Love seafood? Try this Korean stew packed with shrimp, clams, and crabs in a spicy, umami-rich broth. A simple, delicious meal ready to impress!
When I was in Seoul, Korea recently , the one dish that I had a craving for but didn’t manage to find was this, Spicy Seafood Korean Stew or Haemul Jongol.
When the weather calls for comfort food – especially with the weather we’re having at the moment – nothing beats a bubbling pot of spicy stew. This one-pot dish is packed with fresh seafood, hearty vegetables, and a bold, spicy broth… and you wouldn’t believe this takes JUST 30 minutes to whip up! It’s the kind of recipe that transforms simple ingredients into a show-stopping meal—perfect for sharing with family and friends.
Jump to RecipeWhy You’ll Love This Recipe
- Easy and Customizable: Use your favorite seafood and veggies for a personalized twist.
- Hearty and Nutritious: A great balance of protein and veggies.
- Impressive Yet Simple: It looks and tastes gourmet but is surprisingly easy to prepare.
- Perfect for Sharing: A communal dish to impress, but also ideal for cozy family meals or dinner parties.
- Luxuriously QUICK: Comes together in under 30 minutes, making it ideal for busy weeknights.
Key Ingredients for Spicy Korean Seafood Stew
1. Seafood
This seafood combination is my favourite for Haemul Jongol, because it makes the stew sweet, with an umami blend that is unbeatable. The variety of texture and flavour is also utterly delightful. Of course, make sure they’re fresh. You can use any combination of seafood here though, use what’s freshest at your market.
In this recipe, I used a combination of:
- Clams
- Flower Crabs
- Shrimp
Other seafood you can use:
- Squid
- Octopus
- Fish
- Mussels
- Truly, the possibilities are ENDLESS!
Can I use frozen seafood? Why not! As long as its fresh frozen, it will do well in this stew. The keyword with any seafood is FRESH.
How to Clean Seafood for the Stew
Let me tell you the worse feeling in the world: cooking up a delicious seafood stew, only to bite into gritty sand! Blegh! Properly cleaning your seafood is essential for a fresh, flavorful stew.
Here’s how I clean the clams for this recipe:
Cleaning Clams (Remove the Sandy Grit)
Clams often contain sand and grit that can ruin the texture of your stew. Follow these steps for clean, grit-free clams:
- Rinse Well:
- Place the clams in a colander and rinse them under cold running water to remove surface dirt.
- Soak in Saltwater:
- Dissolve 2 tbsp (30 g) of salt in 4 cups (1 liter) of cold water in a large bowl.
- Submerge the clams and let them soak for at least 30 minutes (up to 2 hours for heavily sandy clams). This encourages the clams to spit out sand.
- Rinse Again:
- Remove the clams from the water (don’t pour the water with the clams, as the sand will settle at the bottom). Rinse thoroughly under cold water again.
For a more detailed guide on how to clean clams, see this post.
2. Spicy Korean Base Paste
This spicy blend is the backbone of the stew’s flavour, creating the stew’s bold, spicy profile.
- Korean Chili Flakes (Gochugaru)
- Sesame Oil
- Korean Chilli Paste (Gochujang): I prefer my stew with a ‘cleaner’ taste, leaning on the fresh sweetness and flavour of the seafood. This is why I don’t add as much gochujang as most recipes out there.
- Soy Sauce: Since we decreased the gochujang, we add a dash bit more soy sauce to balance out the flavours.
- Ginger Paste
- Garlic Paste
3. Dashi/Yuksu: Seafood Anchovy-Kelp Broth
This traditional Korean stock provides the umami base that ties the whole dish together.
- Dried Anchovies
- Dried Kelp (kombu)
- Spring Onion Whites
Traditionally, you will need to boil anchovies with kelp, but here’s my little secret: I rarely use kelp, since I don’t always have it in my pantry. I also love the flavour of dried anchovies, so I’m happy to omit kelp.
You can shortcut this by using dashi stock.
4. Vegetables & Soft Tofu
To complete the meal, of course we need to add some vegetables and fibre! Any of your favourite vegetables will work for this, but some classics include:
- Napa cabbage
- Mushrooms
- Zucchini
In this recipe, I used enoki mushrooms, broccoli and cauliflower, which work to soak up the flavourful broth beautifully.
Adding soft tofu adds a lovely soft texture to the meal. It also complements the spicy seafood broth!
For garnish, add the greens of the spring onions. Optional, add green chilli peppers for a fresh hit of spice!
Key Steps to Making Seafood Korean Stew
1. Prepare the Broth
- Bring water, dried anchovies, kelp and spring onion roots to a boil in a medium pot.
- Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Discard the anchovies, kelp and roots.
2. Build the stew base
- While the broth is simmering, make the seasoning paste by combining gochujang, gochugaru, soy sauce, sesame oil, and garlic and ginger paste.
- Stir the paste into the into the broth.
- Let it simmer for 5 minutes to meld the flavours.
3. Cook the Seafood & Vegetables
- Add the shrimp, crabs, and clams/mussels to the pot.
- Add in vegetables as well, along with soft tofu. If you want the vegetables more tender, add before the seafood.
- Cover and cook for another 5 minutes, or until the clams/mussels open and the shrimp turn pink.
4. Serve & Enjoy!
- Once the seafood cooks, turn off the heat. Garnish with spring onions.
- Serve immediately!
- Ladle the stew into bowls, garnish with sliced green onions or chili peppers for extra heat, and serve with a side of steamed rice.
How to Serve Seafood Korean Stew
- Serve the stew in a large, shallow pot or bowl so everyone can scoop out their favorite ingredients.
- Pair with steamed white rice, which balances the spicy, flavorful broth.
Tips and Tricks
- Freshness is Key: Use the freshest seafood you can find for the best flavor.
- Customize Your Vegetables: Add whatever vegetables you have on hand, like carrots, spinach, or bok choy.
- Pre-Cook the Broth: To save time, you can prepare the broth in advance and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Adjust the Spice Level: Use less gochugaru for a milder stew or more for extra heat.
Storing and Reheating Instructions
Storing
Transfer any leftovers into an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Seafood is best eaten fresh, so try to enjoy it on the same day if possible.
Reheating
Reheat gently on the stove over low heat, adding a splash of water or broth if the stew has thickened in the fridge. Avoid overcooking the seafood during reheating.
More Recipes Like This
- Easy Soondubu Jjigae | Korean Soft Tofu Stew
- Seafood Tom Yum Soup
- Seafood Pao Fan | Submerged Rice in a Rich Seafood Broth
- Instant Pot Pho
Spicy Korean Seafood Stew (Haemul Jeongol)
4
servings10
minutes20
minutesKeep the screen of your device on
Ingredients
- For the broth:
6 cups (1400 ml) water
1/2 cup dried anchovies
1 piece of dried kelp (optional)
whites of spring onions
- For the stew:
2 tbsp gochugaru (adjust to taste)
1 tbsp gochujang
1 tbsp sesame oil
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp garlic paste or 2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp ginger paste or 1-inch ginger, grated
3-400 g clams or mussels, scrubbed, cleaned and rinsed
8 large shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 flower crabs, cleaned and cut
1/2 cup broccoli, chopped
1/2 cup cauliflower, chopped
1 cup (150 g) mushrooms (shiitake or enoki work well)
1 soft tofu
- For Garnish:
Spring onions
Green Chillies
- Serve With:
Rice
Directions
- Prepare the Broth: Bring water, dried anchovies, kelp and spring onion roots to a boil in a medium pot. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Discard the anchovies, kelp and roots.
- Build the stew base: While the broth make the seasoning paste by combining gochujang, gochugaru, soy sauce, sesame oil, and garlic and ginger paste. Stir the paste into the into the broth. Let it simmer for 5 minutes to meld the flavours.
- Cook the seafood and vegetables: Add the shrimp, crabs, and clams/mussels to the pot. Add in vegetables as well, along with soft tofu. If you want the vegetables more tender, add before the seafood.
Cover and cook for another 5 minutes, or until the clams/mussels open and the shrimp turn pink. - Serve and Enjoy: Once the seafood cooks, turn off the heat. Garnish with spring onions.
Ladle the stew into bowls, garnish with sliced green onions or chili peppers for extra heat, and serve with a side of steamed rice.
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