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.

Korean Seafood Soft Tofu Stew Recipe (Sundubu Jjigae)