Korean Kimchi Stew, Kimchi Jjigae ⋆ Seasoned by Jin

April 26, 2020

Calling all stew lovers! This Korean Kimchi Stew is nothing but comforting and super satisfying! Try this delicious Korean family recipe today!

Our Family Style Kimchi Jjigae

My family’s version was more soupy, less spicy and milder. This is actually my Dad’s recipe, which he used to often make for us. Anyone who had his stew would always complement afterward. I didn’t realize then, but this one pot meal did bring so much love and comfort. Unfortunately, we can’t enjoy this homemade kimchi stew with him anymore. But I still wanted to share this recipe so that other can enjoy as much as we did.

What are the ingredients for kimchi stew?

Fermented kimchi, that is sour to taste.
Pork meat with some fat on it like pork belly or pork butt
Saved water that was used to rinse the rice
Medium or firm tofu
Fresh veggies: onions, scallions, garlic and ginger
Little bit of doeng jjang paste
A big braising pot

How do you make Kimchi stew?

Marinate pork.
Cook pork, then add onion, garlic, sesame oil, pinch of salt & pepper, and sugar.
Add chopped kimchi and stir-fry for about 5min.
Pour water and boil for 20-25min.
Add seasoning and tofu, and boil little more.
Toss scallion and serve!

Additional tips for making kimchi stew yummy!

Tip #1: Before you chop your kimchi, gently squeeze the kimchi brine, but don’t over squeeze the juice. Also, if your kimchi has a lot of julienned raddishes, be sure to remove them to keep this stew looking clean.
Tip #2: Due to the variation in everyone’s kimchi, some of the end seasonings may have to adjusted per your taste. Meaning, you may end up adding less salt, soy sauce and doeng jjang at the end. Be sure to taste your broth before adding the tofu! If you don’t end up using fermented kimchi, you can omit the sugar, but your boiling time will need to increase.
Tip #3: When you clean your rice, save the third rinsed water as the base for this stew. It will help speed up the softening of the cabbage. If you don’t have rice washed water, you can use plain water, but your cooking time will need to be increased.

Why this recipe works

This kimchi stew is quite easy to make and perfect for sharing! My son really likes this stew since it’s not too pungent or overly spicy. If you are a spicy stew lover, go ahead and sprinkle some more red hot chili flakes!! It will taste just as great!

By the way, this kimchi stew was made with my fermented Vegan Kimchi. If you are looking for a kimchi recipe, please click here. It is fantastic and mouthwatering! Here are some pictures of my Vegan Kimchi! They are delicious fresh or fermented!!

Q & A

Can you freeze kimchi stew?

Yes, you can freeze kimchi stew. They freeze quite well. I recommend reheating them on the stovetop instead of the microwave. The texture does not change too much for the kimchi, however the tofu’s texture will feel denser and chewier.

What pairs well with Kimchi Stew?

Koreans love Kimchi stew with hot steaming rice. You can pair the stew with other Korean side dishes. I recommend cooling or mild side dishes like rolled eggs, spinach muchim, or water kimchi.

Can you use different types of tofu texture?

Yes, it’s personal preference. You can use soft, medium or firm tofu. The soft tofu will have a higher water content so be mindful of that when flavoring.

Kimchi Jjigae flavor variation, is it common?

Yes. since every kimchi tastes different, the stews will vary in flavors. In Korea, it’s not unusual for each household to have a different recipe for their kimchi and the same goes for kimchi jjigae.

If the kimchi tastes good, will the stew tastes good too and vice versa?

I believe this is very true. Most likely, if you use a kimchi that tastes great, so will the stew. If the kimchi doesn’t tastes so good, there’s no guarantee for the stew.

Did you enjoy this kimchi stew recipe?

Please check out these recipes below!

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Korean Kimchi Stew, Kimchi Jjigae

Calling all stew lovers! This Korean Kimchi Stew is nothing but comforting and super satisfying! Try this delicious Korean family recipe today!

Prep Time15

Cook Time30

Course: Main Course, Soup

Cuisine: Korean

Servings: people

Calories:

Author: Seasoned by Jin

Ingredients

12 oz pork diced pork belly, pork butt
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 med onion diced
1½ tbsp garlic minced
1 tsp sugar
3 cup kimchi (fermented) chopped
6 cup rice washed water
1 tsp salt
⅛ tsp black pepper
2½ tbsp soup soy sauce guk ganjang
1 tbsp doeng jjang paste
½~1 tsp additional sugar (optional at end) if soup is still too sour
9 oz tofu chopped medium or firm
1 scallion chopped

Meat Marinade

1½ tbsp sake
1½ tsp ginger grated

Instructions

Dice pork and marinate with meat marinade. Let it sit for 10-15min in the 8 qt braising pot.
Turn heat to high and cook pork until pink color is almost gone. Add onion, half amount of garlic, sesame oil, pinch of salt & pepper, and 1 tsp sugar. Stir and cook until onion is transparent.
Add chopped kimchi and stir-fry for about 5min, making sure nothing is sticking to the bottom.
Pour 6 cups of water and bring to boil. Reduce to medium heat and cook for 20-25min until kimchi is wilted and very soft.
Add salt, pepper, soy sauce, rest of garlic, doeng jjang, and optional 1/2~1tsp sugar if the stew is still too sour. Stir well and taste to season. Add chopped tofu, close lid, and cook for 4-5min. Add chopped scallions and serve hot!!