Fusion
Quick Budae Jjigae (Korean Army Stew)
A bubbling pot of instant noodles, luncheon meat, kimchi and tofu in a spicy gochujang broth — comfort-in-a-pot in 25 minutes.
About this recipe
Quick Budae Jjigae (Korean Army Stew) is a fusion lunch for 2 that mostly cooks itself in the oven once it’s in. It’s built around tofu, and it takes about 25 min total but only ~15 min of hands-on work — the rest is waiting. We sized it for a small household and ranked it on OneToCook by how much of it you already have in the fridge.
Good to know
* Dietary flags are derived from the listed ingredients — always check labels and your own needs for allergens.
Ingredients
- 1 stalk spring onion
- 600ml water
- 1 packet instant noodles buy
- 1/2 tin luncheon meat buy
- 1 cup kimchi buy
- 1 tbsp gochujang buy
- 1 tsp gochugaru buy
- 150g tofu buy
- 2 tbsp baked beans buy
Equipment
Method
- 1
Arrange sliced luncheon meat, kimchi, tofu and baked beans in a pot.
~5 min
- 2
Whisk gochujang and gochugaru into the water and pour in; simmerSimmer.Cook in liquid with gentle bubbling, just below a boil.Glossary → 8 min.
~9 min
- 3
Add the instant noodles and cook until just done, 3 min; top with spring onion.
~4 min
Smart swaps
Out of something? Try one of these.
- Noodles
- whatever you have — rice, instant noodles, or even pasta in a pinch.
- Gochujang
- sriracha or chilli paste with a little miso and sugar.
- Tofu
- tempeh, or chicken/prawns if you eat meat.
- Spring onion
- thinly sliced onion or chives for the finish.
Cook's notes
- Dice the onion before anything heats up so it’s ready when the pan is — a even dice cooks evenly. How to dice an onion →
- Press the tofu to squeeze out water first — dry tofu browns and crisps instead of steaming. How to press & prep tofu →
- Keep the white and green parts separate — whites go in early with the aromatics, greens at the end. How to chop spring onions →
- Do your chopping first (mise en place). With everything prepped, the actual cooking here is only about 15 min.
Storage & leftovers
Crispy bits soften in the fridge. Keep leftovers airtight for up to 2 days and re-crisp in the air fryer or a hot dry pan rather than the microwave.
Frequently asked
How long does Quick Budae Jjigae (Korean Army Stew) take to make? +
About 25 min from start to finish, but only roughly 15 min of that is hands-on — the rest is cooking or resting time.
How many people does this recipe serve? +
As written it serves 2. To cook for 4, roughly multiply the ingredients — but cook in batches if the pan gets crowded, so things sear instead of steaming.
What equipment do I need? +
You’ll want: induction hob, pot. OneToCook only suggests recipes that fit the equipment you tell it you have, so you can filter these out if your kitchen is more minimal.
What can I use if I'm missing an ingredient? +
Common swaps for this dish: Noodles → whatever you have — rice, instant noodles, or even pasta in a pinch; Gochujang → sriracha or chilli paste with a little miso and sugar; Tofu → tempeh, or chicken/prawns if you eat meat. See the full list of smart swaps above.
Can I make Quick Budae Jjigae (Korean Army Stew) ahead of time? +
Crispy bits soften in the fridge. Keep leftovers airtight for up to 2 days and re-crisp in the air fryer or a hot dry pan rather than the microwave.
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