Soondubu Jjigae (Korean Soft Tofu Stew) Recipe

By
J. Kenji López-Alt
Kenji Lopez Alt
J. Kenji López-Alt
Culinary Consultant
Kenji is the former culinary director for Serious Eats and a current culinary consultant for the site. He is also a New York Times food columnist and the author of The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science.
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Updated Apr. 17, 2020
20120206-tofu-detail.jpeg
Jessica Leibowitz (mycameraeatsfood.com)

Notes: Kombu, small dried anchovies, kimchi, gochujang, and Korean chili flakes can be found in most Asian supermarkets. For a vegan-friendly recipe, omit anchovies and add 1 tablespoon miso paste, using vegan kimchi (see recipe here).

Recipe Facts

5

(3)

Active: 15 mins
Total: 20 mins
Serves: 4 servings

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Ingredients

  • One 4-inch square piece kombu (sea kelp, see note)

  • 1/2 cup small dried anchovies (optional, see note)

  • 2 cups very fermented kimchi with juice (see note)

  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

  • 1/2 pound thinly sliced pork belly or bacon (optional)

  • 6 scallions, finely sliced, greens and whites reserved separately

  • 4 cloves garlic, grated on a microplane grater

  • 2 tablespoons gochujang (see note)

  • 1 tablespoon light soy sauce

  • 2 to 4 tablespoons gochugaru, to taste (Korean dried chile flakes, see note)

  • 24 ounces soft silken tofu, roughly broken

  • 4 eggs

Directions

  1. Combine kombu and anchovies (if using) and cover with 1 quart water. Bring to a simmer and remove from heat. Let stand 5 minutes, then strain. Discard solids and reserve broth. Meanwhile, drain kimchi in a fine mesh strainer set over a small bowl, squeezing to remove as much liquid as possible. Roughly chop kimchi and reserve kimchi and juice separately.

  2. Heat oil in a 2 to 3 quart stone dolsot or saucepan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add pork belly and cook, stirring constantly, until just cooked through, about 1 minute. Add scallion whites, garlic, and chopped kimchi. Cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute.

  3. Add kimchi juice, gochujang, and soy sauce. Cook until vegetables are well-coated in even layer of sauce. Add strained broth, kochukaru, and soft. Stir gently and heat until boiling. Season to taste with more kochukaru or soy sauce if desired. Remove from heat and add eggs. sprinkle with scallion greens. Serve immediately while still boiling, gently stirring eggs into the broth.

Special equipment

2 quart stone bowl (optional)

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
261 Calories
15g Fat
14g Carbs
21g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 261
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 15g 19%
Saturated Fat 3g 14%
Cholesterol 186mg 62%
Sodium 1188mg 52%
Total Carbohydrate 14g 5%
Dietary Fiber 2g 9%
Total Sugars 8g
Protein 21g
Vitamin C 14mg 69%
Calcium 271mg 21%
Iron 5mg 29%
Potassium 503mg 11%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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