Budae Jjigae Recipe: Korean Army Base Stew

Name: Budae Jjigae Recipe: Korean Army Base Stew
Total time: 1 hr
Ingredients: 1 (12 ounce) can fully cooked luncheon meat (such as SPAM®), sliced; 14 ounces smoked sausage (such as Eckrich®), sliced; 1 large onion, sliced; 6 ounces kimchi; 0.25 cup Korean red pepper powder; 3 tablespoons gochujang (Korean hot pepper paste); 3 tablespoons soy sauce; 5 cloves garlic, minced; 1 pinch ground black pepper; 1 bunch green onions, chopped; 2 (32 ounce) containers chicken broth; 7.75 ounces ramen noodles (such as Ottogi Ramyonsari®); 1 slice American cheese

Budae Jjigae, also known as Korean Army Base Stew, is a delicious fusion dish born after the Korean War. This resourceful recipe combines readily available American ingredients like Spam and hot dogs with traditional Korean kimchi, noodles, and a fiery gochujang-based sauce. My first taste of Budae Jjigae sparked a culinary adventure to recreate this unforgettable flavor at home. This recipe captures the traditional flavors with a spicy kick. For the best results, visit your local Korean or Asian market to find authentic kimchi, gochujang, and Korean chili powder.

Total time1 hr
Prep time30 mins
Cook time30 mins
Yield6

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Servings

Instructions

Arrange the luncheon meat in two piles on opposite sides of a stock pot. Layer the sausage, onion, and kimchi on top, leaving a space open in the center of the pot.
In a separate small bowl, mix together the red pepper powder, gochujang, soy sauce, garlic, and black pepper. Pour this mixture into the center of the pot. Sprinkle with green onions, then pour in the chicken broth. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes, or until the flavors have melded together.
Bring a separate pot of water to a boil. Add the ramen noodles and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring, until they are partially cooked and softened. Drain the noodles and transfer them to the pot with the meat-kimchi mixture. Cook and stir for about 5 minutes, or until the ramen noodles are tender but still firm. Top the stew with cheese before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 697 kcal
Fat Content: 46 g
Fiber Content: 4 g
Sugar Content: 7 g
Sodium Content: 4194 mg
Protein Content: 31 g
Cholesterol Content: 97 mg
Carbohydrate Content: 41 g
Saturated Fat Content: 17 g
Unsaturated Fat Content: 0 g