Kimchi Jjigae with Pork Belly and Rice Cakes

This kimchi jjigae is a spicy, sour stew of pork belly and well-fermented kimchi, topped with firm tofu and enoki mushrooms.

Prep Time5

Cook Time25

Total Time30

Course: Main Course, Soup

Cuisine: Korean

Keyword: kimchi stew, kimchi tofu stew, pork belly kimchi stew

Servings: servings

Heat sesame oil in a large saucepan over medium high heat. Add pork belly and onion, and cook until the pork is mostly browned on the outside, about 3 minutes,
2 tsp sesame oil, ¾ lb pork belly, ½ cup sliced onion
Add garlic and gochugaru and stir everything for 1 minute.
2 garlic cloves, 2 tsp gochugaru
Add kimchi, kimchi juice, rice cakes (if using), water, and soy sauce. Cover and bring to boil, then reduce to simmer for 15-20 minutes. Taste the broth and add salt, if needed.
1 lb sliced kimchi, ¼ cup kimchi juice, 5-6 oz flat round rice cakes, 3 cups water, 1 tbsp soy sauce, Salt
Gently lay the tofu slices and enoki mushrooms on top of the stew, cover and simmer for 5 more minutes.
6-8 oz firm tofu, 3 oz enoki mushrooms
Garnish with green onions, remove from heat, and serve with warm rice.
1 green onion

Kimchi: Use well-fermented, sour kimchi for the classic sour flavor.
Spice level: For a milder stew, start with 1 tsp gochugaru and add more to taste.
Gluten-free: Use tamari. Soy sauce is a 1:1 swap if you don't need it gluten-free.
Storage: Kimchi jjigae tastes best right away. Cool leftovers completely, then store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Reheating: The rice cakes soak up some of the broth, so add a splash of water. Reheat on the stovetop: bring it to a boil, then simmer for at least 1 minute.