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    Home » Stew

    Instant Pot Kimchi Jjigae (Stew)

    Published 05/28/2018. Updated 01/14/2021

    Jump to Recipe

    This Instant Pot adaptation of the classic Korean stew made with kimchi is so flavorful and rich! The texture of the kimchi turns out nice and soft in a fraction of the time.

    DSC 1980 1 - Instant Pot Kimchi Jjigae (Stew)

    Kimchi jjigae (김치찌개) is a classic Korean stew made with flavor-packed old kimchi! It absolutely is one of my favorite comfort foods of all time. Lately, I’ve been making it in my Instant Pot, and I really like how it turns out. The stew is flavorful and rich, and the texture of the kimchi turns out nice and soft in a fraction of the time. In this recipe, I’ve adapted my stovetop kimchi jjigae recipe for my 6 quart Instant Pot.

    How to make kimchi jjigae in the Instant Pot

    To develop extra flavor, I usually stir-fry the kimchi and pork before adding water or broth. The Saute mode of the Instant Pot comes in handy for this step.

    Once the liquid is added, use the Soup mode for pressure cooking. The actual cooking time is substantially shorter than the stovetop method. But, the time saving benefit diminishes if you count the time for the Instant Pot to build up the pressure.

    DSC 2014 1 - Instant Pot Kimchi Jjigae (Stew)

    After the quick release of the pressure, add some tofu slices and scallions (and onion slices if you like) and cook for a few additional minutes, using the Saute button. If you don’t use tofu, you can wait for a few minutes for the natural pressure release, and then stir in the scallions.

    Kimchi for the stew

    When cooking with kimchi, you should always use fully fermented, sour kimchi. The older the better! If you don’t have old kimchi, don’t let that stop you from making this kimchi stew or other dishes made with kimchi. Your Korean market may carry commercially packaged kimchi called mukeunji (묵은지), meaning very old kimchi.

    If the kimchi is overly sour, add a teaspoon or two of sugar to the stew to balance out the sour taste.

    Meat for kimchi jjigae

    I make kimchi stew mostly with fatty pork. It’s simply the best! However, I know some of you don’t like or eat pork. If so, use beef or canned tuna. You can cut the meat into large chunks if you like! You won’t have a problem with tough meat after it has been cooked in the Instant Pot. This reminds me, kimchi jjigae with pork ribs will be great cooked in the Instant Pot.

    DSC 1967 1 - Instant Pot Kimchi Jjigae (Stew)

    More recipes made with kimchi

    Everything tastes better with kimchi, right? Try these other favorites:

    Kimchi soondubu jjigae (soft tofu stew)
    Tofu kimchi
    Kimchijeon (pancake)
    Kimchi mandu (dumplings)
    Kimchi fried rice
    Kimchi kongnamul guk
    Kimchi bibim guksu
    Kimchi ssambap
    Spaghetti with kimchi
    Kimchi jjim

    If you’re inspired to make some napa cabbage kimchi at home and let it get old for some of these dishes, try pogi kimchi, mak kimchi and vegan kimchi recipes.

    More Instant Pot recipes

    Braised Oxtail (kkorijjim)
    Dakbokkeumtang (spicy chicken stew)
    Boiled chicken and rice
    Spicy Galbijjim (Braised Short Ribs)

    DSC 1742 2 - Instant Pot Kimchi Jjigae (Stew)

    DSC 0328 - Instant Pot Kimchi Jjigae (Stew)

    For more Korean cooking inspirations, follow  along on YouTube, Pinterest, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

    DSC 2014 350x350 - Instant Pot Kimchi Jjigae (Stew)

    Instant Pot Kimchi Jjigae (Stew)

    4.46 from 85 votes
    Servings: 4
    Print Recipe

    Ingredients

    • Ingredients:
    • 1-1/2 pounds well fermented kimchi about 3 cups of cut kimchi packed
    • 8 ounces fatty pork or beef
    • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
    • 1 to 3 teaspoons Korean red chili pepper flakes gochugaru - adjust to taste
    • 1/2 cup juice from kimchi if available
    • 2 cups of water* 1/2 cup more if not using kimchi juice
    • 1 tablespoon soup soy sauce
    • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
    • 8 ounces tofu
    • 2 scallions
    • black pepper to taste
    • 1 to 2 teaspoons of sugar - optional

    Instructions

    • Cut the meat and kimchi into bite sizes. Slice the tofu (about 1/2-inch thick), and roughly chop the scallions.
      DSC 0223 e1527564307923 - Instant Pot Kimchi Jjigae (Stew)
    • Push the Saute button of the Instant Pot. When it becomes hot, add the pork and kimchi along with the sesame oil and red pepper flakes until the kimchi is slightly softened and pork is no longer pink, about 5 minutes.
      DSC 0239 e1527564415153 - Instant Pot Kimchi Jjigae (Stew)
    • Add the kimchi juice, water, soup soy sauce, and garlic. Lock the lid, change it to the Soup mode, and adjust the time to 10 minutes. Set the steam valve to “Sealing”.
      DSC 0419 e1527565239482 - Instant Pot Kimchi Jjigae (Stew)
    • When the Instant Pot beeps, turn the steam valve to “Vent” to quick release the pressure. Open the lid, and add tofu and scallions. Push the Saute button again, and boil for an additional 5 minutes or longer until the kimchi reaches the desired tenderness.
      DSC 0243 e1527564494741 - Instant Pot Kimchi Jjigae (Stew)

    Notes

    For added flavor, save the water used to rinse rice, ssal ddeum mul, and use for the jjigae/stew. The water used to rinse rice is commonly used for Korean jjigae. Use the water from the second or third round of rinsing. Another option is to use anchovy broth (about 7 or 8 medium dry anchovies and one 3-inch square dried kelp boiled in 3 cups of water for 10 minutes).
    Tried this recipe?Mention @koreanbapsang or tag #koreanbapsang!

    You may also like:

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    • DSC5897 2 150x150 - Instant Pot Kimchi Jjigae (Stew)Kimchi Jjigae (Kimchi Stew)
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Nancy M says

      January 06, 2023 at 7:16 pm

      What pork cut(s) do you recommend for the fatty pork? Pork shoulder/butt? Pork belly? I’m looking forward to trying this and glad to have an Instant Pot recipe. Thanks!

      Reply
      • Hyosun says

        January 07, 2023 at 11:37 am

        All of the above!! I usually use pork shoulder, but also use belly or even pork ribs sometimes.

        Reply
    2. Marishan says

      June 18, 2022 at 7:18 am

      Hi, can I use beef and pork together in this stew?

      Reply
      • Hyosun says

        June 18, 2022 at 11:00 am

        Sure! Enjoy!

        Reply
      • Bryant says

        August 15, 2022 at 7:07 pm

        5 stars
        I used spam as the meat. So goood!

        Reply
    3. Mitch says

      January 25, 2022 at 5:06 pm

      5 stars
      This has become one of my favorite quick dinners on very, very cold nights.

      Thanks!

      Reply
      • Hyosun says

        January 26, 2022 at 12:54 am

        Yay! Great to hear that. Thanks!

        Reply
    4. Caitlin says

      August 30, 2021 at 8:15 am

      Relearning some cooking techniques so, i wanted to ask if there’s anything I should do to the tofu before using it?
      Hopefully, that’s not a dumb question, but I want to be sure I do this correctly. Plus, i would love to start adding more fermented foods into my diet instead of just yogurt.. so hoping this kimchi / tofu recipe will be a hit. 🙂
      Thanks!

      Reply
      • Hyosun says

        September 01, 2021 at 11:04 am

        You don’t need to do anything else other than cutting it. Enjoy!

        Reply
    5. Bun says

      December 18, 2020 at 8:23 pm

      5 stars
      I made this recipe twice workout tofu and using pork chops the first time and pork neck bones the second time. They both came out great, I am trying it a third time tonight but adding in some potatoes and onion for extra chew and I added more rice water to help even it out. Best and easiest recipe for aged kimchi!

      Reply
    6. cheri ulinski says

      November 24, 2020 at 6:04 am

      I made this stew for the first time but had to make a few changes because I’m the only one in my family that likes tofu , so I used squash and potatoes instead . The stew turned out great my husband said it was very tasty but he could not handle the heat from the spices, So I got the whole pot by myself and can’t wait to fix it again!

      Reply
    7. Maggie says

      October 18, 2020 at 11:25 pm

      4 stars
      Just tried this recipe with my pressure cooker! So easy and so good. ^_^
      After me and my boyfriend scooped our first bowl, we kept cooking at low temp to stew it more.
      I’m trying it again after it being slow cooked for about 3 hours and it’s even better! Soup is more flavorful and the meat falls apart easier. 🙂

      Reply
    8. Lindsey Webb says

      May 04, 2020 at 11:32 pm

      This recipe is easy to follow and is exceptionally delicious! Just made it for the 2nd time tonight.

      Reply
    9. Christine says

      May 03, 2020 at 1:54 pm

      5 stars
      My husband and I loved this instant pot jjigae recipe! Thank you so much for all your amazing recipes!

      Reply
    10. Paweł says

      April 26, 2020 at 4:04 pm

      5 stars
      I ate it many times in Korea. The best one nearby hotsprings at Gadzisan not far from Ulsan. Tomorrow will do it by myself!

      Reply
      • Hyosun says

        April 27, 2020 at 1:43 am

        Oh I bet that was good! Happy to hear you’ll be making it.

        Reply
    11. Naty says

      April 21, 2020 at 6:51 pm

      5 stars
      this was a great recipe! I used my kimchi that I made from a few weeks ago for this recipe, and even tho it is spicy, it’s absolutely delicious. The broth is so savory! I didn’t have tofu on hand, and I think it would’ve been better with it. Even so, I added 2 tsp of doenjang and it did give it a great flavor. Thank you again for such an awesome recipe. Your recipes are easy to follow.

      Reply
    12. NF says

      February 10, 2020 at 1:18 am

      Hi, if I would like to throw it some daikon radish, should I throw it in together with other ingredients and pressure cook for 5 minutes as well? Tia.

      Reply
      • Hyosun says

        February 11, 2020 at 12:59 am

        I’d add it in step 3. Don’t cut it too thinly.

        Reply
        • Carol says

          April 02, 2021 at 5:41 pm

          Hello, how do I adjust this recipe for 8qt instapot?

          Reply
          • Hyosun says

            April 05, 2021 at 1:07 am

            Sorry I don’t have 8 qt IP, so not exactly sure. I’d think this would work as is or use a little more liquid to be safe.

            Reply
    13. Lindsay says

      March 24, 2019 at 2:08 pm

      5 stars
      I make this all the time now and I love it! I’ve been using a combination of regular soy sauce and Rhee Brother’s Jjajang Black Bean Paste because I have had difficulty finding “soup soy sauce” at the market. Is there a particular other name that “soup soy sauce” goes by? I sometimes see it called “guk-ganjang” when I google it, but people don’t seem to understand what I’m talking about when I try to ask about it.

      Reply
    14. myeon says

      February 21, 2019 at 12:06 pm

      hihi, just wanted to check if we are cooking for 4 persons, we use 2.5 cups of water? the last round i did, it seemed to be dried up and I was only cooking for 2 persons (and used 2,5 cups of water too)

      Reply
    15. Cheryl says

      February 14, 2019 at 11:48 pm

      5 stars
      Your recipes are great! I’m half Korean and I’ve been learning how to make my favorite foods that my mom makes by following your instructions. I love the IP versions. Thank you!

      Reply
    16. Christina says

      February 02, 2019 at 6:20 pm

      Yum! Gets the taste of stewing it for a long time but in a fraction of the time. Delicious, easy, and no spatter. Particularly with your kimchi recipe.

      Reply
    17. Christina says

      January 30, 2019 at 7:42 pm

      Hi! Can you freeze the leftover soup?

      Reply
    18. Anna Ferrara says

      January 28, 2019 at 10:08 am

      I’ve made this on the stove before, and I think it’s actually more delicious made in the Instant Pot! It was done so quick and sooo delicious, perfect for a cold winter evening.

      Reply
      • Hyosun says

        January 28, 2019 at 8:07 pm

        Yes I really like to cook this in the Instant Pot. Thanks!

        Reply
    19. Kim says

      January 20, 2019 at 5:40 pm

      5 stars
      One of our favorite meals is kimchi jjigae. I was looking for the closest recipe to ours so I could convert it over easily. I followed it pretty closely and was pretty good.
      Now that I know how it works I will probably stick to our recipe.
      My 8 year old said good but not as good as grandma’s.
      We don’t add pepper flakes since we have little ones eating. Have never added soy sauce or sugar but we do add a powder kinda like bullion called dashida.
      I also think my son preferred grandma’s cause she simmers the tofu for a long time and his favorite part is the tofu. I have known of it as tubu since I was a kid but now know it’s tofu, lol.
      Oh yeah, my mom is always adding random things in at the end… smoked sausage or polska kielbasa usually, but she has been known to throw in hotdogs in a pinch.
      I am giving 5 stars cause it was the closest one and the taste was very similar. I was very pleased at the outcome of the instant pot conversion. Now I just gotta figure out to simmer more flavor into the tofu without overcooking everything else.

      Reply
    20. Alice lee says

      January 19, 2019 at 7:16 am

      Thank you so much for sharing your recipes. I just did this kimchi jigae with my Phillips multi purpose cooker and it turned out super yummy 😋

      Reply
      • Hyosun says

        January 20, 2019 at 10:32 am

        Oh nice! Thank you so much for letting me know.

        Reply
    21. Sudheshna Miryala says

      November 24, 2018 at 9:33 am

      how would i make this vegetarian?

      Reply
      • Hyosun says

        November 27, 2018 at 11:15 pm

        Omit the pork, and use some mushrooms instead if you like. Your kimchi also needs to be vegetarian. If interested in making vegetarian kimchi, I have a recipe on the blog.

        Reply
    22. Ju Kim says

      July 04, 2018 at 4:59 am

      I learned it the hard way that whenever you cook a stew in Instant Pot, leave the tofu out and add it in after the pressure cycle with saute, just as you instructed. If you include the tofu in the pressure cycle, tofu will be hardened and become chewier in a not very pleasant way! Thank you always for the recipes that makes me miss my 엄마’s cooking.

      Reply
      • Hyosun says

        September 18, 2018 at 10:17 pm

        Hi Ju – we all learn from our experience! Glad you figured it out. Mom’s is always the best!

        Reply
    23. dannie says

      June 21, 2018 at 3:32 am

      4 stars
      boiled rice will be a good side dish for this kimchi recipe.

      Reply
    24. Deborah says

      June 07, 2018 at 11:38 am

      5 stars
      I have a magic pot – I bought it about 3 months ago. It is very versatile – you can make jjeok (congee) in it, as well as rice and a slow cooker. This recipe for kimchi-chigae looks amazing and I will be making it. I have some mukenji in the fridge – this will be perfect!!!! Gomapsumnidah!

      Reply
    25. Twinkle says

      June 06, 2018 at 8:17 pm

      I’m so excited that you have Instant Pot recipes! It’s so hot in Texas right now so I prefer to use the IP to cook. Thanks so much for posting this (and others)! I will try it this weekend.

      Reply
    26. Sammie says

      May 31, 2018 at 7:49 pm

      Oooh this looks so yummy! I need to try this – I just got an Instant pot ^_^

      Reply
      • Hyosun says

        May 31, 2018 at 10:01 pm

        Thank you! You’ll love your Instant Pot. Hope you try making kimchi jjigae soon. Enjoy!

        Reply

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