Korean Army Base Stew with Spam and Ramen

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Born from post-Korean War scarcity, this iconic Korean stew combines American military surplus ingredients like Spam and processed sausages with bold Korean flavors such as kimchi, gochujang, and ramen noodles. The result is a fiery, cheesy, deeply savory one-pot meal that is cooked and served at the table for a fun, communal experience. It is famously rich, spicy, and completely irresistible.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (estimated)

• 620 kcalCalories
• 28 gFat
• 9 gSaturated Fat
• 52 gCarbs
• 4 gFiber
• 6 gSugar
• 35 gProtein
• 1580 mgSodium
• 720 mgPotassium
• 180 mgCalcium
• 5 mgIron
• 18 mgVitamin C
• 220 mcgVitamin A

Ingredients

For the Stew Base

• 4 cups water or anchovy broth
• 3 tablespoons gochujang (Korean red pepper paste)
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons gochugaru (Korean red pepper flakes)
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For the Proteins and Vegetables

• 1 (12 oz) can Spam or luncheon meat, sliced 1/4-inch thick
• 4 hot dog sausages, sliced on the diagonal
• 6 oz pork belly or bacon, sliced into bite-size pieces
• 1 1/2 cups aged napa cabbage kimchi, roughly chopped
• 1 small yellow onion, sliced
• 8 oz firm tofu, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 cup enoki mushrooms, trimmed
• 1 cup soybean sprouts
• 4 scallions, cut into 2-inch lengths
• 2 slices American or mozzarella cheese

For Serving

• 2 packs instant ramen noodles (seasoning packets reserved or discarded)
• 2 cups steamed short-grain white rice
• extra gochujang for serving

Directions

1. In a large, heavy-bottomed pot or shallow cast-iron skillet, whisk together the water, gochujang, soy sauce, gochugaru, garlic, sesame oil, and black pepper until the paste is fully dissolved.
2. Add the kimchi, onion, pork belly, Spam, and sausages to the pot and bring to a boil over high heat, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 8 minutes so the kimchi softens and flavors the broth.
3. Arrange the tofu, enoki mushrooms, and soybean sprouts around the edges of the pot, nestling them into the simmering broth. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes until the mushrooms wilt and the tofu is heated through.
4. Place the two blocks of ramen noodles directly on top of the simmering stew and ladle a bit of broth over them. Cover and cook for 3 minutes until the noodles are just tender.
5. Lay the slices of cheese over the noodles so they soften into the broth. Scatter the scallions on top and remove the pot from the heat.
6. Bring the pot straight to the table over a trivet and let everyone dig in, or ladle into individual bowls. Serve hot with steamed white rice and extra gochujang on the side.
7. Cook's note: always make this stew at the table on a portable burner for the full experience, and stir gently once the cheese melts so the noodles soak up the rich broth.

Cook’s Notes

• Use well-fermented, sour kimchi for the deepest flavor; fresh kimchi will be too sweet and crunchy.
• Cook the ramen noodles right at the table on a portable burner so everyone gets noodles at peak texture.
• Swap Spam for ham, bacon for breakfast sausage, or skip the pork belly entirely for a lighter version.
• For extra umami depth, add 1 tablespoon of Korean fish sauce along with the soy sauce.
• Leftovers taste even better the next day once the noodles have fully absorbed the broth; just add a splash of water when reheating.

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