What’s your favorite way to use up aging kimchi? Dubu kimchi (두부김치) is one of many classic Korean dishes that use sour, old kimchi. The kimchi is stir-fried with fatty pork and served with sliced tofu.
In Korean cooking, kimchi and pork is a classic combination which is used in many dishes, such as kimchi jjigae. The taste is intoxicating, with the pungency of kimchi and the rich flavor of fatty pork.
To make dubu kimchi, mix the kimchi, pork and aromatic vegetables with a few basic seasoning ingredients and stir-fry together.
You can omit the pork to make it a meatless dish if desired! Kimchi stir-fried on its own is still very tasty.
I usually boil the tofu because I like it soft. You can also steam it. Pan-frying will make the tofu a little crispy on the outside, if preferred.
You can serve this dubu kimchi as a side or a main dish with a bowl of rice. In Korea, dubu kimchi is a popular drinking snack (anju, 안주), especially with Korean alcohol beverage soju (소주) or makgeolli (막걸리). My preference is with makgeolli!
More ideas for using up old kimchi
Dubu Kimchi (Tofu with Stir-fried Kimchi and Pork)
Appetizer, Main Course, Side DishIngredients
- 2 cups fully fermented kimchi
- 1/2 pound thinly sliced pork or pork belly
- 1/2 onion
- 2 scallions
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 2 - 3 tablespoons gochujang (고추장), Korean red chili pepper paste
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
- pinch pepper
- 1 18- oz package tofu
Instructions
- Cut kimchi and pork into bite sizes. Thinly slice onion and scallions. In a large bowl, combine kimchi, pork, onion, scallions and the remaining ingredients and mix well. Let it stand for 15 minutes.
- In a medium size pot, bring about 4 cups of water to a boil. Cut the tofu into two blocks. Reduce the heat to medium high, and add the tofu. Gently boil for 5 minutes. Carefully transfer the tofu to a colander to drain. Cut each block into about 1/2-inch thick slices.
- Heat a large pan over medium high heat and add the kimchi and pork mix. Cook until the kimchi becomes soft, the pork is cooked through, and most of the liquid generated during the cooking process is evaporated, about 5 - 6 minutes.
- Arrange the tofu slices nicely on a plate leaving an open space in the middle part. Place the stir-fried kimchi and pork in the middle and serve. Or, you can serve the stir-fried kimchi and tofu side by side.
Mei says
This recipe is so bomb! Double the recipe tonight, both husband and brother liked it. My husband dislike kimchi but this stir fry kimchi recipe made it palpable for him. Thank you!!!
Skim says
Hello,
I love your recipes! I’m going to try this recipe because been craving spicy pork, but how long ahead of time can I mix the sauce with pork and kimchi? Is it ok to do a day ahead?
Suzana says
I want a dish to eat with plain tofu and thought of this dish (due to watching lots of Korean variety shows). I don’t eat pork so what is the best meat substitute for pork? P.s: I tried making kimchi jeon with your recipe and it turns out so good! I used canned Chili tuna (Ayam Brand) instead. Also your recipe and the layout is very easy to understand. Thank you
Hyosun says
You can use any meat (chicken or beef?) you want or even omit it entirely. Happy to hear about kimchi jeon! And thank you so much for the nice words!!
Susan says
Hello,
Is there a specific reason to boil the tofu? Can I use raw tofu straight out of the package, strained?
Thank you.
Stella Kwon says
You can definitely eat it cold but traditionally folks warm it up but it really depends on preference. I’ve definitely had it both ways – cold is typically less malleable.
A.Andersen says
Should I use firm, medium, or soft tofu?
Hyosun says
You can use any of them. I like medium, but it’s a matter of preference.
Maika says
Thank you! This was an excellent recipe. I just love how your recipes are kept simple. Great encouragement for me. Learning to cook Korean dishes at home 🙂 I’ve been using your website a lot! Thank you!
Hyosun says
Aww thank you! So happy to hear that!
T.C. says
I love this dish. I use pork belly. I cut the recipe in half because I’m only one person. I leave out the sugar and nothing else. Thank you, Hyosun!
Sandra says
This recipe is amazing! I cut the gochujang down in half because I was serving it for dinner to my young kids. I also cut the sugar down just a little bit because I don’t like sweet meals. Other than that, I followed the recipe exactly and my entire family including my young kids LOVED the dish! Thank you for making the recipes so easy to follow. I don’t cook much because I am usually not a good at it. But, after I made this dish, my entire family wants me to cook more. Thank you again!!!
Kaitlin says
I don’t have chilli paste… can I just use the powder?
Hyosun says
Oh sorry about the late reply! yes and use more soy sauce as the chili powder has no salt content in it.
Teresa Auxier says
I made this (vegetarian version) for a group of international students, which included one from Korea. It turned out sooo good and was very easy to make/follow. And it tasted incredible!
J-Mom says
I came across this recipe when I was looking for a dish that used tofu and Kimchi. I used pork as the recipe said, too. It is so good. And not too difficult to make. Thank you for the recipe.
Hyosun says
So happy that you found the recipe and tried it! You’re so right — not that difficult but so good! Thanks for taking the time to leaving me a comment! It means a lot to me.
Jeanne K says
Hello! I’ve made this twice and followed the recipe exactly. I am not a regular cook of any kind of cuisine but my elderly Korean parents who were visiting absolutely LOVED this. My mom insisted that I write down the recipe for her (she doesn’t use the internet) so she could make it herself at home. Thank you for this easy and scrumptious recipe!
Kelsey says
So delicious!! Question, if I’ve made it too spicy, is there anything I can do to make it less spicy?
Hyosun says
How about stir fry some onions and mix with your pork kimchi. Or cook some more pork and then add to what you already have. In both cases, you want to cook your addition and then quickly stir-fry everything together to heat up.
Barbara says
Hyosun, thank you so much for this delicious recipe; my husband and I really enjoyed it. ^_^ You seem so elegant, wise, and unconditionally kind, and you remind me of a Korean Martha Stewart when it comes to your professional and personable style of cooking. Thank you for sharing your wonderful gifts with humanity and beyond. 😉
Hyosun says
Hi Barbara! So happy to hear you and your husband enjoyed dubu kimchi! We love it too. And thank you so much for such generous words!
Anna says
Thank you so much for such an easy recipe! I cooked it today and my sis loved it! :))
Hyosun says
That’s awesome! Thank you so much for letting me know!
Liz M says
This was fantastic.
Hyosun says
Great! Thanks for letting me know.
cambeul41 says
This looks like what I had for lunch today made with pork belly. Absolutely the most delicious thing I have eaten for ages! The hard part about trying to prepare it at home will be not eating the kimchi before it is fully ripe.
Anonymous says
I usually forgo meat because I don’t have the money for it. >_< But I made with with some eggplant, and the flavor was really amazing. Thank you so much for the recipe!
Hyosun Ro says
Wow that’s great to know. Never thought of using eggplants to this dish. I love eggplants, so I should try. Thank you very much for letting me know.
Steven H says
I enjoyed the overall taste of this, but it came out too saucy for me. When the meat mixture was cooking there was a lot of liquid so a lot of steam produced, and it was very soft vs more caramelized. How can I prevent this?
Could this recipe be adapted for a more Chinese stir fry process? Where I would cook the pork most of the way, transfer to plate, and vegs and then pork again. I am not quite sure the best way since you have the meat and vegs both mixed in the gochujang, soy, and sesame.
Thanks for tips!
Hyosun Ro says
Hi Steve – Thank you for trying out the recipe! There’s really not much liquid in this recipe. Did you heat the pan hot before adding the kimch/pork mixture? Did you cook over medium high heat? If you did, try to use high heat next time, at least for the first couple of minutes. Then, reduce the heat as necessary. Also, if the pan is not big enough, cook in two batches. The pan may not be hot enough if overcrowded.
I don’t recommend cooking the kimchi and pork separately. The kimchi tastes much better cooked with fatty pork.
Please try it again and let me know if this helped. Cheers!
Steven H says
Thanks! I’ll give it another try. My Wok did seem a bit crowded. I’ll cook it in batches next time and use higher heat.
Nicole (FoodBlogLife) says
This reminds me of one of my favorite Korean recipes…can’t wait to try it at home and invite my Korean mother in law. 🙂
Joseph Chai-Whan Kim says
I love this dish! So yummy!
Yeni says
This was really really good (and addictive!). One little question: when we ate it in the restaurant, it was a bit more saucy. How do you achieve that kind of consistency? A bit more water or the kimchi juice? Thanks for great recipe Hyosun! Yeni
Hyosun Ro says
Hi Yeni – I am happy to hear it turned out well for you. Yes, you can add a little bit of water or preferably juice from kimchi to make it saucy. Also, I like it almost caramelized, but you can cook a little less to keep some of the liquid generated during the cooking process. Happy cooking!
wEnDaLicious says
I just made this tonight for the first time and it was delicious! My hubby and I finished the whole plate. Thanks!
Hyosun Ro says
So glad to hear that. Thanks for letting me know!
Hyosun Ro says
Thank you, Jasmin! I am very happy to hear you are enjoying my recipes. Cheers!
Jasmine says
I’ve made this at least twice now and I really enjoy it. Thanks for sharing all these lovely recipes!
Hyosun Ro says
Bliss Bunny – I am glad to hear it turned out well for you. Thanks for giving it a try!
Bliss Bunny says
Thank you! I made this as your recipe instructed. DELICIOUS! Thank you!
Jen (Tastes of Home) says
This sounds and looks so appetizing! Another great way to use older kimchi 🙂
Christopher-Alan says
YUMMO. I had a similar dish @ A Korean restaurant a few days ago.. and gee it was yummy! I am not usually a Tofu fan.. but having it with yummy Fried Kim-chi was such a treat!
LimeCake says
i love food like this, especially with a bowl of white rice. very comforting and delicious!
A SPICY PERSPECTIVE says
Confession~ I’ve never made kimchi! But I’d be willing to try it to eat this!
Sandra says
wow, amazing photo and recipe!
good job!
Hyosun Ro says
Judy – One more thing. Kimchi brands vary depending on where you are. There are some national brands too, but since you’re in LA, the best city for Korean food, there should be a lot of good local brands. Sometimes the best kind is the one that is made right there at the market. Hope this helps.
Hyosun Ro says
Judy – Yes, I make my own kimchi. I guess I am one of those typical Korean moms who make a lot of kimchi at a time and supply to their grown-up children. kimchi can last several weeks or months in the fridge. The flavor will develop over time and reaches its peak around 2 to 3 weeks after kimchi is made. You’re right it turns sour at some point, but that’s the best kind for kimchi stew (jjigae), pancakes, dumplings, etc.
Judy says
Hi Hyosun, This looks like a dish I would really enjoy as I love kimchi. I recently found a kimchi brand that isn’t very spicy yet has just enough of a flavor kick. What is your favorite brand? Or do you make your own? How do you know when kimchi is old? Does it turn sour? How long does it keep in the fridge? So many questions, huh? 🙂
Hyosun Ro says
Jean, Roxan, Fun and Fearless, Susan, Lisa, Biren, and Denise – Thank you so much for stopping by and sharing your love for this dish.
Michelle – Thanks for trying out my recipe. I am glad to hear you and your husband liked it. Also, It’s nice to hear my recipes are similar to how your mother-in-law cooks. She must be a talented home cook as I am. (ha ha)
Michelle says
I was going to make kimchi jigae, but then saw your recipe and since I had all the ingredients, decided to try it. It was so good! My Korean husband liked it too. Your recipes are very similar to how my mother-in-law cooks. Thanks!
denise @ quickies on the dinner table says
Oh my goodness!! Such a treat to have tofu and kimchi in the same dish – I love it!
Biren @ Roti n Rice says
This sounds so appetizing! Kimchi and pork really goes well together. I also love the addition of the tofu 🙂
~Lisa~ says
Anything kimchi I eat. And I love this recipe. Makin my mouth water as I write. And just recently my son has taken a liking to kimchi and now asks for it.
Cook With Susan says
I love this dish. As you stated above it is intoxicating(in a good way). Thanks for the great post!
Fun and Fearless in Beantown says
I always make kimchi bokum with my leftover kimchi. Great blog post on what to do with that kimchi that is just a little too ripe!
Roxan says
Ooo, this looks SO good. I don’t really like kimchi that much (I know… and I call myself korean?!) but I do like it cooked like in kimchi bokkeum bap. THIS dish looks absolutely delicious. I’d totally eat this for days on end!
Jean says
I would love to try this sometime. The combination of pork, kimchi and tofu sounds so appealing! 🙂