Korean Soft Tofu Soup (Sundubu-jjigae)
A warming, spicy Korean stew built around silky soft tofu, simmered with soft vegetables and a gently set egg — customizable and endlessly comforting.
6 · Soft & Bite-Sized
Tender, moist bite-sized pieces that break apart under a fork without needing a knife. Some chewing is required, but nothing should be tough, fibrous, or dry.
Suitable for anyone who finds food hard to chew or swallow. Graded IDDSI Level 6 (Soft & Bite-Sized) — soft & bite-sized, easy to chew — the texture standard used in dysphagia care and soft diets.
See all texture levelsIngredients
- About 3 stalks Scallions Chopped, whites and greens separated
- 2 cloves Garlic, minced
- 2 tsp Gochugaru (Korean chili powder) Finely ground
- 1 tsp Sesame oil
- 1 cup Water
- 1 tsp Fish sauce
- 1/2 tsp Sugar
- 1 cup Eggplant, peeled and finely diced Peeling matters — the skin stays tough and stringy however long it simmers
- 2 bunches Baby bok choy, finely chopped Chop the fibrous white stems especially small
- 1 package Soft or silken tofu Mashed to your desired chunk size
- 1 Egg Optional — cook until the yolk is firm, not runny
Instructions
Heat sesame oil in a Korean stone pot (or a sauce pan) over medium heat.
Once the oil is hot, add the garlic, scallion whites, and gochugaru. Sauté until fragrant and the gochugaru is toasted.
Add the water and bring to a boil. Then bring back to a simmer (low to medium heat) and stir in the sugar and fish sauce to combine.
Add the baby bok choy and eggplant. Let them cook until fully soft and fork-tender, about 5 minutes — longer than the 2 minutes a standard version calls for, since these need to be yielding rather than crisp.
Add the soft tofu to the soup. This is the fun part — mash it with your spoon to your desired, soft chunk size.
If using an egg, crack it into the center of the pot and cover. Steam for 5-6 minutes, until both the white and the yolk are fully set — a runny yolk thins the broth unpredictably as you eat, so cook it through and stir it in.
Top with the remaining scallion greens and enjoy.
Serving Tips
Important Guidance
- This version leaves out the enoki mushrooms a traditional sundubu-jjigae includes. Their long strands don't break down in the mouth and can't be cut short in the pot, which made them the one ingredient here worth dropping rather than adapting.
- The eggplant is peeled and the egg is cooked through for the same reason — eggplant skin stays tough and stringy no matter how long it simmers, and a runny yolk thins the broth while you're eating it.
- For a lower texture level, mash the tofu smooth into the broth and dice the bok choy smaller still. For a pureed version, blend the finished soup until completely smooth.
- Go lighter on the gochugaru for anyone sensitive to spice — the heat builds quickly in this broth.
Nutrition Facts
Per the recipe's nutrition calculator (2 servings, 1.5 cups each). The recipe itself yields about 4 servings.
Dietary Notes
Contains fish sauce and egg. Naturally gluten-free; check your gochugaru brand if strict gluten-free is required.