Spicy Korean Kimchi Noodle Soup with Pork Belly and Tofu

Name: Spicy Korean Kimchi Noodle Soup with Pork Belly and Tofu
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Korean
Ingredients: 8 oz (225 g) skinless pork belly, cut into ¼-inch (6 mm) thick slices, then into 1½-inch (4 cm) pieces; 2 cups (320 g) sour napa cabbage kimchi, roughly chopped into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces; ¼ cup (60 ml) kimchi brine, from the kimchi jar; 1 tbsp (15 ml) toasted sesame oil; 4 cloves (12 g) garlic, minced; 1½ tbsp (9 g) gochugaru (Korean chili flakes); 1 tbsp (17 g) gochujang; 1 tbsp (15 ml) soy sauce; 1 tsp (4 g) granulated sugar; 6 cups (1420 ml) unsalted chicken or anchovy stock; 14 oz (397 g) firm tofu, drained, cut into ¾-inch (2 cm) cubes; 8 oz (225 g) dried somen noodles; 4 whole (60 g) scallions, thinly sliced, whites and greens separated; kosher salt, to taste; 1 tsp (3 g) toasted sesame seeds (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A fiery, tangy soup built on sautéed pork belly and well-fermented kimchi, simmered into a deeply savory broth, then loaded with silky somen noodles and soft tofu. Ready in about 50 minutes.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 35 min
Total: 55 min
Makes: 4 large bowls (about 2 cups broth each)

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Ingredients

4 servings

8 oz (225 g) skinless pork belly, cut into ¼-inch (6 mm) thick slices, then into 1½-inch (4 cm) pieces
2 cups (320 g) sour napa cabbage kimchi, roughly chopped into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces
¼ cup (60 ml) kimchi brine, from the kimchi jar
1 tbsp (15 ml) toasted sesame oil
4 cloves (12 g) garlic, minced
1½ tbsp (9 g) gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
1 tbsp (17 g) gochujang
1 tbsp (15 ml) soy sauce
1 tsp (4 g) granulated sugar
6 cups (1420 ml) unsalted chicken or anchovy stock
14 oz (397 g) firm tofu, drained, cut into ¾-inch (2 cm) cubes
8 oz (225 g) dried somen noodles
4 whole (60 g) scallions, thinly sliced, whites and greens separated
kosher salt, to taste
1 tsp (3 g) toasted sesame seeds (optional)

Equipment (5)

4-quart (3.8 L) heavy pot or Dutch oven
Medium (3-quart / 2.8 L) pot for noodles
Colander
Sharp knife and cutting board
Ladle

Steps

Before you start

Use well-fermented, sour kimchi (ideally 2+ weeks old); fresh kimchi makes a flatter broth.
Slice the pork belly and kimchi, and measure everything before you light the stove; the sauté moves quickly.
Cook the somen in a separate pot of water so the soup broth stays clear and the noodles don't turn gummy.
Gochugaru brands vary in heat; start with the lower amount if you are unsure.

1
Brown the pork
- Set the 4-quart pot over medium-high heat.
- Add the pork belly pieces in a single layer and cook, turning occasionally, for 6–8 minutes until the fat renders and the edges are golden brown.
- Spoon off all but about 2 tablespoons of fat if the pot looks very greasy.
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Ready when: Pork is golden at the edges and the fat looks translucent and melted.
Tip: Don't crowd the pot; if pieces overlap, they steam instead of browning.
2
Fry the kimchi
- Add the chopped kimchi, sesame oil, and sugar to the pork.
- Stir and cook for 5 minutes, until the kimchi softens, looks slightly translucent, and smells sweet-sour and toasty.
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Ready when: Kimchi is softened, glossy and starting to caramelize at the edges.
Tip: Frying the kimchi first mellows its harshness and deepens the flavor.
3
Bloom the aromatics
- Reduce heat to medium.
- Stir in the garlic, scallion whites, gochugaru, and gochujang.
- Cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute until fragrant and the pork and kimchi are coated in a deep red paste.
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Ready when: Fragrant, brick-red paste coats everything; garlic is not browned.
Tip: Keep stirring; gochugaru and garlic scorch quickly and turn bitter.
4
Simmer the broth
- Pour in the stock, kimchi brine, and soy sauce, scraping up any bits stuck to the bottom.
- Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to medium-low and simmer, partially covered, for 20 minutes.
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Ready when: Pork is tender when pierced with a fork and the broth is deep red and well flavored.
Tip: Skim off any excess fat from the surface with a spoon if you prefer a lighter broth.
5
Cook the noodles
- While the broth simmers, bring 2 quarts (2 L) of unsalted water to a rolling boil in the medium pot.
- Add the somen and cook for 2–3 minutes, stirring once, until just tender.
- Drain in a colander and rinse under cold running water, rubbing gently, until the noodles are cool and no longer slippery with starch.
- Drain well.
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Ready when: Noodles are tender with a slight chew and no firm white core when bitten.
Tip: Somen cooks very fast; set a timer and don't walk away.
6
Add the tofu
- Gently slide the tofu cubes into the simmering broth.
- Simmer for 5 minutes, just until heated through and the tofu has taken on a pink-red tinge.
- Taste and add salt, a pinch at a time, only if needed; kimchi and soy sauce are already salty.
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Ready when: Tofu is hot throughout and the broth tastes balanced: spicy, tangy, savory.
Tip: Stir gently with a ladle, not a spoon, so the tofu doesn't break apart.
7
Assemble and serve
- Divide the cooked noodles among 4 deep bowls.
- Ladle the hot broth, pork, kimchi, and tofu over the noodles.
- Top with the scallion greens and sesame seeds if using.
- Serve immediately.
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Ready when: Noodles are submerged in steaming, red broth with toppings on top.
Tip: Add noodles to bowls, not the pot, so leftover soup stays good for the next day.

Good to know

Tips

Sour, aged kimchi is the key to a bright, complex broth; if yours is young, add 1 tsp rice vinegar at the end.
Rinse somen thoroughly after boiling to remove surface starch, which would cloud and thicken the soup.
Top with a soft-boiled egg or a slice of American cheese melted into the broth for a richer bowl.
Adjust spice by reducing gochugaru to 1 tbsp or adding sliced fresh chilies at the end.

Make ahead

"Make the broth through step 4 up to 3 days ahead and refrigerate. Reheat to a simmer, add the tofu, and cook the noodles fresh just before serving."

Storage & reheating

"Store the broth, pork and tofu separately from the noodles in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 3 days. Freeze the broth (without tofu) up to 2 months; thaw overnight in the fridge. Reheat gently on the stove until steaming. Do not store noodles in the broth, as they turn mushy; cook fresh noodles for leftovers. Not recommended to leave at room temperature for more than 2 hours."

Substitutions

skinless pork belly → pork shoulder, thinly sliced, or thick-cut bacon. Shoulder is leaner; add 1 tbsp neutral oil to brown it. Bacon adds smoke.
dried somen noodles → thin wheat noodles, ramen, or udon. Adjust cooking time to the package directions.
unsalted chicken or anchovy stock → water plus 1 tbsp fish sauce, or vegetable stock. For a vegetarian version, omit the pork and use mushroom or kelp stock.
gochujang → extra gochugaru plus 1 tsp miso. Gives similar depth with slightly less sweetness.