Korean Seafood Soft Tofu Stew Recipe (Sundubu Jjigae)

Get ready to warm your soul with Korean Seafood Soft Tofu Stew (Sundubu Jjigae) — a comforting, spicy, and deeply flavorful dish packed with silky tofu, fresh seafood, and fragrant Korean spices. Perfect for any day you crave a bowl of rich, soothing stew that’s both nourishing and delicious. Let’s make this iconic Korean classic right at home!

Korean Seafood Soft Tofu Stew Recipe

Serving: 4
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 35 minutes

For the stock:
5 cups water
10 medium dried anchovies, gutted, without heads
8 small pieces dried kelp (2” x 1”)
1 ½ cups Korean radish, peeled, cut into big pieces

For the tofu stew:
2 tablespoons extra light olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 stalks scallions, minced (separate white and green parts)
4 tablespoons Korean chili flakes (gochugaru)
2 tablespoons Korean anchovy fish sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
Pinch of salt
Pinch of pepper powder
3 pouches silken tofu (33 oz)
1 handful enoki mushrooms
1 ½ cups mixed seafood
8 large shrimps, deveined
4 eggs

Korean Seafood Soft Tofu Stew Instructions

1. Make the stock:

• Remove heads and guts from anchovies and place them in a spice bag.
• In a pot, add water, spice bag, dried kelp, and Korean radish. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to low heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
• Discard solids and remove any impurities from the stock. (You’ll only need 2 cups for this recipe; save the rest for later.)

2. Cook the tofu stew:

• Over low heat, heat the extra-light olive oil in a pot. Add garlic, the white part of scallions, and Korean chili flakes. Stir-fry until aromatic, about 1 minute.
• Add anchovy fish sauce, soy sauce, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine.
• Pour in 2 cups of the prepared stock and bring to a boil over high heat.
• Add silken tofu and gently break it up a bit. Boil for about 3 minutes.
• Add enoki mushrooms and cook for 1 minute.
• Add mixed seafood and shrimp (heads and shells on for extra flavor and to protect shrimp from overcooking). Cook for 1 minute.

3. Serve:

• Transfer the tofu stew to a preheated ceramic pot over medium-high heat.
• Crack an egg into the middle of the stew and garnish with the green parts of the scallions.
• Serve immediately and enjoy!

Tips & notes

• Use dried anchovies and kelp to make a deeply flavorful, umami-rich stock that forms the stew’s savory base.
• Adjust the gochugaru to control the stew’s spiciness—start mild and add more if you like it hotter.
• Keep shrimp heads and shells for extra seafood flavor and to keep shrimp tender.
• Handle silken tofu gently when adding it to avoid breaking it into too small pieces.
• Use a ceramic or heavy-bottomed pot for serving and keeping the stew hot.
• Leftovers taste better after flavors meld—store in the fridge and reheat gently.