Tteokguk (Rice Cake Soup)

New Year's dish · kid favorite

Tteokguk (Rice Cake Soup)

25 minEasyServes 2Kids OK

Ingredients

tteokguk tteok — sliced Korean rice cakes (떡국떡)300g (0.66 lb)H-Mart
beef brisket or stew meat, thin cut150g (0.33 lb)Any store
toasted sesame oil1 TbspEither
guk-ganjang — Korean soup soy sauce (국간장)1 TbspH-Mart
minced garlic1 tspAny store
egg1Any store
green onion1/2 stalkAny store
crushed roasted seaweeda handfulEither
water4 cups (950 ml)Either

Steps

1

Soak the rice cakes in cold water for 20 minutes (30 minutes if frozen).

~2 min

Why: Unsoaked rice cakes turn mushy outside while staying hard inside — soaking is essential for chewy tteokguk.

2

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

~3 min

Why: Searing the beef in sesame oil before adding water gives you a broth in 20 minutes that tastes long-simmered.

3

Add 4 cups of water, and once boiling, skim the foam and simmer for 10 minutes.

~11 min

4

Season with the soup soy sauce and garlic, then add the soaked rice cakes.

~1 min

5

Once the rice cakes float, boil just 1 minute more.

~4 min

Watch out: Boil too long and the rice cakes bloat and thicken the broth — floating is your done signal.

6

Swirl in the beaten egg, then finish with green onion, crushed seaweed, and black pepper.

~2 min

Tips

  • —

    Have galbitang or gomtang broth on hand? Skip steps 2-3 and use it straight — the best version there is.

  • —

    Crushed seaweed plus a few drops of sesame oil on top is the finishing touch that makes tteokguk.

  • —

    Drop in 4-5 dumplings with the rice cakes for tteok-mandu-guk.

  • —

    In Korea this is the soup you eat on New Year's Day — share the story and it becomes dinner-table conversation.

Storage

Eat right away — the rice cakes drink up the broth. Freeze leftover soaked rice cakes for tteokbokki later.