A bubbling, fiery Korean stew of silky soft tofu, gochugaru, and pork or seafood, finished with a raw egg cracked in at the table.
Sundubu-jjigae is one of Korea's most iconic stews, built around extra-soft, uncurdled tofu (sundubu) that dissolves into ribbons the moment it hits the bubbling, chile-red broth. The base is made from gochugaru (Korean chile flakes) bloomed in oil with garlic, which gives the stew its deep red color and building heat, simmered with anchovy or pork-based stock, and usually loaded with either pork belly, clams, or shrimp. The technique that defines sundubu-jjigae is serving it at a rolling boil, typically in a stone (ttukbaegi) pot straight from the stove to the table, so it's still actively bubbling when a raw egg is cracked into the center -- the residual heat cooks the egg into soft, custardy ribbons right at the table. The soft tofu itself should never be drained or pressed; it's meant to be delicate and barely holding together, breaking apart into the broth as you eat. Served with a bowl of rice and an array of banchan side dishes, sundubu-jjigae is a lunch counter staple across Korea, ordered by spice level and protein choice, and eaten while it's still audibly simmering.
Serves 2
Heat oil in a stone or heavy pot over medium heat. Add gochugaru, garlic, and ginger, stirring 1 minute until fragrant and the oil turns red.
Add pork belly and onion, cooking until the pork is no longer pink, about 4 minutes.
Pour in stock, soy sauce, and fish sauce. Bring to a rolling boil and simmer 8-10 minutes.
Spoon in the soft tofu directly from its container, breaking it into large chunks with a spoon. Simmer 3-4 minutes until heated through.
While the stew is still actively boiling, crack an egg (or two) directly into the center. Do not stir -- let it poach in the residual heat.
Scatter with scallions and serve immediately, still bubbling, with rice on the side.
Use genuinely soft/silken tofu labeled for jjigae, not firm tofu -- the texture is the whole point of this dish.
Bloom the gochugaru in oil before adding liquid; this step builds the red color and rounds out the raw chile bite.
Serve in individual stone pots if you have them -- the stew needs to arrive at the table still boiling for the egg to cook properly.
Haemul sundubu-jjigae: use shrimp, clams, and squid instead of pork for a seafood version.
Make it vegetarian with mushrooms and vegetable stock, omitting fish sauce and using soy sauce for saltiness.
Add kimchi and its juice for extra tang and depth, a very common home addition.
Best eaten fresh -- the soft tofu breaks down further and the egg overcooks on reheating. If needed, store without the egg up to 2 days and reheat to a boil before adding a fresh egg.
Sundubu-jjigae became widely popular in South Korea in the mid-20th century, with Sundubu specialty restaurants (sundubu-jip) becoming their own dining category, particularly associated with the Gwangju and greater Seoul areas.
Yes -- shrimp, clams, or just mushrooms and vegetable stock all work well; adjust cooking time down for seafood since it cooks in just a couple minutes.
The stew likely wasn't hot enough when you added the egg. It needs to be at a full rolling boil so residual heat poaches the egg into soft ribbons within a minute or two.
There's no perfect substitute, but a mix of smoked paprika and a small amount of cayenne can approximate the color and mild heat in a pinch.
Per serving (420g / 14.8 oz) · 2 servings total
Ask our AI cooking assistant anything about this recipe — substitutions, techniques, scaling.
Chat with AI Chef →Join the conversation
Sign in to leave a comment and save your favourite recipes
Have feedback or need help?
We read every email and reply within 1–2 business days.
© 2026 MyCookingCalendar. All rights reserved.
