Takeout Kit
Korean Kimchi Tofu Stew (Sundubu Jjigae)

Korean Kimchi Tofu Stew (Sundubu Jjigae)

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  • Servings4
  • Time35 mins
  • SkillEasy
  • Spice LevelSpicy

Spicy

Our love for Korean soft tofu stew (sundubu jjigae) blossomed while living in K-town NYC. We were struck by the complex flavors of the spicy broth, umami, and the tart crunch of the kimchi. If you have never tried kimchi, it's similar to sauerkraut but spicier. This dish is paired with sticky rice which balances the spicy stew and makes this a very filling meal. "A fiery tofu soup that will make you forget every bad thing you ever thought about tofu. A spicy, spicy, red broth and tofu are the base. We're talking soft tofu here with the texture of, like, burrata. And from there you have a handful of variations but the most common is with kimchi with a bit of everything: beef, oysters, mussels, clams. Oh and tableside, they crack an egg in there!" - Anthony Bourdain, Parts Unknown

VIEW & PRINT FREE RECIPE

What You'll Need

Supplies & Suggestions

  • Protein suggestions: eggs and seafood.
  • Basic Cooking Supplies: pots, pans, a cooking spoon, prep bowls or cups, measuring cups and spoons, a can opener, etc.
  • Drink Pairings (optional): pale lager (OB, Cass, Hite are popular Korean brands).

Customer reviews

From customers of our Korean Kimchi Tofu Stew (Sundubu Jjigae) kit, 2016–2019. We no longer sell the kit, but the recipe on this page is free.

4.7 out of 5 · 10 reviews

  • Great for learning korean

    I was always afraid to try and learn Korean cooking. This dish helped me get over that fear and try new things because it comes out so well with authentic flavors, and is very easy to carry out.

    Preetom C. · February 2019

  • Authentic and Delicious

    This was easy to prepare and tasted like what you’d get at a Korean restaurant. Would definitely recommend. I love that the kit is shelf stable and comes in easily recycleable packaging.

    Denise K. · January 2019

  • Excellent

    We really like the Korean Tofu Stew we had, loved how the kimchi added complexity and texture. Husband preferred using only 1 tube of the curry paste. I add more from the second tube to mine. Poached egg was a great suggestion. I also broiled scallops separately and added them at the last minute when serving. It worked!

    Evalynne E. · February 2018

  • Awesome authentic tasting Sundubu Jiggae!!

    I just started my adventure in trying to be a home cook (no more excuses!), and Takeout Kit has made it super convenient to dip my toes into home cooking! I am a native Korean living in the US, but I always felt making homemade Korean dishes would be too difficult - seeing my Mom and other family members prepare Korean meals growing up, I know Korean cooking requires lots of preparation even if the end result appears to be a simple meal.

    Knowing the level of labor involved, I never thought of making Sundubu Jiggae at home, but oh boy! Rachael and her Takeout Kit team have somehow managed to create a simple to prepare yet very authentic tasting Korean meal! Every ingredient that you need to make Sundubu Jiggae is included, and it takes way less time than cooking the same meal from scratch.

    The meal had all the flavors I was looking for - fresh, hot, spicy (you can manage spiciness depending on how much Gochujang or Kimchi you use while cooking), comforting, filling and it tastes exactly like a homemade meal that I miss from back home! It is also a vegetarian meal, so if you want to go for something light but still filling (especially in the cold weather), as a native Korean I strongly recommend the Sundubu Jiggae kit!

    Eunji H. · December 2017

  • Good and spicy!

    This was great and gave options for how to adjust the heat level so you don't burn your mouth off :)

    Christy · December 2017

Show all 10 reviews

  • This one is the bomb

    Do the poached egg option - it's awesome.

    Craig W. · February 2018

  • Delicious!

    This was our first take-out kit, and we were impressed! This soup was hearty, easy to adjust to our preferred level of spiciness (we like spicy), and ready in 25 minutes. We're a family of 2, so this lasted us for 2 meals. It was incredible simply to prepare. Well done!

    Ilia F. · October 2017

  • Yummy. I would order it again.

    This kit is great for a shelf-stable meal. I highly recommend adding some fresh ingredients to it, though, like fresh green onion or fresh chilis, or both.

    The reason I rated this 3 stars instead of 5 is that the kimchi is terrible, which brings down the overall flavor of the dish. It has a weird, sweet, flavor. It's also made in China instead of Korea. This kit would be awesome if it used better kimchi.

    I will definitely order this again, though. I used to make my own Kimchi stews, but I just moved to a small town in the middle of Colorado, so I can't get the ingredients anymore. I'm very happy Takeout Kit exists.

    Kilie L. · September 2017

  • The hits keep coming!

    Last month we got the Korean kimchi soft tofu stew. The hits keep coming! Thank you.

    Stewart F · May 2017

  • This is my favorite Takeout box!

    I was a little hesitant about ordering this box, because there are good Korean soon tofu restaurants near me. However, I ended up loving the set, because it tasted exactly like the soon tofu I ordered in the restaurants. Not to mention, the price I paid is about half of what I would pay in the restaurant for the same quantity.

    Nancy Y. · November 2016