Kimchi Jjigae Recipe: How to Make Korean Kimchi Stew
Written by MasterClass
Last updated: Sep 21, 2024 • 3 min read
Kimchi jjigae is a staple cold-weather Korean food and a textural powerhouse filled with fiery heat and bright acidity from its star ingredient, kimchi.
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What Is Kimchi Jjigae?
Kimchi jjigae (also spelled kimchi jigae) is a flavorful kimchi stew from Korea. The filling, hearty dish pairs bite-size pieces of napa cabbage kimchi (also spelled kimchee) with slices of pork and firm tofu.
In many Korean restaurants and homes, kimchi jjigae gets cooked in a large communal pot in the center of the table. Like many Korean dishes, kimchi jjigae usually comes with steamed rice and assorted side dishes known as banchan.
What Does Kimchi Jjigae Taste Like?
The flavor profile of kimchi jjigae is a combination of spicy, tangy, and umami. The heat comes from gochugaru (Korean chili pepper flakes) and gochujang (red pepper paste), while the lactic acid bacteria in fermented kimchi and its brine provide a pleasant sour note. The broth features dried kelp and anchovies for umami.
What Is the Difference Between Kimchi Jjigae and Soondubu Jjigae?
These two stews are both types of comfort food in Korean cuisine, and while their ingredients look almost identical, the critical difference is in the type of tofu. 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. Learn how to make soondubu at home.
3 Tips for Making Kimchi Jjigae
Kimchi jjigae is one of the most beloved Korean recipes. Here’s how to master the kimchi soup at home.
- 1. Source the best ingredients. Depending on where you live, you may be able to find kimchi and gochujang paste at your local grocery store. For more specialty ingredients, like gochugaru, dried anchovies, and MSG powder, seek out a Korean market or Asian grocery store.
- 2. For depth of flavor, use extra-ripe kimchi. If you’ve been storing kimchi in your refrigerator for a while, you can consider it “aged kimchi.” Although it might be a bit intense to eat raw, its tangy flavor is all the better for seasoning the kimchi jjigae broth.
- 3. Make your own stock, or use water. Homemade anchovy stock lends kimchi jjigae a subtle foundation of brine and umami, but you can just as easily use whatever stock you have on hand—even plain water.
Easy Kimchi Jjigae Recipe
makes
prep time
5 mintotal time
50 mincook time
45 minIngredients
- 1
To prepare the anchovy stock, bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a large pot.
- 2
Add the dried kelp and dried anchovies, and lower the heat to a rolling simmer. Cook for 15 minutes, then remove the pot from the heat and strain out the kelp and anchovies using a spider strainer. Discard the solids.
- 3
In a large, heavy-bottomed pot, Dutch oven, or earthenware pot like a ttukbaegi, heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat.
- 4
Add the diced onion and minced garlic and sauté just until softened, about 5 minutes.
- 5
Add the chopped kimchi, kimchi juice, and pork belly if using.
- 6
In a small bowl, combine the 2-inch pieces of green onion, gochugaru, gochujang, sesame oil, soy sauce, fish sauce, and sugar and mix well. Add to the pot.
- 7
Add 2–3 cups of the anchovy stock, depending on how thick you’d like the stew to be, and bring it to a boil. Cook until the pork belly is cooked through and flavors have melded, about 10–12 minutes. Season the stew with salt and pepper to taste.
- 8
Add the tofu slices to the top of the stew, and cover once again.
- 9
Continue to cook the stew over medium-low heat until the tofu is warmed through and has absorbed the flavor of the stew, another 10–15 minutes.
- 10
Remove the stew from the heat and uncover. Garnish with the reserved scallions, and serve immediately with steamed rice on the side.
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