Seaweed Soup with Beef (Miyeok Guk)
Korean seaweed soup, miyeok guk, is a traditional Korean soup made with dried seaweed, beef, and savory seasonings. This nourishing soup is traditionally served to new mothers or for birthday celebrations, but it also makes a delicious and wholesome everyday meal.
Korean cuisine is known for its diverse flavors and health benefits. One of the most beloved traditional dishes is seaweed soup called miyeok guk (미ì—êµ). This comforting soup is made with dried seaweed commonly paired with beef or occasionally with seafood.
It’s a staple dish in Korean homes and is often served on special occasions such as birthdays, and new mother celebrations. Experience the benefits of Korean seaweed soup with this easy miyeok guk recipe.
Seaweed soup benefits
What makes seaweed soup so special is its nutritional value. Seaweed is packed with vitamins and minerals such as iodine, calcium, iron, and magnesium.
It also contains antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties that can help boost the immune system and reduce the risk of chronic diseases. In fact, seaweed is considered a superfood in many cultures and is often used in various dishes around the world.
You may want to check out my cookbook, “Korean Cooking Favorites,” for another version of seaweed soup recipe made with fish. Also, see my healthy seaweed egg drop soup for another delicious recipe.
Korean birthday soup
Miyeokguk is a traditional Korean dish that is frequently consumed by women following childbirth, as it is thought to support postpartum recovery by providing vital nutrients for breastfeeding and restoring maternal strength.
For this reason, it is a prevalent dish served to new mothers during their first month after giving birth.
As a result of the tradition of serving seaweed soup to new mothers, babies grow up eating the dish on their birthday each year and recognizing the immense effort that their mothers put into bringing them into the world.
It is believed that eating Miyeokguk on one’s birthday will bring good luck and help them live a long and healthy life. It is a dish that is deeply rooted in Korean culture and is often enjoyed by families as a way to celebrate special occasions.
Recipe Tips and Advice
- For the best flavor, choose seaweed with a deep, dark green hue, and look for thin, ribbon-like dried sea laver (miyeok, 미ì—) in the package. You can find it at most Korean markets or through online stores.
- Be careful not to soak the seaweed for too long, as it can impact the flavor. Typically, 10 to 15 minutes should be sufficient. Ensuring the perfect tenderness of every bite, it is important to soak the seaweed for the right amount of time followed by a gentle simmer.
- Mix sesame oil with cooking oil: Since sesame oil has a low smoking point, it’s not the best choice for cooking beef and seaweed. To avoid burning and still enjoy the flavor, mix it with cooking oil, which has a higher smoke point and can make the mixture more heat-resistant.
- Use rice water: Consider using rice water as a base for the soup for added depth. If you serve the soup with rice, you can easily obtain it.
- See my post on how to make rice water for more information.
- To enhance the deep umami flavor of this beefy seaweed soup, consider seasoning it with Korean soup soy sauce, also known as guk-ganjang.
- Also adding Korean tuna sauce will further intensify the flavor, providing a more authentic taste. However, it’s important to mix it with salt to achieve a well-balanced seasoning without overdoing it.
Ingredients List
- Dried seaweed (miyeok): rehydrate in water before making into soup
- Beef: Use small pieces of stewing beef for the recipe
- Oils: Use mix of cooking oil and sesame oil
- Onion & garlic: savory addition
- Rice water: It adds depths to the soup broth
- Korean soup soy sauce (guk-ganging): season and flavor
- Korean tuna sauce (optional): enhances the flavor and adds more umami
- Salt: to balance the seasoning
How to make seaweed soup (miyuk guk)
Soak seaweed in cold water for 10-15 mins, then drain and slice.
Heat oil and sesame oil in a soup pot over medium-low heat. Put minced onion and stir-fry for 30 seconds. Add the beef and cook until no longer pink.
Return the seaweed, garlic, and 1 tablespoon of Korean soup soy sauce; cook for 3 minutes. Pour in rice water (or plain water) and stir.
Cover with a lid and simmer for 10 minutes or until the seaweed is soft and tender. Season the soup with the remaining Korean soup soy sauce, Korean tuna sauce (if using), salt, and 1 tsp sesame oil. Serve hot with rice and kimchi.
FYI, I served this comfort soup with Korean radish kimchi and mixed grain rice.
More Korean Soup Recipes
Try these easy-to-make and comforting Korean soup suggestions:
- Healthy Seaweed Egg Drop Soup Recipe
- 15-Minute Dried Pollock Soup (Bugeo-guk)
- Galbitang Recipe (Korean Short Rib Soup)
- Korean Beef Radish Soup (Sogogi Muguk)
- Quick Korean Dumpling Soup (Mandu Guk)
- Beef and Bean Sprout Soup
Seaweed Soup with Beef (Miyeok Guk)
Recipe Video
Ingredients
- 1 oz dried seaweed laver (miyeok)
- 1/2 tbsp oil
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1/2 small onion, minced
- 2/3 lb beef , stew meat, small pieces
- 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 2 tbsp Korean soup soy sauce (gukganjang), divided
- 7-8 cups rice water, or plain water
- 1 tbsp Korean tuna sauce, optional
- pinches salt, to taste
Instructions
- Soak seaweed in cold water for 10-15 mins, then drain and slice.
- Heat oil and sesame oil in a soup pot over medium-low heat. Add minced onion and stir-fry for 30 seconds. Add the beef and cook until no longer pink. Add the seaweed, garlic, and 1 tablespoon of Korean soup soy sauce; cook for 3 minutes
- Pour in rice water (or plain water) and stir. Cover with a lid and simmer for 10 minutes or until the seaweed is soft and tender.
- Season the soup with the remaining Korean soup soy sauce, Korean tuna sauce (if using), salt, and 1 tsp sesame oil. Serve hot with rice and kimchi.
Just made this today and it was SO good. 10/10 will make again!Â
Thanks Holly! I made some today using my mother’s recipe which is almost identical to yours. She typically didn’t add onion and used just sesame oil. I like to add korean radish (무) and just a bit of shredded carrots for color.
I like your wide range of traditional and non-traditional recipes. Thanks so much! ìˆ˜ê³ í•˜ì…¨ìŠµë‹ˆë‹¤!
Hi Mark
Most people don’t include onions in seaweed soup, but I found it much better with them. It make the soup more savory. I also like to add a little cooking oil to sesame oil when I cook the meat, so that it can raise the smoking point. Sesame oil is not ideal for stir-frying or cooking since it has a very low smoking point. I appreciate your addition of carrots. Thank you so much for your comment. I’m glad that my recipe is identical to your mother’s.
LOVE seaweed soup! Â Your ingredient list does not show onions, but your instructions has onions… how much onions do you use?
Thank you for the delicious recipe!
Hi Nana
Thanks for pointing out the missing ingredient. I updated the recipe card. If you love seaweed soup, you will love this recipe. Thanks for your comment.
Hi, anyway to make the beef more tender? I’ve seen other recipes, but this is exactly how my mother in law in Korea made it, so I know it’s legit.
I tried soaking it in baking soda, but that was gross.
I wouldn’t recommend soaking the beef with baking soda to make this soup. Use thin sirloin beef slices instead of cubed stew beef. This is a rather quick soup and if you want the beef to be tender, you will need to use tender cut of beef. However, is using stewing beef, give a longer simmer time. That will help tenderizing the beef. Hope this helps. Let me know if you have more questions. Thanks!
My mom made me a ton of seaweed soup when I was nursing; so for 3 months straight, every day I ate seaweed soup. LOL
Hi there, I check your blog like every week. Your humoristic style is awesome, keep doing what you’re doing!
Thanks Les. I appreciate your sweet words!
I love eating seafood! When they`re in soup or crispy and lightly salted! This soup looks great.
Holly,
This soup is great. We always have seaweed soup with pork bones or tofu and have not tried to stew beef with it. I will have a try next time.
I’ve heard many times how healthy seaweed is, but I never eat it unless it’s with sushi or miso soup. I’m interested in cooking with it.
Simple and delish and similar to what my Malaysian cousin does.
I can almost smell this soup! I need a big bowl of this soup right now… I love seaweed and enjoy Korean beef and seaweed soup a lot. I will try your recipe next time!
I’d had seaweed dishes in restaurants, but never cooked with it. I definitely have to try this — looks so wonderful! Good stuff — thanks.
This looks great. My mom used to make this for birthday celebration in the family. Thanks for the recipe. I’m excited to try this out!
I am also a seaweed machine and would love love a hot bowl of this RIGHT NOW. Sounds like a great simple but high impact recipe.
http://thatumamilife.wordpress.com
Hello! I stumbled across your blog and love it! Thanks for sharing.
I have to laugh, I thought this was something my mom had made up!…She use to make this soup whenever someone was sick.. Unfortunately, I never appreciated it… The seaweed grossed me out.. Now, I would appreciate it…Korean soy sauce? never had/heard of it… we used the typical Kikkoman…
I am glad that you are appreciating seaweed now. Korean soy sauce for soup is literally soy sauce made for soup. It is different than regular soy sauce that we all know. It is saltier and more pungent. It adds a deep layer of flavor that is quite different than usual soy sauce.
I noticed in Korean dramas that when it’s someone’s birthday they get asked if they ate seaweed soup or someone makes seaweed sou for them Now I know how to make it : ) tks for the recipe.