Kimchi Jjigae
Spicy kimchi stew with pork
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Join HomecookedIngredients
- 400 g Kimchi
- 300 g Pork belly
- 300 g Firm tofu
- 1 tbsp Gochugaru
- 1 tbsp Gochujang
- 3 cloves Garlic
- ½ tsp Salt
- 3 Scallions (optional)
- 1 tbsp Toasted sesame oil (optional)
Method
- Slice the pork belly, roughly chop the aged kimchi, and mince the garlic.
- Render the pork in the sesame oil in a pot over medium heat, then add the kimchi and fry until deep red.
- Add water, the gochugaru, gochujang, garlic, and salt and simmer for 15 minutes.
- While the stew simmers, cube the tofu and thinly slice the scallions.
- Slip in the tofu and warm through gently.
- Scatter the scallions and serve bubbling with rice.
Nutrition per serving
Estimated from ingredients; varies with exact portions and brands.
About Kimchi Jjigae
Kimchi jjigae is one of the cornerstone stews of Korean home cooking, the dish that gives well-aged, sour kimchi its most beloved second life. Pork belly and kimchi are the heart of it, simmered together with tofu in a red, spicy broth deepened by gochugaru and gochujang. It is bold, sour, and warming, with the fermented tang of the kimchi mellowing into something rich as it cooks and the rendered pork lending body to the broth. Cubes of soft tofu slipped in near the end offer a cool, silky contrast to the fiery liquid.
The move that builds its depth is rendering the pork belly first, then frying the kimchi in that fat until it turns deep red and slightly sweet before any water goes in, which is what separates a soulful jjigae from a merely spicy one. Aged, extra-sour kimchi is genuinely better here than fresh, since its acidity is exactly what the dish is built around. Kimchi jjigae is meant to arrive at the table bubbling hot in its pot, served with a bowl of plain steamed rice to temper the heat and soak up the broth. Ready in about thirty-five minutes, it is the definition of an everyday Korean comfort meal.
Kimchi Jjigae: frequently asked questions
How many calories are in Kimchi Jjigae?
One serving of Kimchi Jjigae has about 571 calories, with 21g of protein, 10g of carbs, 51g of fat and 4g of fiber. These are estimates based on the ingredient amounts in this recipe and will vary with your exact portions and brands.
Is Kimchi Jjigae gluten-free?
As written, no — it contains Gochujang. You'd need a certified gluten-free swap for that ingredient to make it gluten-free.
How long does Kimchi Jjigae take to make?
About 35 minutes start to finish, but only around 18 of those are hands-on — the rest is largely unattended cooking time you can step away from. In the Homecooked app the timers and parallel steps are sequenced for you so the hands-on part feels even shorter.
Do I need every ingredient to make Kimchi Jjigae?
The core ingredients are essential, but you can leave out scallions, toasted sesame oil — they're optional and mainly there for extra flavor or finish.
How many servings does Kimchi Jjigae make?
This recipe makes 4 servings. In the app you can scale it up or down and the ingredient amounts adjust automatically.