Korean Sundubu Soft Tofu Stew Recipe

Korean Sundubu Jjigae (순두부찌개) -- Soft Tofu Stew -- is one of Korea's most comforting and deeply satisfying dishes. Silken soft tofu is simmered in a fiery, gochugaru-spiced broth with vegetables and often egg or seafood, served bubbling hot in a stone pot. This is Korean comfort food at its finest: vegetarian, gluten-free, high-protein from the tofu, and ready in under 25 minutes. Every Korean home has its own version, but this recipe stays true to the soul of the dish with a rich, complex broth built on anchovy or vegetable stock.

Ingredients

Broth Base

• 2 cups anchovy broth (or vegetable broth for vegetarian)
• 3 dried anchovies (omit for vegetarian)
• 1 piece dried kelp (dashima), about 5x5cm

Stew

• 400g silken soft tofu, cut into large cubes (or left in block)
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil or sesame oil
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
• 2 tbsp gochugaru (Korean red pepper flakes) -- adjust to heat preference
• 1 tsp gochujang
• 1 tbsp gluten-free tamari
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 100g shiitake or oyster mushrooms, sliced
• 1/2 small zucchini, sliced into half-moons
• 1/2 medium onion, sliced

Optional Additions

• 150g fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined (omit for vegetarian)
• 2 large eggs (1 per serving, cracked in at the end)
• 1 green onion, thinly sliced

Instructions

1. Make the broth: bring 2.5 cups water to a boil with dried anchovies and kelp for 10 minutes. Remove anchovies and kelp. Reserve the broth. (For vegetarian: use store-bought vegetable broth.)
2. Heat oil in a clay pot (dolsot) or heavy saucepan over medium-high heat. Add garlic and ginger and stir-fry for 30 seconds until fragrant.
3. Add gochugaru and stir constantly for 1 minute to bloom the pepper flakes in the oil. The oil should turn deep red.
4. Add sliced onion and mushrooms. Stir-fry for 2 minutes.
5. Add reserved broth, gochujang, gluten-free tamari, and salt. Bring to a vigorous boil.
6. Add zucchini slices and shrimp (if using). Cook for 2 minutes.
7. Gently add the soft tofu, trying to keep the cubes intact. Do not stir vigorously -- the tofu is delicate.
8. Drizzle sesame oil over the stew. Bring back to a boil and cook for 3 more minutes.
9. Crack eggs directly into the bubbling stew, one per serving area if cooking in a shared pot. Do not stir -- let the eggs poach in the broth for 2 minutes for runny yolks.
10. Remove from heat. Garnish with sliced green onion. Serve immediately in the hot pot -- the stew should still be bubbling at the table.

Tips & Variations

• Clay pot (dolsot) is ideal: If you have a Korean stone or clay pot, use it. It retains heat magnificently and keeps the stew bubbling at the table, which is part of the experience.
• Tofu type matters: Use silken or soft tofu -- not firm or extra-firm. The delicate, custardy texture is what defines sundubu jjigae.
• Heat level: 2 tablespoons of gochugaru makes a moderately spicy stew. Reduce to 1 tablespoon for milder, or increase to 3 tablespoons if you love heat.
• Kimchi version: Add 1/2 cup well-fermented kimchi (chopped) when you add the vegetables for a tangy, fermented depth that many Koreans prefer.
• Anchovy broth depth: Anchovy-kelp broth (myulchi yuksu) is the traditional base and gives the stew a deeply savory, oceanic quality. Good vegetable broth with added gluten-free tamari is a solid vegetarian alternative.

Nutrition Breakdown

Calories: 279 kcal

Protein: 20.9g

Fat: 11.7g

Carbs: 25.4g

Fiber: 4.6g

Track It with Nutrify

Tracking Korean Sundubu Soft Tofu Stew is easy with Nutrify's AI-powered food scanner. Just snap a photo of your plate and get instant calorie and macro data. Download Nutrify to start tracking smarter.