Korea’s Favorite Hotpot: Budae Jjigae Korean Army Stew
Let’s make one of the most popular hot pot dishes and one of my personal favorite Korean dishes, Korean Army Stew, or Budae Jjigae. This spicy, saucy hot pot is one of the best comfort food you can make this winter. Korean Army Stew is the ultimate comfort food, loaded with delicious and comforting ingredients such as sausages, spam, American cheese, rice cakes, and instant noodles. It is super easy to make Korean Army Stew at home, plus you can customize it with any toppings or noodles of your choice.
What Is Budae Jjigae – Korean Army Stew?
Korean Army Stew, or Budae Jigae, is a Korean hot pot that originated after the Korean War, which left many Koreans hungry. Locals used American military rations such as hot dogs, sausages, and spam as ingredients, combined with Korean local ingredients, to create this spicy hot pot that helped them survive the famine.
The origin of Budae-jjigae makes this dish so delicious and extra special to the Korean people. Today, it’s still a popular dish for its affordable ingredients, simple recipe, and delicious flavors. I highly recommend checking out out Asian Inspirations to learn more about the story of Budae Jjigae.
Make Your Own Korean Army Stew Soup Base
The gochujang soup base is what makes Korean Army Stew so delicious, and it is actually super easy to make in bulk at home. All you need is garlic, Korean red chili paste, Korean red chili powder, black pepper, sugar, soy sauce, and a little bit of fish sauce. As your hot pot cooks, the broth becomes thicker and tastes delicious when drizzled in a rice bowl. The leftover sauce can be stored in the fridge for 3 days. If you make this sauce ahead of time and keep it in the fridge, you can make individual-portion budae jjigae throughout the week!
To make Vegetarian Budae Jjigae, skip the fish sauce and add an extra 0.5 tablespoons of soy sauce.
Classic Korean Army Stew Hot Pot Toppings
Customize your Korean Army Stew with any toppings of your choice. My classic go-to toppings are always SPAM, sausages, rice cakes, mushrooms, napa cabbage, enoki mushroom, and instant noodles.
You can also add vermicelli noodles, beans, cheese, and tofu. I recommend eating Budae Jjigae on a portable stove and adding more toppings as you cook.
Budae Jjigae Ingredients
Sauce Mixture:
- 8 cloves of Garlic minced
- 1.5 tbsp of Korean Chilli Paste
- 2 tbsp of Korean Red Pepper Powder
- 1 tbsp of Soy Sauce
- 1.5 tbsp of Fish Sauce
- 1 tbsp of Sugar
- 1/2 tbsp of Black Pepper
TOPPINGS
- ½ cup of Kimchi
- 4-6 cups of Dashi Stock or Chicken Stock
- 3 Sausages sliced
- 1 pack of Spam sliced
- 3 stocks of Green Onion Sliced
- 1 package of Firm Tofu sliced
- 1 slice of American Cheese
- 1 package of Instant Noodles
- 6 Shiitake Mushroom
- 2 Enoki Mushroom
- 1/2 cup of rice cakes
How To Make Korean Army Stew
- Mix minced garlic, Korean Chilli Paste, Korean Red pepper Powder, Soy Sauce, Fish sauce, Sugar, and Black Pepper and set aside. If the sauce isn’t fully used, it can last in the fridge for 3 days.
- In a pan, start with Kimchi and layer on all the toppings, such as sausages, mushrooms, spam, rice cakes, and firm tofu.
- Top with the sauce mixture and pour 4-6 cups of stock over the toppings. Turn the heat up to medium-high and bring it to a simmer. Once it is simmering, mix the sauce into the broth.
- Add on instant noodles, American cheese, and green onion. Serve once the noodle is fully cooked, or serve on a portable stove while adding more toppings/carbs.
Do you want more EASY Korean Dishes?
Korea’s Favorite Hotpot: Budae Jjigae Korean Army Stew
By Tiffy Cooks
Ingredients
Sauce Mixture:
- 8 cloves Garlic minced
- 1.5 tbsp Korean Chili Paste
- 2 tbsp Gochugaru
- 1 tbsp Soy Sauce
- 1.5 tbsp Fish Sauce
- 1 tbsp Sugar
- 1/2 tbsp Black Pepper
Toppings:
- ½ cup Kimchi
- 4-6 cups Dashi Stock or Chicken Stock
- 3 Sausages sliced
- 1 pack Spam sliced
- 3 stalks Green Onion Sliced
- 1 pack Firm/Traditional Tofu sliced
- 1 slice American Cheese
- 1 pack Instant Noodles
- 6 Shiitake Mushroom
- 2 Enoki Mushroom
- 1/2 cup rice cakes
Instructions
- Mix minced garlic, Korean Chilli Paste, Korean Red pepper Powder, Soy Sauce, Fish sauce, Sugar, and Black Pepper and set aside. If the sauce isn’t fully used, it can last in the fridge for 3 days.
- In a pan, start with Kimchi and layer on all the toppings, such as sausages, mushrooms, spam, rice cakes, and firm tofu.
- Top with the sauce mixture and pour 4-6 cups of stock over the toppings. Turn the heat up to medium-high and bring it to a simmer. Once it is simmering, mix the sauce into the broth.
- Add on instant noodles, American cheese, and green onion. Serve once the noodle is fully cooked, or serve on a portable stove while adding more toppings/carbs.
