they usually serve this in a stone bowl called dolsot.

In medium-high heat, start heating a tablespoon of vegetable oil. Saute 2 teaspoons of minced garlic, medium-size sliced onions, and half a pound of pork belly for 5 minutes or until the pork is n longer red.

Add 2 cups of chopped kimchi along with 1/4 cup of kimchi brine. Simmer for 2 minutes. Pour in 2 cups of broth and add 2 teaspoons of gochujang and 2 teaspoons of sugar. Season with salt and simmer for 10 minutes. Topped with sliced firm tofu and sprinkle with scallions. Add a splash of sesame oil, cover the pot, and simmer for 2 minutes.

Kimchi stew with pork and tofu is best served with rice and fried salted mackerel.

Easy Kimchi Stew Recipe (Jjigae) With Pork and Tofu (3)

What to do with leftover kimchi stew? What I always do with the leftover stew is turn it into ramen or udon. I either add ramen or udon noodles to the soup and stir in an egg.

Easy Kimchi Stew Recipe (Jjigae) With Pork and Tofu (4)

Kimchi Stew Recipe with Pork and Tofu

Delicrunch.co

Bring the wave of Korean dramas right into your kitchen with this easy recipe for kimchi stew with pork and tofu! This popular Korean dish, also known as kimchi jjigae is deliciously rich and flavorful! A bowl of salty, sour, sweet, and spicy stew in one!

5 from 3 votes

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Course Main Course, Soup

Cuisine Asian, Korean

Servings 4

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • 1 onion medium-size, sliced
  • 2 teaspoons garlic minced
  • 1/2 pound pork belly thinly sliced
  • 2 cups kimchi chopped
  • 1/4 cup kimchi brine it usually comes with the kimchi
  • 2 cups broth chicken, beef or vegetable
  • 2 teaspoons gochujang (korean red pepper paste)
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • salt to season
  • 12 oz firm tofu sliced
  • 1 stem scallions sliced
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil

Instructions

  • In a pot, heat oil in medium-high heat and saute the onions, garlic and the pork belly for 5 minutes or until the pork is not red anymore.

  • Add chopped kimchi along with its brine. Simmer for 2 minutes. Pour in broth and add in gochujang, and sugar. Season with salt and simmer for 10 minutes.

  • Topped with sliced firm tofu and sprinkle with scallions. Add a splash of sesame oil, cover the pot and simmer for 2 minutes.

  • Serve with rice.

Notes

For more spiciness, add another teaspoon of gochujang and 1 teaspoon chili flakes.

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Comments

    Leave a Comment

  1. LucyA says

    Easy Kimchi Stew Recipe (Jjigae) With Pork and Tofu (9)
    First time making Jjigae... it turned out great and the family loved it!
    I only tried it because of this easy to follow recipe 🙂

    Reply

  2. Sam R says

    Easy Kimchi Stew Recipe (Jjigae) With Pork and Tofu (10)
    This was so tasty and completely satisfied my pork belly and kimchi craving!
    I was wondering if the nutrition info could be provided? specifically the micronutrients. thank you!!

    Reply

  3. Andi says

    Easy Kimchi Stew Recipe (Jjigae) With Pork and Tofu (11)
    So delicious! I subbed out for pork tenderloin slices, agave syrup and toss in some vermicelli noodles while cooking instead of serving over rice. My new favourite Fall dish!

    Reply

Easy Kimchi Stew Recipe (Jjigae) With Pork and Tofu (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between kimchi jjigae and tofu stew? ›

Kimchi jjigae is a kimchi-based stew served with blocks of firm tofu, and, usually, small pieces of pork, whether pork belly or pork shoulder. On the other hand, soondubu jjigae, or sundubu jjigae, is a soft tofu stew, made by simmering silken tofu, assorted vegetables, and chopped kimchi in a spicy broth.

Is kimchi jjigae good for diet? ›

Kimchi has an excellent nutritional profile. The dish is low in calories but packed with nutrients like iron, folate, and vitamins B6 and K.

What goes well with kimchi jjigae? ›

If you make a really good kimchi stew, the only thing you'll need is freshly steamed rice. Hands down. But you can also eat this with other side dishes like beansprout salad, scallion kimchi, sweet potatoes, stir-fried fishcake, or crabcakes.

Is it okay to eat kimchi jjigae everyday? ›

Kimchi can be found in almost every Korean household. It is possible to buy kimchi jars in most supermarkets and online sites. Kimchi offers multiple health benefits and maintains the overall health of the body. It is often recommended to include kimchi in your daily diet.

What is the difference between soon doo boo jjigae and kimchi jjigae? ›

Kimchi stew (kimchi jjigae) usually has more kimchi and more acidic broth, while the main ingredients in kimchi tofu soup (kimchi soondubu) is the soft tofu.. and some kimchi added to enhance the broth flavor.

Does kimchi burn belly fat? ›

That saucy cabbage we know as kimchi may help you in your weight loss journey with a new study in BMJ Open suggesting that three servings of it in a day is linked to a lower rate of obesity, particularly abdominal or belly fat.

Is kimchi good for losing belly fat? ›

Eating more radish kimchi (kkakdugi) was associated with less abdominal obesity in both men and women. However, people who ate five or more serves of any type of kimchi weighed more, had a larger waist sizes and were more likely to be obese.

Can you eat too much kimchi? ›

Adding kimchi to your diet allows you to enjoy its possible health benefits. But eating too much may carry risks, mainly due to its high salt content and potential impacts on thyroid conditions. Always consult a healthcare provider before making major diet changes.

What does jjigae mean in Korean? ›

Jjigae (Korean: 찌개, Korean pronunciation: [tɕ͈iɡɛ]) are Korean stews.

Is kimchi soup good for stomach? ›

Along with fiber, vitamins, and minerals, kimchi contains natural probiotic bacteria. If you eat them regularly, the probiotics in fermented foods can be beneficial to your gut microbiome. Studies suggest that eating kimchi on a daily basis could help to improve some digestive problems.

What do Asians eat kimchi with? ›

As the national dish of South Korea, kimchi is a staple in kitchens around the world. This fermented cabbage dish can be served as a side dish, over a bed of rice, folded into scrambled eggs, whirred into tomato sauce, or even just eaten as is.

What is the difference between kimchi soup and kimchi stew? ›

Kimchi stew is thicker than kimchi soup. Kimchi soup is less salty than kimchi stew. Also, soup is always served in individual bowls, with rice. Traditionally in Korean cuisine stews were served in a big pot on the table, and the family would eat communally from the pot.

What is the difference between kimchi and kimchi jjigae? ›

As a result, kimchi-jjigae is often cooked using older, more fermented, and "riper" kimchi, which has a much more pronounced flavor and contains higher amounts of probiotics. (Living bacteria in fresh, uncooked kimchi will not survive the cooking process.)

Is kimchi soup the same as kimchi jjigae? ›

Kimchi soup, called jjigae, is a satisfying example. The fermented kimchi vegetables quickly provide deep flavor to the broth, so the soup can be produced in little more than half an hour.

What is the difference between Korean soup and stew? ›

Some of you may wonder about the difference between Korean soups (guk) and stews (jjigae). In general, guk has a higher ratio of liquid to solid ingredients, resulting in a thinner consistency. Jjigae is thicker and has more concentrated flavors.

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