Korean Hot Pot With Dumplings (2024)

Learn how to make spicy Korean hot pot with dumplings. It’s going to be your new favorite hot pot recipe!

Today I’m sharing a popular Korean hot pot recipe called –Mandu Jeongol (만두 전골).

As with a typical Korean hot pot, it is loaded with a variety of ingredients, such as kimchi, tofu, mushrooms and green vegetables. But as you can guess from the title, the highlight of this hot pot is dumplings! It’s not just any dumplings. It’s super big dumplings, so it’s very filling!

Ultimately, you can use any quality or types of dumplings, but this time I made mine with seafood dumplings. It was filled with real squid, shrimps and so much more. And it was so delicious!

The hot pot is prepared much like Budae Jjigae (Korean army stew), but with less unhealthy ingredients.

Dumpling hot pot doesn’t includeSPAM, sausages or instant ramen noodles! Maybe because of that it tasted a lot lighter and healthier. Though, my husband says budae jjigae is more fun to eat because it has a bigger range of ingredients to pick and eat from.

On the other hand, my sister and I loved dumpling hot pot more because it was easier on our weight (after the fact) and tasted healthier. So if you don’t like army stew because of the high calorie count, you should definitely give this one a go.

Also, while it’s optional, I highly recommend you add crown daisy / edible chrysanthemum (ssukgat, 쑥갓). It’s sold at a Korean or Asian grocery store. (But it can be tricky to find sometimes.) Anyway, it adds a really nice fragrance and subtle but distinctive flavor to the dish. I think it’s a key to making umami rich stew!

Anyway, I hope you make this hot pot soon. It’s particularly a perfect stew on a rainy day or cold wintery weather!

P.S. If you like spicy stew, you might like these too! Kimchi JjigaeandSoondubu Jjigae (Spicy soft tofu stew)

Ingredients for Korean Hot Pot with Dumplings, 4 Servings

Main

• 8 (560 g / 1.2 pounds) your choice of dumplings (mandu)
• 300 g / 10.5 ounces kimchi, thinly sliced
• 300 g / 10.5 ounces firm tofu, sliced (about 1.5cm, 1/2 inch thickness)
• 1 pack enoki mushrooms (200g / 7 ounces),base stem removed & stems separated
• 1 pack oyster mushrooms or your choice of other mushrooms (200 g / 7 ounces), separated
• 20 g / 0.7 ounces green onions, thinly sliced
• 40 g / 1.4 ounces onion, thinly sliced
• 4 cups vegetable stock or Korean soup stock
• (optional) 35 g / 1.2 ounces crown daisy leaves (ediblechrysanthemum), separated from the main stem
• (optional) 1 red chili, thinly sliced

Hot Pot Sauce (Mix these together in a bowl)

• 2 Tbsp Korean chili flakes (gochugaru)
• 2 Tbsp rice wine
• 1 Tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp Korean fish sauce
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• A few sprinkles ground black pepper
• fine sea salt, if required – I didn’t use it.

*1 Tbsp = 15 ml, 1 Cup = 250 ml

**If you want to learn about Korean ingredients, check my 30 essential Korean ingredients list.

How to Make Korean Hot Pot with Dumplings

1. Place the prepared ingredients in a large shallow pot. (FYI, I laid down onion and kimchi at the bottom of the pot, then arranged the remaining ingredients on top, in sections.) Boil the pot over medium high heat until rapidly boiling then reduce the heat to medium low to low. Start serving the dish as individual ingredients get ready. You may turn the heat off at any time. Serve with steamed rice.