Is it just me, or does this feel like the 17th week of February?  The February Doldrums are real, and if you suffer from them too you could use a vibrantly red, meaty, warming one pot dish to ward them off. This Beef Sundubu-Jjigae is pure Korean comfort in a bowl. Inspired by the beloved spicy soft tofu stew known as Sundubu-jjigae, this version adds tender bites of succulent beef for a little extra heartiness. The tofu is impossibly silky, and the broth is pleasantly fiery from gochugaru.

And then there’s the egg.

Cracked right into the simmering stew, it gently poaches in the heat, turning the broth creamy and luxurious as you break the yolk and swirl it through. It’s dramatic. It’s cozy. It’s like a little sunshine peaking through.

While this dish is a staple in Korean households and restaurants, making it at home is surprisingly simple. A quick homemade anchovy stock (no, seriously, the quickest stock you’ll ever make!) gives you that deep, ocean-kissed depth, and the rest comes together in under an hour.

So grab a heavy pot, and let’s banish the February Doldrums together.

I start my Beef Sundubu-Jjigae by making an anchovy stock. I know what you’re thinking when you hear ‘stock’, but this is so quick and easy; no roasting bones or hours simmering on the stove. Dried anchovies and kombu simmer for just 30 minutes, and then get strained. Easy peasy. I give more detailed instructions here.

Remove the heads and guts from the anchovies. This prevents the stock from being too fishy. Just twist off the heads and right under the head, towards the upper belly section, you will see a small black nugget. Those are the guts and it’s easy to pluck them out.

Add the kombu and the anchovy to a pot of water and simmer for 30 minutes. This can be made ahead of time and kept in the fridge for a few days. You can also freeze it so it’s ready to use whenever you need it.

I know we’re all busy, and while this stock is really quick to make, you can instead sub bottled clam juice or store bought chicken stock in a pinch. You will still have a glorious sundubu-jjigae.

Once the stock is done the stew comes together in no time. Start by heating a heavy pan and sauté the onion, scallion, and garlic:

Add the sliced beef and shiitakes:

Cook for a couple minutes until the beef is mostly cooked through:

Then add in the stock:

Then it’s time to add the magic ingredient that gives jjigae its famous ruby glow. Gochugaru, the vibrant red Korean chili flakes used in this stew, bring warmth and depth rather than aggressive heat. Unlike crushed red pepper flakes, gochugaru has a slightly smoky, subtly sweet quality with a fruity finish. It gives the broth gentle heat without overwhelming the dish. Think flavorful and warming, not tongue-numbing.  If you’re particularly heat sensitive you can always start with less and add more.

Add the pepper flakes and salt:

Add the fish sauce and toasted sesame oil:

Cover and cook for 6-7 minutes:

In Korea, this stew is often served in a traditional stone bowl known as a Dolsot. These thick vessels hold heat like nothing else, so the stew continues to bubble furiously all the way to the table. It’s not just for show — that intense heat keeps the tofu silky, the broth scorching hot, and gently cooks the egg right in the center. It’s dinner and a little bit of theater in one bowl.

So there are a couple options for serving your Beef Sundubu-Jjigae. You can either divide the stew into two individual pots for a dramatic, bubbling presentation with the egg and tofu in each, or keep it all in one pot for a more communal, family-style experience. Both ways, the tofu stays silky, and the egg poaches perfectly in the hot broth.

I have two small dutch ovens that do a pretty good job of mimicking those stone pots but also work on an induction stove, so that’s what I used. I portion the broth and then add the tofu. This isn’t your ordinary tofu — the soft tofu for sundubu comes in a convenient tube, which makes it extra creamy and easy to break into the stew. If you can’t find the tubes of sundubu, don’t worry — you can use regular soft or silken tofu from the grocery stores. The key is to be gentle: this tofu is delicate and can break apart easily, so stir it in slowly at the end of cooking. While it won’t have quite the same silky creaminess as traditional sundubu, it will still absorb the spicy, savory flavors of the broth beautifully.

Spoon the tofu into the stew:

Crack an egg into each pot. (Or both eggs into the one pot)

Garnish with green onions:

And serve this gorgeous, crimson bowl of delight:

This is meant to be served piping hot, perhaps alongside rice and maybe with some banchan to round out the meal. I want to hear what you serve it with, drop me a line down below. And don’t forget to tag us in your food pics @funkyasiankitchen, we love hearing from you!

Beef Sundubu-Jjigae

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• Author: Funky Asian Kitchen
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 50 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour
• Yield: serves 2
• Category: soups, stews
• Cuisine: Korean

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Ingredients

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For the broth:

• 2 ½ cups water
• ½ ounce kombu/dashima (about the size of your hand) cut into small pieces
• 8 large dried anchovies (heads and guts removed)

For the stew:

• 8 ounces rib eye (or any tender cut of beef), cut into small pieces
• 8 pieces shiitake mushrooms (about 4 ounces)
• ½ large onion, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 scallions, trimmed and minced
• 1 Tablespoon neutral oil
• 2 tubes of sundubu (soft tofu), 11 ounce each
• 2 Tablespoons fish sauce
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• 3 Tablespoons gochu-garu (Korean hot pepper flakes)
• 2 teaspoons toasted toasted sesame oil
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

Garnish:

• 2 eggs and extra minced scallion

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Instructions

Make the anchovy stock

Place the water in a stock pot. Add the anchovies and kelp. Bring the pot to a simmer over high heat. Partially cover with a lid, lower heat to medium and simmer for 30 minutes. Strain and either discard the solids or use for another purpose. You should yield 2 cups of stock. If not, add a little water to make up the difference. Set the stock aside.

Make the stew

Heat a heavy pan over medium high heat. Add the oil, onion, garlic, and green onion. Stir with chopsticks or a wooden spoon for 3-4 minutes until the onions are soft and lightly browned. Stir in the beef and shiitake mushrooms and continue to cook for about 2 to 3 minutes until the beef is mostly cooked. Add the stock, salt, fish sauce, korean chili flakes, sesame oil, and fresh ground pepper. Cover and cook for 6 to 7 minutes over medium heat. 

If you are putting the stew into two individual pots, now is a good time to transfer it. You can also leave the stew in one pot. If you’ve transferred the stew, bring them back to a simmer over medium high heat. Cut the tubes of soft tofu in half and add to the soup, gently breaking the tofu up a little with a wooden spoon. Let the stew simmer for 3-5 minutes and then turn off the heat. Carefully crack an egg into the pot(s). Garnish with minced scallion and serve Beef  Sundubu-Jjigae immediately. 

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Notes

*You can make the anchovy stock ahead of time and refrigerate. It keeps for several days. You can also freeze it so it’s available whenever you need it.

*If you cannot find the tubes of silken tofu, you can also use silken tofu that comes packed in the square containers. Some of them are labeled soon-tofu, especially made for these types of stews, and are extra soft. Use an equivalent amount of tofu.

*The eggs are raw but they cook some in the hot stew. If you prefer to have your eggs more cooked, leave the stew simmering for a couple extra minutes after adding the eggs. 

Keywords: jjigae, korean, soup, stew, tofu, winter, beef, spicy, egg

I don’t like to abuse the phrase “game changer”, but sometimes its use is warranted. And this Beef Japchae recipe is one of those times. Japchae is as ubiquitous in Korea as mac and cheese is in the states but it’s more versatile. Although it’s often a side dish served with Kalbi and Bulgogi, it’s also eaten as a snack at room temperature, served as street food as I had on my recent trip to Seoul, and picked up at grocery stores to make a quick meal on the go.

The noodles are made from sweet potato starch so they are gluten free, but they are a fun gluten free-meaning they are traditionally this way, not manipulated to be gluten free and ending up as a pale imitation. They have a delightfully springy texture and absorb sauces beautifully. Making Japchae noodles often involves boiling the noodles separately while stir frying the meat and other ingredients. Each ingredients gets stir fried individually and then the noodles are drained and added to the wok. I’ve also seen variations where everything is tossed together like a giant salad once the individual components are cooked.

Nothing wrong with that process, but it is a bit time consuming, requiring many steps, and the main reason why I made Japchae at home infrequently. Like everyone else, cooking time was a luxury during the week with everything else going on. But then I saw a different process years ago on one of my favorite food blogs, Maangchi, and tried it for myself when I developed my Mushroom Japchae recipe. And it works beautifully. This Beef Japchae is made by layering the noodles and veggies in a heavy pot, and cooking it on medium heat for 20 mins. It’s literally a “set it and forget it” scenario. Game Changer!

You need this (almost) one pot wonder filled with a tangle of noodles, veggies, and tender beef in your life, so let’s get into it.

I start making Beef Japchae by soaking the sweet potato noodles. They need to soak about a half hour, until they are pliant. This gives me plenty of time to get everything else prepped and ready to go, starting with marinating the beef. I use a thinly shaved beef, like the kind you’d use for a Philly cheesesteak. I’ve been seeing this available more and more at grocery stores. You can of course slice the meat thinly yourself. Make sure to place the meat in the freezer for about an hour to make it easier. I like a marbled beef for better flavor and tender texture, like a rib eye but you can choose whatever is your favorite cut.

I set the beef aside to marinate and get started prepping the veggies.

I cut the scallions into 2 inch lengths:

When all the vegetables are chopped, it is time to start layering everything in the pot. I cannot stress this enough, but the key to this dish is using a heavy bottom pot with a tight heavy lid. I used my dutch oven which has a 7 quart capacity. You can weigh the lid down with a large can or something else as needed. If your lid bounces around while the noodles cook, you may lose moisture too quickly, drying out the pan and leaving you with only partially cooked noodles.

Now it’s time to mix the sauce ingredients and add them to the pot.

While the noodles cook, it’s time to quickly stir fry the beef. Make sure the pan is good and hot before adding the oil so the beef doesn’t stick and will caramelize. Let it cook for a minute without touching it. Again this is to try and get some caramelization. Stirring it around immediately in a cool pan will give you soggy steamed meat.

I cook the meat separately because I like my beef caramelized with a touch of pink- soft and juicy. I know you’re asking yourself, why can’t I just add the beef on top of the noodles and call it a day? Are you not encouraging us to make lazy/smart Japchae? Oh wise one, you can and save yourself a step and some dishwashing. However, some steps are important and I would advise that this is one of them. Otherwise, the beef which will be steaming for about 10 minutes, will be grey and probably a little overcooked.

But if that’s not enough to dissuade you, then do yourself a favor and choose a tender, well marbled cut and take a couple minutes to separate the beef as best you can as you lay it on top of the uncooked noodles (if the beef cooks as a giant clump, you will not be able to separate it later). Then cover the pot with the lid and proceed with cooking the same way.

I have tried this dish many times and several of my family and friends have also tried it with great results. The key is to use a heavy pot, like a dutch oven that has a tight heavy lid. Once 20 minutes are up, take off the lid and taste a noodle. It should be chewy and full cooked. If it still has a small core, replace the lid and cook for another 5 minutes, adding a couple tablespoons of water if the pan is dry. However, if the noodles are cooked after 20 minutes but you still see a lot of liquid in the pot, raise the heat to medium high for a couple minutes to cook off some of the excess liquid. This dish should not be overly saucy.

Once your Japchae is ready, transfer it to a platter and garnish with some toasted sesame seeds.

I hope you love this streamlined version of Beef Japchae! Please take a moment to rate and comment on the recipe and let me know what you think. And don’t forget to tag us in your glorious dinner pics @funkyasiankitchen, we love hearing from you!

If this Beef Japchae reminds you how much you love Korean food check out some of our other popular recipes like Watermelon Soju, Spicy Bean Sprouts, and Gochujang Meatloaf.

Beef Japchae

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• Author: Funky Asian Kitchen
• Prep Time: 15 minutes + 30 minute soak
• Cook Time: 25 minutes
• Total Time: 0 hours
• Yield: serves 4-6 1x
• Category: entrees
• Cuisine: Korean

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Ingredients

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• 6 ounces sweet potato noodles, soaked in water for 30 mins or until pliant
• 1 large onion, trimmed, halved, and sliced thin 
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced thin
• 1 large carrot, peeled and cut into matchsticks
• 1 pack shimeji mushrooms about 3.5 ounces (or 4 ounces of any other mushroom)
• 2 handfuls of spinach (about 1.5 ounces)
• 3 scallions, trimmed and cut into 2 inch lengths
• ¼ cup water
• ¼ cup neutral oil
• 1 Tablespoon roasted sesame seeds

Marinated Beef:

• ½ pound thin sliced beef (I used a philly steak-style sliced rib eye)
• 1 ½ Tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 ½ Tablespoons sugar
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil
• A couple grinds/dashes ground black pepper

Sauce:

• ¼ cup soy sauce
• 2 Tablespoons sugar
• 6 cloves garlic cloves minced
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 2 Tablespoons sesame oil
• Ground black pepper to taste

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Instructions

Marinate the beef:

1. Place the beef, soy sauce, sugar, garlic, black pepper, and sesame oil into a bowl and mix the beef so that it is well coated.
2. Set aside.

Make the sauce:

1. Put all of the sauce ingredients into a bowl or cup and stir until the sugar has dissolved.
2. Set aside.

Make the Japchae:

1. Place the sliced onion, carrot, and bell pepper in the bottom of a large heavy bottom pot. Add the water and oil and toss so the vegetables are evenly coated. 
2. Drain the noodles and cut them into manageable lengths (the length of spaghetti) with a pair of kitchen scissors. Place the noodles in an even layer over the vegetables. 
3. Pour the sauce evenly over the noodles trying to cover as much of the noodles as possible.
4. Cover the pot and set it on the stove. Turn the heat to medium and set the timer for 20 minutes. Let the noodles cook undisturbed while you cook the beef.
5. Heat a medium pan over medium high heat for several minutes. Add the oil and swirl to cover the pan and add the beef in a thin layer.
6. Cook the beef without touching it for 1 minute and then use chopsticks or tongs to stir fry it for another minute. It should still be a little red and undercooked.
7. When 20 minutes have passed, remove the lid. Check that the noodles have cooked through. They should be chewy and bouncy but not unpleasantly firm or hard. (If the noodles taste undercooked, place the lid again and continue cooking for another 5-7 minutes. Add a couple tablespoons of water if the pot looks dry.)
8. There may still be some liquid in the pan. If there is, raise the heat to medium high and cook off some of the liquid as you stir the noodles to incorporate the vegetables.
9. Taste again and adjust seasoning with a little soy sauce, sesame oil, salt, or pepper as needed.
10. Add the beef and continue mixing for another minute. Add the sesame oil, scallions, and spinach and cook for another minute until they have wilted. 
11. Transfer the noodles to a serving dish, garnish with sesame seeds, and serve immediately.

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Notes

*Japchae is delicious hot, warm, or room temperature, which makes them great for a potluck or barbecue. You can refrigerate any leftovers for several days. Reheat on medium low for several minutes in a covered pan, stirring a couple times. Once the noodles are a clear color again, they are done. You can also reheat in a microwave on 50% power for 3-5 minutes. Heat in 1 minute bursts, stirring in between.

*Use gluten free soy sauce to make the dish fully gluten free.

*If you do not have the exact vegetables mentioned, you can substitute. Kale, snap peas, and zucchini all make good substituttions. Some vegetables, like mushrooms and zucchini are very water logged, so you may have a lot of water remaining in the pot after the noodles have finished cooking. Just raise the heat to medium high and cook it off for a couple minutes.

Keywords: beef japchae, korean, one pot, mushrooms