Craving a bowl of spicy, comforting goodness? Try this 15-minute Soondubu Jjigae recipe – my easy, speedy way to spicy, savoury, umami-rich Korean soft tofu stew with minimal ingredients!

Whenever I need a quick, comforting bowl of soup, Soondubu Jjigae (sundubu jjigae/soondubu chigae/soondubu jigae) is one of my go-tos.

Also known as Korean soft tofu stew, Soondubu Jjigae is a spicy, savoury Korean soup made with silky soft tofu simmered in a flavourful broth. It’s traditionally customisable with all kinds of proteins and seafood, but this easy version keeps things simple with pantry-friendly ingredients and no kimchi or gochujang.

The result is a deliciously spicy, umami-rich soup that’s easy enough for a weeknight dinner and comforting enough for a rainy day.

And if you’re looking for a more filling, high-protein meal, I’ve also included a High-Protein Upgrade below. Just add your choice of minced beef or chicken, or even an extra egg for a bowl that packs in plenty of protein without making the recipe much more complicated.

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Why You Will Love This Recipe

Quick and Easy: This Soondubu Jjigae comes together quickly with simple ingredients… perfect for those days when you want comforting food in an instant!
Spicy and Comforting: The broth is savoury, spicy and packed with umami, while the soft tofu adds a silky texture that makes every spoonful extra comforting. Especially on those days when it’s cold or rainy outside, and you just need an comforting and warming dish!
No Kimchi or Gochujang: This version keeps the broth clean and simple, without kimchi or gochujang. It’s a great option if you prefer a more straightforward spicy tofu stew.
Easily Customisable: Think of this as your basic starting point. Add minced beef, chicken, seafood, mushrooms or vegetables to make your Soondubu Jjigae exactly how you like it.
Easy to Make High-Protein: Want a more substantial meal? My high-protein upgrade uses minced beef or chicken to add plenty of protein while keeping the recipe just as easy.

What Is Soondubu Jjigae?

Soondubu Jjigae is a Korean soft tofu stew made with soondubu, or soft tofu. The tofu is simmered in a spicy, savoury broth that is often flavoured with gochugaru, garlic, spring onions and your choice of proteins or seafood.

One of the best things about Soondubu Jjigae is how customisable it is. You can make it with seafood, meat, kimchi, mushrooms or vegetables, depending on what you have on hand.

My version is a simple, pantry-friendly take that skips kimchi and gochujang. Instead, the broth gets its flavour from a dashi or my dried anchovy stock as its base, fiery gochugaru, pantry staple seasonings of soy sauce and fish sauce.

Key Ingredients for Soondubu Jjigae

Silken / Soft Tofu: The essential ingredient in Soondubu Jjigae is the dubu, or soft tofu! Tofu is mild tasting, and complements the strong spicy flavours of the soup so well! Make sure to use soft or silken tofu. Firm tofu will not have the same melt-in-the-mouth effect, but if that’s all you have, you can use it too.

Gochugaru: This a type of red chili pepper flakes made from dried Korean red chili peppers. Gochugaru is known for its vibrant red colour and is used to add both heat and flavour to the dish.

Soy Sauce & Fish Sauce: The main seasoning agents of Soondubu Jjigae. I like adding both for different layers of salt, but you can use either or too.

Garlic and Spring Onions: These form the aromatic base of the soup. I use the white parts of the spring onions to flavour the broth, then save the green tops for garnishing.

Sesame Oil: I used sesame oil to saute and bloom the aromatics and gochugaru, this adds very subtle nuttiness and aroma. Add another teaspoon right at the end, for a fresher, stronger nutty aroma to the finished soup.

Dashi Stock: I make my simple, umami-rich, dried anchovies-based dashi stock as a base for my Soondubu Jjigae. See directions below for the easy recipe. Otherwise, ANY stock will work great for tofu stew!

How to Make Dashi Stock (+ my go-to recipe!)

To preface this, I’d like to quickly mention that you DO NOT NEED dashi stock to make Soondubu Jjigae! In a pinch, you can use any other stock cube you have at home. Dissolve in hot water until you get a stock.

If you want to use dashi stock, there are a couple of ways to make it:

1. Dashi Stock Sachets

The easiest is to use dashi stock sachets or dashi powder!

Dissolve in hot water, or according to packet instructions.

2. Traditional Dashi Stock

2 cups water
1-2 pcs dried kelp (kombu)
1/4 cup of dried bonito flakes (katsuobushi)
a handful dried anchovies

Add water to the pot and place over medium heat. Add kombu. Just before it comes to a boil, remove the kombu.
Once you’ve removed the kombu, bring the water to a boil, then add the dried bonito flakes. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 2-3 minutes.
After simmering, turn off the heat and let the bonito flakes settle to the bottom of the pot for a few minutes.
Strain the liquid to remove the solids. This liquid is your dashi stock.

3. My Dried Anchovy ‘Ikan Bilis’ Stock

I don’t always have kombu and bonito flakes… but I always have dried anchovies. This is MY go-to dashi stock recipe, using just dried anchovies, or ikan bilis, which is a pantry staple in my home! It is umami-rich goodness.

Ikan Bilis are smaller in size compared to Korean dried anchovies, but they operate the same way. Use ANY dried anchovies that are easily available to you – the steps here will be the same.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Dried Anchovies (I used Ikan Bilis, a pantry staple in my home)
2 cups of Water

Directions:

Give dried anchovies a quick rinse – a quick one, since we don’t want to remove all of the salt on the dried anchovies – and add to a pot. Pour in water.
Turn on the heat and allow it to come to a boil.
Once boiling, turn the heat down and simmer for 20 minutes.
Strain the liquid to remove the anchovies. Dashi stock is ready!

Pro Tip

Make a bigger batch and store in the fridge for any seafood-based soups, noodle soups, or any other savoury dishes throughout the week. You can also freeze these for instant stock any time you need it. They do not even need to be defrosted; simply add the frozen stock blocks to the pot, turn on the heat, and let it boil until it’s liquid! Easy.

I usually discard the anchovies after making the stock, as they can become quite chewy. If you enjoy eating them, you can keep some aside and add them back into your Soondubu Jjigae.

How to Make Easy Soondubu Jjigae

1. Prep Ingredients

Make your stock, if needed.

Chop spring onions, separating the greens and the bottom whites. Cut off the roots, if any. We’ll be using the spring onion bottoms.

Finely mince garlic.

Option to cut your tofu into cubes. I simply just scoop the tofu from the pack with a spoon and add it to the soup!

2. Saute Aromatics

Add oil to your claypot – or any pot you have will work too.

Heat over low heat. Once oil is hot, add whites of the spring onions, minced garlic and gochugaru.

Stir until fragrant and the gochugaru absorbs the oil. Continuously stir over low heat so that the gochugaru does not burn. Option to add more oil, so that a red chilli oil is created.

Tip

If using any meat proteins, stir fry it to cook with the spring onions and minced garlic first. Once cooked, add the gochugaru.

3. Add Stock

Pour in stock. Season with light soy sauce.

Turn the heat to a medium and let the stock come to a boil.

4. Add Tofu

Add tofu to the soup. I usually just scoop the tofu straight out of the box and add to the pot.

If using enoki mushrooms, add it in at this stage as well.

Allow to simmer for about 5 minutes, so the tofu can take on the flavours of the spicy broth.

5. Top with Egg

Once the mushroom is tender, gently add the egg. Cook according to your preferred egg doneness.

For cooked whites with a runny yolk (my fave!), let the egg cook for about 1 minute, before turning off the heat and covering with a lid. This will allow the egg to cook in the residual heat.

6. Serve Immediately!

Once the eggs are cooked to doneness, drizzle on sesame oil.

Tip

Add sesame oil at this stage to enhance the aroma.

Garnish with the chopped spring onion greens and sesame seeds.

Serve immediately with rice.

How to Serve

Serve Soondubu Jjigae hot and bubbling, straight from the pot, with steamed white rice to soak up all that spicy, savoury broth. For a more complete Korean-style meal, serve it alongside your favourite banchan (Korean side dishes).

For a high-protein meal, try my High-Protein Upgrade above.

High-Protein Upgrade: Easy Cheat Sheet

The original recipe already gets protein from the soft tofu and egg (plus a little from the enoki mushrooms) — about 10–12g protein per serving.

Want to make this Soondubu Jjigae a more filling, high-protein meal? It’s easy to do!

My Favourite: Minced Beef

My favourite way to upgrade this Soondubu Jjigae is to add minced beef. Lean is preferred to keep this less greasy, there’ll be healthy fats from the sesame oil, no worries. It adds extra savouriness to the spicy broth and makes the soup much more substantial, while the tofu and egg still keep that classic soft and silky texture.

To make the high-protein version:

Heat the oil in your pot over low heat.
Add 180g (6.5 oz) lean minced beef and cook until mostly browned.
Add the whites of the spring onions and minced garlic. Stir-fry until fragrant.
Add the gochugaru and stir until the beef is fully cooked and the gochugaru has absorbed the oil.
Continue with the recipe as written, adding the stock, soy sauce and fish sauce.

This version provides approximately 30g+ protein per serving.

Other High-Protein Options

Of course, beef is not the only option here.

Here’s a quick cheat sheet for other proteins you can add to bring the recipe to 30g+ protein per serving:

Minced chicken: Add 180g (6.5 oz) lean minced chicken → 20g additional protein per serving
Shrimp: Add 150g (5 oz) shrimp → 18g additional protein per serving
Canned tuna: Add 1 can (about 150g / 5 oz drained) → ~15g additional protein per serving

Protein amounts are estimates and will vary depending on the brand and type of tofu, meat and seafood used.

Variations and Add-Ins

Seafood: Seafood is one of my favourite ways to enjoy Soondubu Jjigae. Clams and flower crab are my go-to choices when I’m feeling a little fancy. They cook quickly and add so much natural sweetness and umami to the broth. You can also add prawns, squid, mussels or your favourite combination of seafood.

Meat: Add minced beef or chicken, thinly sliced beef or chicken, or even bacon. For a higher-protein meal, see my High-Protein Upgrade above.

Mushrooms: Enoki mushrooms are my favourite, but you can also use shiitake, shimeji or oyster mushrooms.

Kimchi: Sauté kimchi with the spring onions and garlic until fragrant and the liquid has reduced slightly, then continue with the recipe as written. This adds a deeper, tangier and more complex flavour to the broth.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a claypot to make Soondubu Jjigae?

No! A claypot is great at retaining heat and makes for a beautiful presentation, but you can absolutely make Soondubu Jjigae in any regular pot. More realistically I make Soondubu Jjigae in my Le Creuset cast iron pot these days.
I usually serve the soup immediately, so I don’t find that I need the extra heat retention. Just keep the soup simmering gently and serve as soon as it’s ready.
That said, there’s no denying that Soondubu Jjigae looks especially cosy served bubbling hot in a claypot.

Can I add Gochujang?

Of course, it will give a deeper, more umami layer of depth.
For the recipe here, add 1 tablespoon of gochujang.

Can I use water instead of stock?

Yes. Stock will give your broth more depth and umami, but water will still work.
If you’re using water, you may need to adjust the soy sauce and fish sauce to taste.

What protein can I add to Soondubu Jjigae?

Almost anything! Minced beef and chicken are my easiest options, while seafood is my favourite when I want something a little more special.

Try:

Minced beef
Minced chicken
Thinly sliced beef
Bacon
Prawns
Clams
Mussels
Squid
Crab or flower crab

If you’re looking to increase the protein content, check out my High-Protein Upgrade above.

Can I make Soondubu Jjigae without gochugaru?

Gochugaru is what gives the soup its signature Korean chilli flavour and red colour, so I recommend using it if possible.
If you don’t have gochugaru, you can substitute with another mild red chilli flake, although the flavour will be slightly different.

Can I make Soondubu Jjigae without fish sauce?

Yes! You can replace the fish sauce with additional soy sauce to taste.

What do I serve with Soondubu Jjigae?

Soondubu Jjigae is usually served with steamed rice, which is perfect for soaking up all that spicy broth.
For a more filling meal, try the high-protein version with minced beef or chicken, or add seafood and extra tofu.

Storage and Reheating

Storage

Let leftover Soondubu Jjigae cool completely, then transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.

Reheat

To reheat, gently warm the stew on the stovetop over medium-low heat until piping hot. You can also microwave individual portions until heated through.

If possible, add a fresh egg when reheating rather than storing the cooked egg in the soup.

Freezing

I don’t recommend freezing Soondubu Jjigae, as the soft tofu can change textures once thawed.

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