There’s something so comforting about a boiling pot of sundubu jjigae arriving at the table, the silky tofu trembling in a fiery red broth. Traditionally, the stew is often made with seafood or pork, but canned tuna is one of the best home-cook shortcuts for creating an intensely savory version with almost no effort. It’s inexpensive, pantry-friendly, and surprisingly rich once the tuna fat melts into the broth.
This tuna sundubu jjigae is the kind of meal you make when you want something warm, spicy, and satisfying without spending hours in the kitchen. The broth comes together from fragrant scallion oil, sweet onions, anchovy stock, and the savory depth of soy sauce and oyster sauce. Soft tofu is added at the end so it stays silky and delicate, soaking up all that spicy umami flavor.
Best of all, this stew comes together in about 20 minutes and tastes even better with a bowl of steaming rice and a raw egg cracked into the bubbling broth right before serving.
Tips for the Best Sundubu Jjigae
Use oil-packed tuna if possible
It creates a richer broth with more flavor.
Don’t burn the gochugaru
Lower the heat slightly if needed when blooming the chili flakes. Burnt gochugaru becomes bitter quickly.
Be gentle with the tofu
Soft tofu breaks very easily. Large irregular chunks give the stew a more authentic texture.
Adjust spice level
For a milder stew:
- reduce gochugaru to 2 teaspoons
For extra heat:
- add chopped fresh chili peppers
- or finish with chili oil
Tuna Sundubu (Soft Tofu) Stew
Ingredients
Instructions
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Make the Scallion Chili Oil
Place a small pot over medium heat and add the neutral oil.
Add the sliced scallion and stir fry for about 30 seconds until fragrant. Once the scallions begin to soften, add the gochugaru and immediately stir continuously. The chili flakes gently bloom in the oil, turning the mixture into a deep red, aromatic base without burning the pepper.
-
Cook the Aromatics
Add the chopped onion and garlic to the pot and continue stir frying for another 1–2 minutes until the onion softens slightly.
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Stir Fry the Tuna and Seasonings
Add the canned tuna directly into the pot. Break it apart slightly with your spoon while stir frying everything together. Then add the soy sauce, oyster sauce, and sugar. Cook for another minute so the tuna absorbs all the seasoning and the sauces caramelize slightly around the edges.
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Build the Broth
Pour in the water and add the anchovy broth tablet. Bring everything to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, reduce slightly and let it simmer for a few minutes so all the flavors meld together.
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Add the Soft Tofu
Gently slide the soft tofu into the stew. Using a spoon, carefully break it apart into large chunks. Let the stew simmer for another 1-2 minutes until the tofu is heated through.
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Add an Egg
Right before serving, crack an egg directly into the bubbling stew. The residual heat will softly cook the egg while enriching the broth even further. Some people like mixing the yolk into the soup, while others leave it intact and break it at the table.
