Kimchi jjigae is a bubbling Korean stew built around well aged, sour kimchi simmered with pork belly and tofu until the fat renders into the broth and the sourness mellows into something deep and savory. It is the dish Korean home cooks reach for when a jar of kimchi has gone past its best raw eating stage, since the stronger the ferment, the better the stew.
The dish has no fixed single origin story the way a royal court dish might, but it is a direct descendant of Korea's long tradition of building stews, called jjigae, around fermented staples to stretch a little meat across a whole pot of flavor. It sits alongside doenjang jjigae as one of the two stews most Korean households make on a weekly basis.
Using kimchi that has fermented past the point most people would eat it straight is not a workaround. It is the entire point, and it is why this stew tastes better made with the jar sitting in the back of the refrigerator than with anything fresh.
What Actually Matters: Rendering the Pork Fat First
Searing the pork belly on its own until the fat renders out, before the kimchi ever goes into the pot, is what separates a rich, savory jjigae from a thin, merely sour one. That rendered fat is what carries flavor through the whole stew and mellows the kimchi's sharpness. Adding cold kimchi straight into cold water skips this step and the result tastes thinner and more one dimensional.
Kimchi Jjigae
Serves 4. Prep 10 minutes, cook 30 minutes, total 40 minutes.
Ingredients
- 1/2 pound pork belly, sliced thin
- 2 cups well fermented, sour napa cabbage kimchi, with its juice
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon gochugaru (Korean red pepper flakes)
- 1 teaspoon gochujang
- 1/2 medium onion, sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 cups water or unsalted stock
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 8 ounces soft or medium tofu, sliced into blocks
- 2 scallions, cut into 1 inch pieces
- Salt, to taste
Method
- Heat the oil in a heavy pot over medium heat and sear the pork belly until browned and much of the fat has rendered, about 5 minutes.
- Add the onion and garlic and cook 2 minutes until fragrant.
- Stir in the kimchi with its juice and cook 3 to 4 minutes, letting it sizzle in the rendered fat.
- Add the gochugaru and gochujang and stir to coat everything evenly.
- Pour in the water or stock and the soy sauce, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for 15 minutes.
- Slide in the tofu blocks and simmer another 5 minutes without stirring hard, so the tofu stays intact.
- Taste and adjust salt. Older, sourer kimchi may need less added seasoning than a milder batch.
- Scatter the scallions over the top and serve bubbling hot straight from the pot with steamed rice.
Nutrition (per serving, estimated)
| Calories | Protein | Fat | Carbs |
|---|---|---|---|
| 340 | 18 g | 24 g | 12 g |
Estimate calculated from the ingredients above, not lab verified.
Tips and Variations
- No pork: canned tuna or thinly sliced beef both work in place of the pork belly for a lighter or different stew.
- Too mild kimchi: add an extra teaspoon of gochugaru and a splash of rice vinegar to fake the missing sourness.
- Make ahead: jjigae tastes even better the next day once the flavors settle. Reheat gently over low heat.
- Vegetarian version: skip the pork, use vegetable stock, and add extra mushrooms for body.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need very sour kimchi for this?
Yes, ideally. Kimchi that has fermented past its best raw eating point gives the stew real depth. Fresh, mild kimchi will taste flat by comparison.
Can I make it without pork?
Yes, canned tuna, beef, or a fully vegetarian version with extra tofu and mushrooms are all common variations.
Why does the recipe call for searing the pork before adding the kimchi?
Rendering the pork fat first gives the stew a rich base that the kimchi then simmers into, instead of tasting thin and purely sour.
Should the tofu be soft or firm?
Soft or medium tofu is traditional and soaks up the broth well. Firm tofu works too if that is what you have.
How long does kimchi jjigae keep?
It keeps well in the refrigerator for three to four days and reheats easily, often tasting better on day two.
More From Wine Drop Cookery
This recipe is part of our South Korean recipe collection. For more, try Sundubu Jjigae or homemade napa cabbage kimchi. For the tools, see Kitchen Essentials, Pots, Pans and Cookware, and our full collection index.
Who Is Writing This
I'm Chef Alan. I have spent 35 years in professional kitchens, I have formal culinary education in New Hampshire, and I have been honored as a 6-Time 4-Diamond Chef. More about me here.
If a recipe is missing something you needed, or a step didn't make sense, tell me. Get in touch and I'll fix it.
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