Miyeok Guk (Korean Seaweed Soup)

birthday food · nourishing comfort food

Miyeok Guk (Korean Seaweed Soup)

30 minEasyServes 2Kids OK

Ingredients

dried miyeok — Korean dried seaweed (마른 미역)15g / 0.5 oz (about 2 cups once soaked)H-Mart
beef brisket or stew meat150g (0.33 lb)Any store
toasted sesame oil1.5 TbspEither
guk-ganjang — Korean soup soy sauce (국간장)1.5 TbspH-Mart
minced garlic1 tspAny store
water5 cups (1.2L)Either

Steps

1

Soak the dried seaweed in cold water for 10 minutes, rub and rinse it 2-3 times, then squeeze out the water.

~3 min

Watch out: Dried miyeok expands to 10 times its size — add too much and your pot turns into a seaweed field.

2

Heat the sesame oil in a pot and saute the beef over medium heat for 2 minutes.

~3 min

3

Add the soaked seaweed, pour in 1 Tbsp of the soup soy sauce, and saute 3 more minutes.

~4 min

Why: Sauteing the seaweed in sesame oil and soup soy sauce is 90% of the flavor — the nutty richness seeps into the broth.

4

Pour in 5 cups of water, bring to a boil over high heat, and skim off the foam.

~5 min

5

Turn the heat to low, cover, and simmer for a full 15 minutes.

~15 min

Why: The longer miyeok guk simmers, the milkier and deeper the broth gets — time is an ingredient here.

6

Add the garlic and season with the remaining soup soy sauce and salt.

~2 min

Tips

  • —

    Swap the beef for clams or shrimp for a lighter seafood version — add them at step 4.

  • —

    In Korea, this is the soup everyone eats on their birthday morning — perfect for a birthday table.

  • —

    One of those soups that tastes even better the next day — make a big pot.

  • —

    Canned tuna version: skip the beef and stir in drained tuna at the end of step 5 — the easiest solo-cooking take.

Storage

Keeps 4 days in the fridge — it deepens every time you reheat it, so it's great to eat over 2-3 days.