Korean Budae Jjigae, Army Base Stew

📍 Where this dish comes from: Busan · Gamcheon Culture Village
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Budae jjigae, "army base stew," is a spicy, crowd-pleasing hot pot loaded with Spam, sausages, kimchi and melting cheese. It was born from hardship after the Korean War and is now a beloved party dish. Shirataki noodles stand in for the instant ramen that usually goes in at the end.

Per serving: 386 calories · 6.4 g net carbs · 23 g protein · 29 g fat (calculated from the ingredients)

What You’ll Need

Korean Budae Jjigae, Army Base Stew

Budae jjigae, "army base stew," is a spicy, crowd-pleasing hot pot loaded with Spam, sausages, kimchi and melting cheese. It was born from hardship after the Korean War and is now a beloved party dish. Shirataki noodles stand in for the instant ramen that usually goes in at the end.

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Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes minutes

Course: Soup

Cuisine: Korean

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 386kcal

Ingredients

• 6 ounces Spam (half a can) sliced
• 2 beef hot dogs sliced on the diagonal
• 4 ounces ground beef or pork seasoned with a pinch of salt
• 1 cup kimchi chopped
• 1/2 small onion sliced
• 4 ounces mushrooms sliced
• 4 ounces firm tofu sliced
• 2 scallions cut into 2-inch pieces
• 1 package (7 ounces) shirataki noodles rinsed and drained
• 1 slice American cheese
• 4 cups anchovy-kelp broth or beef broth
• Sauce: 1 tablespoon gochugaru, 1 tablespoon Keto Gochujang-Style Paste (Chapter 10) or store-bought gochujang, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 3 cloves garlic minced, 1 teaspoon allulose

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Instructions

• Stir the sauce ingredients together in a small bowl.
• In a wide, shallow pot, arrange the Spam, hot dogs, ground meat, kimchi, onion, mushrooms, tofu and scallions in neat sections around the pot. Spoon the sauce into the center.
• Pour the broth around the edges and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Simmer for 8 minutes, until the meat is cooked and the broth is red and rich.
• Add the shirataki noodles to the center and lay the cheese slice on top. Simmer 2 minutes more, until the cheese melts into the broth.
• Bring the pot to the table and let everyone serve themselves.

Notes

Budae jjigae is traditionally cooked at the table on a portable burner, with diners adding ingredients as they go. Shirataki noodles have a mild smell straight from the package; rinsing well and dry-frying them for 2 minutes removes it.

Chef's Tip: Arrange the ingredients in tidy sections before adding the broth. It is how Korean restaurants present it, and it looks spectacular.

Keto Swap: Instant ramen and baked beans are classic additions. Shirataki noodles replace the ramen, and the beans are left out. The nutrition uses the Chapter 10 keto paste; store-bought gochujang adds about 2 grams of net carbs per serving.

Success Tip: Let everyone choose their favorite toppings. Bacon, mozzarella, extra cheese slices and quail eggs are all popular.

Nutrition is calculated from the ingredients and is an estimate per serving. Net carbs exclude fiber and allulose.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 386kcal | Protein: 23g | Fat: 29g | Fiber: 4.2g

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About This Dish

Budae means "military base," and the stew dates to the years after the Korean War, when food was scarce. People near U.S. Army bases, especially in the city of Uijeongbu, combined surplus Spam, hot dogs and canned goods with Korean kimchi and chili paste. Uijeongbu still has a street lined with budae jjigae restaurants. What began as survival food became a beloved comfort dish, especially among students and friends sharing a pot. Spam remains so popular in Korea that it is a favorite holiday gift set.

This recipe is from The Ultimate Korean Keto Cookbook by Gisele Costello, Chapter 3: Soups & Stews (Gamcheon Culture Village). See all Korean recipes