Korean Seoul-Style Army Stew
Quick answer
- Total time
- 45 min
- Level
- Easy
- Servings
- 2 servings
- Ingredients
- 11
About this dish
Seoul-style budae jjigae is a Korean army stew that uses a rich anchovy stock as its cooking liquid rather than plain water.
Read more
The assembly starts by layering sliced kimchi at the bottom of the pot, then arranging Spam slices, scored mini sausages, and onions around the edges. Baked beans are placed in the center, which helps thicken the soup and contributes a mild sweetness to the broth. A seasoning paste made of gochujang, chili flakes, and minced garlic is added directly over the beans. The ingredients simmer together for ten minutes to merge the savory flavors of the meats with the anchovy stock. Finally, green onions and a block of instant ramen noodles are added to cook. The noodles absorb the spicy and savory broth, completing a filling dish that is best served hot straight from the stove.
Ingredients
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Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Prep
Slice 120g of Spam into 0.5cm thick rectangles and score the mini sausages with shallow diagonal cuts.
Slice 100g of onion into 1cm strips and cut the kimchi and green onions into uniform, bite-size pieces.
- 2Heat
Layer the kimchi at the bottom of a wide pot and arrange the prepared Spam, sausages, and onions neatly around the edges.
Place 80g of baked beans in the center to provide thickness and subtle sweetness.
- 3Season
Combine one tablespoon each of gochujang, Korean chili flakes, and minced garlic in a bowl to make the seasoning paste.
Place this mixture directly over the baked beans so it dissolves evenly into the broth while boiling.
- 4Control
Carefully pour 900ml of anchovy stock along the edges of the pot.
Simmer over medium heat for 10 minutes, allowing the savory flavors of the meats and the deep stock to meld into a rich, substantial broth.
- 5Control
Add the sliced green onions and simmer for 3 minutes to infuse their aroma.
Add the instant ramen noodles and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until they absorb the spicy soup, loosening them gently with chopsticks.
- 6Control
If the noodles reduce the broth, lower the heat.
Once the broth thickens, keep the pot at a gentle simmer and eat before the noodles soften too much.
Practical Cooking Checks
The cues that matter most while cooking.
- Key technique
- Seoul-style budae jjigae grounds its deep savory profile in a rich anchovy-kelp stock rather than plain water for a more concentrated taste.
- Finish cue
- If the noodles reduce the broth, lower the heat.
- Avoid this
- Add noodles right before serving to keep them from getting soggy.
Cooking decision evidence
Calculated Charim data and applicable official cooking and food safety guidance.
This recipe
45min, 11 ingredients
Category median
35min, 9 ingredients
Based on 122 recipes
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