Easy Soondubu Jjigae Recipe (Spicy Korean Soft Tofu Stew) (2024)

4.97 from 33 votes

Classic Delicious Flavors: Loaded with flavorful ingredients like pork, shrimp, and kimchi and served over warm rice, this soft tofu stew is a dish that the whole family will love. Plus, it is a great way to introduce them to Korean cuisine.

Versatile: This recipe is adaptable to suit your personal preferences. Not a fan of pork or shrimp? Swap them out for your preferred protein. You can even adjust the spice level to your liking. The possibilities are endless!

Crowd Pleaser: Whether you're hosting a dinner party or bringing a dish to a potluck, this soft tofu stew is sure to impress. It is a unique dish that stands out from the usual fare, but it’s also familiar and comforting, making it a hit with just about everyone!

Warm and Cozy Meal: This is the perfect cozy meal, and is especially great on colder seasons like Autumn and Winter. If you are looking for the ultimate comfort food, this would be it.

All you need are some incredibly simple, pantry-staple ingredients to make this delicious soondubu recipe at home.

Here's an overview of the specific ingredients for this recipe. For the exact ingredients and measurements, please scroll to the recipe card below.

For the Broth:

• Korean Radish: This optional ingredient adds a unique sweetness to the broth. If you can't find it, you can replace it with a daikon radish. Keep in mind that Korean radishes are sweeter and have a milder radish flavor. They are thicker in size and have a more prominent greenness at the top half.
• Ginger: Gives a subtle spicy flavor to the broth, enhancing its overall taste.
• Dried Anchovies: They are the backbone of the broth, providing a deep umami flavor. You can replace them with a dashi stock or pre-made broth for a quicker stew. These are dried and can usually be found in the refrigerator section in Korean supermarkets, not to be confused with the anchovies in oil. Remove the heads before you use them.
• Garlic: Adds a strong, spicy, garlic flavor to the broth.
• Shiitake Mushrooms: These mushrooms are used in both the broth and the stew. They add a meaty and earthy flavor, enhancing the overall dish. In this recipe, I used dried ones, which require a good rinse, and 10-15minutes of soak time in cold or warm water. Fresh shiitake can be used as well and will produce an even more flavorful broth.
• Kelp: This is used in the broth to add an extra umami flavor to the broth. No need to soak it ahead of time. You can rinse it over the sink and put it directly in the broth.

• Eggs: A raw egg is cracked into the stew just before serving. If you're not a fan of raw egg, you can fry a sunny-side-up egg and add that on top instead!
• Green Onions: Used as a garnish, they add a bright, fresh flavor and color to the stew.
• Toasted Sesame Seeds: They are used as a garnish, adding a slight crunch and a nutty flavor to the finished dish.

Making this incredible soondubu recipe at home is super easy and will give you great results every single time. Here's how to make it step by step:

Making the Broth

Prepare your Ingredients: Start by removing the heads from your dried anchovies and discard the heads.

Slice a one-inch piece of Korean radish into half-inch pieces, and set aside.

Soak five shiitake mushrooms in warm water for about ten to fifteen minutes.

Slice a piece of ginger and set it aside. Peel three cloves of garlic, keep them whole and set them aside.

Peel and cut half an onion and set it aside.

Lastly, cut a four-inch piece of kelp and set it aside.

Boil your Broth Ingredients: In a pot, combine three cups of water, your prepped Korean radish, ginger, onion, dried anchovies, garlic, shiitake mushrooms, and kelp. Bring this to a boil on medium heat with the lid on for approximately twenty to thirty minutes.

Strain your Broth: Once your broth is done, strain out the ingredients but keep the shiitake mushrooms. Cut them into smaller pieces for the stew. Set the broth and shiitake aside. Alternatively, you can use a pre-made broth as a shortcut.

Slice your Pork and Vegetables: Slice half a pound of pork belly into small bite-sized pieces and set aside. Also, slice half an onion and half a zucchini and set them aside. Optionally, you can chop a cup of kimchi into smaller pieces and set it aside.

Making the Sauce

Combine your Sauce Ingredients: Finely mince cloves of garlic and add it to a small bowl. Combine this with fish sauce (or soy sauce), Korean pepper flakes, sesame oil, sugar, sesame seeds, and cooking sake (or Chinese cooking rice wine). Mix these ingredients together and set the sauce aside.

Cook your Onion and Pork: Set your stove to medium heat and place your pot on the stove. Once the pot is hot, add in oil, and cook the onion and pork belly for about five minutes or until the pork is no longer pink.

Add in your Other Ingredients: Add in the one to one and a half cups of broth, your prepared sauce, kimchi, zucchini, and shiitake mushrooms and cook for five minutes.

Add in Tofu, Mushrooms, and shrimp: Once the broth is at a low rolling boil, add in the tofu, enoki mushrooms, and shrimp. Break the tofu into large chunks gently and cook for two minutes.

Add the Egg: Gently add the raw egg on top and let it simmer for one to two minutes before turning off the heat.

Finish and Serve: Carefully remove the bowl from the stove (it will be very hot, so use oven mitts!), and garnish with green onions and toasted sesame seeds.

Serve your delicious soondubu jjigae immediately, preferably with some rice. Enjoy your homemade Korean soft tofu stew!

Joyce’s Tips For Making the Best Soondubu

Broth Shortcut: Skip the step to make the seafood broth and use pre-made broth. I also provide a few other anchovy broth variations below to make things quicker and easier.

Cut the Silken Tofu Tube in Half: If you are using the tube soft tofu, don't use the spout to remove the tofu from the packaging. Cut the tube in half down the middle and gently squeeze the tofu out that way. If you are using soft tofu (not the tube kind) then scoop large chunks into the stew instead of cutting it because it is very delicate and hard to handle.

Consider Your Garnishes: Garnishing your dish with eggs, toasted sesame seeds and finely chopped green onions not only adds to the presentation but also introduces extra flavors and textures.

Make Use of Leftover Broth: If you end up with leftover broth, don't throw it away! You can use it as a flavorful starter for other soups or dishes.

Control Your Heat: Sundubu Jjigae is best cooked at medium heat. This allows the ingredients to cook thoroughly without burning them or overcooking the tofu and shrimp.

This delicious soondubu recipe is so flavorful and easy to make you'll want to try out some of these delicious variations! Here are some great ideas:

Anchovy Broth Variation: If you don’t want to make the broth from scratch, you can make it using dashi stock, pre-made broth, plain water, and pre-packaged anchovy packets. Check out the notes in the recipe card for more instructions.

Sunny Side Up Egg: In case you’re not a fan of the raw egg, you can fry a sunny-side egg and add that on top instead. It’ll taste just as tasty, trust me!

Go Egg-less: If you're not a fan of raw or soft-cooked eggs, you can omit the egg from the recipe. Instead, garnish your sundubu jjigae with extra green onion for added freshness and color.

Other Garnishes: You can garnish your Korean stew with sesame seeds, hot peppers, green onions, toasted seaweed, furikake, bonito flakes, or crack a raw egg in it as instructed in the recipe.

Frequently Asked Questions

Before storing your leftover soondubu jjigae, allow it to cool down to room temperature. Once cooled, transfer it into an airtight container. It’s important to use an airtight container to keep the flavors of the stew intact and to avoid any unwanted fridge odors from seeping into your dish.

The fridge is the best place to store your leftover sundubu jjigae. It should be good for up to three to five days when properly refrigerated. When you're ready to enjoy your soondubu jjigae again, simply reheat it over medium heat on the stove.

You can also microwave it, but be sure to stir it at every 1 minute intervals to avoid drying it out and to ensure it heats through evenly.

I don’t recommend freezing this dish since the soft tofu doesn’t freeze well and can become grainy and lose its soft, silky texture.