Bring the wave of K-dramas into your kitchen with this easy recipe for kimchi stew with pork and tofu. This popular Korean dish, kimchi jjigae is deliciously rich, comforting, and flavorful. A bowl of salty, sour, sweet, and spicy stew in one! This recipe is simple to follow and perfect for warming up on a chilly day.
Make sure to try my homemade kimchi recipe.
You will love this recipe because:
- of its bold satisfying flavors (spicy, tangy, savory, slightly sour)
- it's perfect for chilly days (though this recipe can be made whole year round)
- you can easily adjust spice levels, experiment with different protein sources, or add your favorite vegetables
- the fermented kimchi brings a dose of healthy probiotics
- surprisingly easy to make
Ingredients
Cooking kimchi stew is easy. You can use store-bought broth like chicken, beef, or vegetables. In Korea, they usually make their stock from scratch using anchovy.
I'm using chicken broth for this recipe because that's what I have on hand. You can also use beef or vegetable stock.
- To make kimchi stew, you will need sesame oil, garlic, onions, pork belly, kimchi, its brine, broth, gochujang (Korean red pepper paste), salt, sugar, firm tofu, and scallions.
- You will need a pot to cook this stew. They usually serve this in a stone bowl called dolsot.
Steps
- In medium-high heat, start heating a tablespoon of vegetable oil. Add half a pound of pork belly and cook for 5 minutes or until the pork is no longer red. Then, add 2 teaspoons of minced garlic and medium-sized sliced onions. Cook until fragrant.
- Add 2 cups of chopped kimchi along with 1/4 cup of kimchi brine. Simmer for 2 minutes. Pour 2 cups of broth and add 2 teaspoons of gochujang and 2 teaspoons of sugar. Season with salt and simmer for 10 minutes. Topped with sliced firm tofu and sprinkle with scallions. Add a splash of sesame oil, cover the pot, and simmer for 2 minutes.
- Kimchi stew with pork and tofu is best served with rice and fried salted mackerel.
What to do with leftover kimchi stew? What I always do with the leftover stew is turn it into ramen or udon. I either add ramen or udon noodles to the soup and stir in an egg.
Tips
- Kimchi matters: For the best flavor, use well-fermented, slightly sour kimchi. Fresher kimchi will be less intense.
- Spice it up: Add 1-2 tablespoons of gochujang (Korean red pepper paste) along with the kimchi for an extra kick.
- Make it veggie: Skip the pork and swap the broth for vegetable stock for a delicious vegetarian version.
- Leftovers: Kimchi stew tastes even better the next day! Store leftovers in the refrigerator and reheat gently on the stovetop.
Kimchi Stew Recipe with Pork and Tofu
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 onion medium-size, sliced
- 2 teaspoons garlic minced
- 1/2 pound pork belly thinly sliced
- 2 cups kimchi chopped
- 1/4 cup kimchi brine it usually comes with the kimchi
- 2 cups broth chicken, beef or vegetable
- 2 teaspoons gochujang (korean red pepper paste)
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- salt to season
- 12 oz firm tofu sliced
- 1 stem scallions sliced
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
Instructions
- In a pot, heat oil in medium-high heat and saute the onions, garlic and the pork belly for 5 minutes or until the pork is not red anymore.
- Add chopped kimchi along with its brine. Simmer for 2 minutes. Pour in broth and add in gochujang, and sugar. Season with salt and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Topped with sliced firm tofu and sprinkle with scallions. Add a splash of sesame oil, cover the pot and simmer for 2 minutes.
- Serve with rice.
Notes
Tips
- Kimchi matters: For the best flavor, use well-fermented, slightly sour kimchi. Fresher kimchi will be less intense.
- Spice it up: Add 1-2 tablespoons of gochujang (Korean red pepper paste) for an extra kick.
- Make it veggie: Skip the pork and swap the broth for vegetable stock for a delicious vegetarian version.
- Leftovers: Kimchi stew tastes even better the next day! Store leftovers in the refrigerator and reheat gently on the stovetop.
LucyA says
First time making Jjigae... it turned out great and the family loved it!
I only tried it because of this easy to follow recipe 🙂
Sam R says
This was so tasty and completely satisfied my pork belly and kimchi craving!
I was wondering if the nutrition info could be provided? specifically the micronutrients. thank you!!
Andi says
So delicious! I subbed out for pork tenderloin slices, agave syrup and toss in some vermicelli noodles while cooking instead of serving over rice. My new favourite Fall dish!