Spam Kimchi Jjigae is a quick, one-pot, comforting stew made with a few ingredients. This is a nice switch from the usual spam & rice!
Why Spam on Kimchi Jjigae?
You’d usually hear kimchi jjigae made with pork belly or pork butt. That’s actually one of my favorites, but spam is also a great protein option that yields a uniquely flavorful and equally comforting kimchi stew.
But besides that, I always refer to spam as broke boyz food even though it’s a bit pricey nowadays. This is mainly because for Koreans, spam is literally survival food during the Korean War. When food was running low, these little cans of meat were secretly brought out of U.S. military camps to feed families of locals.
Since then, it has been creatively transformed into different dishes, from rice balls, fried rice, kimbap, and even stews like this or the ever-so-famous Budae Jjigae. Some of these dishes form the foundations of Korean cuisine!
With that, spam has evolved from a symbol of scarcity to nostalgia that makes it a popular holiday gift. Spam sales literally skyrocket during Lunar New Year and Chuseok!
And up until now, sometimes spam is still an easier and more accessible option when you need a quick meal, and turning it into kimchi jjigae makes a mere canned meat into a warm and nourishing meal.
What makes Spam Kimchi Jjigae unique is that you literally dump everything into a pot and let it simmer until tender and wilted. The spam releases its flavor but at the same time absorbs the combination of kimchi and seasonings, which makes it super delightful to bite into! So excited for you guys to try it out, and I hope you like it!
What You’ll Need & Additional Ingredient Tips
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- Spam – Use either regular or lite. Half a can is enough for a single serving, but feel free to add more. Simply take note that the more spam you use, the saltier the soup may get.
- Kimchi – This is where the main flavors of the stew will come from–if your kimchi is delicious, your stew will be delicious! Best to use fermented kimchi for the extra kick!
- Onion and Scallions – Aromatics for a bit of contrast to the strong flavors of spam and kimchi.
- Tofu – Koreans love adding tofu to soups because it absorbs the flavor nicely, and it’s an additional protein! Nevertheless, this is optional.
- Uncooked Rice and Water – This is the Korean eomma secret–using the water from soaked uncooked rice, just like how you use pasta water in pasta to nicely thicken up the soup!
- Sesame Oil – For a nice and nutty aroma that will complement the kimchi.
- Hondashi – This is powdered soup stock, which deepens the flavor of the soup without making it salty. I highly recommend using Korean anchovy stock for the most authentic result, but rice water with hondashi is a very close and more accessible alternative, so I used this. Dashida or any other stock is ok too!
- Black Pepper – To enhance the flavor, especially of the spam and kimchi.
- Soybean Paste – This is optional, but this is also my secret. Adding a small amount of doenjang adds a depth of flavor to the soup!
- Since the spam is already salty on its own and the kimchi also has a savory touch, you won’t need a lot of seasoning for this dish. But according to the taste of your kimchi and its yielded flavor, you can add Red Pepper Powder for color, Red Pepper Flakes for additional spice, Soy Sauce for more savor, or Sugar to tone down the sourness of the kimchi.
How to Make Spam Kimchi Jjigae?
Slice the spam into bite-sized pieces and julienne the onion and scallions. Set aside.
Rinse uncooked rice twice, then add water to soak for a few minutes. Set aside the yielded rice water for the soup. Cook the washed rice.
Place a pot on high heat, then put the sesame oil, spam, and kimchi in it. Let it cook (without mixing) until the spam emits flavor, the kimchi caramelizes a bit, and they all meld together with the sesame oil.
Add rice water to the spam and kimchi and let it simmer. Once boiling, add onion and scallions.
Season with garlic, black pepper, hondashi, and a little doenjang and gently mix. Taste the soup and adjust using the gochugaru, soy sauce, or sugar.
Add tofu on top of the soup and leave it to boil until the spam is tender, the kimchi and aromatics are a bit wilted, and the soup is flavorful and thickened.
Serving Spam Kimchi Jjigae
Serve this hot with a bowl of steaming rice for a quick meal, but this is also a great soup that can be served with your Korean BBQ! Check out me and my manager’s mukbang on the video below! For any leftovers, simply store them in the fridge and reheat in the microwave or stove. This tastes even better the next day!
Other quick and easy soups and stews 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!
Spam Kimchi Jjigae
Ingredients
- 1/2 can Spam
- 1 cup Kimchi
- 1 tbsp Sesame Oil
- 1 cup Uncooked Rice
- 2 cups Water
- 1/2 large Onion
- 2 stalks Scallions
- 1/2 tbsp Garlic
- Black Pepper
- Hondashi
- 2 slices Tofu
Instructions
- Slice the spam into bite-sized pieces, then julienne the onion and scallions. Set aside.
- Wash rice twice, then fill it up with water again to soak for a couple of minutes, then set aside the water in which the rice is soaked. You can cook the washed rice after.
- Place a small pot on high heat, then put sesame oil, spam, and kimchi in it. Let it cook without mixing.
- Add rice water to the spam and kimchi, then let it simmer. Once boiling, add onion and scallions.
- Season with garlic, black pepper, hondashi, and doenjang, mix gently, then taste and adjust with soy sauce, pepper powder, or pepper flakes.
- Add the tofu last, then leave it to boil until the spam is tender, the kimchi and aromatics are a bit wilted, and the soup is flavorful and thickened.
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