Korean Soups & Stews

Every Korean meal has a soup or stew at its center. Kimchi jjigae uses well-fermented kimchi — the older and more sour, the better the stew. Doenjang jjigae builds on fermented soybean paste with vegetables and tofu. Sundubu jjigae starts with silken tofu in a fiery broth. Most Korean soups follow a similar pattern: build a base from anchovy-kelp stock or beef broth, add the core ingredient, season with gochugaru or doenjang, and simmer until everything melds together. These recipes range from 15-minute weeknight soups to slow-simmered bone broths.