Kimchi Jjigae
A warming, umami-rich Korean kimchi stew with tender pork belly, soft silken tofu and a spicy, tangy broth.
Kimchi jjigae is Korea’s go-to comfort stew — sharp, spicy and deeply savoury. It’s brilliant for using up mature kimchi that’s past its salad prime and transforms humble ingredients into something gloriously moreish.
This version is straightforward: pork belly for richness, silken tofu for softness and a short simmer to meld flavours. Make it on a weeknight or a weekend — it always hits the spot.
Ingredients
- 400 g kimchi — well fermented, roughly chopped with its juice
- 250 g pork belly — thinly sliced
- 200 g silken tofu — drained, cut into 3 cm cubes
- 1 brown onion — thinly sliced
- 3 garlic cloves — crushed
- 15 g fresh ginger — finely grated
- 2 spring onions — sliced on the diagonal
- 15 ml gochujang
- 5 ml gochugaru
- 15 ml light soy sauce
- 15 ml sesame oil — to finish
- 15 ml vegetable oil — for frying
- 600 ml water
- 5 ml caster sugar — to balance acidity
- salt — to taste
Equipment
- medium saucepan or heavy-bottomed casserole
- ladle
Instructions
Prepare everything: roughly chop the kimchi if needed, slice the brown onion, crush the garlic, grate the ginger, slice the spring onions, cut the silken tofu into cubes and have the pork belly ready.
Heat the vegetable oil in a medium saucepan over a medium hob. Add the pork belly and fry, stirring occasionally, until the edges are browned and some fat has rendered, about 4–5 minutes.
Add the brown onion, garlic cloves and fresh ginger. Cook, stirring, until the onion softens and becomes translucent, about 2–3 minutes.
Stir in the gochujang and gochugaru and cook for 1 minute to toast the paste and spices, which helps release their flavour.
Add the kimchi and caster sugar. Fry the kimchi with the pork and aromatics, stirring and pressing it down so some pieces caramelise, about 4 minutes.
Pour in the water and add the light soy sauce. Bring to a gentle simmer, skim any foam, then reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes to meld flavours.
Gently slide in the silken tofu, spooning some broth over it. Simmer for a further 3–4 minutes until heated through.
Turn off the heat, stir in the sesame oil and most of the spring onions. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt if needed.
Ladle the kimchi jjigae into bowls, scatter the remaining spring onion over the top and serve immediately with steamed rice if you like.
Tips
- Use well-fermented kimchi and keep its juice — it’s the backbone of the broth. If your kimchi is mild, add a little more gochujang or gochugaru.
- Fry the kimchi and pork until you see slight caramelisation; this step builds umami and makes a huge difference.
- Silken tofu breaks easily. Add it near the end and stir with a spoon, not a whisk.
- Make-ahead: the stew often tastes better the next day. Store cooled, airtight, in the fridge for up to 3 days; reheat gently to avoid over-reducing the broth.
- To reduce saltiness from the kimchi or soy, add a small peeled potato chunk while simmering — it will absorb excess salt (discard before serving).
Substitutions
pork belly → skinless chicken thigh, diced (same quantity)
Noticeably differentlight soy sauce → tamari, same quantity (gluten-free)
Stays closesilken tofu → firm tofu, 200 g, cut into cubes
Noticeably differentgochujang → miso paste plus extra gochugaru to taste (start with 1 tsp miso + 1 tsp gochugaru)
Noticeably different
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 455
- Calories
- 9 g
- Protein
- 10 g
- Carbs
- 42 g
- Fat
- 2 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
- Sugar
- 550 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I make kimchi jjigae vegetarian?
Yes, switch the pork to firm or smoked tofu and use vegetable stock or water. Check your kimchi is vegetarian, as many contain fish sauce or shrimp — choose a labelled vegetarian kimchi.
How do I make it less spicy?
Reduce or omit the gochugaru and gochujang, use more water and add a little extra caster sugar to balance acidity. Adding extra tofu or steamed rice also tones down heat.
How long will leftovers keep?
Store cooled in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the hob — avoid a rolling boil which can over-reduce and toughen meats.
Can I freeze kimchi jjigae?
You can freeze it, but silken tofu changes texture after freezing. For best results, freeze without tofu and add fresh tofu when reheating.
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