16+ Korean Lunar New Year Foods (Seollal)
Celebrate Korean Lunar New Year (Seollal) with these traditional Korean food recipes. From main dishes to desserts, you will find a range of easy to more advanced recipes that are perfect for sharing moments of new beginnings with your family and friends.
Seollal is the most important holiday in Korea. It’s New Year’s day! You could say that Koreans celebrate New Year’s day twice. The first is on January 1, and the exact date of the other changes each year depending on the lunar calendar. So when is 2022’s Lunar New Year’s day? It’s on February 1st, and it ushers in the year of tiger!
Just like other Asian countries that celebrate the Lunar New Year, Koreans also follow ancient traditions heralding the new year with lots of festive food and drinks.
We also gather with family and relatives. Seollal is the day we wish each family member prosperity and good health throughout the year.
Here are 16+ traditional Korean New Year foods that are among the most commonly enjoyed by many Korean people. They range from easy to more advanced level, but my step-by-step instructions make them accessible to all.
I hope you will find something that you and your family can use to join the celebration of Lunar New Year – the Korean way!
16 Korean New Year Foods
Homemade Mandu (Korean Dumplings)
Mandu, Korean dumplings filled with pork, cabbage, chives, and glass noodles. Juicy, flavorful, and easy to steam, pan-fry, or freeze at home.
Easy Tteokguk (Korean Rice Cake Soup)
Tteokguk, a traditional Korean rice cake soup, is made with soft, chewy rice cakes simmered in a clear, flavorful beef and vegetable broth. This comforting dish symbolizes good fortune and is perfect for New Year’s celebrations or cozy meals anytime!
Japchae (Korean Glass Noodle Stir-Fry)
Easy Japchae recipe with chewy Korean glass noodles, tender beef, and colorful vegetables in a savory-sweet sauce. Quick to make with authentic taste in every bite.
Best Galbi Jjim (Korean Braised Short Ribs)
Make Galbi Jjim at home with Korean short ribs braised in a savory-sweet sauce until fall-off-the-bone tender. A comforting dish for holidays or family dinners.
Korean Beef Bulgogi (Korean BBQ)
Thinly sliced beef marinated in a sweet and savory Korean bulgogi sauce, then pan-seared or grilled to tender, caramelized perfection.
Galbitang (Korean Short Rib Soup)
Galbitang (Korean short rib soup) is a comforting Korean beef soup with tender short ribs, Korean radish, and glass noodles (dangmyeon) in a clear, savory broth. Make it the traditional way on the stovetop or a quicker version in the Instant Pot.
Quick Mandu-guk (Korean Dumpling Soup)
Easy 15-minute mandu-guk, a cozy Korean dumpling soup made with frozen mandu and light homemade broth. Simple, savory, and perfect for New Year or any cold day.
Korean Sweet Rice with Dried Fruit and Nuts (Yakshik)
Korean sweet rice cake (yakshik) is made with sticky rice, jujube, chestnut, and other nuts. An instant pot makes this authentic recipe extremely easy and quick to prepare. It also serves as a good breakfast or snack.
Korean Meat Tofu Patties (Wanja-jeon)
Wanja-jeon (Korean meat and tofu patties) are pan-fried until golden, tender inside and crisp outside. A holiday favorite at Chuseok, they’re also perfect to make ahead for quick meals or lunchboxes.
Sikhye (Sweet Korean Rice Drink)
Make authentic sikhye at home with barley malt and cooked rice. This lightly sweet Korean rice punch is refreshing, gently fermented, and perfect for holidays or served chilled in summer.
Easy Yukjeon (Korean Beef Pancakes)
Easy and quick recipe for Yukjeon, a popular Korean beef pancake (Jeon)! With its melt-in-your-mouth texture, this dish is perfect for special occasions and dinner gatherings.
Korean Beef Radish Soup (Sogogi Muguk)
A clear and comforting Korean beef radish soup (sogogi muguk) made with tender beef, sweet Korean radish, and light umami broth. This simple, nourishing soup is ready in 30 minutes and pairs perfectly with rice and kimchi for a cozy Korean meal.
Tteokgalbi (Korean Beef Patties)
Tender Korean short rib patties brushed with a soy-honey glaze. A festive tteokgalbi recipe that’s easy enough to make at home.
Ultimate LA Galbi (Korean BBQ Short Ribs)
Make the best LA Galbi (Korean BBQ short ribs) at home with this easy recipe! Beef short ribs are marinated in a rich, savory two-step marinade, ensuring tender, juicy, and flavorful results every time. Whether grilled, broiled, or pan-cooked, these Korean BBQ short ribs are perfect for a crowd-pleasing meal.
Nabak Kimchi (Korean Water Kimchi)
Nabak kimchi is a mild, refreshing Korean water kimchi made with cabbage, radish, and carrot. With minimal chili flakes and no fish sauce, it’s simple and easy to make!
Sujeonggwa (Korean Cinnamon Drink)
Sujeonggwa is a Korean cinnamon drink made with cinnamon, ginger, and brown sugar, known for its unique and delicious taste.
And there you have it – 16+ Korean Lunar New Year Foods that you can enjoy with your loved ones! I hope this list brought you some inspiration for your Korean holiday celebration.
16+ Korean Lunar New Year Foods (Seollal): Korean Sweet Rice Dessert
Korean sweet rice dessert cooked with sweet rice, jujube, chestnut, and other nuts in instant pot makes this authentic recipe extremely easy and quick to prepare. Plus, 16+ more traditional Korean Lunar New Year foods to enjoy at home.
Ingredients
- 2 cup Korean sweet rice (chapssal)
- 2 cup water
- 14-16 frozen whole chestnut, or canned (drained)
- 10 dried jujube
- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar, or honey
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp dark soy sauce, optional
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 2 tbsp pine nuts
- 3 tbsp roasted pumpkin seeds
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
Equipment
Instructions
- Rinse sweet rice several times and soak the rice in water for 10 minutes. Drain the rice and set aside.
- Cut the chestnut in halves or quarters depending on the size. Set them aside.
- Cut the flesh off of dried jujube to separate it from the seeds. Set the flesh on the side and collect the seeds. Put the seeds in a small pot and pour in 2 cups of water. Bring it to boil and simmer for 5 minutes. The water will become dark amber. Discard the jujube seeds and reserve the stock.
- Pour the jujube stock into an instant pot. Add soy sauce, dark soy sauce (if using), honey (or brown sugar), and cinnamon; stir well until combined.
- Add the rice, chestnut, and jujube flesh to the stock and mix well. Close the lid and set the instant pot to a rice setting (or 12 minutes on manual setting). Make sure to seal the vent.
- When cooking is done, move the vent to quick release and let the steam escape. Open the lid and add the pine nuts and pumpkin seeds (or other nuts and seeds of your choice). Drizzle sesame oil and gently toss everything well.
- Grease a 9-inch squire pan (or similar in size) with sesame oil. Put the rice mixture into the pan and press down with spatula or rice scoop. Let it sit on a wired rack to cool.
- When fully cooled, turn out the rice on a cutting board and cut into desired size bars. You can garnish with jujube flowers and more seeds as you wish.
Did you make this recipe?Tag @beyondkimchee on Instagram. I love to see your masterpiece.
I make at least two of your recipes each time and wow!! Keep them coming!
Hi Wendy
It’s so nice to know that you like my recipes. Hope you find more recipes to enjoy on my site. Thank you so much!