Name: Spicy Korean Tofu Soup
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 10 min
Ingredients: 2 green onions (thinly sliced (save some for garnish)); 1 green chili pepper (thinly sliced); ¼ yellow onion (finely chopped); ½ Tbsp. toasted sesame oil; 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil; 2.8 oz protein of choice (ground pork, beef, turkey, seafood); 1 ½ cups water; 3.5 oz. shiitake mushrooms (diced); 12 oz. silken tofu; 2 large eggs; Black pepper to taste; 1 Tbsp. light soy sauce; ½ Tbsp. oyster sauce; 2 Tbsp. Gochugaru (Korean chili pepper flakes); 1 Tbsp. minced garlic; 1 Tbsp. chicken bouillon powder

Soondubu jjigae is a spicy Korean tofu stew made with silken tofu, vegetables, onion, protein of choice, optional mushrooms, and gochugaru. Soondubu jjigae is typically served in the same pot it’s cooked in – a thick black or brown earthenware pot called ttukbaegi.

Soondubu jjigae translates to pure tofu (soon dubu) stew (jjigae) and it’s one of the many popular stews (jjigae) in Korean cuisine. This dish is usually eaten with a bowl of fluffy white rice and several banchan (small Korean side dishes). I love to have a side of kimchi for some gut-healthy probiotics.

Learn how to make spicy tofu soup Korean style and you might find it becomes your new favorite breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It’s a lot more comforting, nutritious, and satisfying than a cold bowl of frosted flakes with milk (in my opinion).

Why You’ll Fall In Love With This Simple Soondubu Jjigae Recipe

This Korean spicy tofu soup is effortless yet tastes like restaurant-quality Korean food. It comes together in less than 10 minutes and you only need one pot to cook it. It’s a perfect quick meal on the go!

Soondubu jjigae is healthy and bursting with flavor. The seasoning paste and chili oil broth bring the umami to incredible levels. Vegetables and mushrooms add nutrients, while chili flakes add metabolism-boosting properties.

You can customize this Korean tofu stew to your liking. Use your favorite protein, be that meat, fish, seafood, or a vegetarian option. Make it as spicy as you like. Add more vegetables or even dumplings. The options are endless.

What Do I Need To Make Korean Spicy Tofu Stew

Here is the list of Korean spicy tofu soup ingredients:

2 green onions, thinly sliced
1 green chili pepper, thinly sliced
¼ yellow onion, finely chopped
½ Tbsp. toasted sesame oil
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
2.8 oz protein of choice (ground pork, beef, turkey, seafood)
1 ½ cups water
3.5 oz. shiitake mushrooms, diced
12 oz. silken tofu
2 large eggs
Black pepper to taste

For the seasoning paste:

1 Tbsp. light soy sauce
½ Tbsp. oyster sauce
2 Tbsp. Gochugaru (Korean chili pepper flakes)
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
1 Tbsp. chicken bouillon powder

How To Make Spicy Tofu Soup Korean Style

Step 1: Prep the veggies and aromatics

Thinly slice the green onions and chili peppers, and finely dice the onion. Mince the garlic for the seasoning paste.

Set some green onions aside for garnish.

Step 2: Make the seasoning paste.

In a small bowl, add soy sauce, oyster sauce, Korean chili pepper flakes, minced garlic, and chicken bouillon powder. Mix until combined.

Step 3: Sauté the onions in oils

In a medium thick-bottomed pot, pan, or a Ttukabaegi, heat the sesame oil and vegetable oil over medium heat. Add the onion and green onion and sauté for about 2 minutes or until fragrant.

Step 4: Add and cook the protein with chili peppers

Add your protein of choice (I used ground beef) and half of the chili peppers. Stir often so that the meat cooks evenly.

Reduce the heat to low and add the seasoning paste. Stir-fry for about 3 minutes, but be careful not to burn it. This is where we’re making the yummy chili oil.

Step 5: Boil Water and Cook the Shiitake Mushrooms

Now add the water and increase the heat to medium-high. Bring to a boil and add the diced shiitake mushrooms. Let cook for about 1 minute.

Add the silken tofu and break it into nice large chunks. Cook for another 1-2 minutes so it sucks up all the flavors of the broth.

Step 6: Add eggs and let them poach in the stew

Bring the stew to a boil again and crack in your eggs on top of the stew. Let it cook for 1-2 minutes.

Step 6: Garnish and serve the soondubu Jjigae with rice and kimchi

Remove the soondubu jjigae from the heat and garnish with green onions, chili peppers, and black pepper to taste. Serve with hot fluffy rice and kimchi. Dig in!

Spicy Korean Tofu Soup

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Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 5

Total Time: 10

Servings:

Calories: 472kcal

Ingredients

2 green onions thinly sliced (save some for garnish)
1 green chili pepper thinly sliced
¼ yellow onion finely chopped
½ Tbsp. toasted sesame oil
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
2.8 oz protein of choice ground pork, beef, turkey, seafood
1 ½ cups water
3.5 oz. shiitake mushrooms diced
12 oz. silken tofu
2 large eggs
Black pepper to taste

For the seasoning paste:

1 Tbsp. light soy sauce
½ Tbsp. oyster sauce
2 Tbsp. Gochugaru Korean chili pepper flakes
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
1 Tbsp. chicken bouillon powder

Instructions

In a small bowl, add soy sauce, oyster sauce, Korean chili pepper flakes, minced garlic, and chicken bouillon powder. Mix until combined.
In a medium thick-bottomed pot, heat sesame oil and vegetable oil over medium heat. Add onion and green onion and sauté for 2 min or until fragrant.
Add your protein of choice and half of the chili peppers. Stir often so that the meat cooks evenly. Reduce the heat to low and add the seasoning paste. Stir-fry for about 3 minutes, but be careful not to burn it.
Now add the water and increase the heat to medium-high. Bring to a boil and add the diced shiitake mushrooms. Let cook for about 1 minute.
Add the silken tofu and break it into large chunks. Cook for another 1-2 minutes.
Bring to a boil and crack the eggs on top of the stew. Let it cook for 1-2 minutes.
Remove from the heat and garnish with green onions, chili peppers, and black pepper to taste. Serve with hot fluffy rice and kimchi. Dig in!

Video

Nutrition

Notes & Variations

Chop the onion really finely to ensure it gets cooked well. Otherwise, the undercooked onion can interfere with the perfectly smooth tofu texture.
If you’re worried about burning the seasoning paste, remove the pot or pan from the heat while you stir-fry it. The heat in the pan will continue cooking the ingredients even after turning the burner off.
Don’t scramble the tofu when adding it. Break it into nice large chunks for the best texture and presentation. You want to be able to experience the savory broth and creamy tofu bites as beautiful individual components.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. This stew is best enjoyed fresh and is so quick to whip up that it’s not worth meal-prepping it.
You can make soondubu jjigae vegetarian or even vegan with a little imagination. Use vegetable bouillon and for the protein add some edamame or more mushrooms. Make sure to use vegan oyster sauce or replace it with more soy sauce for a vegan version.
Use anchovy broth or dashi instead of chicken bouillon and water for a more traditional flavor. These ingredients can be harder to find, but if you have them, they’ll really take your jjigae to restaurant level.
To make this meal a little heartier, crack four eggs on top instead of just two. Now you have a perfect brunch or lunch dish for two. Pair it with rice and salad or kimchi and your set.
Seafood like clams, shrimp, or muscles can be added instead of mushrooms for a fishy note. You can also use any meat like ground pork, turkey, or diced chicken thighs, as the main protein.
This is a spicy soup, but to make soondubu jjigae non-spicy, reduce the amount of Korean chili pepper flakes and use thinly sliced green bell pepper instead of chili pepper. The taste won’t be the same, but this is a great option for those who cannot eat spicy food.
You can add other vegetables to Korean spicy tofu soup as well. Zucchini, peppers, green beans, or edamame are good options. You can also add kimchi, but then you’ll need to adjust the salt content. Reduce the amount of soy sauce, oyster sauce, and bouillon powder accordingly.