A comforting soft tofu stew with kimchi, pork belly, egg, mushrooms and aromatics simmered in a spicy and savory broth. This quick and easy sundubu jjigae is ready in 30 minutes and serves best with steamed rice! It's better-than-takeout.
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Sundubu jjigae features soft tofu bubbling in a rich broth with tangy kimchi, juicy pork belly, onions, garlic, soy sauce, fish sauce, gochugaru, sesame oil and sugar. This popular dish originates from Korea!
'Sundubu Jjigae' (or 'soondubu jjigae') means 'extra soft tofu stew' in Korean. This is a super comforting spicy stew served at many Korean restaurants as a main dish.
This Korean food is usually served in earthenware bowls with white rice and Korean side dishes, like kimchi, cucumber salad, or beansprout salad and more! It's so popular that Sundubu Ramen was derived from this dish.
There are different versions of sundubu jjigae, such as the seafood version called 'haemul sundubu jjigae' or versions without kimchi or pork. The spice levels of this dish can also vary so you can adjust to your preference!
After making this countless times, I've perfected my recipe adapting it from my Pork Kimchi Stew. This Korean stew is my favorite thing to eat on a cold day to instantly bring warmth!
If you're not a fan of pork, check out my Tuna Kimchi Jjigae or Vegan Tofu Kimchi Jjigae.
Ingredients & Substitutes
Please scroll down to below recipe card for exact measurements.
- Anchovy Stock: you can use homemade anchovy stock or dissolve 1 round anchovy stock tablet in 1.5 cups hot boiling water. The tablets are sold at Korean grocery stores or online, like on Amazon. Or substitute with dashi stock, instant dashi stock or low-sodium chicken stock.
- Soft Tofu (aka Silken Tofu or Soon Tofu): Most Korean grocery stores or Asian grocers will sell this. Or substitute with medium to firm tofu but the texture won't be as smooth.
- Pork belly: or substitute with pork shoulder for a low-calorie version. Or substitute with sliced chicken thighs.
- Kimchi: it should be napa cabbage kimchi and look for the kind that is well-fermented in larger packages with kimchi juice at the bottom. Well-fermented kimchi contains cabbage that is more red than white and more soft than crisp.
- Enoki mushrooms: or substitute with thinly sliced button mushrooms, king oyster mushrooms, or seafood mushrooms.
- Onion
- Garlic cloves
- Egg: omit if you're allergic to egg.
- Green onion: or substitute with green chili peppers for garnish and color.
- Kimchi juice: from the kimchi jar or package. Omit if you prefer a milder version.
- Regular soy sauce: or substitute with low sodium soy sauce or light soy sauce. If you’re gluten-free, substitute with tamari sauce, coconut aminos or a gluten-free soy sauce of your choice.
- Fish sauce: a common sauce ingredient made of fish oils and salt offering an umami flavor! If you're gluten free, use a gluten-free fish sauce. If you're allergic to fish sauce, omit it.
- Sesame oil: for that nutty flavor. If you're allergic to sesame, omit it.
- White Granulated Sugar
- Gochugaru: these are Korean red chili flakes that offer spice. Omit if you prefer a milder tofu stew.
Cooked short grain rice: to serve with the stew
Note: Your Asian grocery store will carry most of the Asian specific ingredients.
Expert Tips
- Make sure to use fresh tofu by checking the expiry date!
- Prepare ingredients in advance as the cooking process is quick.
- Slice pork into ½-cm thick pieces so the exposed surface area creates a more flavourful broth.
- Use well-fermented or older kimchi because it offers more tangy flavor.
- Get kimchi in the larger packages as they contain more kimchi juice.
- Cut kimchi with clean scissors in a small bowl to avoid staining the cutting board red.
- Simmer the stew for 20 minutes and no less as the broth needs to reduce to be flavourful.
- Crack the end at the egg on top of the tofu so it can stay afloat for presentation.
Instructions
Below are step-by-step instructions on how to make sundubu jjigae:
- First heat a small pot or Korean earthenware clay pot on medium heat. Once hot, add sliced pork belly and fry for 2 minutes until cooked through and some of the fat renders out. Then sauté garlic, onions with the pork.
- Next add regular soy sauce, fish sauce, sesame oil, sugar, and gochugaru. Mix together and cook until onions become translucent, a couple minutes. Then add kimchi and cook until kimchi juices release, about 1-2 minutes.
- Next mix in stock and kimchi juice. Cover and bring to a boil on medium-high heat. Once it reaches a boil, reduce to medium heat and simmer for 20 minutes, uncovered. Stir occasionally.
- Add in soft tofu into the center of the pot. Break it up with a spoon into big chunks.
- Then add in enoki mushrooms in two bunches beside the tofu. Let this simmer for 1 minute.
- Crack a raw egg into the centre of the stew on top of the tofu and let the egg cook until your desired preference. Remove off heat. Use oven mitts if you're using a earthenware pot. Lastly garnish with green onions and enjoy with a side of rice!
Storage
- Leftovers will last up to 4 days stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. To reheat: microwave for 2-3 minutes until hot or reheat in a pot on medium heat.
- Freezer friendly? I don't recommend freezing sundubu jjigae since the freezer will extract the moisture from the tofu and dilute the broth.
Pairing Suggestions
Sundubu jjigae serves well with rice and other Korean side dishes:
FAQ
Sundubu jjigae can be made in advance and stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. To enjoy, reheat it in the microwave or in a pan on the stovetop on medium heat.
You can easily make this mild by reducing or omitting the kimchi juice and gochugaru.
Other recipes you may enjoy
📖 Recipe
Quick & Easy Sundubu Jjigae (Korean Soft Tofu Stew)
Ingredients
- 1.5 cup anchovy stock or low-sodium chicken stock or dashi stock
- 11 oz silken tofu aka soft tofu
- ½ cup pork belly strips sliced into 1 cm wide pieces
- ½ cup kimchi
- ½ cup enoki mushrooms ends trimmed, washed and strained
- ¼ cup onion finely diced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoon kimchi juice omit if you prefer less spicy
- 2 teaspoon regular soy sauce
- 2 teaspoon fish sauce
- 2 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon white granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon gochugaru omit if you prefer less spicy
- 1 green onion finely chopped for garnishing
Serve with:
- 1.5 cups cooked short grain rice
Instructions
- First heat a small pot or Korean earthenware clay pot on medium heat. Once hot, add sliced pork belly and fry for 2 minutes until cooked through and some of the fat renders out. Then sauté garlic, onions with the pork.
- Next add regular soy sauce, fish sauce, sesame oil, sugar, and gochugaru. Mix together and cook until onions become translucent, a couple minutes. Then add kimchi and cook until kimchi juices release, about 1-2 minutes.
- Next mix in stock and kimchi juice. Cover and bring to a boil on medium-high heat. Once it reaches a boil, reduce to medium heat and simmer for 20 minutes, uncovered. Stir occasionally.
- Add in soft tofu into the center of the pot. Break it up with a spoon into big chunks.
- Then add in enoki mushrooms in two bunches beside the tofu. Let this simmer for 1 minute.
- Crack a raw egg into the centre of the stew on top of the tofu and let the egg cook until your desired preference. Remove off heat. Use oven mitts if you're using a earthenware pot. Lastly garnish with green onions and enjoy with a side of rice!
Sam
This was so easy to make and delicious! Husband and son said too much enoki but the rest was good. (I love enoki, so it was perfect) Thank you for sharing this recipe 🙂
Christie Lai
Thanks so much for making it, Sam! So glad you enjoyed it with the enoki!
Denise
Very simple and easy, thank you for the recipe!
Christie Lai
Thank you so much for making my recipe and for the positive review, Denise! I'm so happy it was simple and easy!