Korean Kimchi Soup

Loaded with flavorful veggies, silken tofu, and zesty kimchi, this Kimchi Soup (or Kimchi-jjigae) recipe is an easy vegetarian stew for whipping up on busy weeknights!

Thanks so much to Lucky Foods for sponsoring this post! Thoughts and opinions, as always, are my own.

I could have kimchi for every meal for the rest of my life and be a happy lady. Because when kimchi can be worked into so many dishes (see tacos, fries, ramen), you’re never going to get bored of it.

And this Kimchi Soup? It’s anything but boring. It’s got two major things going on that make it a sensory experience, I tell you: the textures and the flavors.

The texture is different with every bite, from the delicately crunchy daikon radish to the melt in your mouth silken tofu.

And then there are the authentic Korean flavors, turbo boosted by our friends at Lucky Foods who make the most magical, flavor-packed Korean products. Today we’re using their Original Kimchi (vegan) and Kimchi Hot Sauce to level up this Kimchi Soup (though they have a whole delicious array of Korean products, from BBQ Sauces to Korean Style Pancakes)!

Kimchi Soup Ingredients

The ingredients list for this recipe is simple, but ingredients may be tricky to find, depending on where you are. I love hitting up Asian supermarkets, who usually have the more unique ingredients (like silken tofu and daikon radish).

• Veggie Base: Our flavorful base is made up of scallions (green onions), garlic, ginger, and mushrooms!
• Broth: Vegetable broth liquifies our soup. Feel free to use a low sodium variety if desired.
• Kimchi Hot Sauce: With bold authentic flavors, this Lucky Foods original brings both heat and flavor to our soup.
• Daikon Radish: Aka white or winter radish, this veggie brings a mild flavor and fun crispy texture.
• Kimchi: It wouldn’t be Kimchi Stew without the kimchi! Lucky Foods has a vegan kimchi we love (comes in Original and Spicy).
• Silken Tofu: This soft tofu soaks up all the flavors of the soup and has a melt in your mouth texture you’ll love! You may need to look in the international aisle of your grocery store (silken tofu often comes in a shelf-stable box).

How to Make Kimchi Tofu Soup

Step 1: Saute the veggies
Thinly slice the scallions, separating the white and the green parts (we’ll saute the whites, and use the greens as a topping!) Mince the garlic, and finely grate the ginger. Heat oil in a large skillet or pan over medium heat. Add the white parts of the scallions, garlic, ginger, and mushrooms. Cook, stirring often, until mushrooms sweat out their moisture and are soft about 8 minutes.

Step 2: Simmer
Add the vegetable broth, hot sauce, and daikon radish. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook until radish is slightly softened (I like to leave a little crunch in the radish, but you could cook it until it’s totally soft if that’s your jam).

Step 3: Add kimchi and tofu
Stir in kimchi and tofu. Taste and add soy sauce as needed for saltiness (depends on the saltiness of your broth).

Ladle into serving bowls and top with the green parts of the scallions. Bing bang boom, Kimchi Soup!

Variations on this kimchi soup

• Add miso: For a savory punch of flavor, stir in a spoonful of miso paste.
• Add an egg: A soft boiled egg plopped into each serving bowl ups the protein content, making this soup even more satiating.
• Change up the mushrooms: Rather than button mushrooms, you can use shiitake or portobello.
• Add noodles: Glass noodles, cooked separately and added before serving, add another fun texture to this soup.
• More tofu: While the recipe uses half a package, the tofu lovers can add in the whole package for extra protein!

Looking for more Korean inspiration?

• Vegan Korean BBQ
• Korean Eggplant Tacos
• Loaded Kimchi Fries
• Vegetarian Bibimbap
• Korean Kimchi Pizza
• Or check out the Korean recipe inspiration over on Lucky Foods!

Looking for something to pair this Kimchi Tofu Soup with? It goes well with Thai Cucumber Salad or Vietnamese Spring Rolls!

Thanks again to Lucky Foods for sponsoring this post! Be sure to check out their whole line of Korean / Fusion Sauces!) Find their products in a store near you!