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Korean

Kimchi jjigae

Non-vegetarian

김치찌개 · kimchi jjigae

A bubbling, sour-spicy stew of well-fermented kimchi, pork belly and tofu. A Korean home staple and the best use for old kimchi.

Kimchi jjigae is a Korean stew from South Korea, ready in about 40 minutes and made with kimchi, pork belly and tofu. It serves 4 and is rated easy to cook.

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A serving of Kimchi jjigae
Photo: eommina / Pixabay · Pixabay Content License
Prep
10 min
Cook
30 min
Total
40 min
Serves
4
Level
Easy
Calories
426

Ingredients

4 servings

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Heat the sesame oil (opens in a new tab) in a heavy pan over medium heat and fry the pork until it releases fat and starts to brown.

    Food safety: Wash hands after handling raw pork.

  2. Step 2

    Add the kimchi (opens in a new tab), onion (opens in a new tab) and garlic (opens in a new tab) and fry until the kimchi softens and smells toasty.

    • 5 min
    • medium heat
    Onions frying golden in a pan
    How it looks · Photo: Magda Ehlers on Pexels

  3. Step 3

    Stir in the chilli flakes (opens in a new tab), gochujang (opens in a new tab) if using, and sugar (opens in a new tab), then add the water, kimchi (opens in a new tab) juice and soy sauce (opens in a new tab). Bring to a boil, then simmer.

    • 15 min
    • medium-low heat
    A curry simmering in a pot
    How it looks · Photo: Bachir Mamud on Pexels

  4. Step 4

    Lay the tofu (opens in a new tab) on top, scatter with spring onion (opens in a new tab) and simmer until the tofu is hot through. Serve bubbling with rice.

    • 5 min
    • medium-low heat

    Food safety: Simmer until the pork is cooked through.

    Fresh herbs scattered over a finished dish
    How it looks · Photo: Klaus Nielsen on Pexels

About this dish

Origin
South Korea · Well documentedMore food from South Korea
Dish
Lunch · Dinner · Stews & braises · Soups · Main courses
Cooking method
Stewed, Simmered
Taste
spicy (chilli heat), sour, umami, rich
Diet
Dairy-free · No nut ingredients · Keto-style · Low-carb
All labelsNon-vegetarian · Dairy-free · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · Alcohol-free · Beef-free · Keto-style · Low-carb · Calorie-conscious
With the listed swaps: Pescatarian, Pork-freeWorked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for
One-pot · Everyday · Budget-friendly · Uses leftovers
Cook more with
Kimchi · Pork belly · Tofu · Toasted sesame oil · Onion · Garlic
Techniques
Boiling · Simmering · Stewing

Allergens

  • Contains: Fishfrom kimchi
  • Contains: Crustaceansfrom kimchi
  • Contains, can be adapted: Wheatfrom gochujang, soy sauce
  • Contains, can be adapted: Glutenfrom gochujang, soy sauce
  • Contains: Soyfrom gochujang, soy sauce, tofu
  • Contains: Sesamefrom toasted sesame oil

Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

Nutrition

426 kcal per serving

Estimated

1 serving ≈ 355 g · recipe makes 4

Where the energy comes from

  • Protein 17%
  • Carbohydrate 7%
  • Fat 76%
Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
NutrientPer servingPer 100 g*
Energy426 kcal120 kcal
Protein19.1 g5.4 g
Carbohydrate7.8 g2.2 g
Net carbohydrate4 g1.1 g
Sugars——
Added sugars0.5 g0.1 g
Fibre3.8 g1.1 g
Fat37.1 g10.5 g
Saturated fat11.2 g3.2 g
Trans fat——
Cholesterol36 mg10 mg
Sodium483 mg136 mg
Salt equivalent1.2 g0.3 g
Vitamins & minerals per serving
Potassium
467 mg
Calcium
567 mg
Iron
4.4 mg
Magnesium
65 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)
—
Vitamin C
4 mg
Vitamin D
—
Vitamin B12
0.4 µg
Folate (DFE)
70 µg

How these numbers were made

  • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
  • *Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
  • Optional ingredients are not included: gochujang, short-grain rice.
  • Red chilli flakes: Ground cayenne (FDC 170932) used as a stand-in for dried chilli flakes such as pul biber or Aleppo pepper.
  • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
  • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

Good to know

Tips

  • The sourer the kimchi, the better the stew — fresh kimchi gives a flat result.

Common mistakes

  • Using fresh, barely fermented kimchi — the stew needs sour, well-aged kimchi for depth.
  • Skipping the frying step: browning the kimchi in the pork fat is where most of the flavour comes from.

Serve with

  • Serve with steamed rice and a rolled omelette.

Storage

  • Refrigerate for up to 3 days; flavour improves overnight.

Reheating

  • Bring back to a simmer.

Variations

  • Chamchi kimchi jjigae: Made with canned tuna instead of pork.

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

Grouped by each ingredient’s role in the dish. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

What the dish is built around

Main ingredient

Used in steps 1, 2, 4

Reviews & corrections

Reviews come from signed-in cooks and appear after a moderator checks them. We never show made-up ratings.

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