Kimchi Soondubu Jjigae

Pronounced kim-chee soon-doo-boo cheek-kay, this roughly translates to kimchi stew with tofu. For kimchi lovers everywhere, this fiery soup is the perfect tonic for a cold winter’s night. Spicy, flavorful, and easy to prepare, this stew is just right for the coldest days of the year.

Tips and Tricks

This stew is great to do with dolsat bowls, as it adds that extra layer of heat and keeps the soup warm while you eat it. If you don’t have them, no worries! This will still taste great without using them.

I call for vegan kimchi specifically because most kimchi you find actually includes fish. If the kimchi you buy isn’t pre-shredded, you can take scissors to cut it up into pieces before putting into the stew.

This is a purely vegan recipe that includes mushrooms, scallions, and zucchini. There are several versions of jjigae to make, many of which call for chicken, beef, or pork belly. If meat is calling you, go for it! You’ll want to brown it towards the beginning along with any other vegetables you decide to put in it. You can also play around with other veggies (this is a perfect soup for veggies just about to go bad).

You can also add an egg on top of the stew for some added protein.

It’s important to have silken tofu for this recipe. While firm and extra-firm are good for recipes where you need the tofu to hold together, we actually want the tofu to be crumbly here. It should look roughly like clumps of feta cheese when you add it to the soup.

Ingredients:

  • vegetable oil

  • 8 oz. shiitake mushrooms

  • kosher salt

  • 2 scallions, sliced (save the green ends for garnish)

  • 1 tbsp garlic, minced

  • 2 tbsp gochuragu (Korean red-pepper flakes)

  • 2 cups vegan kimchi, chopped

  • 6 cups vegetable broth

  • 1 1/2 tbsp soy sauce

  • 1 medium zucchini, sliced into 1/4 inch half-moons

  • 14 oz. silken tofu, broken into small pieces

  • steamed rice, for serving (optional)

Directions:

(**Note: if you’re using dolsat bowls, place them in the oven, and turn the oven on to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Let them heat up as the oven warms and leave them there until you’re ready to serve.)

Heat a couple tablespoons of the vegetable oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Once shimmering, add the shiitake mushrooms and sprinkle with a touch of kosher salt. Cook until the mushrooms are just beginning to soften, about 3 - 4 minutes.

Add the scallions, garlic, and gochuragu until everything is combined. Stir until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Add the kimchi along with any leftover juice in the container it came in. Stir for 4 - 5 minutes, or until most of the liquid has dissipated.

Add the vegetable broth, soy sauce, and zucchini. Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes, or until the kimchi and the zucchini are softened.

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Add the silken tofu into the soup. Stir so that it’s fully incorporated. Cook for another 3 - 5 minutes.

Do a taste test. If the soup still needs salt, you can either add a touch of kosher salt or more of the soy sauce. Once you’re satisfied with the flavors, take off the heat.

If using the dolsat bowls, turn off the oven and carefully take out onto a padded surface (I like to use a baking sheet).

If serving with rice, you can either keep the rice on the side or put in your bowl first. Serve the soup in the bowls or dolsat bowls. Garnish with the remaining scallion greens.

Enjoy!