Tteokguk (Korean Rice Cake Soup)

This tteokguk keeps the broth clean and clear, built from a deep beef-and-vegetable simmer that tastes warm and comforting. Tender rice cakes and seasoned shredded beef go on top for the classic Korean New Year bowl—but it’s also the kind of simple, soothing soup you’ll crave any time of the year.

Tteokguk (떡국) is the soup that opened every New Year’s morning in my childhood—a warm bowl of chewy rice cakes and clear broth, and my mom reminding us to finish every last bite so the year would start “properly.” It’s one of those quiet food memories that never really leaves you.

When I began making tteokguk on my own, I naturally followed her method. Over time, though, I noticed the parts I wanted to refine—not the tradition itself, but the way I preferred the broth to taste and look.

I’ve always loved a soup that feels light and clean, where the beef and aromatics shine without getting lost. That small shift guided the way I make tteokguk today.

It still carries the same comfort and New Year meaning I grew up with, just prepared with a little more intention and clarity—literally.

How I Make Tteokguk a Little Differently

Maybe it’s just me, but I’ve never been a fan of cloudy tteokguk. Rice cakes are mostly starch, and when they cook directly in the broth, they release enough of it to mute the flavor and weigh down the soup.

So I changed one small thing:
I cook the rice cakes in a separate pot.

While the beef broth simmers, I boil the rice cakes separately. Then I drain them and add them to the bowl just before serving. The broth stays beautifully clear, the presentation is cleaner, and the rice cakes stay chewy instead of thickening the soup.

This small tweak gives the soup a clarity similar to a light galbitang and makes it easy to adjust the bowl—especially if you want to add a couple of mandu dumplings. It’s the same comforting tteokguk I grew up with, just a bit more refined. And all it takes is one extra pot of water.

Key Ingredients

Rice cakes (tteok): Thinly sliced garaetteok is essential. Fresh tteok softens quickly and stays pleasantly chewy, while frozen or packaged slices work well once soaked. I avoid thicker cuts because they release more starch and cloud the broth, which I try to avoid.

Beef (broth base): Brisket or flank is my go-to. Both cuts release a clean beef flavor without becoming greasy, and they shred beautifully for topping. The broth from these cuts has the gentle depth I associate with holiday soups — not too rich, not too heavy.

Aromatics and Broth Seasoning: Korean radish, onion, garlic, and a small piece of dried kelp (dashima) build a naturally sweet, balanced broth — the kind of clean flavor base you find in classic Korean soups. To season it, I use Korean soup soy sauce (gukganjang) for clarity and a small splash of Korean tuna sauce for quiet umami without darkening the broth.

Simple garnishes: Shredded beef, egg ribbons, green onion, and a bit of roasted seaweed finish the bowl the way many Korean families serve it on New Year’s Day — clean, warm, and full of texture.

How to Make Tteokguk (Step-by-Step)

Build the broth. Simmer the beef with radish, onion, garlic, and a small piece of kelp until the broth tastes naturally sweet and balanced.

Remove the kelp early. it’s an easy way to keep the broth light and avoid any bitterness. This slow, gentle simmer is what gives tteokguk its clean flavor. After simmering, remove the beef, let it cool, and shred into thin strips.

Flavor the broth. Add Korean soup soy sauce (guk ganjang), Korean tuna sauce, and a pinch of salt. Then, keep the broth warm until ready to serve.

Season the beef. Once the beef cools, shred it and season it lightly. The seasoned beef becomes one of the best toppings for the finished bowl.

Cook the rice cakes separately. While the broth simmers, boil the rice cakes in a different pot. This is the key to keeping the broth clear. When cooked on their own, the rice cakes stay chewy without releasing starch into the soup.

Make the egg garnish (jidan, Optional but pretty). Thin sheets of cooked whites and yolks add color and a classic New Year look. You can also swirl beaten egg directly into the broth for a quicker finish.

Assemble and finish. Add the cooked rice cakes to your bowl, ladle hot broth on top, and finish with seasoned beef, green onions, seaweed, egg strips. Serve tteokguk with a side of kimchi. Honestly, that’s all it needs.

If you’re preparing this soup for the Korean New Year, you can explore more traditional dishes in my Seollal foods roundup to build a full holiday table.

And if you enjoy dumpling soups, mandu-guk is another comforting bowl many families make alongside tteokguk. For more clean, cozy Korean soups, you can browse my Korean Soups & Stews collection.