Soups · Korea

How Many Calories in Sundubu Jjigae?

Also known as 순두부찌개, Soft Tofu Stew, Soondubu Jjigae, Sundubu.

Sundubu jjigae is a bubbling pot of silken tofu in a red chili broth, cracked with a raw egg at the table and served with rice and banchan.

260kcal / 1 pot
One restaurant pot of sundubu jjigae is about 260 calories (FatSecret Korea lists the generic serving at 259). Add the bowl of rice that always comes with it and the meal is around 570. The tofu and egg supply 16g of protein, so it is one of the more filling stews for the calories.

Nutrition facts

Per 1 pot (450g)AmountPer 100g
Calories260 kcal58 kcal
Protein16 g4 g
Carbs10 g2 g
Fat17 g4 g

Where the calories come from

Silken tofu200g
110 kcal
Egg50g
70 kcal
Clams or minced pork40g
50 kcal
Chili oil broth with vegetables160g
30 kcal

The real talk

The pot is mostly water and silken tofu. A 200g block of soft tofu is about 110 calories, the egg cracked in is 70, and whatever seafood or minced pork the kitchen adds is 40 to 60. The rest of the 260 is the chili oil the broth is built on, which is the one ingredient that varies wildly between shops.

That chili oil matters more than people think. A kitchen that starts the pot with 2 tablespoons of gochu-gireum is adding about 240 calories before anything else goes in. Most lunch places use a lot less, which is why the average lands around 260, but a very red, glossy surface on the broth is a sign you are at the higher end.

The rice is the bigger lever. A 210g bowl is around 310 calories, more than the stew. Order the stew with half rice and you are at roughly 415 for a complete lunch with 20g of protein. The Gangneung-style versions with beef and extra fat listed by packaged brands run 450 to 475 per serving, closer to a full meal on their own.

How the portions compare

220 kcal
Seafood sundubu, no rice
260 kcal
Standard pot, no rice
570 kcal
Pot with 1 bowl rice

Sundubu Jjigae variants, ranked by calories

VariantCaloriesNotes
Seafood sundubu220 kcalClams, shrimp
Standard pork or mixed260 kcalFatSecret generic
Kimchi sundubu280 kcalExtra fat from pork and kimchi
Beef rib (갈비) sundubu475 kcalFreshjee packaged figure

How to eat it lighter

Common questions

Is sundubu jjigae healthy?
It is one of the better stews: about 260 calories, 16g protein, and most of the volume is tofu and water. The only thing to watch is the chili oil and the sodium.
How many calories in sundubu jjigae with rice?
About 570 calories with a standard 210g bowl of rice. The rice is more than half the total.
Is sundubu jjigae high in protein?
Decent, not high. The tofu and egg give around 16g. Add a side of gyeran-mari or order the beef version to push it past 25g.
Does the egg add a lot of calories?
About 70. It also adds 6g of protein, so it is worth keeping.

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Calorie and macro figures are estimates for a typical restaurant or pojangmacha serving. Actual numbers vary by stall, recipe and portion size. Use them as a guide, not gospel.

Calorie figure based on fatsecret.kr generic 순두부찌개 259 kcal per serving. Macros estimated from the ingredients.

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