Vegan Soondubu Jjigae without Kimchi (Korean Soft Tofu Soup)

Vegan Soondubu jjigae - Savory and flavor-packed soft tofu soup (without kimchi) that screams comfort food. Enjoy the authentic Korean flavor!

Soondubu Jjigae (Korean soft tofu soup/stew) is probably my top 5 Korean food that I won't get tired of eating. There is something about the silken texture of the nutty tofu in the flavor-packed broth that calls for a big bowl of rice every single time! 

My only issue was all the vegan recipes use Kimchi and they didn't replicate the flavor that I grew up with. So I was on a quest to develop a Soondubu jjigae recipe that doesn't use Kimchi. 

What is Soondubu Jjigae?

"Soondubu" (Pronounced Soon-doo-boo) means soft, silken tofu, and "Jjigae" means stew in Korean. So Soondubu jjigae literally means soft tofu soup/stew. Soondubu Jjigae (Sundubu jjigae) A.K.A Korean soft tofu soup/stew is one of the popular Korean dishes that people think of. It has silken tofu as the main protein component and has spicy broth along with other vegetables. 

Different types of Soondubu Jjigae

There are so many different types of Soondubu jjigae. And the type is depending on the additional ingredients that are added to the soup/stew. The most popular kinds are: 

• Kimchi Soondubu - It features sour fermented kimchi
• Seafood Soondubu - One of the most popular Soondubu in Korea. It usually has a seafood mix (shrimp, squid, clam, and mussel)
• Beef or Pork Soondubu - Pork soondubu seems to be more popular in Korea but beef soondubu is as popular in America
• Mushroom Soondubu - It features different types of mushrooms such as shitake, enoki, and button mushrooms. 

Many people think Kimchi soondubu and Mushroom soondubu to be vegetarian options but traditional kimchi is NOT vegetarian. Also, the broth that is used in the soup/stew is often anchovy or non-vegetarian broth. 

Ingredients 

• Soft tofu or silken tofu - Korean people use their signature cylinder tube of soft tofu and that's what I am using in this recipe. However, I have used Japanese soft tofu and extra soft tofu at a local grocery store. As long as you are using soft, silken tofu, you can follow this recipe. The only difference between them is the size. But I assure you that you can use any one of them and seasoning accordingly at the end. 
• Vegetables - I use onion and zucchini. 
• Aromatic and spice - Green onion, garlic, and Korean red pepper flakes are used to build the signature flavor in the broth. 
• Kombu (dried kelp) - Kombu helps develop a deeper umami flavor. You can take the kombu out before serving the soup. 
• Seasoning - I use soy sauce and vegetarian oyster sauce. Vegetarian oyster sauce is my secret ingredient. It gives the soup pleasant sweetness as well as a great umami flavor without overpowering other ingredients. 

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How to make vegan soondubu jjigae

1. Add the white part of the green onion, Korean pepper flake, and the oil to a pot without turning on the heat. Turn on the heat and cook the green onion and pepper flake with frequent stirring. 
2. As soon as the pepper flakes bubble, add the onion. Stir to cook. 
3. When the onion turns translucent, add the soy sauce and vegetarian oyster sauce. Let the sauce bubble for 30 to 45 seconds. 
4. Add the water and dried kelp.
5. When the stew comes to a boil, add the minced garlic and soft tofu to the soup.
6. When the soup comes to a boil, add zucchini. Place a lid and continue to boil for 3 to 5 minutes until the zucchini cooks. 
7. Add the green part of the green onion to the soup and give it a quick stir. Remove the pot from the heat. Season with salt, if needed. 

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Pro Tips

• If you are not a fan of spicy food, reduce the amount of Korean red pepper flakes to 1 teaspoon or less. 
• When cooking the Korean pepper flakes in oil, cook it with frequent stirring and add the onion as soon as the oil turns red and the pepper flakes bubble. You don't want to burn the pepper flakes. Burnt pepper flakes are black and it will give your soup/stew a bitter taste. 
• When adding the soy sauce and vegetarian oyster sauce, make sure to cook them for 30 to 45 seconds. Unlike Korean pepper flakes, you are essentially caramelizing the sauce a little bit before adding the water. This step will help you develop a deeper umami flavor. 
• Feel free to add your favorite types of mushrooms. Please note that mushroom contains lots of water so season accordingly with salt. 
• For vegetarians, you can add an egg to the soup at the end. Adding an egg to Soondubu is classic in almost all Korean soondubu dishes. If you are using a Korean clay pot like me, you can add the egg when you add the green part of the green onion. The clay pot is excellent at containing heat. So the residual heat from the clay pot will continue to cook the egg. However, if you are not using the clay pot, I recommend cooking the soup for a couple more minutes until it reaches your desired doneness. You can give it a quick stir to break the yoke. Adding an egg will thicken the soup and add richer broth. 

Frequently asked questions about Soondubu Jjigae

What do you serve vegan soondubu jjigae with?

• Rice - Traditionally Korean enjoy the stew with cooked short-grain sushi rice. 
• Kimchi - Kimchi is a "must" at any Korean dinner table. Here is my vegan kimchi recipe!
• Stir-fried kimchi - This is another way to enjoy fermented sour kimchi. It is quickly stir-fried and tames the funk of sour kimchi a little. 
• Seitan bulgogi - Bulgogi is another popular Korean dish. I'm using seitan to create a vegan version of bulgogi.
• Spicy braised potato and shishito pepper - This is one of my family's favorite. It's sweet, spicy, and super addicting. It makes a perfect side dish (banchan) for any Korean meal! 

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