To stay warm in the winter, Anna Greenlee ’26 combines heat and spice in soondubu jjigae, a soft tofu stew. Though the dish originated in South Korea, it was popularized in North America through soondubu jjigae-specialized restaurants in the Koreatowns of large cities in the US and Canada. The stew is made with soft tofu (soon), kimchi and gochugaru, perfect to warm the soul in the middle of winter.

“I found it on TikTok, and I definitely don’t make it historically accurate or true to the culture exactly, but I’ve adapted it to my diet and tastes and it’s a great way to warm up,” Greenlee said.

She initially saw a recipe from @cafemaddy on Instagram, then found another recipe from Maangchi. After using these recipes as inspiration, she adapted the stew to be vegetarian and added a little personal flair. Now, the dish is likely far from traditional due to her add-ins like dumplings and rice cakes, but it’s still quick, easy and warm.

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Soondubu jjigae

Korean spicy soft tofu stew

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 35 minutes mins

Servings: 4

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Korean

Ingredients Equipment Method

Ingredients

  

• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 4 green onions, chopped
• 1/2 cup kimchi, roughly chopped
• 2 tbsp gochujang
• 2 cups water
• 1 tbsp garlic, minced
• 1 tube of soft tofu
• 1 egg

Equipment

• 1 small pot (Often earthenware, but stainless steel, non-stick, etc also work.)

Method

 

1. Add sesame and vegetable oil to a pot over medium heat.
2. Saute the onions and green onions until soft.
3. Add kimchi and cook until fragrant.
4. Add gochujang and fry until slightly caramelized.
5. Add water and bring to a boil.
6. Add garlic and other seasonings.
7. Add soft tofu and simmer for 5-10 minutes.
8. Add egg approximately 4 minutes before serving.