13 min read
Korean army stew (budae jjigae, 부대찌개) is a spicy Spam, sausage and ramen hot pot born after 1953. It came out of the years after the Korean War, when processed meat from US military bases went into a kimchi broth, and it’s still one of the most popular stews in Korea. You can make it at home in about 35 minutes with a can of Spam, a pack of instant ramen and ingredients from any Korean grocery.
Key takeaways
- Budae (부대) means a military unit or base and jjigae (찌개) means stew, so the name literally says “base stew”.
- The dish grew up around US bases after the 1950-53 Korean War, and Uijeongbu, north of Seoul, still has a whole street of budae jjigae restaurants.
- The basic formula is canned ham, sausages, kimchi and a gochugaru (Korean chili flake) broth, with instant ramen added in the last 3 minutes.
- Outside Korea, every core ingredient is sold at H Mart-style Korean grocers or online, and Spam is in most US supermarkets.
What is Korean army stew (budae jjigae)?
Budae jjigae is a shared hot pot. The ingredients are laid out raw in a wide, shallow pan, a spicy paste goes in the middle, stock is poured around the edges, and the whole thing boils on a portable burner right on the table. Everyone eats from the same pot while it cooks, with bowls of white rice on the side.
What goes in is a meeting of two food cultures. On one side you have Korean basics: aged kimchi, gochugaru, gochujang (fermented chili paste), garlic, tofu and scallions. On the other you have American processed food: Spam, hot dogs, sometimes baked beans and a slice of American cheese melting on top. The broth tastes smoky, salty, sour from the kimchi and moderately hot, and the fat from the ham gives it more body than most Korean stews.
The end is the part people talk about. Near the end you drop a block of instant ramen into the pot, and the noodles soak up the reduced broth. In Korea this extra is called sari (사리), the word for a portion of noodles or any add-on you order on top of the base stew.
Where budae jjigae came from: Spam, sausages and US bases
The story starts in hunger. After the Korean War ended in a 1953 armistice, South Korea was one of the poorest countries in the world, and meat was a luxury most families rarely saw. US troops stayed on in large numbers, and their bases had something the towns around them didn’t: plenty of canned and processed meat.
That food reached Korean kitchens in a few ways. Some came as leftovers from base mess halls, some as surplus, and some through the black market around the PX (the on-base store). Locals who worked on or near the bases brought ham, sausages and bacon home, and cooks did what Korean cooks do with any protein: they put it in a pot with kimchi, chili and water.
The early versions were rougher
The earliest form is usually traced to kkulkkuri-juk (꿀꿀이죽), roughly “oink-oink porridge”, a boiled mix of whatever scraps came out of base kitchens. It was survival food, and older Koreans still remember it that way. As the economy improved, the scraps gave way to unopened cans and packets, and the dish settled into the cleaner stew people order today.
Why Spam specifically?
Spam, the canned pork made by the US company Hormel since 1937, was a staple of American military rations. It needed no refrigeration, lasted for years and was salty and fatty enough to flavor a whole pot. In Korea it moved from the black market to supermarket shelves over the following decades. Spam gift sets became a normal present at Seollal, the Korean Lunar New Year, and at Chuseok, the autumn harvest holiday, which tells you how fully the canned ham was adopted.
What is Johnson-tang?
In Seoul’s Yongsan area, around the former main US garrison, a version of the stew is known as Johnson-tang (존슨탕). The popular story links the name to US President Lyndon B. Johnson’s visit to Korea in 1966, though the connection is folklore rather than recorded fact. Johnson-tang tends to lean heavier on meat and lighter on kimchi than the Uijeongbu style.
Why Koreans still love Korean army stew
A dish born out of poverty might be expected to fade once people could afford better. Budae jjigae did the opposite. Today it’s eaten by office workers at lunch, students after class and families on weekends, and you’ll find it in instant-noodle flavors and convenience-store meal kits.
Part of the reason is flavor. The combination of fermented kimchi, chili and fatty, salty processed meat hits the same craving as a good chili dog, and the ramen at the end turns one pot into a full meal. It’s also cheap to make and nearly impossible to ruin, which makes it a classic dorm and first-apartment dish.
The other reason is social. Korean eating culture is built around sharing from the center of the table, and a bubbling hot pot is the natural focus of a group dinner. Budae jjigae is a common choice for a casual meal with coworkers (see our guide to Korean work culture and hoesik dinners) because it’s filling, it goes well with soju and nobody has to agree on separate orders.
It also carries memory. For older Koreans it recalls the hard decades after the war. For younger ones it’s simply comfort food. That double meaning is a big part of why it has stuck around.
What goes in budae jjigae: ingredients and swaps abroad
There’s no single official recipe, but most pots include the same core building blocks. Here’s what each one does and what to use if you can’t find it where you live.
| Ingredient | What it does | Easy swap outside Korea |
|---|---|---|
| Spam or canned ham | Salt, fat and the signature smoky flavor | Any canned luncheon meat, or a lower-sodium Spam |
| Sausages (Vienna sausages or hot dogs) | Snap and extra smokiness | Any frankfurter, cocktail sausage or smoked kielbasa |
| Aged kimchi (묵은지 style) | Sourness and depth | Store-bought cabbage kimchi left in the fridge an extra week or two |
| Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes) | Bright red color and heat | No direct swap; mild chili powder plus a pinch of paprika in a pinch |
| Gochujang (fermented chili paste) | Sweet, savory body | Sold in tubs at most Asian grocers and many US supermarkets |
| Tofu | Soaks up the broth, softens the heat | Any firm or medium-firm tofu |
| Baked beans | Slight sweetness, a nod to the base origins | Any canned baked beans in tomato sauce, or leave out |
| American cheese slice | Creaminess as it melts into the broth | Any processed cheese slice; skip if you want a cleaner broth |
| Instant ramen | The final course; noodles soak up the broth | Any instant noodle block, or Korean ramen sari (plain noodle packs) |
| Tteok (rice cakes) | Chewy texture | Frozen sliced or cylinder rice cakes from a Korean grocer; optional |
The broth base matters more than most recipes admit. Korean restaurants often use a beef bone stock or an anchovy-kelp stock (myeolchi yuksu, 멸치육수). At home, low-sodium chicken stock gives a very good result, and plain water works if your kimchi is strong. Go low-sodium on the stock, because the ham, sausage and kimchi already bring plenty of salt.
Uijeongbu style vs Songtan style: the two main schools
Koreans often split budae jjigae into regional styles named after the base towns where it took hold. The differences are loose and every restaurant adds its own touch, but the broad outlines are well known.
| Style | Where it comes from | What it tastes like | Typical extras |
|---|---|---|---|
| Uijeongbu style | Uijeongbu, a city just north of Seoul, near former US bases | Cleaner, kimchi-forward broth; spicy and a little sour | Kimchi, tofu, scallions, ramen; often no cheese |
| Songtan style | Songtan, in Pyeongtaek, south of Seoul, near a US air base | Richer, meatier broth with more ham and sausage | Cheese, baked beans, more processed meat |
| Johnson-tang | Yongsan, central Seoul | Heavy on meat, lighter on kimchi, stew-like | Ground meat, cabbage, sliced ham |
If you’re cooking for people who’ve never had it, start closer to Uijeongbu style. The kimchi broth is what makes the dish Korean, and you can always add cheese at the table. If you want something richer for a cold night, go Songtan style with beans and cheese.
How to make budae jjigae (부대찌개) at home
- 200 g Spam (about half a 340 g can), sliced 1 cm thick
- 4 Vienna sausages or 2 hot dogs, sliced on the diagonal
- 1 cup well-fermented cabbage kimchi, chopped
- 1/2 block firm tofu (about 150 g), sliced 1 cm thick
- 1/2 onion, sliced
- 2 scallions, cut into 5 cm lengths
- 1 cup Korean rice cakes (tteok), optional
- 1 handful enoki or shiitake mushrooms
- 3 tbsp canned baked beans
- 1 slice American cheese
- 1 pack instant ramen noodles (soup packet optional)
- 4 cups anchovy-kelp stock or low-sodium chicken stock
- 2 tbsp gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
- 1 tbsp gochujang
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
- Make the sauce: stir together the gochugaru, gochujang, soy sauce, garlic, sugar and black pepper in a small bowl. Let it sit while you prep, so the chili flakes soften.
- Arrange everything in a wide, shallow pot in neat sections: kimchi, onion, tofu, Spam, sausages, rice cakes, mushrooms and baked beans. Spoon the sauce into the center.
- Pour the stock gently around the edges, not over the sauce. Bring to a boil over high heat, about 5 to 7 minutes.
- Lower to medium and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, ladling broth over the ingredients now and then so the sauce dissolves evenly. Taste and add a splash of kimchi juice or soy sauce if it needs more depth.
- Add the ramen block, scallions and the cheese slice on top. Cook 2 to 3 minutes, pulling the noodles apart with chopsticks, until just tender.
- Serve straight from the pot, ideally on a portable burner at the table, with bowls of steamed rice. Add more stock if the broth reduces too far while you eat.
Where to buy budae jjigae ingredients outside Korea
In the US, Canada, the UK and Australia, a Korean or pan-Asian grocery will have everything on the list. Big chains such as H Mart in North America stock kimchi, gochugaru, gochujang, rice cakes, Korean ramen and plain ramen sari in one store. Spam, hot dogs, baked beans and American cheese are in regular supermarkets.
No Korean grocer nearby? Gochugaru and gochujang are widely sold online, and many supermarkets now carry gochujang in the international aisle. For kimchi, buy a jar labeled napa cabbage kimchi and leave it in the fridge for an extra week or two. Sourer kimchi makes a better stew, which is why Korean cooks save their oldest kimchi for jjigae.
Which ramen to use
Any instant noodle works, because the stew provides the flavor. Korean brands such as Nongshim’s Shin Ramyun are common choices in Korea. Thicker, chewier noodles hold up better in a long-simmering pot than thin ones. Many cooks skip the soup packet entirely; if you add it, cut back on the soy sauce.
Vegetarian and lighter versions
Spam is the point of the dish, but you can still make a satisfying pot without it. Swap the meat for plant-based sausages and extra tofu, use vegetable-safe kimchi (many kimchis contain fish sauce or salted shrimp, so check the label) and use a kelp-and-mushroom stock. For a lighter meat version, use reduced-sodium ham and skip the cheese and ramen soup packet.
Common mistakes when making Korean army stew
The recipe is forgiving, but a few habits make the difference between a flat pot and a great one.
- Using fresh kimchi. Young kimchi tastes crisp and mild, which is great as a side dish and weak in a stew. You want sour, well-aged kimchi.
- Adding ramen too early. The noodles turn soft and drink up the broth. Add them in the last 2 to 3 minutes, or once the first round of meat and tofu is eaten.
- Using a deep, narrow pot. The wide, shallow pan is traditional for a reason: everything cooks evenly and people can reach in from all sides.
- Oversalting the stock. Regular chicken stock plus Spam plus ramen seasoning can push the pot over the edge. Season at the end.
- Stirring like soup. Keep the ingredients in their sections while it boils. It looks better and the tofu doesn’t break apart.
Where to eat budae jjigae in Korea: Uijeongbu and beyond
If you want the dish where it grew up, go to Uijeongbu. The city has a strip known as Uijeongbu Budae Jjigae Street (의정부 부대찌개 거리), lined with restaurants that serve little else. The best known, Odeng Sikdang (오뎅식당), is widely cited as one of the original budae jjigae restaurants. Uijeongbu sits at the northern end of Seoul’s subway Line 1, so it’s an easy half-day trip from the city center.
- Area
- Central Uijeongbu, Gyeonggi Province, north of Seoul
- Nearest station
- Uijeongbu Station (Seoul Subway Line 1); check the walking route in Naver Map or Kakao Map
- Time needed
- Half a day including the round trip from central Seoul
- Before you go
- Check each restaurant’s opening days and menu on Naver Map or its official page; popular spots get lines at lunch on weekends
You don’t have to leave Seoul, though. Budae jjigae is on the menu at countless casual restaurants and franchise chains in every neighborhood, especially near universities and office districts. Search “부대찌개” in Naver Map (Google Maps is weak for restaurants in Korea; see our list of the best apps for Korea travel) and you’ll see dozens of results wherever you’re staying.
How ordering works in a budae jjigae restaurant
Most places sell the stew by the number of portions, usually with a minimum of two. The pot arrives raw or half-cooked and finishes on a burner at your table, so staff may come by to adjust the heat. Rice usually comes with it, and ramen sari is ordered separately as an add-on. Extra ham, cheese or dumplings can often be added too. Just point at the menu or say “ramyeon sari juseyo” (라면사리 주세요, “ramen add-on, please”).
Is it a good dish for first-time visitors?
Yes, especially if you’re nervous about spice or fermented flavors. Budae jjigae is usually milder than kimchi jjigae, the ham and cheese are familiar to most Western palates, and the ramen at the end makes it feel like a meal you already know. It’s a good group dinner and works for a solo traveler at the many places that serve single portions at lunch.
FAQ
What does budae jjigae mean in English?
Budae (부대) means a military unit or base, and jjigae (찌개) means stew. The name refers to the US military bases where the processed meat came from after the Korean War. In English it’s usually called Korean army stew or army base stew.
Why is there Spam in Korean army stew?
After the 1950-53 Korean War, meat was scarce in South Korea, while US bases had large supplies of canned and processed meat such as Spam. Cooks near the bases added it to kimchi stew. Spam stayed popular in Korea long after the shortages ended and is still a common holiday gift.
Is budae jjigae very spicy?
It’s moderately spicy by Korean standards, usually milder than kimchi jjigae or sundubu jjigae (soft tofu stew). The ham, cheese, beans and noodles all soften the heat. At home you can cut the gochugaru in half and still get the right flavor.
What’s the difference between budae jjigae and Johnson-tang?
Both are stews of processed meat from the postwar US base era. Johnson-tang is the name used in Seoul’s Yongsan area and tends to be meatier with less kimchi. Budae jjigae, especially the Uijeongbu style, leans on a sour, spicy kimchi broth.
Can I make Korean army stew without Spam?
Yes. Use any canned ham, smoked sausages or ham slices, or go vegetarian with plant-based sausages, extra tofu and mushrooms. Without some smoky, salty element, though, the stew will taste closer to plain kimchi jjigae.
Can you reheat leftover budae jjigae?
You can, but take the noodles out first, because they go soft overnight. Refrigerate the broth and toppings, then reheat until boiling and add fresh ramen. Many Koreans say the kimchi broth tastes even deeper the next day.
What to cook or try after budae jjigae
Once you’ve made one pot, the next step is the stews it’s built on. Kimchi jjigae (김치찌개) uses the same sour kimchi base with pork instead of ham, and sundubu jjigae (순두부찌개) swaps the meat for silky soft tofu and an egg. Both use the same gochugaru and the same wide-pot technique, so your pantry is already stocked.
If you’re heading to Korea, plan a lunch in Uijeongbu or simply order budae jjigae at a neighborhood spot in Seoul, and finish with ramen sari the way locals do. And next time you’re at a Korean grocery, pick up a can of Spam or one of the holiday Spam gift sets. In Korea, that blue can is a piece of postwar history you can still eat.
Related reading
Sources k-korea.blog
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