Cheese Budae Jjigae
A hearty Korean army-base stew loaded with spam, hot dogs, beans, and melted cheese. Boiling, bubbling, and deeply satisfying—best served family-style with rice.
- Total time
- 35 min
- Servings
- 4
- Calories
- 720
- Protein
- 38g
Ingredients
- 1 can (12 oz) spam, canned
- 4 whole hot dogs
- 1 cup kimchi, chopped
- 1 can (15 oz) canned kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 tablespoons gochugaru (Korean red chili flakes)
- 3 cups low-sodium beef broth
- 1.5 cups cheddar cheese, sliced or shredded
- 3 whole scallions, chopped (white and green parts)
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
Instructions
- 1
Open the spam can and slide the block onto a cutting board. Slice the spam lengthwise into 2 halves, then crosswise into half-moons about 1/4 inch thick, like cutting bread.
- 2
Slice each hot dog lengthwise in half, then crosswise into quarter-circles about 1/2 inch wide, creating curved crescent shapes.
- 3
Chop the scallions by slicing them crosswise at a 45-degree angle into 1-inch pieces, keeping white and green parts separate in small bowls.
- 4
Pour the beef broth into a 4-quart pot and set it over medium-high heat. Wait 3–4 minutes until you see steam rising steadily from the surface.
- 5
Stir 2 tablespoons of gochugaru into the broth with a wooden spoon, breaking up any clumps, until the flakes are evenly distributed and the broth looks reddish-orange.
- 6
Add the spam slices, hot dog pieces, kimchi with its juice, and drained beans to the pot. Stir gently with a wooden spoon until everything is submerged.
- 7
Bring the stew to a boil over medium-high heat—you'll see large, rapid bubbles breaking the surface—then reduce heat to medium and let it bubble gently for 5 minutes.
- 8
Scatter the shredded cheddar cheese evenly across the top of the stew in a single layer covering the surface. Do not stir—let it sit undisturbed for 1–2 minutes until the cheese begins to melt.
- 9
Stir the melting cheese into the broth using a wooden spoon with a gentle, circular motion until it dissolves and the stew looks creamy, about 30 seconds.
- 10
Drizzle 1 tablespoon of sesame oil across the entire surface of the stew in a thin stream, tilting the spoon as you move it back and forth.
- 11
Scatter the chopped white and green scallion pieces on top of the stew as garnish, using all of them.
- 12
Set the pot in the center of the table with a ladle and small serving bowls. Ladle the stew and broth into bowls and serve immediately while hot, with rice on the side.
Tools you’ll need
- 4-quart pot with lid
- cutting board
- chef's knife
- wooden spoon
- ladle
- small bowls (for scallion parts)
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