AI-generated photo.
Korean · South Korea
Kimchi Tofu Stew
Also called Kimchi Jjigae
Aged kimchi simmered with tofu, scallion, and a spoon of gochugaru.
Pai editors’ mark 5 / 5
Plan, list, and collections
Older, sour kimchi is better here than a fresh sweet jar. Pork is a small amount for savoriness. Leave it out for a lighter pot.
Health
How this plate sits
Counted from the ingredient table. The score, richness, and badges describe one serving as written. The ring and the nutrient table follow the serving count above. This is general information, not medical advice.
78
Health score
Light & nourishing
Moderate
Richness
Light
Light to very rich, from fat, saturated fat, sugar, and the cream or butter in the plate.
- Protein 18%
- Carbs 65%
- Fat 17%
Watch · Diabetes-friendly
It misses a gentler mark: sugar, fiber, the starch mix, or the richness of the plate.
Suits · Heart-friendly
Saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium stay modest, with some fiber.
Watch · Weight loss
Calories, protein, or richness make this a fuller plate than a light day wants.
Watch · High protein
Protein is about 14.9 g, under the 25 g mark.
Watch · Low sodium
About 570 mg of sodium, above the 450 mg mark.
Suits · Gluten-free
No wheat, barley, or rye in the required list. Still read labels on sauces and oats.
Suits · Dairy-free
No milk ingredients in the required list.
Watch · Vegetarian
Meat, poultry, fish, or shellfish is in the required list.
Suits · Pregnancy
No alcohol, liver, or caffeine in the required list. Cook meat, eggs, and seafood through.
Watch · Gentle when sick
The heat is more than a gentle bowl wants.
Watch · Kid-friendly
The heat is above a mild mark.
Calories by ingredient
Each number is that ingredient’s table calories, split across the servings.
- Dry jasmine rice201 kcal
- Firm tofu59 kcal
- Low-sodium chicken broth20 kcal
- Toasted sesame oil13 kcal
- Kimchi11 kcal
- Yellow onion8 kcal
Glycemic load
Estimated glycemic load for this count: 37.6. The bands come from the ingredient table.
Portion
One serving, as written, is about 323 kcal.
Allergens. Fish, Sesame, Soy
Make it healthier
Serve three-quarters of the plate
The ingredient mix stays the same. Calories are three-quarters of the counted serving.
About 242 kcal after the change.
Skip the pork and use vegetable broth.
A meat-free stew. Kimchi itself usually contains fish sauce, so it is not vegetarian unless the jar says so. This is the kitchen note. A new calorie figure is shown only when the grams can be replayed on the ingredient table.
Low confidence: no new calorie figure. The grams cannot be replayed on the table.
Use half the gochugaru.
Still sour and red, less hot. This is the kitchen note. A new calorie figure is shown only when the grams can be replayed on the ingredient table.
Low confidence: no new calorie figure. The grams cannot be replayed on the table.
| Nutrient | Amount | % daily value |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 323 kcal | 16% |
| Protein | 14.9 g | 30% |
| Carbohydrate | 53.3 g | 19% |
| Fiber | 3.5 g | 13% |
| Total sugars | 2.6 g | 5% |
| Fat | 6.4 g | 8% |
| Saturated fat | 1.3 g | 7% |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | 0% |
| Sodium | 570 mg | 25% |
| Potassium | 451 mg | 10% |
| Calcium | 211 mg | 16% |
| Iron | 5.9 mg | 33% |
| Magnesium | 59 mg | 14% |
| Zinc | 1.6 mg | 15% |
| Vitamin A | 6 mcg | 1% |
| Vitamin C | 3.2 mg | 4% |
| Vitamin D | 0 mcg | 0% |
| Vitamin E | 0.2 mg | 1% |
| Vitamin K | 45 mcg | 38% |
| Thiamin (B1) | 0.4 mg | 33% |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.3 mg | 22% |
| Niacin (B3) | 5.1 mg | 32% |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.4 mg | 22% |
| Folate | 188 mcg | 47% |
| Vitamin B12 | 0.1 mcg | 5% |
These figures follow the USDA-linked ingredient table where a safe FoodData Central row exists. Optional ingredients are left out. A few pantry items still use Pai's curated numbers because no close USDA row was found. 50 g is the daily value for added sugar. This figure is total sugar, including fruit and milk.
- A serving stays under about 420 calories, so it can sit inside an ordinary day.
- Much of the energy comes from a fast starch such as white rice, white flour, or sugar.
- Fish here is a commonly eaten, lower-mercury choice when fully cooked. Follow your own pregnancy fish guidance.
Pai shares general nutrition information for everyday cooking. It is not medical advice, a diagnosis, or a treatment plan. Health labels are estimates from reference ingredient data and do not account for your lab results, medications, or how a food is absorbed. If you are pregnant, managing diabetes, cholesterol, an allergy, or any illness, use this as a menu of ideas and follow the clinician who knows you. In an emergency, call local emergency services.
Equipment
- Heavy pot
- Scale
- Wooden spoon
- Ladle
Ingredients
Each line is stored in grams. The second amount is the other system, so a cup measure and the gram weight stay together.
Kimchi, chopped, with a little brine2 cups300 g
Pork tenderloin, thin slices · optional4 oz120 g
Firm tofu, sliced10 oz300 g
Yellow onion, sliced0.5 onion80 g
Gochugaru1 tbsp8 g
Garlic, minced2 cloves8 g
Tamari2 tsp8.7 ml
Low-sodium chicken broth2 cups500 ml
Toasted sesame oil1.5 tsp6.52 ml
Scallion2 scallions20 g
Dry jasmine rice1.25 cups220 g
Water1.75 cups400 ml
The first amount follows the unit toggle. The second is the other system. Both follow the serving count.
If you need to swap
- Skip the pork and use vegetable broth.. A meat-free stew. Kimchi itself usually contains fish sauce, so it is not vegetarian unless the jar says so.
- Use half the gochugaru.. Still sour and red, less hot.
Method
AI-generated photo.
1Start the rice.
Rice 15 min
AI-generated photo.
2Fry the kimchi and onion in sesame oil until the kimchi smells sweet and sour.
Fry 5 min
AI-generated photo.
3Add garlic, gochugaru, pork if using, tamari, and broth. Simmer.
Simmer 10 min
AI-generated photo.
4Slide in the tofu and heat through.
Heat tofu 3 min
AI-generated photo.
5Finish with scallion and serve with rice.
How you know it is done
Kimchi Tofu Stew is done when the thickest piece is tender and the liquid is quiet, not at a hard boil.
If it goes wrong
- Kimchi Tofu Stew looks done on top and is still raw in the center. Trust the cue in the method, not the color alone. Give it a few more minutes and check the center.
- Kimchi Tofu Stew spread, sank, or turned out dry. Measure by weight next time, heat the oven fully, and stop when the doneness cue appears rather than when the timer ends.
Storage
Cool Kimchi Tofu Stew, then cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Freeze portions for a month if the dish reheats in a pot or oven, not a raw salad.
How this dish helps your daily life
- A bubbling pot that uses a jar you already have getting sour in the fridge.
- Tofu and a little pork make the stew a meal with rice.
Notes
Pregnancy. Everything is simmered. Kimchi is fermented and salty and often contains fish. Cooked fermentation is generally eaten in pregnancy; follow your own clinician if fermented foods are restricted. Pork is cooked through.
From the kitchen. Fresh, crisp kimchi makes a shy stew. The sour jar is the right one.
Allergens in the required list: Fish, Sesame, Soy.
Your stars and note
Pai shares general nutrition information for everyday cooking. It is not medical advice, a diagnosis, or a treatment plan. Health labels are estimates from reference ingredient data and do not account for your lab results, medications, or how a food is absorbed. If you are pregnant, managing diabetes, cholesterol, an allergy, or any illness, use this as a menu of ideas and follow the clinician who knows you. In an emergency, call local emergency services.