This Hobak Jjigae or Spicy Zucchini Soup is a new recipe that broke the internet. It’s spicy, slightly sweet, and super thick—simply delicious.
Hobak Jjigae is inspired by Brewmaster Yun Jumo’s recipe as part of the meal she created in the Black Spoon Elimination Round in Culinary Class Wars Season 2. There, she prepared a Makgeolli-based Boiled Pork and served it with rice, spicy zucchini soup, and her very own brew of makgeolli.
I instantly craved it as it was snowing outside and my zucchini was perfectly ripening in my pantry. Watching the show and how she demonstrated eating the meaty pork and washing it down with a spicy and savory soup and some alcohol sounded really nice. But for now, here’s my freestyle recipe that hopefully brings comfort and warmth through the winter. Enjoy!
Ingredients for Hobak Jjigae
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- Pork Shoulder – I used a small amount of pork shoulder, chopped into bite-sized pieces, for protein and flavor. Feel free to use other cuts like pork belly or add more pork according to preference.
- Aromatics – I used the trio of scallions, garlic, and ginger to help reduce the pork odor and create a fragrant and flavorful oil base to the soup.
Soup Base
There are many options for the base, and it can add a slight difference to the overall taste of the soup, but feel free to use what is available to you. I used a combination of rice water and soup coin as these are the easiest ingredients to use.
- Water – You can use water alone, simply season more later.
- Rice Water – This is the secret of Korean moms and aunties! Simply wash uncooked rice twice, then soak it in water. The yielded water helps thicken up the soup and imparts a slight sweetness to its overall taste.
- Anchovy Soup Stock – This is usually made from soup bags that contain dried anchovy and kelp, and you boil it for a few minutes to create stock, which will add depth to the soup.
- Soup Coin – This is a dried soup stock shaped into a coin. It’s a convenient ingredient that instantly adds flavor to any dish.
Vegetables
There are a variety of veggies used in this recipe, so feel free to remove or use more of one or the other according to your preference.
- Ae Hobak or Korean Zucchini – This is a variety of zucchini that’s light green in color, has thin, smooth skin, and is often softer and sweeter than what we usually see in the US. They’re great for dishes like hobak jeon, hobak bokkeum, or a great add-on to soups like doenjang jjigae or gochujang jjigae. And rightfully, we have this Hobak Jjigae to highlight its natural flavors in a bowl.
- Onion – For flavor
- Potatoes – For slight thickness
- Tofu and Enoki Mushroom – For additional protein
- Peppers – For additional spice and garnish, optional
Seasonings
- Soy Sauce – This was used to season the pork in the beginning to bring out its natural flavor.
- Gochugaru – This was also sauteed in the beginning to create the spicy base of the soup.
- Gochujang – The spicy and savory paste that will boost the flavor of the soup.
- Salted Shrimp and Fish Sauce – There’s something about the combination of ae hobak and these two that’s really complementary and delicious. The umami that comes from these means we don’t need to use salt anymore.
- Hondashi – Just a dash, which also makes a difference to the overall flavor profile of the soup!
How to Make Spicy Zucchini Soup?
Prepare the ingredients: Chop the pork, aromatics, and vegetables, then prepare your preferred stock and seasonings. This is a relatively easy dish to make as it is one-pot; it simply requires several ingredients.
Make the base of the soup: In a pot, add a little bit of oil, and saute the pork until it releases its own oil. Add the scallions, garlic, and ginger, and mix until fragrant and slightly toasted. Add soy sauce and gochugaru, and mix again. This will create scallion and chili oil for a tasty soup.
Add stock: Wash rice, soak it for a little bit, and pour onto the pork and aromatics mixture along with the soup coin, then leave to boil.
Add the vegetables and season the soup: Once it is boiling, add the onion and potatoes to cook them first. Season with gochujang, salted shrimp, fish sauce, and hondashi, and mix well. Once slightly tender, add zucchini and tofu. I added them last as they cook and soften quickly.
Finishing touches: Mix the soup well and leave it to boil so all the flavors incorporate. Taste and adjust according to preference, then garnish with enoki mushrooms and peppers.
Serving and Storage
Serve hobak jjigae hot and enjoy with rice and a choice of protein like LA Galbi, Bossam, or Soy Garlic BBQ Chicken. It can be eaten on its own, but it’s also a great side dish. Either way, I love that it’s filled with so many vegetables!
For any leftovers, simply store them in the fridge for 3 days and reheat in the microwave or on the stove as needed. As for us, this was so good, my manager literally had 2 1/2 bowls. He said he really felt bad because he ate almost all of it, leaving me with nothing! Lol!
Other easy and delicious soup recipes you might like:
Make sure to leave a rating, a comment, or tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Tiktok when you chop them up! Yeobosayo!
Hobak Jjigae (Spicy Zucchini Soup)
Ingredients
- 300 grams Pork Shoulder Chopped into bite-sized pieces
- 3 tbsp Scallions 1 stalk, chopped
- 1 tbsp Garlic Minced
- 1/2 tbsp Ginger Minced
- 2 quartz Rice Water
- 1-2 pcs Soup Coin
Vegetables
- 1 1/2 whole Ae Hobak or Korean Zucchini Moon-shaped
- 1 large Onion, Chunks 120 grams, chunks
- 1 large Potatoes 240 grams, cubed
- 1/2 of whole Tofu 200 grams, cubed
- Enoki Mushroom For garnish
- Peppers For garnish
Seasonings
- 1 tbsp Soy Sauce
- 3 tbsp Gochugaru
- 2 tbsp Gochujang
- 2 tbsp Salted Shrimp
- 1 tbsp Fish Sauce
- Dash of Hondashi
Instructions
- Prepare the ingredients by chopping the aromatics, vegetables, and pork. Prepare your choice of stock as well as the seasonings listed above.
- Place the pot on high heat, add a splash of oil, and saute the pork until the oil comes out.
- Add scallions, garlic, and ginger, then mix until fragrant. Add soy sauce and gochugaru, then mix again.
- Once everything is well incorporated, wash rice twice, soak it for a bit, then add it to the pork and scallion mixture. Add soup coin, mix well, and leave to boil.
- Add the onion and potatoes, then season with gochujang, salted shrimp, fish sauce, and hondashi. Let it cook until slightly softened.
- Add the zucchini, and let it cook for a couple of minutes. Add the tofu, mix well, and taste and adjust.
- Garnish with enoki mushrooms and peppers. Serve hot and enjoy!
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