Skip to main content
alchmKITCHEN
☉
SUN HOUR--:--
Sign in
← Back to recipes

Budae Jjigae

A bubbling, fiery Korean-American fusion stew born from the resourcefulness of the Korean War era. Kimchi, gochujang, sliced Spam, hot dogs, ramen noodles, and soft tofu are combined in a rich, brick-red broth that simmers in a wide, shallow pot at the center of the table. Baked beans add an unexpected sweetness that melds with the fermented funk of aged kimchi, while scallions and a final drizzle of sesame oil provide aromatic brightness. The stew is eaten communally, with each diner fishing out their preferred combination of ingredients.

KoreanPrep: 30 minCook: 30 minTotal: 1h
Riff on this

🔄Adapt This Recipe

One-click swap-outs. Original is never overwritten.

🧂Flavor Tweaks

Nudge the dish. Each click stages a micro-adjustment you can pick up at the stove.

No tweaks staged. Click a direction to add a suggestion.

⏱How Much Time Do You Have?

We'll highlight steps to skip, parallelize, or make ahead.

🧂Ingredients

Click any ingredient to explore its profile, pairings, and related recipes.

📝Instructions

Highlighted techniques open a deep-dive. Time phrases include a built-in timer.

  1. 1

    The Arrangement. In a wide, shallow pot or traditional budae jjigae pan, arrange the chopped kimchi, sliced Spam, hot dogs, beans, and tofu in neat sections, each occupying its own quadrant of the pot. This visual presentation is traditional and allows diners to see and choose their ingredients.

  2. 2

    The Broth. Mix the gochujang and reserved kimchi juice into the anchovy stock, stirring until the paste dissolves completely. Pour this fiery broth around and over the arranged ingredients until everything is partially submerged.

  3. 3

    The . Place the pot over high heat and bring to a vigorous, rolling . Let the bubble aggressively for 8-10 minutes , allowing the Spam and hot dogs to release their smoky fats into the broth and the kimchi to soften and meld with the liquid.

  4. 4

    The Noodles. Push the ingredients aside and nestle the ramen noodles into the center of the broth. Cook for 3 minutes , using chopsticks to loosen and separate the noodle blocks as they soften. The noodles should remain slightly chewy.

  5. 5

    The Finish. Scatter the scallion lengths over the surface. Serve the pot directly on a portable burner at the table, keeping the at a gentle throughout the meal. Each diner serves themselves from the communal pot with long chopsticks and a ladle.

📋Details

CuisineKorean
Meal Typemain

⚗Elemental Properties

🔥Fire
10%
💧Water
30%
🌍Earth
50%
💨Air
10%

⚗️Alchemical Scores

MonicaConstant
—/100
Heat3%
Entropy6%
Reactivity91%
0.012
Heat
0.031
Entropy
0.440
Reactivity

📊Nutrition Per Serving

597.14cal
Per serving
% Daily Value
30%
of 2000 cal
protein72.9g49%
carbs14.8g10%
fat25.89g39%
% Daily Value
Protein
72.9g146%
Carbs
14.8g5%
Fat
25.89g33%
Fiber
2.91g10%
Sugar
1.53g3%
Sodium
8.05mg0%