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Calories · Korean

Calories in kimchi jjigae

A typical restaurant serving of kimchi jjigae (one bowl of stew, rice not included, about 400 g) is about 240 calories, usually 180–400.

Restaurant portions vary; this is a typical estimate, not a label. Also called kimchi stew, kimchi chigae.

~240
Kimchi jjigae

The usual range

Drawn on one 0–2,000 scale shared by every dish page, so plates compare at a glance.

Protein, carbs and fat

  • Protein15 g
  • Carbs12 g
  • Fat15 g

One serving

Serving
one bowl of stew, rice not included
Weight
~400 g
Per 100 g
~61

The dish

About kimchi jjigae

Kimchi jjigae is a brothy stew of fermented kimchi, tofu and usually pork, so the stew itself is fairly light. Fatty pork belly, extra add-ins and the rice that always comes with it make up most of the meal's total.

Ways it comes

One dish, a few numbers

Kimchi jjigae · rough numbers

  • With a cup of rice~450

What moves the number

Why one plate is 180 and another 400

  • Pork belly or canned tuna in the pot
  • Oil used to sauté the kimchi first
  • Ramen noodles or spam added in some versions
  • The bowl of rice served alongside

Ordering lighter

If you want a lighter plate

  • Choose tofu or tuna over pork belly
  • Skip the noodle add-in

Side by side

Next to other Korean dishes

Korean · typical restaurant servingAll about Korean food →

  • Kimchi jjigae~240one bowl of stew, rice not included · usually 180–400
  • Japchae~290one plate of stir-fried glass noodles with vegetables and beef · usually 220–450
  • Kimbap~320one whole roll, usually cut into 8 to 10 slices · usually 250–480
  • Beef bulgogi~340one serving of marinated beef, rice and side dishes not included · usually 250–520
  • Tteokbokki~480one restaurant plate · usually 350–750
  • Dakgalbi~600one portion of spicy stir-fried chicken with cabbage and rice cakes · usually 450–850
  • Bibimbap~640one bowl with rice, vegetables, beef, egg and gochujang · usually 480–850
  • Samgyeopsal (Korean BBQ pork belly)~700one portion of grilled pork belly, without rice, wraps or sides · usually 470–930
  • Jjamppong~860one large bowl of spicy seafood noodle soup · usually 600–1,000
  • Korean fried chicken~860half a chicken, around 5 pieces of meat and crust · usually 500–1,300
  • Jajangmyeon~920one bowl of noodles in black bean sauce · usually 650–1,100

In PlateDiary

A rough number for the dishes you save — only if you want one.

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How these numbers were made

Method and sources

Last reviewed

Restaurant portions and cooking vary, so these are typical estimates for one serving, built from the sources below. Treat it as a rough number: your plate may land anywhere in the range.

If you manage a health condition, ask a doctor or registered dietitian.

AI helped draft this page; every number was checked against the sources.

  1. Korea MFDS Food Composition Database — Kimchi jjigae, restaurant, 400 g serving (김치찌개)
  2. Philippine Food Composition Tables (FNRI-DOST) — Rice, well-milled, boiled (A020), about 210 a level cup

Questions

Questions people ask.

How many calories are in kimchi jjigae?

A typical restaurant serving of kimchi jjigae (one bowl of stew, rice not included, about 400 g) is about 240 calories, usually 180–400. The number depends mostly on the portion and how it is cooked.

Is kimchi jjigae light?

The stew alone is, at about 240 for a 400 g bowl. The rice that comes with it and fatty pork belly make up most of the meal.

Is tuna kimchi jjigae lighter than pork?

Usually. Tofu or tuna versions come in lower than ones made with pork belly.

What changes the calories in kimchi jjigae?

Pork belly or canned tuna in the pot. Oil used to sauté the kimchi first.

How can I order kimchi jjigae lighter?

Choose tofu or tuna over pork belly. Skip the noodle add-in.

Can PlateDiary show calories for the dishes I eat out?

Yes, if you want it to: calories in PlateDiary are off unless you turn them on. Switch them on and each dish you save from a photo of the table gets one rough “~” number you can accept or change.