# Korean Kimchi Jjigae, Kimchi Stew

> This stew is made with **old, sour kimchi**, not fresh. Kimchi that has sat two weeks or more turns sour and deep, and that is what gives the stew its flavour. Fresh kimchi gives a flat, shallow result.

**Korean Cuisine · 40 min · 4 servings · 280 kcal per serving**

Kimchi jjigae is the best-known Korean home stew, made precisely when the kimchi has gone old and nobody wants to eat it on its own. The result is a sour, spicy, warming stew eaten with white rice.

## Ingredients


### Base
- 2 cups — old (sour) kimchi, chopped
- 0.5 cup — kimchi juice
- 300 g — beef, cut up (or canned tuna)
- 1 حبة — onion, sliced
- 300 g — tofu, sliced
- 3 أعواد — spring onions

### Seasoning
- 1 tbsp — gochugaru (Korean chilli flakes)
- 1 tbsp — gochujang
- 4 cloves — garlic, crushed
- 1 tbsp — soy sauce
- 1 tsp — sugar
- 2 tbsp — oil

### السائل
- 3 cups — water or stock

## Method

1. **Brown the beef** — Brown the beef in the oil in a pot over medium heat for 5 minutes.
2. **Fry the kimchi — the step that matters** — Add the chopped kimchi and onion and stir for **a full 5 minutes** over medium heat. This frying turns the kimchi's sourness into depth rather than sharpness.
3. **The seasonings** — Add the chilli flakes, gochujang, garlic and sugar and stir for two minutes.
4. **The liquid** — Pour in the water and kimchi juice, bring to the boil, then simmer uncovered for **15 minutes**.
5. **The tofu** — Lay the tofu slices on top of the stew (do not stir) and leave it another 5 minutes.
6. **Serve** — Add the soy sauce and spring onions, taste and adjust. Serve bubbling with white rice.

## Tips

- Old sour kimchi is what you want — fresh gives a flat stew.
- Fry the kimchi for 5 minutes before the broth — it deepens the flavour noticeably.
- Do not stir once the tofu goes in — it breaks up.
- The stew improves on the second day, like all fermented food.

## FAQ

### My kimchi is fresh — what do I do?
Leave it out of the fridge for a day or two until it sours, or add a spoonful of rice vinegar to the stew to make up the missing acidity.

### Can I make it without beef?
Yes — canned tuna is a very common Korean alternative, or a vegetarian version with just tofu and mushrooms.

### What is the difference between jjigae and soup?
Jjigae is thicker with less liquid than soup, and is served bubbling in a stone pot as a main dish with rice, not as a starter.

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Source: https://hanakoleah.com/en/korean-cuisine/korean-kimchi-jjigae-kimchi-stew
Edited by: Marwa Mohamed
Last updated: 2026-09-13