Korean Sigeumchi Dubu Jjigae (Spinach Tofu Stew)

Quick answer

Total time: 30 min
Level: Easy
Servings: 2 servings
Ingredients: 8

About this dish

Sigeumchi-dubu-jjigae is a Korean stew built from fresh spinach and soft tofu simmered in anchovy-kelp stock, seasoned with soup soy sauce and perilla oil.

The process starts by warming perilla oil in the pot and softening minced garlic until its sharpness mellows into a rounded fragrance that transfers into the oil, giving the broth a subtle depth that would be absent if the garlic were added raw. Zucchini and onion release their natural sweetness as they cook, rounding out the broth and preventing it from tasting flat or austere. Soft tofu, added mid-way, absorbs the seasoned liquid gradually as it heats through, holding its shape while taking on the flavor of the broth around it. Spinach goes in last, only long enough to wilt, because extended cooking destroys the color and reduces the leaves to a limp, dull mass that works against the dish. The iron-forward earthiness of spinach pairs naturally with the mild creaminess of tofu and the nutty undercurrent of perilla oil, producing a stew that reads as simple but carries enough layered flavor to satisfy. This is a standard of Korean home cooking that earns its place at the table for being genuinely easy on the stomach, particularly welcome when appetite is low or the body calls for something clean.

Ingredients

servings

IngredientAmountUnit

spinach150 gg

soft tofu300 gg

zucchini120 gg

onion½ eaea

minced garlic1 tbsptbsp

soup soy sauce1 tbsptbsp

perilla oil1 tsptsp

anchovy-kelp stock650 mlml

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Instructions

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

6 steps

1

Prep

Trim 150 g spinach and cut it into 4 cm lengths.

Slice 120 g zucchini into 0.5 cm half-moons, then cut half an onion into thick strips so it softens without disappearing into the broth.
2

Control

Set the pot over medium heat, add 1 teaspoon perilla oil, then stir in 1 tablespoon minced garlic and the onion for about 1 minute.

Stop before the garlic browns, because burnt garlic will make the broth harsh.
3

Control

Pour in 650 ml anchovy-kelp stock and bring it to a full boil over high heat.

Add the zucchini, lower to medium, and simmer 5 to 6 minutes until the pieces look slightly translucent at the edges.
4

Control

Season with 1 tablespoon soup soy sauce, then scoop 300 g soft tofu into the pot in large spoonfuls.

Keep the simmer gentle for 4 to 5 minutes and avoid stirring hard so the tofu stays tender.
5

Finish

Taste a spoonful of broth and simmer for 30 more seconds so the soup soy sauce disperses evenly.

Lower the heat if the broth reduces quickly to preserve the intended concentration.
6

Heat

Add the spinach last and cook only 1 to 2 minutes, just until the leaves wilt but remain bright green.

Turn off the heat immediately and ladle into bowls so the spinach does not turn dull or bitter.

Practical Cooking Checks

The cues that matter most while cooking.

Key technique: Sigeumchi-dubu-jjigae infuses fresh spinach and soft tofu with the aroma of garlic sautéed in perilla oil for a gentle, nutty finish.
Finish cue: Keep the simmer gentle for 4 to 5 minutes and avoid stirring hard so the tofu stays tender.
Avoid this: Add spinach near the end to avoid grassy flavors.