Tteokguk (Korean Rice Cake Soup)

Tteokguk, Koran rice cake soup in a bowl, garnished with eggs.

Tteokguk (Korean Rice Cake Soup)

A classic Korean rice cake soup with a clean, clear beef broth, tender sliced tteok, and seasoned shredded beef on top. A comforting bowl enjoyed on Korean New Year or anytime you want something warm and simple.

Course Dinner, Lunch, Main Course, Soup

Cuisine Korean

Diet Gluten Free

Keyword korean new year soup, Korean rice cake soup, New Year’s soup, seollal food, sliced rice cakes, traditional Korean soup, tteok mandu-guk, tteokguk, tteokguk recipe

Cook Time 1

Total Time 1

Servings people

Calories 755

Author Hyegyoung K. Ford

Ingredients

For beef stock

1 lb (450 g) beef brisket or beef rump
4 large chunks (about 400–500 g total) Korean radish or daikon radish
3 large dried sea kelp (dashima)
1 large onion halved
8 cloves garlic
12 cup (2.8 L) water
1 tbsp (15 ml) Korean soup soy sauce (gukganjang)
1 tbsp (15 ml) Korean tuna sauce
salt to taste

For beef seasoning

1 clove garlic minced
½ tbsp (7 ml) Korean soup soy sauce (gukganjang)
1 tsp (5 ml) sesame oil
2 tsp (6 g) toasted sesame seeds

For rice cake soup

2 lb (900 g) rice cakes
1 tbsp (15 ml) sesame oil
2 sheets roasted seaweed crumbled, optional
2 green onions finely chopped
½ tsp black pepper
2 eggs, separated to garnish, optional

Instructions

To make the beef stock: Combine the beef, radish, kelp, onion, and garlic in a large pot with water. Bring to a boil. As soon as the broth boils, remove and discard the kelp. Reduce the heat and simmer for 45–60 minutes, until the beef is tender. Remove the beef and vegetables. Strain the broth and keep it warm. Discard the vegetables and let the beef cool slightly. Season the broth with soup soy sauce, tuna sauce, and salt to taste.
To season the beef: Shred the cooled beef into thin pieces and place in a bowl. Add soup soy sauce, minced garlic, black pepper, sesame oil, and sesame seeds. Mix well and set aside.
To cook the rice cakes, If using frozen or packaged tteok, soak them in cold water for 10 minutes. Bring a separate pot of water to a boil. Add the rice cakes and cook until softened and floating, about 5 minutes. Drain and divide the rice cakes into serving bowls.
Optional egg garnish: Beat the egg whites and yolks separately. Heat a lightly oiled skillet over medium-low. Pour each egg mixture in a thin layer, cooking about 1 minute per side without browning. Slice both sheets into thin strips.
To serve: Ladle the hot beef broth over the cooked rice cakes. Top with seasoned beef, egg ribbons, green onion, and roasted seaweed. Add a few drops of sesame oil and black pepper. Serve immediately with kimchi.

Nutrition