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Gamja Jorim, also known as Korean braised potatoes, is one of the most popular Korean potato side dishes. These small cubes of potatoes are simmered in a sweet and savory soy sauce until they become glossy and slightly caramelized.

This easy Gamja Jorim recipe is a classic Korean banchan that is commonly served with rice at home. With simple ingredients like soy sauce and sesame seeds, you can make this comforting dish in just a few minutes. If you are looking for an easy Korean potato side dish, this recipe is perfect for beginners who want to explore Korean home cooking.

Gamja Jorim Korean braised potatoes in sweet soy sauce — Korean braised potatoes, also known as Gamja Jorim, are a classic Korean potato side dish.

What is Gamja Jorim?

Gamja Jorim is one of the most representative Korean home-style side dishes made by braising potatoes in a sweet and savory soy sauce with sugar. Some people make it by cutting large potatoes into small cubes, while others use small baby potatoes and braise them whole without peeling the skin.

When the potatoes are peeled and cut into cubes like in today’s recipe, the sauce penetrates deep into the potatoes, making the flavor richer and slightly saltier. When the potatoes are braised with the skin on, the seasoning mostly coats the surface. This makes the dish less salty and allows you to enjoy more of the natural flavor of the potato.

Korean braised potatoes (Gamja Jorim) Korean potato side dish — Gamja Jorim is a sweet and savory Korea’s braised potatoes dish.

Why you’ll love this This Korean Potato Side Dish

Easy recipe
This is one of the easiest Korean banchan dishes you can make without any special cooking skills.
Vegan
Simple ingredients
You only need basic ingredients like potatoes and soy sauce that are easy to find almost anywhere in the world.
Super easy meal prep
If you prepare banchan like this in advance, you can free yourself from cooking for several days. Just take out the side dishes and prepare rice.

Easy Korean braised potatoes Gamja Jorim recipe Korean banchan — Gamja Jorim is a comforting Korea’s potato side dish with a sweet soy sauce flavor.

Ingredients for Korean Braised Potatoes

Ingredients

1 potato
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sugar
2 tbsp cooking oil

Sauce

2 tbsp soy sauce (Korean Jin Ganjang)
1 tbsp cooking wine (Matsul or Mirin)
1 tbsp corn syrup
1 tsp oyster sauce
50 ml water
Sesame seeds

Ingredient Substitutions

Cooking wine
If you don’t have cooking wine, you can substitute white wine. If you prefer not to use alcohol, you can simply replace it with water.
Corn syrup
Corn syrup is commonly used in Korean cooking to add shine and thicken the sauce. If you don’t have it, you can use honey, maple syrup, or agave syrup instead. However, maple syrup will add its own distinctive aroma.
Oyster sauce
Oyster sauce adds umami flavor. If you don’t have it, you can add chicken stock or even a small amount of MSG. If none of these are available, you can add a little more soy sauce, but be careful not to make the dish too salty.

How to Make Korean Braised Potatoes

Step 1 – Cut the potatoes

Cut the potato into small cubes.

Cubed potatoes for Korean braised potatoes Gamja Jorim recipe — Cubed potatoes for Gamja Jorim recipe

Step 2 – Season and soak

Add 1/2 tsp sugar and 1/2 tsp salt to the potatoes and let them marinate for 15–20 minutes.
Rinse the potatoes under running water and drain them in a strainer.

Step 3 – Pan fry the potatoes

Heat oil in a pan and cook the potatoes until lightly golden.

Step 4 – Make the soy sauce glaze

When the potatoes are golden, add the prepared sauce and 50 ml of water.

Step 5 – Simmer until the sauce reduces

Simmer over medium heat until the sauce reduces and coats the potatoes.

Korean braised potatoes (Gamja Jorim) Korean potato side dish recipe — This easy Korea’s braised potatoes recipe makes a delicious Korean potato side dish.

Pro Tips for Perfect Gamja Jorim

Quick cooking tip
Cut the potatoes into small pieces so they cook faster and absorb the seasoning more quickly.

How to keep potatoes from breaking
You can soak the potatoes in cold water to remove excess starch, or follow today’s method of seasoning them with salt and sugar first and then rinsing them. After that, pan frying them in oil helps create a coating so they keep their shape.

Chewy texture
Seasoning the potatoes with salt and sugar helps create a slightly chewy texture.

Beautiful glossy look
Corn syrup makes the potatoes glossy and thickens the sauce. Sprinkling sesame seeds at the end creates that classic Korean food look.

Cooking Korean braised potatoes Gamja Jorim in soy sauce — Gamja Jorim is a simple Korea’s potato side dish often served with rice.

How to Prevent Burning

Heat control
Always simmer the potatoes over medium-low heat.

If the sauce reduces too quickly
If the heat is too high and the sauce almost disappears before the potatoes are cooked, simply add small amounts of water while simmering.

How Koreans Eat Gamja Jorim

A side dish eaten with rice
Korean banchan culture is actually very different from Western side dishes. In Western meals, people often finish the side dishes and then eat the main dish. In Korea, side dishes are eaten together with rice. When eating this dish, Koreans usually don’t swallow it immediately. Instead, they take a bite and then eat rice right away to balance the salty flavor.
Home meal
This is a very typical Korean home meal side dish. It is often prepared in advance and stored in the refrigerator so you can simply cook rice and take it out when you need it.
When I was young, my mom made this dish very often. It is also great for kids who cannot eat spicy food.
Lunch box
If you want a lunch box that doesn’t require cooking in the morning, preparing banchan like this in advance makes things easy. Just pack rice and a few side dishes and you have a quick 10-second lunch box.

Korean potato side dish Gamja Jorim served with rice — Korean braised potatoes are an easy potato side dish for everyday meals.

More Easy Korean Potato Recipes

When you buy potatoes, don’t you often end up with too many? Here are some easy and delicious Korean potato recipes you can make to use them all.

Gil Gamja

This is a Korean street food that is currently going viral. It has a crispy outside and a chewy inside, making it hard to stop eating.

Gil-gamja: The Viral Korean Street Food, Crispy & Chewy Potato Fries

Gil-gamja is the viral Korean street food taking over social media! Learn how to make these crispy and chewy Korean potato fries at home.

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Butter Potatoes

This is one of the most classic snacks you can find at Korean highway rest stops. If you haven’t traveled on Korean highways, you might not have had the chance to try it. Why not make it at home? Just thinking about the buttery aroma already makes it tempting.

Butter Potato: Korea’s Popular Rest Stops Snack

Buttery, sweet, and salty — Butter Potato is Korea’s beloved rest stop snack that you can now make at home!

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FAQ about Gamja Jorim

Korean braised potatoes, called Gamja Jorim, are a classic Korean potato side dish. Cubed potatoes are simmered in a sweet and savory soy sauce until tender and glossy. It is commonly served as Korean banchan with rice.

Traditional Gamja Jorim is not spicy because it is based on a soy sauce sauce. It is usually sweet and savory. However, gochujang versions can be spicy. Today’s recipe is the non-spicy soy sauce version.

Gamja Jorim can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days.

Yes. This dish is a great make-ahead Korean side dish. Many Korean families prepare it in advance because it keeps well in the refrigerator and is easy to serve with rice.

Samgyetang is the most famous. It’s a Korean chicken soup made by simmering a whole chicken stuffed with ginseng, jujube, garlic, chestnuts, and glutinous rice.

Waxy potatoes work best because they keep their shape during cooking. Yellow potatoes or Yukon Gold are good choices.

Yes. You can reheat it in a pan or microwave. If the dish becomes dry, add a small splash of water before reheating.