Spicy Soft Tofu Stew or Soondubu Jjigae is one of the well-known and well-loved Korean soups. It’s comforting after a long day of work, it’s refreshing after a night of drinking. It’s a soup recipe I’ll go back to any day for that satisfying spice and filling meal!
Koreans love soup. Furthermore, making soup is a way for us to highlight a certain produce or ingredient that is common in our pantry. Have a lot of beansprouts? Make Kongnamul Guk. Have a lot of radish? Make Mu Guk. Got a lot of kimchi? You know it, we got Kimchi Jjigae which highlights the funky but delicious flavor of kimchi. Not only that, we also have other unique soups such as Soybean Paste Soup, Oxtail Broth, and the like.
In soondubu jjigae, soft tofu is the main star. Soft tofu has an extra silky, melt-in-your-mouth texture because of its high water content. For flavor, it takes on the taste of the spicy, umami-rich seafood soup but still has a hint of creaminess which makes it enjoyable to eat. And today, I’ll be sharing with you how to make this spicy soft tofu soup from scratch!
Soondubu Jjigae Ingredients
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There are so many ways to make this dish, but here I’ll explain the different elements that will help you make this the best-tasting soup you’ve ever made!
- Soft Tofu. This usually comes in cylindrical plastic or rectangular packaging in the refrigerated section of Asian groceries. It can also be called “extra soft tofu” or “silken tofu”. In handling the cylinder type, carefully slice it open and gently squeeze it out, otherwise, it might pop and crumble.
- Zucchini and Mushroom. Other veggies you can also add are kimchi and enoki mushrooms!
- Squid, Clam, and/or Shrimp. You can use fresh or frozen seafood depending on what’s available to you. This is an additional protein that also adds a clean seafood flavor to the soup.
- Egg. We want the egg as an addition or garnish to the soup, not as a thickener, so it’s added last.
What is the soondubu broth made of?
- Korean Soup Stock. Korean soups are typically made of soup stock from boiling dried kelp, dried anchovy, and Korean radish. But there are also dried dashi packets that contain similar ingredients but in ready-to-boil soup bags. I like using those for convenience! The soup stock will provide a depth of flavor and a refreshing taste to the dish.
- Ground Pork. Use pork belly minced or sliced to bitesize pieces. However, you can skip the meat and just use an additional tablespoon of oil instead when you sauté the aromatics.
- Garlic, Onion, and Scallion. Save 1/4 of the onion and scallion for garnish.
- Korean Red Pepper Powder. This is the spicy base of the soup. Use red pepper powder for a more vibrant soup color, but red pepper flakes are okay too! Use the amount that’s appropriate for your spice tolerance.
- Soy Sauce, Fish Sauce, Salt & Pepper, and Hondashi. These are several pantry items you can use to enhance the soup. Gradually add them according to taste.
Variations for Soft Tofu Soup
With the number of ingredients used in making soft tofu stew, you can definitely customize it according to your liking or diet. You can use the combination of Kimchi-Pork Belly, Seafood only, or Vegetarian, but I like using the combination of Pork Belly-Seafood the best.
If you think about it, almost all elements in this soup dish have unique flavors and it comes together and gets absorbed by soft tofu. For a non-spicy version of this soup, try this White Soondubu Jjigae! Oooh!
How to Make Soondubu?
Before anything else, it must be noted that this recipe is a big batch because I made it for my relatives. So if you’re following my measurements, make sure to use a big pot. Nevertheless, feel free to use fewer portions if cooking for fewer people. You can even cook on a ttukbaegi for a single serving!
1. Make the soup stock. In a pot, boil dashi pack in three cups of water. Let it boil for 10 minutes, then set aside.
2. Make the soondubu soup base. In a separate pot, saute the pork until browned and the fat has been rendered. Add the aromatics, and let it sweat. This is called “pagirum”, and this is where all the flavor will be coming from.
3. Spice up the soup base. Add pepper powder, sauté it really well, and season with some soy sauce. This will bring out all the spice in that powder, and as you season, more flavor will build up.
4. Combine the soup base and stock. Add the soup stock to the soup base and let it come to a boil. Taste and season with salt and pepper accordingly.
5. Add the seafood, vegetables, and tofu one by one. Let the soup boil after adding each category of ingredients. Handle the tofu carefully, and do not crush it. Keep it in big chunks so that when it is served, people will have the liberty to eat it as is or to mix it in their rice. If any impurities come up, remove them.
6. Taste, adjust, and serve. Season sundubu with fish sauce, salt, pepper, and hondashi depending on your preference. Add the egg last and let it poach or mix it in.
Serving Soondubu
There is nothing else I would serve this with apart from a hot bowl of freshly cooked white rice. If you’re feeling extra, serve this in a ttukbaegi. This helps in keeping the soup hot as you eat it. Just like how true Koreans like it!
Other classic Korean recipes that are delicious when you make from scratch:
- Kalguksu (Handcut Noodles)
- Bibim Guksu (Spicy Cold Noodles)
- Mandu (Korean Dumplings)
- Galbi Jjim (Korean Braised Short Ribs)
Make sure to leave a rating, a comment, or tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Tiktok when you chop them up! Yeobosayo!
Spicy Soft Tofu Stew (Soondubu Jjigae)
Ingredients
Dashi Stock
- 1 Dashi Pack
- 3 cups Water
Soup Base
- 2 tbsp Vegetable or Canola Oil For sauteing
- 50 grams Minced Pork
- 1 tbsp Garlic
- 3 stalks Scallions Chopped, Save 1/4 for garnish
- 1 large Onion Chopped, Save 1/4 for garnish
- 2 tbsp Korean Red Pepper Powder
- 2 tbsp Soy Sauce for Soup
- Salt and Pepper To taste
- Fish Sauce To taste
- Hondashi To taste
Soondubu Contents
- 1 medium-size Zucchini Sliced moon-shaped or diced
- 4 pcs Shiitake Mushroom Sliced
- 1 whole-body Squid Sliced to bitesize
- 1 cup Clams
- 4 pcs Shrimp
- 2 packs Soft Tofu Stew (200g each)
- 2 pcs Egg
Instructions
- Prepare your dashi stock by boiling one dashi packet in water for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare your other ingredients.
- In high heat, with a splash of oil, sauté the pork and let it render.
- Throw in the onion and scallion, mix, and let it sweat until fragrant.
- Add Korean pepper powder and garlic, then sauté.
- Season with soy sauce and sauté again.
- Add the dashi stock and season with salt and pepper, then taste. The soup should be delicious at this point.
- Let soup boil then add the seafood. Let it cook for a couple of minutes.
- Add the vegetables and the rest of the onion and let boil.
- Once boiling again, add the silken tofu. Divide it into big chunks, and let boil.
- Lastly, throw in an egg or two then garnish with scallions.
- Taste and season along the way, add fish sauce or hondashi as needed.
- Remove any impurities coming up.
- Serve in a ttukbaegi with a bowl of freshly cooked white rice.
I just made this and let me tell you, it’s delicious! One of the best soondobu’s that I have had. Thank you for sharing your recipe!
Yeobosayo!! Glad you liked the recipe!!
I make a soondobu recipe with chicken that I found on the internet and I love it… this one looks extra special, can’t wait to make it… just need to go buy the tofu. Thank you
Let me know how you like this recipe!