Tomato Kimchi Stew

posted by Holly Ford on Apr 30, 2019 (updated Nov 16, 2022) 5 comments »

5 from 4 ratings

Tomato adds a little flavor twist to the traditional Korean kimchi stew (kimchi jjigae). The tomato sauce in the kimchi stew will brighten up the flavor without tasting it. This gluten-free tomato kimchi stew is easy and simple enough that anyone can make and enjoy.

A ladle of kimchi tofu stew served with a bowl of rice.

Kimchi stew (kimchi jjigae) is beloved Korean stew dish. Combination with pork is the most common version that people enjoy. Have you tasted kimchi stew made with tomatoes? It sounds weird but it is really tasty.

You don’t taste the prominent tomato flavor in the stew but the tomatoes make the flavor of broth so intriguingly tasty and lovely.

Here I turned the tradition Korean pork kimchi stew with tomatoes, and it’s gluten-free! If you try it, you will see what I mean.

Sliced kimchi and a can of tomato sauce.

Fermented Kimchi and Tomatoes for Kimchi Stew

The vibrant flavor of tomatoes pairs very fermented kimchi to another level. I love the refreshing taste the tomato brings to the broth that balances the meaty flavor from the pork.

You can use fresh tomatoes but I like to use canned tomato sauce. Mainly because it is convenient. You can even try with tomato juice or crushed tomatoes with the equal amount.

A bowl of kimchi stew served next to rice.

Cook’s Tip

Use pork shoulder or pork butt instead of lean pork loin. You will need a little bit of fat content in the pork to bring the maximum taste.
Freshly made kimchi doesn’t bring the deep robust flavor of kimchi stew. Use very sour cabbage kimchi for the best result. The sourer, the better. You will need to add a tiny amount of sugar to balance out the acidity.
Use soft tofu in the stew. They tend to soak up the flavor of stew better than the from kind.
I like to use rice starch water to naturally thicken the broth. You will find how easy it is to get the rice starch water from just washing the rice in the link. You can use plain water if rice starch water is not available.

How to make Tomato Kimchi Stew

Heat oil in a pot over medium-high heat, saute onion and pork for 2-3 minutes. Add the diced kimchi and sugar.

Continue to saute for another 2 minutes

Pour the rice starch water into the pot.

And add the tomato sauce.

Add the kimchi liquid and stir well and bring to gentle boil. Reduce the heat to low and cover; simmer for 15-20 minutes.

Add the sliced tofu and green onion; heat through for 3-4 minutes. Season with Korean soy sauce for soup according to your taste.

Serving and Storage Suggestion

Serve this stew hot with a bowl of rice. Try with the roasted seaweed sheets when you serve kimchi stew. Your Korean friend will be very impressed.

Store the leftover stew in the refrigerator up to 1 week. To reheat, warm it up in a pot on the stove or microwave until hot.

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