Korean Red Pepper Paste Stew

Quick answer

Total time: 30 min
Level: Easy
Servings: 2 servings
Ingredients: 11

About this dish

Gochujang-jjigae is a Korean stew centered on gochujang, the fermented chili paste, as its primary seasoning.

It occupies a different flavor space from doenjang-based stews and kimchi-jjigae: the heat is direct and clean rather than layered with fermented funk or brined sourness. Pork shoulder is the standard protein. Browning the meat first in the pot keeps its juices sealed in and adds savoriness to the broth as the fond dissolves into the liquid. Two tablespoons of gochujang form the base, gochugaru adjusts the heat level, and soy sauce adds depth of saltiness. Potato absorbs the starch-thickened broth as it cooks and turns fluffy inside with a seasoned exterior. Zucchini softens into the thick broth, contributing gentle sweetness. Tofu soaks up the surrounding sauce and delivers a concentrated burst of gochujang flavor when bitten through. The longer the stew simmers, the more the ingredients exchange flavors, building a broth more complex than any single ingredient could produce on its own. In Korean home cooking, it is standard to ladle plenty of the broth over cold rice.

Ingredients

servings

IngredientAmountUnit

Pork shoulder150 gg

Potato1 eaea

Zucchini½ eaea

Onion½ eaea

Tofu½ eaea

Green onion1 eaea

Gochujang2 tbsptbsp

Gochugaru½ tbsptbsp

Minced garlic1 tbsptbsp

Soy sauce½ tbsptbsp

Water600 mlml

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Instructions

Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.

6 steps

1

Heat

Cut 150g pork shoulder into 2cm cubes, and dice the potato, zucchini, onion, and tofu into similar bite-sized pieces to ensure even cooking throughout the stew.
2

Control

Put the pork in the pot with part of the 600 ml water and cook over medium heat for 3 minutes.

Stir so it does not stick until the red color disappears from the surface.
3

Season

Add 2 tbsp gochujang, 0.5 tbsp gochugaru, 0.5 tbsp soy sauce, and 1 tbsp minced garlic, then stir-fry for 1 minute so the paste absorbs the rendered pork fat.
4

Control

Pour in the remaining water and add the firm potato first.

Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to medium and simmer for 10 minutes until the potato is tender and the broth thickens.
5

Control

Add the tofu, zucchini, and onion, then simmer for 5 more minutes until the zucchini softens and the tofu completely absorbs the concentrated flavors of the red pepper paste.
6

Finish

Add the sliced green onions and boil for 1 more minute until the aroma infuses the stew, then turn off the heat and serve by ladling the broth over rice.

Practical Cooking Checks

The cues that matter most while cooking.

Key technique: Gochujang jjigae releases a clean, direct heat by searing pork belly before simmering it in a spicy, starch-thickened red pepper paste broth.
Finish cue: Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to medium and simmer for 10 minutes until the potato is tender and the broth thickens.