If you are looking for an easy Korean comfort food that can be made in one pot, Budae Jjigae (부대찌개) is hard to beat.
This Korean army stew combines Spam, sausages, kimchi, tofu, bean sprouts, and a spicy Korean seasoning sauce in one pot. The result is savory, spicy, hearty, and surprisingly easy to make at home.
This recipe is inspired by Korean chef Kim Ho-yoon (김호윤). I adapted the recipe with granulated allulose instead of regular sugar and included optional konjac noodles for readers who want a lower-carb way to enjoy this popular Korean dish.
Unlike many traditional Korean stews, Budae Jjigae also has a fascinating modern history. But before getting into its background, let's make the stew first.
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| Korean army stew 'Budae Jjigae' |
Table of Contents
- Ingredients
- 🛒 Shop Ingredients
- Step-by-Step Instructions
- Nutrition Facts
- Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Tips for Making Budae Jjigae
- FAQ
- Why Is Budae Jjigae So Popular in Korea?
- Who Is Chef Kim Ho-yoon?
- Conclusion
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 3 sausages
- 200 g Spam
- 1/4 onion
- 2 green onions, green parts
- 2 serrano peppers
- 210 g tofu
- 100 g mung bean sprouts
- 80 g kimchi
- 30 g konjac noodles, optional
Seasoning Sauce
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp dry white wine
- 2 tsp granulated allulose
- 2 1/2 tbsp Korean red pepper flakes (gochugaru)
- 1/2 tbsp chicken stock powder
- 1 heaping tbsp minced garlic
- 3–4 turns of black pepper
- 2 tbsp water
For the Broth
- 500 ml water
- 100 ml additional broth or stock, as needed
🛒 Shop Ingredients
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- Ganjang (Soy sauce) 🔗
- Granulated Allulose 🔗
- Korean Gochugaru (Chili Powder For Paste) 🔗
- Chicken stock 🔗
- Wok pan 🔗
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Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Prepare the Main Ingredients
Cut the onion, sausages, Spam, and tofu into bite-sized pieces.
Arrange them in a large pot, keeping the ingredients relatively separated so each one is easy to serve once the stew is ready.
2. Add the Bean Sprouts and Konjac Noodles
Add 100 g of mung bean sprouts to the pot.
If using konjac noodles, prepare them according to the package instructions and add 30 g to the pot.
The konjac noodles are optional. They are a useful choice if you want to reduce the amount of refined carbohydrates in your meal.
3. Add the Kimchi
Cut 80 g of kimchi into bite-sized pieces and add it to the pot.
Kimchi provides acidity, spice, and umami to the broth, helping balance the rich flavor of the Spam and sausages.
4. Make the Seasoning Sauce
In a small bowl, combine the gochugaru, soy sauce, dry white wine, granulated allulose, chicken stock powder, minced garlic, black pepper, and 2 tablespoons of water.
Mix everything well and place the seasoning sauce in the center of the pot.
Do not use all of the sauce at once. Reserve some for adjusting the seasoning later.
5. Add Water and Bring to a Boil
Pour 500 ml of water into the pot.
Bring the stew to a boil over medium-high to high heat.
As the ingredients cook, the kimchi, processed meats, and seasoning sauce will gradually combine to create the characteristic spicy and savory Budae Jjigae broth.
6. Prepare the Green Onion and Serrano Peppers
While the stew is cooking, slice the green onion and serrano peppers into bite-sized pieces.
These are added near the end of cooking to preserve more of their fresh aroma and spicy flavor.
7. Adjust the Seasoning
Once the stew has been simmering for a while, taste the broth.
If you want a stronger or saltier flavor, gradually add some of the reserved seasoning sauce.
Add up to 100 ml of additional broth or stock if needed to adjust the concentration of the soup.
Because kimchi and processed meats can vary significantly in saltiness, adjusting the seasoning at this stage is more reliable than adding everything at the beginning.
8. Add the Green Onion and Serrano Peppers
Continue cooking the stew for a total of about 15 minutes.
After it has cooked for at least 10 minutes, add the sliced green onion and serrano peppers.
Continue cooking for another 3–4 minutes, then serve hot.
The finished broth should be rich, spicy, and well blended, with the tofu, vegetables, kimchi, Spam, and sausages cooked through.
Nutrition Facts — Estimated
Estimated per serving:
- Calories: approximately 450–550 kcal
- Protein: approximately 25–30 g
- Fat: approximately 30–35 g
- Carbohydrates: approximately 15–20 g
- Fiber: approximately 3–4 g
- Net Carbs: approximately 12–16 g
These values are rough estimates based on the listed amounts of Spam, sausages, tofu, kimchi, bean sprouts, and optional konjac noodles.
Actual nutrition values can vary considerably depending on the brand and type of Spam, sausages, tofu, kimchi, and seasonings used.
It is also important to note that Budae Jjigae is not inherently a low-sodium dish. Spam, sausages, kimchi, soy sauce, and chicken stock can all contribute significant amounts of sodium.
Nutrition information is an estimate and may vary depending on ingredients, brands, and portion sizes.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
1. You Can Enjoy Budae Jjigae Without Ramen
Many versions of Budae Jjigae include instant ramen noodles.
Ramen is a classic addition, but it also adds a significant amount of refined carbohydrates to the meal.
This recipe uses optional konjac noodles instead, giving you the option to enjoy the noodle-like texture while keeping the meal lower in carbohydrates.
2. Tofu and Bean Sprouts Add Variety
Budae Jjigae is famous for its processed meats, but this version also includes tofu and mung bean sprouts.
Tofu adds plant-based protein and a soft texture, while bean sprouts provide freshness and crunch.
This creates a more varied one-pot meal rather than relying entirely on processed meat.
3. Made with Allulose Instead of Sugar
The original recipe uses sugar, but this healthier adaptation uses granulated allulose instead.
Allulose provides sweetness with fewer calories than regular sugar, making it useful when you want to reduce added sugar while keeping some sweetness in the sauce.
However, replacing sugar does not automatically make Budae Jjigae a low-sodium or minimally processed meal. The overall ingredient combination and portion size still matter.
Tips for Making Budae Jjigae
Don't Add All the Seasoning Sauce at Once
This is one of the most useful tips for this recipe.
The saltiness of Spam, sausages, and kimchi can vary considerably depending on the products you use.
By reserving some of the seasoning sauce, you can taste the broth and adjust the final seasoning much more precisely.
Don't Overload the Stew with Kimchi
Kimchi is an important source of flavor in Budae Jjigae, but adding too much can overpower the other ingredients.
The moderate amount used in this recipe allows the sourness and umami of the kimchi to complement the rich flavor of the processed meats.
Konjac Noodles Are Optional
Konjac noodles are useful if you want a lower-carb version, but they are not essential to Budae Jjigae.
For a more traditional restaurant-style experience, you can use instant ramen noodles instead.
If your priority is carbohydrate control, however, leaving out ramen or using konjac noodles is the more practical option.
Add the Green Onion and Peppers Near the End
Adding the green onion and serrano peppers toward the end helps preserve more of their aroma and fresh flavor.
Serrano peppers can be quite spicy, so adjust the amount according to your preferred heat level.
FAQ
1. What is Budae Jjigae?
Budae Jjigae, or Korean army stew, is a spicy Korean stew made with ingredients such as processed meats, kimchi, tofu, vegetables, and a savory chili-based broth.
It is particularly known for combining Korean ingredients with Western-style processed meats such as Spam and sausages.
2. Is Budae Jjigae a traditional Korean dish?
Budae Jjigae is considered a modern Korean dish rather than an ancient traditional recipe.
It developed after the Korean War as people living near U.S. military bases incorporated ingredients such as ham and sausages into Korean-style cooking.
3. Can I make Budae Jjigae without ramen?
Yes. You can leave out ramen completely or use konjac noodles as a lower-carb alternative.
This recipe uses only 30 g of konjac noodles, and they are optional.
4. Is Budae Jjigae healthy?
Traditional Budae Jjigae is not generally considered a low-sodium or minimally processed meal because it often contains processed meats, kimchi, and salty seasonings.
However, you can adapt it to your eating goals by controlling portions, adding tofu and vegetables, reducing refined carbohydrates, and replacing sugar with allulose.
5. What can I use instead of Spam?
You can substitute another canned ham or luncheon meat, although the flavor will change.
If you want to reduce the amount of processed meat, you can also use less Spam and sausage while increasing tofu, mushrooms, or other vegetables.
Why Is Budae Jjigae So Popular in Korea?
Budae Jjigae has a very different history from many of Korea's older dishes.
The dish emerged in the period following the Korean War, when food was scarce and Western processed foods such as ham and sausages were available around U.S. military bases. People combined these unfamiliar ingredients with familiar Korean ingredients and seasonings, including kimchi and chili-based sauces.
The exact origin story is difficult to establish with complete certainty, but the dish is strongly associated with areas surrounding U.S. military bases, particularly Uijeongbu in Gyeonggi Province. :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}
Over time, Budae Jjigae changed from a food associated with postwar scarcity into a popular Korean comfort food. Restaurants specializing in Budae Jjigae developed, and Uijeongbu became particularly well known for its Budae Jjigae food street.
That history is part of what makes the dish interesting. Budae Jjigae is not simply a combination of Spam and kimchi. It represents how Korean cooking adapted foreign ingredients to local tastes and eventually turned that combination into something distinctly Korean.
Who Is Chef Kim Ho-yoon?
Kim Ho-yoon (김호윤) is a Korean chef, restaurateur, and food content creator who operates the YouTube channel Chef Hoyoon.
He has professional experience in both hotel and restaurant kitchens, including work associated with the Hilton Hotel and several fine-dining restaurants. He has also operated multiple restaurant businesses and has become increasingly recognizable to Korean audiences through television and online cooking content. :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}
His online recipes generally focus on practical cooking that home cooks can reproduce, rather than requiring highly specialized restaurant equipment or techniques.
This Budae Jjigae recipe is a good example of that approach. The ingredients are arranged in one pot, a simple seasoning mixture is added, and everything is simmered together to create a flavorful Korean stew without requiring a complicated stock-making process.
If you want to see the original cooking process, I recommend watching Chef Hoyoon's original YouTube recipe as well. Seeing how the ingredients are arranged and how the seasoning is adjusted can be particularly helpful when making Budae Jjigae for the first time.
Conclusion
Kim Ho-yoon's Budae Jjigae is a simple way to make one of Korea's most recognizable modern comfort foods at home.
Spam, sausages, kimchi, tofu, and bean sprouts come together in a spicy, savory broth, while optional konjac noodles make it easier to adapt the dish for a lower-carb eating style.
This is not a dish that needs to be labeled a perfect "health food." Its processed meats and salty ingredients mean that portion size and overall meal composition still matter.
Instead, think of it as a practical Korean home-cooking recipe that can be adapted to your own eating goals.
And if you are interested in Korean food culture, Budae Jjigae is especially worth trying. Its unusual combination of ingredients tells a story about Korea's modern history and how Korean cuisine has continuously adapted to changing circumstances.
For the original cooking method, I also recommend checking out Chef Hoyoon's YouTube recipe before you start cooking.
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