Soondubu Jjigae
intro
Spicy, umami-rich Korean soft tofu stew with silky curds, savory broth, and a runny egg, served bubbling hot for cozy, fast, satisfying meals.
Ingredients
Steps
Prep stew components
Pat 150g thinly sliced pork belly dry with paper towels, chop 100g kimchi into 2cm pieces, slice 100g shiitake mushrooms, mince 20g garlic, grate 5g ginger, slice 30g scallions, and carefully open 600g silken tofu tubes without breaking the soft curd; set all items within arm’s reach for fast cooking. Heat your 3L earthenware ttukbaegi or heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat (160C/320F) as you finish prepping.
Sear pork and aromatics
Keep heat at medium (160C/320F), add 2 tablespoons (30ml) sesame oil to the preheated pot, then toss in the pork belly strips. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the edges turn golden and fat renders out. Add minced garlic, grated ginger, and 1 tablespoon (6g) of gochugaru, stirring constantly for 30 seconds until fragrant, taking care not to burn the chili flakes which will turn bitter.
Simmer kimchi mixture
Add chopped kimchi and sliced shiitake mushrooms to the pot, stirring to coat in the spicy oil and pork fat. Cook for 4 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the kimchi softens and turns a deeper translucent red, and mushrooms release their moisture. Stir in 1 tablespoon (15ml) soy sauce to evenly season the base.
Simmer stew broth
Pour 4 cups (960ml) of anchovy-kelp dashi broth into the pot, stir to combine with the kimchi and pork base. Turn heat up to medium-high (190C/375F) to bring the broth to a rolling boil, then reduce heat to medium-low (130C/265F), cover, and simmer for 8 minutes to let the flavors meld. Skim any small amounts of foam that rise to the surface with a spoon if needed.
Gently add tofu
Turn heat back up to medium (160C/320F). Carefully scoop large, spoonful chunks of the silken tofu into the simmering stew, taking care not to break the curds into too-small pieces; do not stir aggressively, as this will turn the tofu mushy. Scatter the remaining 2 tablespoons (12g) of gochugaru over the top of the stew for extra bright red color and heat, then let it cook for 4 minutes, allowing the tofu to heat through and absorb some broth flavor.
Finish with egg and serve
Crack the 2 whole eggs directly into the bubbling stew, spaced evenly apart, then scatter the sliced scallions over the top. Turn off the heat, cover the pot, and let it rest for 2 minutes: the residual heat will cook the egg whites to just set, leaving the yolks runny. Carry the hot pot directly to the table (use a thick pot holder to avoid burns!) and serve immediately with steamed white rice.
Tips
2.If you do not have a traditional Korean earthenware ttukbaegi, use a heavy-bottomed stainless steel or ceramic pot; thin lightweight pans will burn the chili flakes easily, and avoid aggressive stirring after adding tofu to keep the curds soft and intact.
3.Customize the stew to your dietary preferences: swap pork belly for peeled shrimp and littleneck clams for a seafood version, use vegetable broth and omit meat/eggs for a vegan take, and adjust the amount of gochugaru to make the stew milder or extra spicy.
OMG this soondubu was SO good!!! I’ve been intimidated to make Korean stews at home for years because I thought they needed a million specialty ingredients, but this was so easy and came together in 30 minutes flat. I added a handful of clams like my mom used to, and my whole family went back for seconds at our Sunday dinner. Total game changer, will be adding this to my weekly meal prep rotation for sure!
Made this for a potluck at my kid’s school last week and people were begging for the recipe! I used a little extra gochugaru because we love heat, and I pre-chopped all the veggies the night before to make assembly faster on potluck day. The soft tofu gets so silky, I can’t believe how much better this tastes than the takeout version I usually order. 10/10!
Super straightforward recipe, came out great on my first try. I didn’t have any pork belly on hand so I used diced bacon, and it still had that rich, savory depth I was craving. Next time I’m going to crack an egg in at the end like the restaurant near my apartment does. Would absolutely make again.
Wait why did I wait so long to make this??? My kids are super picky and they both ate two full bowls, even asked for it for lunch the next day. I kept it mild for them by cutting the gochugaru in half, and served it with a side of steamed rice and little kimchi on the side for me and my husband. Perfect cozy weeknight meal.
Absolute lifesaver for my college meal prep! It’s cheap to make, the ingredients last forever in my fridge, and it reheats like a dream (just be gentle with the tofu so it doesn’t break apart too much). I make a big batch on Sundays and portion it out for lunches all week, way better than eating dining hall food every day. Only note: don’t skip the sesame oil at the end, it makes the whole kitchen smell incredible.
Made a vegetarian version of this by swapping the beef broth for veggie broth and omitting the pork, added some sliced shiitake mushrooms for extra umami. It was so cozy on our rainy Seattle night last week, I’ve already passed the recipe to three of my friends who are also vegetarian. Easy enough for a weeknight, fancy enough to serve to guests too.
Made this for my girlfriend for our at-home date night last weekend, and she said it was better than the soondubu we get at our favorite K-BBQ spot downtown. I followed the recipe exactly except I added a little extra zucchini because we both love veggies. It looked so impressive but took barely any time to make, so I didn’t spend the whole night stuck in the kitchen instead of hanging out. Win win!
Okay so I’ve literally never cooked any Korean food before in my life and I was so nervous I’d mess this up, but it was SO EASY. The broth is so flavorful, the tofu is so soft, I even added an egg like the recipe suggested and it came out perfectly runny in the middle. The only mistake I made was stirring too hard at first and breaking up some of the tofu, but it still tasted amazing. 100% making this again.