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    Home » Most Popular Recipes » Korean Sundubu Paste – Make Jjigae in 5 min!

    April 15, 2020 Most Popular Recipes

    Korean Sundubu Paste - Make Jjigae in 5 min!

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    Sundubu - Spicy Korean Soft Tofu Stew.

    Korean Soondubu

    It's has to be my favorite dish to eat when I’m craving that Korean spice!

    At Incheon International Airport – you’ll see many Koreans that have returned home from abroad, lining up to order a sizzling pot of Soondubu - in hopes to get their digestion back on track (lol).

    Sundubu-Meal

    That’s because Sundubu has all of the flavors that Koreans love…

    The smoky-spicy kick of gochugaru chili flakes. The soft texture of silky tofu. And the umami-filled seafood broth.

    Today, I’ll show you an incredible way to make this delicious stew in less than 5 minutes! No shortcuts on flavor either - tastes on par with any restaurant-quality Sundubu. 

    To make it under 5 minutes, we'll make Sundubu Paste.

    Sundubu-Paste-3

    Once the paste is made, all you need is water, a tube of fresh tofu and some seafood if you'd like. 5 minutes to boil and you’re done!

    It’s perfect for meal-prepping or for quick weekday meals after work.

    What I love about this paste – beyond the taste – is that it doesn’t turn solid when you store in the freezer. This means no thawing time! 

    So ya'll ready to make this paste? 🙋‍♂️

    COOKING NOTES:

    NOTE: We’ve made the same recipe a few years ago. But we had readers tell us that the batch was too big! So this time around, we reduced the paste by half and added a few minor tweaks. Go with this version!

    First and most important - do not use dining salt! For all recipes on future dish, we use kosher salt (see image below).

    In fact, Kosher salt is the default salt you should be using for cooking. That's because it has a coarser texture and prevents you from over-salting.

    In contrast, dining salt (or table salt) has very fine-sized grains - which makes things taste salty with just a small amount. That's why it's set on the dining table ... maybe the only time to use it is to salt scrambled eggs? 

    I repeat again, don't use dining salt for this recipe - or the ratio will be off and taste overly salty!

    Now, the first tweak: When making the stew, use ½ cup of water when mixing the 2 Tablespoons of the Sundubu paste. 

    Second, make sure you’re using at least 350 grams of silken tofu (400 grams is okay too!) At Korean markets, this seems to be the standard size. If you use a smaller size, the overall taste of the stew may be slightly salty or spicy.

    Finally, make sure to give the stew a quick taste before finishing. If it tastes salty or spicy for your palate, add in a few dashes of water.

    Enjoy Neighbors and share some of the paste with your friends or family... they'll love it!

    How to store? Keep it in the freezer and it should last 4-6 weeks. Now Smile 😄

    Tag us on IG if you make the dish - we love waking up and flipping through your pictures in the morning!

    Note: If you're interested in getting a Ttukbaegi pot (Korean Earthenware Pot), here's the one we use. These traditional pot retain heat very well and make for a beautiful presentation! (Note: We're using the 3-4 person sized Ttukbaegi)

    -Daniel out 🕺

    P.s. If you're cooking (or eating alone) at home - don't get too lonely! Play our latest discussions in the background and enjoy some food-for-thought 🙉:

    Sundubu

    Korean Sundubu Stew

    4.63 from 48 votes
    Print Pin Rate

    Ingredients

    Soondubu Paste

    • ½ Cup Diced Onion
    • ¼ Cup Diced Spring Onion
    • ¼ Cup Minced Pork (Ok to use Minced Beef or Minced Mushroom)
    • ½ Cup Gochugaru
    • 2 Tablespoons Kosher Salt (don't use dining salt)
    • 1.5 Tablespoons Sugar
    • 3 Tablespoons Minced Garlic
    • 3 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
    • 2 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil
    • ½ Tablespoon Sesame Oil

    Soondubu Stew

    • ½ Cup Water
    • 2 Tablespoons Sundubu Paste (Made from above)
    • 1 Whole Shiitake Mushroom
    • 4-5 Clams (Optional)
    • 350 grams of Silken Tofu (use at least 350 grams!)
    • 1 Egg
    • Few slices of Spring Onion (Optional, Garnish)
    • Few cracks of Black pepper (Optional, Garnish)

    Instructions

    Prep Ingredients for Soondubu Paste

    • Before we start stir-frying, we should prep all of the ingredients first. Dice Onion into small pieces (½ Cup). Cut Spring Onion into thin slices (¼ cup). Set aside Minced Pork (¼ cup).
    • Then let's measure out the other ingredients: Vegetable Oil (2 Tablespoons) and Sesame Oil (½ Tablespoon) and set aside. Then measure out Minced Garlic (3 Tablespoons), Soy Sauce (3 Tablespoons), Sugar (1.5 Tablespoons), Salt (2 Tablespoons) and Gochugaru (½ Cup)

    Make Soondubu Paste

    • Take out a wok or large frying pan and place it on medium-high heat. Mix the two oils - Vegetable Oil (2 Tablespoons) & Sesame Oil (½ Tablespoon) - and add it to the frying pan. Once the oil is hot, add in the Spring Onion Slices (¼ cup) and it around.
    • Once the spring onion starts sizzling in the oil, add in the Minced Pork (¼ cup). Stir-fry it around and make sure that the pieces don't clump. Then add-in the Diced Onion (½ cup). Stir everything together until the onions start to turn translucent.
    • Now add in the Minced Garlic (3 Tablespoons). Stir that in as well. Next, add-in the Korean Gochugaru Chili Flakes (½ Cup) and stir that in too. The chili flakes will absorb all of the moisture in the pan. Reduce the heat to a medium-low now.
    • Now, add in the Sugar (1.5 Tablespoons) and Salt (2 Tablespoons). Mix that in.
    • Then add in the Soy Sauce (3 Tablespoons). Give everything a final mix. Turn off the heat.
    • Place the paste in a bowl and pan it out. Let it rest for 15 minutes so it can cool off.
    • Then carefully place the paste in a plastic bag. Then place into another Ziploc Bag.
    • Store the paste in the freezer - it will last 4-6 weeks! Share some of the paste with friends or family.

    Make Sundubu Stew

    • Cut Shiitake Mushroom into thin slices. Cut Spring Onion stalk into thin slices as well.
    • Now take out a pot (or Korean ttukbaegi pot). Add in Water (½ Cup) and Sundubu Paste (2 Tablespoons).
    • Place it on a medium-high heat. Once the pot starts to boil, add in the Shiitake Mushroom Slices. Stir-it into the mixture with a spoon.
    • (Optional: If you're including seafood, add the Clams and/or Shrimp now)
    • Next, carefully add in the Silken Tofu (350 grams). Use your spoon and gently break the larger curds into the broth.
    • Then carefully crack an Egg into the stew. Garnish with a small handful of Spring Onion Slices. Garnish with Black Pepper (few cracks).
    • Finally, serve with a bowl of hot rice! Bon Appetit!
    Tried this recipe?Tag us at @efutureneighbor with your dish!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Jenny says

      February 20, 2021 at 2:59 pm

      5 stars
      This paste is the bomb! Very flavorful and so convenient to have in the freezer. Thank you so much for the recipe, we'll make them again and again. We used more water as well because one of us can't eat spicy food lol.

      Reply
    2. Gary says

      January 26, 2021 at 6:01 am

      5 stars
      Excellent taste....I made the paste and I am making it again tonight......

      BUT......OK, what am I doing wrong!! I followed this recipe exactly as written. I added a few shrimp and clams as well, but HOW does 1/2 cup of liquid added to this recipe produce enough for 2 people. Maybe one person. I had to add some more water and some clam juice, otherwise it was almost dry. I need to see some broth. Is that 1/2 cup of H20 a misprint or what am I missing, Thanks.

      Reply
      • Dan-yul says

        January 26, 2021 at 6:09 pm

        Hi Gary, the 350g tubes of SILKEN tofu are already filled with water. The silken tofu will release its moisture as it boils. If you're using a different type of tofu, you may need to add more water.

        Reply
    3. Delec says

      January 26, 2021 at 3:26 am

      5 stars
      Yum! Never fails to satisfy

      Reply
    4. Gary says

      January 08, 2021 at 1:36 am

      5 stars
      Daniel and Katie.....Please disregard my previous comments regarding measurements. I just now viewed your video which I didn't notice before. 2Tbsp for 2 servings. Thanks and sorry about that.

      Reply
    5. Gary says

      January 07, 2021 at 10:10 pm

      The above recipe states 2Tbsp of paste. Is that for ONE serving?.....as your answer to another poster was that if he/she were looking for a ONE serving recipe they should look elsewhere. It seems that is what you were at least implying. The entire batch makes 10 -12 servings. Please clarify as I will only be making 2 servings at a time, and freezing the rest of the paste.

      Reply
    6. Gary says

      January 07, 2021 at 10:05 pm

      5 stars
      Please clarify measurements for ONE serving. Is it 2Tbsp of paste?.......

      Reply
    7. Grace says

      November 12, 2020 at 9:32 pm

      5 stars
      Very easy to prepare , freeze the extra n convenient to keep for next cooking. Thank you

      Reply
    8. Magda says

      November 12, 2020 at 9:08 am

      5 stars
      In your recipe soy sauce is it the regular soy sauce or dark soy sauce? I know in a lot of Korean recipe when it's soy sauce, it really means dark soy sauce.

      I made it before with soy sauce and it turned out a tad salty, so I just made another batch with dark soy sauce but the color is very dark. I haven't tried it because it's not dinner time yet, plus I find it taste better with time as the flavor marry with each other 🙂

      At any rate, thanks for the recipe and inspiration! This one goes to my everyday-go-to recipes. It's easy and delicious. And thanks for the tip to freeze it! I love it.

      Reply
    9. Ria says

      October 10, 2020 at 12:11 am

      Hello,

      Excited to make this! But quick question, can the sugar be replaced with honey or maple syrup?

      Reply
    10. Emme says

      September 23, 2020 at 9:13 am

      5 stars
      This was so good!! Very easy recipe to follow and so easy to make. Followed the recipe exactly and I thought it was the perfect amount of salt and heat. You can tell how much effort went into getting the measurements just right because it was perfect. Looking forward to eating this regularly, especially with how quick it is having the paste already made. For anyone wondering, I found the recipe to be enough for my boyfriend and I for a standard dinner portion along with rice. Thank you for making Korean food recipes so accessible and for making such enjoyable videos!

      Reply
    11. Hope says

      September 21, 2020 at 10:09 am

      I made this tonight and I think I put too much sugar!! I tried to measure it out properly. Is there a way to save my paste?! :,(

      Reply
    12. Gina says

      September 10, 2020 at 9:25 am

      Hi! I haven't made this yet, but I'm going to tomorrow, but all I have is one box of tofu (which I think is close enough to the kind in the roll?). Is there anything else I can use this sundubu paste for?

      Reply
    13. Jennifer Sheppard says

      August 11, 2020 at 1:43 pm

      5 stars
      THANK YOU FOR THIS RECIPE! I have struggled trying to make sundubu jjigae at home. There is no consistency between recipes onlline and so many sound suspect... like the idea of using gochujang doesn't make sense to me. Then I found this recipe, I knew the pic looked legit... and then the idea of a paste was new from the recipes I had found. Tried it tonight and it is one of the best jjigaes I've had (and I lived in Korea for four years!). I couldn't figure out why my jjigaes were too watery and this recipe fixed everything!

      Reply
    14. Michael says

      August 05, 2020 at 4:28 am

      5 stars
      Holy cannoli! That was bomb.com! Thanks for sharing this delicious recipe. Sundubu jjigae is definitely one of our favorite Korean dishes. Once it’s safe to travel again, we want to visit Hanguk so that we can eat our way through the entire country. Later dudes!

      Reply
    15. Dawn says

      July 30, 2020 at 9:14 am

      5 stars
      I have to agree with the other reviewers... this recipe is amazing! I'm almost finished with my first batch of the paste. I'll be making another batch soon, doubling or more. The first 24 hours, I think i made it three times. I make the non-meat version because it works for my veg/fish eating daughter. With the paste, I've stocked up on tofu and I'm good to go for a fast, hot, savory meal! It hits all the buttons. Also, thank you for recommending the right kind of ingredients. Most times, I'm lost when shopping and it's difficult to figure out which to purchase. Thank you and keep up the videos. Love watching both of you. I'm learning so much.

      Reply
    16. cece says

      July 27, 2020 at 10:45 pm

      You are my lifesaver!! I've been craving soondubu for MONTHS now and it just doesn't taste the same when it's delivered. This is one of the easiest and best-tasting things I've made and I would call myself the most amateur of chefs. Seriously, I wanted to cry when I put the first bite in my mouth.

      I did want to note that when I went shopping for gochugaru I found two kinds- coarse and fine. I ended up buying coarse because it looked like the kind you used in the video, but do you know what the difference is?

      Reply
    17. Aiai says

      July 26, 2020 at 7:45 am

      I just made the stew with the paste and adjusted the proportions for 3 cups of water. While it looked amazing, it turned out to be waaay to salty and spicy. I ended up adding 2 more cups of water and now have a LOT of a mediocre stew, which by the way is still salty. I didn’t add eggs - does it have to do anything with the saltiness? Also, can you freeze the stew leftovers?

      Reply
      • CATHERINE LOA says

        August 10, 2020 at 8:48 am

        4 stars
        I also thought it was quite salty, I suggest instead of using water, use a Dashi broth for more depth(one with no extra salt) or if there is salt(or your broth is already too salty) add a spoonful of sugar (start with 1/4 tsp and increase to your taste) adjust/balance the flavor.

        Reply
        • Sf says

          September 09, 2020 at 5:01 am

          Make sure you are using sea salt (table salt is smaller so like 2tbsp table salt is like equivalent of 6tbsp of sea salt)

          I would use 1/3-1/2 the salt with table salt

          Reply
      • wendy says

        September 14, 2020 at 8:03 am

        4 stars
        I don't like salt or much spice so I adapted it to my tastes. If anyone wants to try this but wants it toned down I substituted much of the Gochugaru with paprika and completely omitted the salt. Soy sauce has plenty and it can be adjusted when you make the dish. I have a nice paste to work with.

        Reply
    18. Janice says

      July 16, 2020 at 9:57 am

      5 stars
      Hi! I just wanted to thank you again and let you know what a game changer this paste is! I just made my 2nd batch and I doubled it this time. The flavor is just awesome and I crave it now! Lol! I make sundubu jjigae the traditional way following your recipe and then other nights or even lunch time, if nothing seems appealing to me, I simmer up a serving of the broth and throw in whatever I feel like eating, a few frozen mandu, a sprinkle of dried seaweed, a few slices of fishcake, lots of green onion, maybe a handful of tiny cubed regular tofu, whatever I throw in, it's delicious! Sorry if I'm breaking cuisine tradition, but your paste truly is a Godsend for me as I most times cook for me alone! Thank you and I look forward to trying many more dishes! Oh, I found a family run Korean restaurant 10 miles from me, no small feat as I live in a small town in Florida! I CAN'T WAIT to go there! Stay well and keep up the fine work! Love you guys!

      Reply
      • Dan-yul says

        July 20, 2020 at 11:30 pm

        Ah Janice! Thank you for the detailed response. Yes, this Sundubu Paste is one of our best! Nothing better than a workout, take out some fresh rice, and throw in any leftovers for a piping hot Sundubu. I'm glad you digged the recipe - we'll try to think of more meal-prep like recipes for you in the future.

        Reply
    19. Cathleen Nguyen says

      July 06, 2020 at 7:15 am

      Hi!!!

      We cannot wait to make this at home!! Have you made it with pork belly? If yes, what are the additional steps to cook pork belly in this recipe? Thank you so much!!!

      Reply
      • Dan-yul says

        July 08, 2020 at 2:26 pm

        Sure, when you are stir-frying the spring onion in the oil, good time to add the pork belly and get a nice crisp on them. Afterwards, follow the same steps!

        Reply
    20. Aim says

      June 21, 2020 at 3:24 am

      Hello Daniel,

      Hope you are doing well. Quick question about this recipe. I know you mentioned that korean chili pepper flakes are important, but if it were omitted for people who cannot eat spicy food would you still recommend making this recipe? Please let me know. Thank you.

      Reply
    21. Emily says

      June 14, 2020 at 1:20 pm

      5 stars
      Just finished using up my first batch of this paste! It was so good I had it 3 days in a row when I first made it. When I make other soondubu recipes, they didn't taste right but this recipe is perfect. 🙂

      Reply
      • Dan-yul says

        June 18, 2020 at 9:41 pm

        Yes, this recipe is spot-on! Glad that you enjoyed it 🙂

        Reply
      • Sf says

        July 19, 2020 at 5:03 am

        This only lasts 4-6 weeks in the freezer? Thoughts on 4-6 months? LOL

        Reply
        • Dan-yul says

          July 20, 2020 at 11:36 pm

          Heh - yes it can lasts for months. Our latest batch we made was in June and we're still using it up now. Tastes fine 😉

          Reply
    22. blia says

      June 13, 2020 at 7:26 am

      5 stars
      So. Good.

      Reply
    23. J says

      June 03, 2020 at 8:41 am

      Way too salty. I’d halve the amount of salt in this recipe or maybe more. I know it’ll be watered down but then your soup is now extra watery.

      Reply
    24. Sharon Tsai says

      June 02, 2020 at 9:59 am

      Question. What is the portion yield of the soon du bu paste? Wanted to just make enough for this meal, so wondering. Thank you!

      Reply
      • Dan-yul says

        June 18, 2020 at 9:43 pm

        This recipe will yield at least 10-12 servings of Soondubu. If you're looking to make just one bowl, I would recommend another recipe.

        Reply
    25. Bella says

      May 31, 2020 at 8:09 pm

      I can't get any Gochugaru in my country right now, is it possible to replace it with Gochujang and how much should I add?

      Reply
      • Dan-yul says

        June 18, 2020 at 9:40 pm

        Hi Bella! No Gochugaru is essential for this dish - gochujang has quite a different flavor profile, texture and taste.

        Reply
        • Gary says

          January 07, 2021 at 10:03 pm

          5 stars
          Looks good, going to make it soon however........in your recipe above you state to use 2Tbsp of paste when you are making the final stew. Is the above recipe that calls for 2Tbsp just for ONE serving??
          Confusing because also above your reply to a poster states that the entire batch is good for 10 -12 servings.....THEN you go on to say that if you want to only have one serving you say "I would recommend another recipe"?? Kind of confusing.
          Please clarify, as I would only be making TWO bowls at at time for dinner. Thanks

          Reply
    26. Hannah says

      May 27, 2020 at 12:16 am

      5 stars
      This was so easy. I made the mushroom version and I was worried about the missing extra fat you'd get from the meat but it still turned out great. Making the stew for my lunch today was so quick and easy. Definitely one which I'll keep on a frequent lunch rotation.

      Reply
    27. Annie says

      May 11, 2020 at 4:54 am

      This turned out so good! I actually added more water since the flavor was spicy for me. One of the best recipes for soondubu. Thank you so much!!!! 🙂

      Reply
    28. Theresa Johnson says

      April 29, 2020 at 12:01 am

      This was so good! What is the consistency of the egg yolk when it is cooked?

      Reply
      • Dan-yul says

        May 16, 2020 at 1:08 am

        Nice - glad you enjoyed it! It's like a poached egg.

        Reply
        • Emily says

          May 30, 2020 at 5:03 pm

          Can I use gochujang instead? What would be the measurement then?

          Reply
          • Dan-yul says

            June 18, 2020 at 9:44 pm

            Hi Emily! You should include gochugaru for this recipe... its a key ingredient. Can't substitute with just gochujang.

            Reply
    29. Fred Schwartz says

      April 26, 2020 at 10:24 am

      5 stars
      Fantastic. It's so great to have the paste on hand for sundubu any time. I don't think I'll ever not have some in my freezer.

      Reply
    30. Fred Schwartz says

      April 26, 2020 at 10:22 am

      5 stars
      Fantastic. It's so great to have the paste on hand for sundubu any time. I don't think I'll ever not have some in my freezer.

      Reply
    31. Willy says

      April 25, 2020 at 8:54 pm

      Hi, thanks for sharing this recipe! I really loved it
      However I would recommend you exchange water with anchovy stock, it gives a much deeper flavor than just water.
      I can't wait to try your other recipes!

      Reply
      • Dan-yul says

        June 18, 2020 at 9:45 pm

        Yes, if you use anchovy-kelp broth, even better 🙂

        Reply
    32. Nelly says

      April 17, 2020 at 2:59 am

      You're the best, Daniel! I have been craving soondobu! I have all the ingredients at home! I will make one soon...

      Reply
    33. Jonathan Tisdall says

      April 17, 2020 at 2:46 am

      Nice! What's the portion size (how many people fight over that egg?!)

      Reply
      • Sarah says

        May 12, 2020 at 6:37 am

        I am also curious about portion size--we're in the middle of making it (in between the paste and the stew) and are contemplating putting two eggs in to reduce the carnage.

        Reply
        • Sf says

          September 09, 2020 at 4:53 am

          Do it restaurant style and get indovidual sized ttukbaegi. Everyone gets an egg!

          Reply

    Trackbacks

    1. Recipe: Korean Tofu Stew (Sundubu Jjigae) – Foood says:
      May 7, 2020 at 2:19 am

      […] adapted from Futuredish, website (https://futuredish.com/korean-sundubu-paste-make-jjigae-in-5-min/), video […]

      Reply

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