Rich Beef Tteokguk (Rice Cake Soup with Beef)
A festive rice cake soup made with seasoned beef brisket and dried kelp broth for a deep, comforting flavor.
Translated from Korean by AI and not yet checked by a native speaker. Amounts and numbers are taken directly from the original recipe. Read the Korean original →
This beef tteokguk features seasoned beef stir-fried and simmered gently in kelp-infused water to create a rich, savory broth. Topped with egg garnish, dried seaweed, and green onions, it makes a hearty and clean-tasting one-bowl meal perfect for New Year's Day.
- Servings
- 2 servings
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Spiciness
- Not spicy
Ingredients
Ingredients
- Beef100 g (stew cut)
- Sliced rice cakes (tteokguk-tteok)300 g
- Egg1
- Unseasoned dried seaweed sheets (gim) (or seasoned dried seaweed sheets)
- Large green onion (daepa)a little
- Ground toasted sesame seedsas needed
- Dried kelp (dasima)1 piece (10 cm square)
- Water5 cups
- Soup soy sauce (guk-ganjang)1 tbsp
- Salt1/2 tsp
Meat marinade
- Soup soy sauce (guk-ganjang)1/2 tbsp
- Minced garlic1 tsp
- Mirin (cooking rice wine)1 tbsp
- Ground black peppera little
- Depending on how hard the rice cakes are, soak them in warm water for about 30 minutes to 1 hour.
- Soak the dried kelp in water for at least 30 minutes to use as the broth.
- If using seasoned seaweed, simply cut it into thin strips. If using unseasoned raw seaweed, toast it lightly in a dry pan before slicing.
Steps
The main ingredients for beef tteokguk are sliced rice cakes (tteokguk-tteok) and beef (brisket).
For garnishes, I prepared egg and dried seaweed sheets (gim), plus a little large green onion (daepa) and ground toasted sesame seeds that were left out of the photo, which I added at the end.
Depending on how hard the rice cakes are, soak them in warm water for 30 minutes to 1 hour, and use water that has soaked dried kelp (dasima) for at least 30 minutes as the broth.
Separate the egg white and yolk, fry them into thin sheets, and slice them into thin strips.
Thoroughly pat away any blood from the bite-sized beef.
Season the beef with soup soy sauce (guk-ganjang), minced garlic, and ground black pepper.
If using seasoned seaweed, just slice it into thin strips; if using unseasoned raw seaweed, toast it lightly in a dry pan before slicing.
Add the beef to a pan and stir-fry so it cooks through without burning, then pour in the kelp-soaked water.
I stir-fried it without oil, but you may add a little toasted sesame oil or cooking oil to taste.
Once the broth comes to a rolling boil, lower the heat to a gentle simmer and let it simmer for 10 minutes to 20 minutes until the meat turns tender.
When using beef brisket for soup, it needs plenty of time for the broth to develop and the meat to soften.
Add the rice cakes and soup soy sauce, then bring to a boil.
The rice cakes will float to the surface once cooked. Taste the broth and adjust with salt if it is too bland.
Ladle the broth and rice cakes into a bowl, then bring up the beef that had settled to the bottom and place it on top.
Neatly arrange the prepared garnishes, and a wonderful, delicious beef tteokguk is ready.
Thinly slice the green onion and add a sprinkle of ground toasted sesame seeds; it not only looks pretty, but also keeps the soup refreshing and delicious right down to the last bite.
One side dish of kimchi is all you need. Well-fermented winter kimchi tastes wonderfully crisp and pairs so well with tteokguk.
Ppunwife's tips
- You can stir-fry the beef with a little toasted sesame oil or cooking oil according to your taste.
- Beef brisket for soup needs enough time for the meat and broth to become tender, so simmer it thoroughly for 10 minutes to 20 minutes.
- Adding thinly sliced green onions and a little ground toasted sesame seeds keeps the tteokguk tasting light and flavorful all the way through the bowl.
FAQ
How do I prepare hard sliced rice cakes?
Soak them in lukewarm water for 30 minutes to 1 hour, depending on how hard they are, before using.
Do I have to use oil when stir-frying the beef?
You can stir-fry it without oil, or add a suitable amount of toasted sesame oil or cooking oil to suit your taste.
How long should I simmer the beef brisket broth?
Once the broth starts boiling, lower the heat to low and simmer thoroughly for 10 minutes to 20 minutes until the meat is tender.
How do I prepare the dried seaweed for the garnish?
Seasoned seaweed can be sliced and used directly, while unseasoned dried seaweed should be lightly toasted in a dry frying pan before cutting into thin strips.
