Budae-jjigae (army base stew)

Stews

• Pork (돼지고기)Usually in itOnly this one→

  Ham, sausages and Spam are the core of the dish, not an add-on — the stew is defined by these processed meats.

• Wheat (밀)Usually in itOnly this one→

  Instant ramen noodles go into the pot as a standard ingredient, and the gochujang seasoning is another common wheat route.

• Soybean (대두)Usually in itOnly this one→

  Tofu is one of the listed core ingredients, and the red seasoning is gochujang, which is fermented from soybean powder.

• Milk (우유)Sometimes in itOnly this one→

  American cheese is often melted into the broth, but at many shops it is an option you choose when ordering or add while eating. If cheese is a concern, ask them to leave it out when you order.

• Beef (쇠고기)Sometimes in itOnly this one→

  Ground beef is listed among the extra ingredients, and the broth is often a meat or bone stock rather than plain water.

• Fish (생선)Sometimes in itOnly this one→

  The broth is typically a fish, meat or bone stock rather than water, so fish can be in the soup without any seafood in the pot.

• Jeotgal and fish sauce (젓갈 · 액젓)Sometimes in itOnly this one→

  Kimchi is a core ingredient here, and kimchi seasoning is usually built on salted anchovy or shrimp, which ends up in the broth.

• Shrimp (새우)Sometimes in itOnly this one→

  Salted shrimp is a common kimchi seasoning, so a shrimp allergy is worth mentioning even though no shrimp is added directly.

• Tomato (토마토)Sometimes in itOnly this one→

  The Songtan style is known for adding tomato sauce, and some modern shops use a tomato soup base.

• Garlic (마늘)Usually in itOnly this one→

  Minced garlic goes into the pot in generous amounts to balance the ham and season the broth, so it is already dissolved in the soup.

• Onion (양파)Usually in itOnly this one→

  Sliced onion simmers in the broth with the ham and kimchi and turns soft among the other ingredients.

• Squid (오징어)Sometimes in itOnly this one→

  Seafood budae-jjigae simmers squid with the ham.

• Shellfish (조개류 · 굴 · 전복)Sometimes in itOnly this one→

  Seafood budae-jjigae also adds shellfish such as mussels.

• Mushrooms (버섯)Sometimes in itOnly this one→

  Some recipes add mushrooms such as enoki as an extra topping.

Usually in it

Most kitchens put this in. Assume it is there unless the staff tell you otherwise.

Sometimes in it

It depends on the recipe and the brand of sauce, so it is worth asking.

Rarely in it

The usual recipe does not call for it, but some kitchens still use it.

Checked 14 of the 33 ingredients this site covers. An ingredient that is not listed here has simply not been checked yet — that is not the same as it not being in the dish.

⚠This page describes how the dish is usually made in Korea. Every kitchen works differently, so always show your card and ask the staff before you order.