Kimchi Jjigae with Pork, or Korean Kimchi Stew

A warm and tangy kimchi jjigae made with sour, fully fermented kimchi and rich pork belly. This Korean stew comes together in about 40 minutes and uses unfussy pantry ingredients. Includes our native-cook method for deeper flavor, plus tips for using rice water and tofu. Short, cozy, and steady with a bowl of hot rice.

The Only Kimchi Jjigae Recipe You’ll Ever Need

If you have a jar of “scary” old kimchi hiding in the back of your fridge—the kind that’s so sour it makes your eyes water—congratulations. You’re halfway to a keeper meal of your week. In a Korean home, we don’t throw that kimchi away (especially the pogi kimchi made during kimjang season); we treat it like gold because it’s the only way to make a truly soul-warming Kimchi Jjigae (김치찌개).

We've made thousands of pots of this stew, from our mother’s kitchen in Korea to our own home today. While many recipes overcomplicate it with fancy stocks, we're showing you the classic, “everyday” version that relies on one thing: the steady balance of fatty pork and fermented funk.

If you’re craving something quicker, try our kimchi fried rice made with extra-aged kimchi before diving into this deep simmer.

Featured Review

“we can’t thank you enough for this recipe! Our favorite dish is kimchee jigae and we could never replicate it at home despite trying several recipes. This is a winner and our family all agreed. It’s direct, unfussy to make, and savory.”

Kay

Read more reviews Our favorite moment. Hot broth, soft tofu, and that deep kimchi flavor all in one spoonful.

Our 3 Rules for the Steady Kimchi Stew

This is the kimchi we save for stew. Soft, sour, and full of attitude. Our favorite cut for jjigae. Fat = comfort.

Forget the generic tips. If you want your stew to taste like a grandmother’s cooking in Korea, you have to follow these three non-negotiables:

1. The Kimchi Must Be “Old”: If your kimchi is fresh and crunchy, stop right here. It won’t work. You need aged, sour kimchi. If yours isn’t there yet, leave the jar on your counter for 24 hours. You need that fermented acidity to cut through the richness of the pork.
2. Fat is Flavor: We always use pork belly. The way the pork fat renders out and mingles with the spicy kimchi juice is what gives the broth its “velvety” mouthfeel. Lean pork will leave your stew tasting thin and sad. Short on time? Use our 15-minute pantry version with Spam kimchi stew instead.
3. The Rice Cake or Rice Water Trick: We love adding a few rice cake rounds. They bring a chewy bite and release a little starch as they simmer. The broth becomes fuller and feels more satisfying. If you don’t have rice cakes, use rice-rinsing water (Ssal-tteumul) instead of plain water. The starch in the rice water gives the stew the same gentle thickening. We use this method in our doenjang jjigae made with rice cake water, and it works beautifully here too.

How we Build the Flavor (Step-by-Step)

Step 1: The Sear
Don’t just dump everything in water! Start by browning your pork belly slices in the pot. We want that fat to render. Once it’s sizzling, we toss in the onion, garlic, and a lighter tablespoon of gochugaru. This toasts the chili flakes in the pork fat, creating a smoky, deep red base that water alone can’t achieve.

Step 2: The Fond and the Funk
Now, stir in your sliced kimchi. We like to sauté the kimchi with the pork for a minute or two before adding the water. This softens the cabbage and intensifies the flavor. Don’t forget the kimchi juice—that’s your liquid gold.

Step 3: The Slow Simmer
Add your water (and rice cakes) or rice water. Now, the hardest part: waiting. Cover it and let it simmer on low for at least 20 minutes. You want the kimchi to become translucent and tender. If you rush this, the flavors will taste “separate.” We want them to become one.

Step 4: The Umami Finish
This is where the magic happens. We season ours with Korean salted shrimp (saeu-jeot) and a splash of soup soy sauce. These add a layer of salty, fermented depth that salt alone just can’t touch. Finally, slide in the soft tofu. Let it bathe in that spicy broth for 5 minutes until it’s hot through.

This is how we eat it at home. A little rice, a sheet of gim (seaweed), and a scoop of stew.

What to Serve with Kimchi Jjigae

In our house, this is a one-bowl wonder. All you need is a bowl of steaming rice.

the cook’s Tip: Take a piece of roasted seaweed (gim), put a spoonful of rice on it, top it with pork and kimchi from the stew, then fold it up for one steady bite. And save the leftovers. Kimchi jjigae often tastes even better the next day after the broth deepens overnight and the kimchi turns softer and richer.

If you love cozy bowls like this, you can browse our full collection of Korean soups and stews for more home-style favorites.

• Yield: 4 people
• Prep: 10 minutes
• Cook: 30 minutes
• Total: 40 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp (15 ml) oil
• 1/2 lb (225 g) pork belly, sliced
• 1/2 medium onion, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1 tbsp Korean chili flakes (gochugaru)
• 1 lb (450 g) sour kimchi, sliced
• 4 tbsp (60 ml) kimchi juice
• 2 1/2 cup (600 ml) water
• 5 piece rice cake rounds, optional, see notes below
• 1 tsp (5 g) Korean salted shrimp
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) Korean soup soy sauce (gukganjang), or Korean tuna sauce
• 1/2 lb (225 g) soft tofu, sliced
• 1 green onion, chopped
• pinches salt, to taste

Method

1. Cook the pork: Heat oil in a pot over medium-high heat. Add the pork belly slices and cook until fully browned. Add onion and garlic, and sauté for 1 minute. Sprinkle in the gochugaru and toss to coat everything evenly.
2. Add kimchi and simmer: Add the sliced kimchi, kimchi juice, water, and rice cakes (if using). Cover the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for 15–20 minutes.
3. Season the stew: Stir in the salted shrimp and soup soy sauce. Taste the broth and adjust seasoning with more salt if needed.
4. Add tofu and finish: Gently add tofu slices and simmer for another 5 minutes. Just before serving, garnish with green onion. Serve hot with steamed rice and your favorite Korean side dishes. Enjoy!

Notes

If you don’t have rice cakes, you can use rice-rinsing water (Ssal-tteumul) instead of plain water. It adds a gentle starch and brings a deeper body to the broth.

Kimchi stew actually tastes better the next day, as the flavors deepen over time. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks—it reheats beautifully!