Super easy to make Instant Pot Gamjatang (Korean Pork Bone Soup 감자탕)! You’ll enjoy this classic favorite savory-umami-spicy soup with creamy potatoes & tender juicy pork bone meat. A comforting & flavorful soup that warms your heart.
We’re excited to share our Gamjatang recipe with you because it has been on our Instant Pot Experiment List for a long time!
Gamjatang is one of our favorite soups to order when we visit Korean restaurants. It’s very comforting & heartwarming, especially on cool wintery days.
Comforting . Heartwarming . Flavorful
What is Gamjatang?
Gamjatang (Korean: 감자탕) is a popular Korean Pork Bone Soup.
It’s mainly made of pork bones, potatoes, napa cabbages, perilla leaves, perilla seeds, bean sprouts, green onions, doenjang (Korean fermented bean paste), and gochujang (Korean hot pepper paste).
The hearty pork bone broth is pack with savory, umami, & spicy flavors. It’s a simple yet very nourishing, budget-friendly, & satisfying soup for lunch or dinner.
Let’s make Gamjatang in Instant Pot!
Step-by-Step Guide: Instant Pot Gamjatang
Here are the ingredients for cooking Gamjatang in Instant Pot.
Pork Bones: Pork neck bones are great for this gamjatang recipe. Pork ribs will make this yummy as well! Try to buy pork bones with more meat on them.
Tools for Cooking Gamjatang in Instant Pot
Tips on Preparing Gamjatang Ingredients
Napa Cabbages: Cut napa cabbages into 3 to 4 pieces.
Green Onions: Separate the white parts from the green onions. We’re going to pressure cook the white part with the pork bones, and use the green parts as a garnish.
Potatoes: Depending on the size of your potatoes, cut them in halves or quarters. Then, place the potato chunks under cold water to prevent them from browning.
Optional Step: Clean Pork Bones
*Note: This cleaning pork bones step will yield a clearer soup and you won’t have to skim off the scum at the end.
First, bring 6 cups (1.5L) of cold water to a boil.
Then, boil the pork bones for 3 – 5 minutes to clean and remove the excess fat.
Finally, remove the pork bones, then rinse them under cold tap water.
Pressure Cook Pork Bone Soup
In a clean Instant Pot inner pot, add 6 crushed garlic cloves, 3 (5g) ginger slices, quartered onion, the white part of green onions, 1 tbsp (15ml) regular soy sauce, 2 tbsp (30ml) fish sauce, 2 bay leaves, and 2 tbsp (32g) doenjang (Korean fermented bean paste).
Now, add 3lb – 3¼lb pork neck bones and 7 cups (1.75L) cold water in the Instant Pot.
Close lid, then turn Venting Knob to Sealing position.
- Pressure Cooking Method: Pressure Cook at High Pressure for 22 minutes + Natural Release for 15 minutes
After 15 minutes, release the remaining pressure by turning Venting Knob to Venting Position.
Once the Floating Valve drops, open the lid carefully.
When the Instant Pot is releasing the pressure, mix together 2 tbsp (30g) gochujang, ¼ tsp (0.5g) ground black pepper, 6 minced garlic cloves, and optional – 2 tbsp (16g) ground perilla seed or perilla powder.
*Note: We developed this Instant Pot Gamjatang recipe with our Instant Pot Duo Evo Plus 6 quart, but the recipe will work on other 6 – 10 quart Instant Pots or Pressure Cookers.
Boil Pork Bone Soup
Now, bring the pork bone soup to a full boil with the “Saute More or High” function.
Add the garlic gochujang mixture in Instant Pot, then mix well.
Then, let the pork bone soup boil for 4 – 5 minutes.
Add Potatoes and Cabbages
Here, add the potatoes chunks in Instant Pot, then layer the napa cabbages on top.
*Pro Tip: Make sure to set aside some of the pork bones to prevent the soup from boiling over.
Now, let the soup boil until the potato chunks are fully cooked.
*Note: It’ll take roughly 8 – 15 minutes depending on the size of the potato chunks.
*Pro Tip: Due to the nature of pressure cooking, the Instant Pot Gamjatang will be quite thin initially. So, it’s very important to boil the soup for an extra 15 – 20 mins to add body to the soup.
Season Gamjatang
When the potatoes are about 3 minutes away from being fully cooked, taste-test the pork bone soup.
If you’re using bean sprouts, add them here.
Then, taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt, soy sauce, fish sauce, and doenjang (Korean fermented bean paste) if necessary.
*Note: Make sure you don’t overseason by adding the seasonings gradually as you continue to taste & adjust.
Garnish & Serve Instant Pot Gamjatang
Now, turn Instant Pot to Keep Warm mode, then add back the pork bones in Instant Pot.
Finally, garnish this tasty Instant Pot Gamjatang with more ground black pepper, green onions, perilla powder (optional), and perilla leaves (optional).
You can serve Instant Pot Gamjatang with:
Rice & Korean Side Dishes (Banchan):
- Kimchi (김치)
- Mu Saengchae (Radish Salad 무생채)
- Gamja Jorim (Braised Potatoes 감자조림)
- Sigumchi Namul (Seasoned Spinach 시금치나물)
- Sukju Namul (Seasoned Bean Sprouts 숙주나물 무침)
- Oi Muchim (Spicy Cucumber Salad 오이무침)
- Toasted Seaweed Sheets
Enjoy Flavorful Korean Pork Bone Soup in Instant Pot!
Instant Pot Gamjatang
Ingredients
- 3 - 3¼ pounds (1433g) pork neck bones
- 5 - 7 leaves (320g) napa cabbage
- 3 (900g) russet or yukon gold potatoes , cut in half or quarter
- 7 cups (1.75L) cold water
- 6 cloves (23g) garlic , crushed
- 3 slices (5g) ginger
- 1 (312g) medium onion , quartered
- 4 (167g) green onions
- 1 tablespoon (15ml) regular soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons (30ml) fish sauce
- 2 (0.3g) bay leaves
- 2 - 2½ tablespoons (32g - 40g) doenjang (Korean fermented soybean paste)
Garlic Gochujang Mixture:
- 2 tablespoons (30g) gochujang (Korean hot pepper paste)
- ¼ teaspoon (0.5g) ground black pepper
- 6 cloves (23g) garlic , minced
- 2 tablespoons (16g) ground perilla seed or perilla powder (optional)
Garnish
- Bean sprouts (optional)
- Ground black pepper
- Green onions (2 - 3 inches pieces)
- 2 tablespoons (16g) ground perilla seed or perilla powder (optional)
- Perilla leaves (optional)
Equipment
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Instructions
- Prepare Ingredients: Napa Cabbages - Cut napa cabbages into 3 to 4 pieces. Green Onions - Separate the white parts from the green onions. We're pressure cooking the white part with the pork bones, and using the green part as a garnish. Potatoes - Depending on the size of your potatoes, cut them in halves or quarters. Place the potato chunks under cold water to prevent them from browning.
- Optional Step - Clean Pork Bones: Bring 6 cups (1.5L) of cold water to a boil. Boil the pork bones for 3 - 5 minutes to clean and remove the excess fat. Remove the pork bones, then rinse them under cold water. *Note: This cleaning step will yield a clearer soup and you won't have to skim the scum at the end.
- Pressure Cook Pork Bone Soup: In a clean Instant Pot inner pot, add 6 crushed garlic cloves, 3 (5g) ginger slices, quartered onion, the white part of green onions, 1 tbsp (15ml) regular soy sauce, 2 tbsp (30ml) fish sauce, 2 bay leaves, and 2 tbsp (32g) fermented soybean paste. Add 3lb - 3¼lb pork neck bones and 7 cups (1.75L) cold water in the Instant Pot. Close lid, then turn Venting Knob to Sealing position. Pressure Cook at High Pressure for 22 minutes + Natural Release for 15 minutes. Open the lid carefully. When Instant Pot is releasing pressure, mix together 2 tbsp (30g) gochujang, ¼ tsp (0.5g) ground black pepper, 6 minced garlic cloves, and optional - 2 tbsp (16g) ground perilla seed or perilla powder.
- Boil Pork Bone Soup: Bring the pork bone soup to a full boil with the “Saute More or High” function. Add the garlic gochujang mixture in Instant Pot, then mix well. Let the pork bone soup boil for 4 - 5 minutes.
- Add Potatoes and Cabbages: Add in potato chunks, then layer the napa cabbages on top. *Pro Tip: Set aside some of the pork bones to prevent the soup from boiling over. Let the soup boil until the potato chunks are fully cooked (~8 - 15 mins) depending on the size of the potato chunks. *Pro Tip: Due to the nature of pressure cooking, the soup will be quite thin initially. So, it’s very important to boil the soup for an extra 15 – 20 mins to add body to the soup.
- Season Gamjatang: When the potatoes are about 3 minutes away from being fully cooked, taste-test the soup. If you're using bean sprouts, add them here. Taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt, soy sauce, fish sauce, and Korean fermented soybean paste if necessary. *Note: Make sure you don't overseason by adding the seasonings gradually as you continue to taste & adjust.
- Garnish & Serve: Turn Instant Pot to Keep Warm mode, then add the pork bones back in Instant Pot. Garnish this tasty gamjatang with more ground black pepper, green onions, perilla powder (optional), and perilla leaves (optional). Enjoy~
Notes
Nutrition
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