This easy kimchi beef stew is a spicy, umami and comforting recipe that comes together in about 40 minutes. What makes this stew stand out is the kimchi and the spicy, salty, slightly-sweet gochujang mixed in. It's also quicker than a traditional stew.
In Korea, it's known as Kimchi-jjigae, but this version has my own unique twist. Kimchi-jjigae is a staple in Korean cuisine, often served bubbling hot in a clay pot and contains pork and tofu.
I use marinated beef sirloin steaks, which allows for a shorter cook time. In a quick stew, where the cooking time is much shorter, sirloin can remain tender and flavorful.
If you really enjoy kimchi (like myself), I think you'll also like my creamy kimchi pasta, fusion kimchi pizza and delicious kimchi ramen instant noodle soup with pork.
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Ingredients
- sirloin steaks - Read more about the choice of stew meat below.
- flour - To thicken the stew.
- kimchi - Kimchi is the star ingredient in this recipe, which is a Korean fermented food made with napa cabbage.
- gochujang - What is Gochujang? Gochujang is a thick red paste made from red pepper powder, sticky rice, fermented soybeans and salt. It is both spicy and a tad sweet, which pairs well with the sour kimchi. It gets its sweetness from the rice because as it ferments, the starch turns to sugar. It has a very strong taste and should be used in moderation. It is found in Korean markets and most supermarkets.
*Check recipe card for ingredient amounts.
Choosing Your Stew Meat
Sirloin is best for this quick-cooking beef stew recipe because it will be tender with a short amount of cooking time. Overcook it and it will become tough. This is why I also use sirloin for this easy sheet pan beef and broccoli that you might like.
If you are wanting to cook the stew in a slow cooker, there are plenty of tougher cut beef options for your kimchi beef stew that need a longer time to cook.
Some tough-cut options include round cuts, brisket (if you ever have leftover brisket, you must try these bison brisket nachos), short rib, oxtail, and chuck. Round cuts are lower in cost and better for slow cooking:
- Chuck. Chuck is a popular choice because of its toughness and fat content and tends to be budget-friendly.
- Brisket. Brisket used to be inexpensive but has increased in price lately. It has a good balance of toughness and fat content.
- Short rib or oxtail. Short rib and oxtail have more fat for flavor, but both tend to be expensive, and oxtail is difficult to find in stores.
These choices of tough meat are popular in slow cooker stews (like my slow cooker bison stew) because during the cooking process, the protein breaks down and this makes the meat tender and moist. On the other hand, if tender meat is cooked for a long time, it will cause the meat to turn chewy.
How to Make Kimchi Beef Stew
Step 1. Marinate the stew meat. Marinate the sirloin with the garlic, rice wine vinegar and ground black pepper for 15 minutes at room temperature.
Step 2. Brown the beef. Heat a large pot over medium-high heat and add canola oil. Once the oil is hot, add the beef strips and fry them for a couple of minutes to brown the outside. Add the flour and mix it around with the beef until it dissolves.
Step 3. Add kimchi. Add the kimchi, soy sauce, gochujang and water to the pot and mix it. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes.
Step 4. Serve. Garnish with the green onions. Serve the Korean kimchi stew.
Hungry for more? Find more simple dinner recipes here!
Joss' Top Tip
To make it easier to slice the beef thinly, first place the raw steaks in the freezer for about 30 minutes so that they firm up.
Serving Suggestions
- For an Asian side dish that will soak up all the goodness in this stew, milk bread or Korean kimchi pancakes would be a great idea.
- You can choose to go with standard crusty bread or these simple and quick toast points.
- Sourdough or rye are more of my favorites.
- Mashed potatoes and rice are a common side for stew.
- You really can't go wrong with cornbread, biscuits, mashed potatoes, rice and green salad. Try it with this fresh kimchi salad.
Easy Kimchi Beef Stew FAQs
In this kimchi stew recipe, there are approximately 412 calories per serving, based on nutritional calculators.
This kimchi stew should last up to 3 to 4 days if stored properly in a covered container.
Yes! It can be frozen for up to 3 months. Make sure to let it cool first!
More Delicious Kimchi Recipes to Try
If you tried this Asian-style Easy Kimchi Beef Stew Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. And please share the recipe!
📋Recipe
Easy Kimchi Beef Stew
Ingredients
- 2 pounds sirloin steaks - sliced thinly
- 4 cloves garlic - minced
- ¼ cup rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- ¼ cup flour
- 1 ½ cups kimchi - with the liquid--no need to drain it
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon gochujang
- 2 cups water
- ¼ cup green onions - sliced (to garnish)
- red pepper flakes - to garnish--if you like it spicy
Instructions
- Marinate the sirloin with the garlic, rice wine vinegar and ground black pepper for 15 minutes at room temperature.2 pounds sirloin steaks, 4 cloves garlic, ¼ cup rice vinegar, 1 teaspoon black pepper
- Heat a large pot over medium-high heat and add the canola oil. Once the oil is hot, add the beef strips and fry them for a couple of minutes to brown the outside.2 tablespoons canola oil
- Add the flour and mix it around with the beef until it dissolves.¼ cup flour
- Add the kimchi, soy sauce, gochujang and water to the pot and mix it all together.1 ½ cups kimchi, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon gochujang, 2 cups water
- Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes.
- Garnish with the green onions and red pepper flakes. Serve!¼ cup green onions
Notes
- Storage: This stew should last up to 3 to 4 days if stored properly in a covered container. You can freeze it for up to 3 months.
- Stew Meat: Sirloin is best for this quick-cooking stew recipe because it will be tender with a short amount of cooking time. Overcook it and it will become tough. It's best to slice it thinly against the grain for this recipe.
- Slicing Tip: To make it easier to slice the beef thinly, first place the raw steaks in the freezer for about 30 minutes so that they firm up.
- Slow Cooker Option: If you are wanting to cook the stew in a slow cooker, there are plenty of tougher cut beef options for your kimchi stew that need a longer time to cook, including brisket, short rib, oxtail, and chuck. Cook on high heat for 4 to 6 hours or until the meat is tender.
Nutrition
Nutrition information on In the Kitch is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. It may not include toppings and/or sauces.
Joss says
The flavor of this stew is amazing! I love how quick and easy it is to make.