Easy Gamja Jorim (Korean Braised Potatoes)

Gamja jorim is a quick & easy side dish that is loaded with incredible flavors that will have you craving for more. Coated in a sweet and savory glaze, these decadent potatoes can be prepared with ease with this simple recipe! Make a batch of Gamja Jorim today in the comfort of your home.

What is Gamja Jorim?

Korean Braised Potatoes, also known as Gamja Jorim (감자조림) are one of the most popular side dishes (banchan) in Korean cuisine, and one that I immensely adore.

Succulent baby potatoes are boiled, pan-fried, and simmered down in a sweet, garlicky, and savory sauce, resulting in a batch of glazed potatoes that are perfectly chewy and sticky on the outside, and velvety soft on the inside.

This easy side dish pairs wonderfully with a bowl of freshly steamed rice and complements any dinner table thanks to its simple yet addictive taste.

Due to its popularity, this dish is widely found in Korean restaurants around the globe, and I’m here with you today to share my best-ever recipe for Korean braised potatoes which tastes 10x better when made fresh in the comfort of your home!

What do I need to make Gamja Jorim?

Despite its alluring taste, one of the best parts about this recipe lies in its simplicity and concise list of ingredients. Here is a list of everything you’ll need:

• Mini/baby potatoes: you can also use regular-sized potatoes for this recipe, but I highly recommend using baby potatoes to keep the skin intact, helping the delicious glaze to stick onto the potatoes.
  • Both red and yellow mini potatoes will work with this recipe, or you can even use a mix of both.
  • These potatoes are to be cooked in boiling water first, then pan-fried and simmered down in the sauce to finish.
  • If your baby potatoes are larger than bite-size, I would recommend slicing them in half prior to cooking.
• Vegetable (or any neutral) oil: to pan-fry the potatoes before adding them to the sauce.
• Soy sauce, honey, garlic, Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes – optional), and water: for the sauce.
  • Gochugaru is optional but gives the sauce a kick of spice that truly elevates the flavor. You can also add in some chopped chili peppers if you prefer them to be extra spicy.
  • If you don’t have any honey at hand, you can use any kind of sweetened syrup such as rice syrup, maple syrup, corn syrup, or agave syrup. 
• Sesame seeds + green onions: for garnish.

How do I make the best Korean Braised Potatoes?

Add salt and vinegar to your water when boiling your potatoes.

This helps to elevate the flavors of the potatoes and helps them stay firm and hold their shape while cooking. I also found that adding vinegar reduces the slightly bitter taste of potatoes.

Cover with a lid while boiling & test with a toothpick:

This will ensure that all the steam will not escape when boiling your potatoes, making sure they cook evenly and maintaining the water level while cooking.

To check doneness, I recommend using a toothpick to test the potatoes around the 10-15 minute mark, in which the toothpick will slide in without resistance when they are ready for the next step.

Try not to overcook the potatoes as the skin will become brittle and peel off. The key is to keep the skin intact while making the potatoes extra tender on the inside!

Make the sauce in advance.

this will make your process a lot more seamless as the braising sauce needs to be added as soon as the potatoes are pan-fried to golden brown and crispy.

Simply pour in your prepared sauce and simmer down to a thick, shiny consistency! The last thing you want is overcooked or burnt potatoes and this step will ensure that your process is a breeze.

And that’s it! I hope you enjoy this delicious recipe as it is easily one of my favorite dishes of all time. Please leave me a comment below or message me on Instagram if you have any questions. Happy cooking everyone!

Other easy Korean recipes you may like:

• Korean Potato Salad (Gamja Salad)
• 5-Minute Korean Silken Tofu
• Korean Marinated Eggs (Mayak Eggs)
• Korean Tuna Pancakes (Chamchijeon)
• Dubu Jorim (Korean Braised Tofu)

Print Recipe

5 from 17 votes

Easy Gamja Jorim (Korean Braised Potatoes)

Gamja jorim is a quick & easy side dish that is loaded with incredible flavors that will have you craving for more. Coated in a sweet and savory glaze, these decadent potatoes can be prepared with ease with this simple recipe! Make a batch of Gamja Jorim today in the comfort of your home. 

Prep Time5 mins

Cook Time20 mins

Total Time25 mins

Course: Appetizer, Side Dish

Cuisine: Korean

Servings: 4 people

Calories: 231kcal

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lb baby potatoes
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil or any neutral oil
• 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
• green onions for garnish

Sauce

• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 3 tbsp honey or your choice of sweetened syrup
• 4 cloves garlic minced
• 1 tsp Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes) or red pepper flakes, optional
• 1/2 cup water

Instructions

• Combine all sauce ingredients in a bowl.
• Add salt and vinegar to a pot of boiling water. Add potatoes, cover, and cook until tender on medium-low heat, about 10-15 minutes. Drain and set aside.
• In a large skillet over medium heat, add oil and pan-fry your potatoes for about 5 minutes until golden brown. Pour in the sauce and simmer until thickened, stirring frequently for even coating.
• Turn off the heat and mix in sesame seeds. Garnish with green onions and serve immediately. Enjoy!

Notes

Although these potatoes are best served fresh, they can be kept in the fridge for up to 3-4 days in an airtight container. 

To make the potatoes extra spicy, you can add in some chopped chili pepper to finish. For more ingredient details and helpful tips, please refer to the blog post above!

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Nutrition

Calories: 231kcal