Fiery & Irresistible Sundubu Jigae–Vegetarian Soft Tofu Stew

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One bite of this Vegetarian Soft Tofu Stew is enough to impess upon your mind the meaning of the elusive word Umami.

What is Umami?

There’s Salt & Sweet & Sour & Spicy & Bitter. But then there’s the not-so-easy-to-define sixth flavor–Umami. It rolls off the tongue with ease, but what does it actually mean? Healthline describes it as a “savory” or meaty flavor. The New Yorker expostulates that it has “deep dark meaty intensity.” Spruce Eats calls it a “pleasant savory taste,” “brothy” or “meaty.”

Great. So, once again, what exactly is Umami?

Sundubu Jigae–The Vegetarian Soft Tofu Stew Is Umami In a Bowl

Why futz about with vague words. Just dive into a steaming bowl of Sundubu in order to get the answer to your question, You will walk away with the feel and taste and texture of Umami all over you.

The experience starts when you first lay eyes on it– a sea of red, with light orange hues and deeper flecks of white, yellow, green and purple. Your appetite is whetted. Next comes the taste test. You encounter, a light broth, a little spicy, a little sweet, filled with crispy veggies and luscious chunks of soon tofu (soft Korean tofu). It’s immensely satisfying.

My Nascent But Ever-Evolving Korean Pantry

Mild Gochujang (Hot Pepper Paste)
Spicy Gochujang
Soybean Paste
Super soft Soon Tofu

For an exhaustive list of essential Korean pantry ingredients, see My Korean Kitchen’s list at https://mykoreankitchen.com/essential-korean-cooking-ingredients/

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Sundubu Jigae–Spicy Vegetarian Soft Tofu Stew

  • Author: priya’s mashups
  • Prep Time: 10
  • Cook Time: 25
  • Total Time: 35
  • Yield: 8 1x
  • Diet: Vegan
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Description

An irresistibly fiery stew that’s loaded with veggies and Korean soft tofu.  One sip of this mouth watering dish and you’ll find yourself going back again and again, for another bite.

Scale

Ingredients

1/8 cup olive oil

2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped

4–5 tbsp mild Gochujang (Sempio’s Hot Pepper Paste)

2 tbsp. spicy Gochujang (Chung Jung One brand)

3 cups veggie stock

22 oz. Soon or Silken Tofu

1/2 cup potatoes, cut into 2–3 cm. chunks

1/2 cup carrots, cut into 1 cm. chunks

1/2 cup cabbage, cut into 2–3 cm. chunks

1/2 cup zucchini or yellow squash, cut into 2 cm. chunks

1/2 cup bok choy stems, roughly chopped into 2 cm. chunks

1/2 cup eggplants, roughly chopped into 1–2 cm. chunks

1/2 cup scallions, cut into small rounds

Salt to taste (approx. 1 1/2 tsp.)

Instructions

  1. While prepping the veggies, heat a deep-bottomed pot over med. heat.
  2. Once the veggies are ready, add 1/8 cup oil and 2 roughly chopped garlic cloves to the pot. Saute for 30 secs.-1 min.
  3. Add 1/2 cup each of potatoes + carrots + bokchoy.  Cook for 5 mins. stirring now and then.
  4. Add 1/2 cup each of the zucchini/yellow squash + onions + eggplants + cabbage.  Season with 1 1/2 tsp. salt.  Cook for another 5 mins.
  5. Toss in 5 tbsp. of the mild Korean Hot Pepper Pasate + 2 tbsp. spicy gochuchang. Stir to mix it well with the vegatables. 
  6. Add 3 cups veggie stock + 1/2 cup scallions.  Turn the heat up to med.-high, cover the pot and cook for 5 mins.
  7. Take off the lid, turn down the heat to med..  Add the Soon Tofu and simmer for another 5 mins.
  8. Taste and if necessary, adjust seasoning.
  9. Garnish with 1-2 tbsp. scallions.  
  10. Serve hot!

Notes

  1. Optional serving suggestion: Add a handful of mung bean sprouts to the serving bowls when they are still hot.  I do not advise adding it to the stew in case you decide to refrigerate or freeze some portion.  Mung bean sprouts do NOT freeze well.  They turn stringy and tough.
  2. Optional serving suggestion for vegetarians: Add a egg yolk to each of the serving bowls, carefully placing it on top of the stew,  so that the person eating can break it and let the yolk run into the soup, creating a creamier version.  
  • Category: Dinner
  • Cuisine: Korean

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 cup
  • Calories: 208
  • Sugar: 9.3
  • Sodium: 980
  • Fat: 8.7
  • Saturated Fat: 1.5
  • Carbohydrates: 15.9
  • Fiber: 1.9
  • Protein: 12.5
  • Cholesterol: 0

Keywords: sundubu jigage, sundubu, vegetarian sundubu, vegan sundubu, vegan tofu stew, vegetarian tofu stew, spicy korean soup, vegan tofu soup, vegetarian tofu soup, korean tofu soup, tofu sauce, korean tofu sauce, tofu recipe, korean tofu recipe, tofu sabzi

Eating With Your Eyes:

1/8 cup olive oil + 2 garlic cloves roughly chopped + 5 tbsp. mild Hot Pepper Paste + 2 tbsp. spicy Gochujang + 1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup each of onions + cabbage + yellow squash + carrots + bok choy (without leaves) + potatoes + eggplant. Please note: The bok choy leaves are included in this picture but I did not use them in the recipe.
3 cups veggie stock
2 packets Soon Tofu + 1/2 cup scallions. You can substitute silken tofu for the Soon Tofu but if possible see if you can get this incredible Korean tofu. It’s really worth it
Optional: A handful of mung bean sprouts + 1 egg yolk
While prepping the veggies, heat a deep bottomed pot on med. flame. Add the olive oil
Toss in the garlic and saute for 30 secs.-1 min.
Add first batch of veggies: 1/2 cup each of bok choy stems + potatoes + carrots. Cook for 5 mins.
Stir the veggies now and then
Add second batch of veggies: 1/2 cup each of egglpants + yelow squash + cabbage + onions. Season with 1 1/2 tsp. salt, mix and cook for another 5 mins.
Add 5 tbsp. of mild Hot Pepper Paste + 2 tbsp. spicy Gochujang
Thoroughly mix it into the veggies
Pour in 3 cups veggie stock + 1/2 cup scallions. Turn the heat upto med.-high, cover the stew with a lid and cook for anotehr 5 mins.
Uncover, turn heat back to med. and add the Soon Tofu.
Simmer with the tofu for another 5 mins.
Transfer to serving bowls
Vegetarian Soft Tofu Stew
Serve! Spicy Vegetarian Soft Tofu Stew

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