Traditional Korean Soft Tofu Stew (Soondubu Jjigae)
Soondubu jjigae is a spicy Korean soft tofu stew. This is a traditional recipe made with fresh soon tofu (also known as soft tofu or silken tofu), kimchi, and seafood. Enjoy this heartwarming Korean stew at its best. Use any seafood of your choice for this recipe.
If you can pick one stew to make out of the many Korean stews, most people would put this soondubu jjigae (순두부 찌개) at or near the top of their list. It’s easy to make with just a few ingredients, and the hearty and comforting taste of this Korean tofu stew is what everyone loves.
What is Soondubu jjigae?
Whether you spell it soondubu jjigae or sundubu jjigae, it is the same Korean soft tofu (soon tofu) soup recipe. Jjigae means stew in Korean. A block or tube of silken tofu is simmered with zucchini or other vegetables and mushrooms in a spicy broth made from Korean chili flakes. Almost always, chopped kimchi is added to give an extra flavor boost to the stew.
Traditional soondubu jjigae is made with seafood, such as clams, shrimp, or mussels, and is a well-known Korean seafood tofu soup. If you are not a seafood lover, you can use pork, beef, or mushroom. If you go to Korean tofu house restaurants, their menus will offer a number of different varieties of soondubu jjjgae.
My cookbook, Korean Cooking Favorites, has an excellent recipe for beef soondubu jjigae recipe. So check it out.
Recipe note
- No need to use chili oil: You can use pre-made chili oil from a jar if you want. But I don’t bother because you can easily start the recipe by infusing Korean chili flakes in oil, which takes no time at all.
- Infuse chili flakes with green onion: Infusing the fragrance of green onion and Korean chili flakes gives more depth to the soup broth. I used Asian leek, but green onion works just fine.
- Anchovy stock is a must: You have to use a flavored stock to give more umami flavor. Plain water won’t bring the same result. Making anchovy stock from scratch is super easy and quick if you have dried anchovies and sea kelp (dashima or kombu).
- Not a seafood person? Then use beef or pork: The only difference in the cooking process is that you will need to cook the meat before you add the stock.
- Stone pot vs regular pot: You can use either one. Stone pots tend to hold the heat longer, keeping the soup hot throughout serving and eating. But you don’t need to purchase one if you don’t have one.
- Egg or no egg? It’s a personal preference. Some prefer to enjoy their soft tofu stew without adding the egg on top. I am one of them. If you like the taste from the egg, add it at the last minute of cooking.
Choice of Soon Tofu
Although we call this dish a soft tofu stew in English, the choice of tofu is not the typical Korean soft tofu that is used in other soup and stew recipes. The texture of soon tofu is close to silken tofu, which is even softer.
Soondubu tofu is not a pressed tofu, which contains lots of water in it, so it maintains its silky, velvety texture. Look for a package of silken tofu or soondubu (soon tofu) that is specifically made for sundubu jjigae recipe.
Soon tofu comes in two types. One type comes in a cylinder-like plastic tube and the other comes as a block in a plastic container. Either one works fine, although I prefer the cylinder kind for its ease of use.
Korean soft tofu stew Ingredients
- oil – use for cooking the onion garlic, and kimchi before adding the stock
- Korean chili flakes (gochugaru)
- Asian leek – or green onion
- onion – chop into small pieces
- garlic – can’t skip when you make Korean stews
- kimchi – make sure your kimchi is sour and fermented
- zucchini – any kind of your choice. You can also add mushroom in place of zuccini or in addition to.
- seafood of your choice – I use whole clams (frozen) and shrimp. You can use peeled and cleaned seafood.
- Korean soup soy sauce – to season and add flavor
- Korean anchovy sauce – to season and add flavor
- fresh chili – optional
For anchovy stock: Anchovy stock brings umami in the soup.
- dried anchovies – Use large size
- dried sea kelp – optional. You can omit this if you don’t have.
- water
How to make soondubu jjigae
1. Make the anchovy stock: Combine dried anchovies and sea kelp with water in a pot. Bring to boil and simmer for 3-4 minutes. Discard the sea kelp once water comes to boil. Discard the anchovies and reserve the stock.
2. If using frozen whole clams, soak them in cold water for 5 minutes. If you see that the clam shells are open, that’s a good sign. Discard any clams that are closed. If using clam meat, you don’t need to soak it in water. You will also need a half the amount if using clam meat.
3. Infuse oil with chili flakes: Heat oil in a pot over low heat. Add Korean chili flakes and the leek (or green onion) and gently stir for 1 minute. Be careful not to burn the chili flakes.
4. Stir-fry onion and kimchi: Add the onion, garlic, and kimchi and stir-fry for 1-2 minutes over medium heat until soft.
5. Add tofu, zucchini, and seafood: Try not to break up the tofu when you scoop it out—big chunks are better than letting it break into too many small pieces. I am using whole shrimps since they make the soup broth deeper in flavor. You can use peeled shrimps if you find whole shrimps to be bothersome to peel later when you eat them. (I don’t mind that much.)
6. Pour the stock: Pour the anchovy stock into the pot until it barely covers the tofu and seafood, about 1 3/4 cup. Bring the soup to boil first and reduce the heat to simmer. Simmer for 4-5 minutes.
7. Season the soup: Use Korean soup soy sauce and anchovy sauce to season the soup. Taste the broth and season more with salt if needed.
Lastly, top with green onion and fresh chili (if using). Serve hot with rice and Korean side dishes (banchan).
Addition of an egg: If you like to add an egg, crack it right on the soup at the last minute and remove the pot from the heat. The remaining heat in the pot will cook the egg. You can stir the egg to break the yolk while waiting.
What to eat with Korean soft tofu stew
The stew itself is full of flavor and satisfying. Therefore you don’t need so many other side dishes to serve with. Make sure to serve with rice and enjoy with 1-2 Korean side dishes. My suggestions are:
- Korean Spinach Side Dish (Sigeumchi Namul)
- Bean sprout salad
- Korean Potato Side Dish (Gamja Jorim)
- Korean Cabbage with Soybean Paste
- Homemade Roasted Seaweed Snack
More Korean stew recipes
If you enjoy heartwarming Korean jjigae, you will love these recipes:
- Kimchi Jjigae (Kimchi Stew with pork)
- Iconic Korean Army Stew (Budae Jjigae)
- Classic Doenjang Jjigae (Korean Soybean Paste Stew)
- Korean Spicy Pork Stew with Zucchini
Tried this recipe? Please take a moment to leave a star rating & comment below. I love hearing from you, and it helps other readers, too.
Traditional Korean Soft Tofu Stew (Soondubu Jjigae)
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1 1/2 tbsp Korean chili flakes (gochugaru)
- 1/3 cup sliced Asian leek, or green onion
- 1/2 small onion, chopped
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup chopped kimchi
- 1 lb silken tofu
- 1/2 zucchini, sliced
- 1/2 lb fresh or frozen whole clam, or shelled (use about 1/4 lb)
- 6 medium raw shrimp, whole or peeled
- 1 tbsp Korean soy sauce (gukganjang)
- 2 tsp Korean anchovy sauce
- 1 green onion, chopped
- 1 fresh chili, optional
- 1 egg, optional
For anchovy stock
- 3 cup water
- 5 large dried anchovy
- 1 piece dried sea kelp (dashima)
Equipment
Instructions
- To make the anchovy stock, combine dried anchovies and sea kelp with water in a pot. Bring to boil and simmer for 3-4 minutes. Discard the sea kelp once water comes to boil. Discard the anchovies and reserve the stock.
- If using fresh or frozen whole clams, soak them in cold water for 5 minutes. If you see that the clam shells are open, that’s a good sign. Discard any clams that are closed. If using clam meat, you don’t need to soak it in water.
- Heat oil in a 1.5 qt pot over low heat. Add Korean chili flakes and the leek (or green onion) and gently stir for 1 minute. Be careful not to burn the chili flakes.
- Add the onion, garlic, and kimchi and stir-fry for 1-2 minutes over medium heat until soft. Add the tofu, zucchini, and seafood. Try not to break up the tofu when you scoop it out—big chunks are better than letting it break into too many small pieces.
- Pour the stock into the pot until it barely covers the tofu and seafood, about 1 3/4 cup. Bring the soup to boil first and reduce the heat to simmer. Simmer for 4-5 minutes. Season the soup with Korean soup soy sauce and anchovy sauce. Taste the broth and season more with salt if needed.
- Lastly, top with green onion and fresh chili (if using). Serve hot with rice and Korean side dishes (banchan).
- Addition of an egg: If you like to add an egg, crack it right on the soup at the last minute and remove the pot from the heat. The remaining heat in the pot will cook the egg. You can stir the egg to break the yolk while waiting.
I tried this recipe out today! I had no clams, so substituted with mussels. I also had to chilli flakes, but I had Korean chilli paste which I added 2 tablespoons. The result was not-too-spicy, yet my tummy was nice and warm after the meal! Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe!! 🙂
Thanks Joanne. Mussels sounds good with this stew. I am glad that you enjoyed.
Hello Ms. Holly! Im from the Philippines and I LOVE LOVE LOVE Korean food! Ive recently tried out your Denjang jigae recipe and IT WAS AMAZING! I loved it! It tasted just like what they serve in the restos only better. I’m having a problem with this Soondubu recipe though. I just tried out (as in 20 minutes ago) this recipe and it didn’t taste quite right to me. I don’t know if it was just too salty but it tasted off. I didn’t use Korean soy sauce, I used fish sauce. The fish sauce I used however is a LOCAL ONE. Its the Philippine version called PATIS. Is this why it tasted wrong? Should I add sugar?
Hi Alex
Thanks for the comment. I have not tried the Philippine version of fish sauce, but fish sauce is quite different than Korean soy sauce. When I mention soy sauce as “Korean soy sauce” that means it is soy sauce for soup, which is clearer and more pungent than regular soy sauce that we all know. Although Korean soy sauce is saltier than general soy sauce, it is far less saltier than fish sauce. Also fish sauce has its unique flavor that is quite pungent. So I believe the reason your soondubu stew was salty and didn’t taste right was using fish sauce rather than Korean soy sauce if you use the same amount that is given in the recipe. Hope this helps you to solve the problem. If you find the Korean soy sauce for soup, please, try again. It is such a comforting stew to enjoy if you can handle the heat!
Of course. You can omit the clam and use beef instead.
My husband and I do not like clams, but we both really like soondubu (we usually order it with beef in restaurants like BCD Tofu House). Can I use this recipe as-is without the clams?
yummmy!! i love soondooboo! your kids are beautiful!
your kids are so cute!! love soft yolk eggs!
Darling…
Besides the very yummie recipe, your words are always so touching and bring back my own memories, like old pictures hanging in my mind,as precious as those shells that kids collect during summer days in the seashore… and suddenly summer is gone, fall knocks on the doors and here come the silence from winter… and we are not expecting, spring blossoms again!
Yes, we may not be that young anymore… but we still have a beautiful journey ahead us!
J'adore!
Hugs and kisses from southern sky – yeahhh counting days to fly back to my little island, my pearl from North Sea =D
What a beautifully-written entry. And what a delicious looking recipe! Also I am glad you are back from Europe and that you had fun.