Miyeok-guk (Korean seaweed soup)
Cuisine: Korean
Region: 한국 전역
Servings: 4인분
Miyeok-guk (Korean seaweed soup), also searched as Korean birthday seaweed soup, is a clear bowl of soaked wakame and beef briefly stir-fried in sesame oil. This home version builds aroma first, then simmers a clean, iron-rich broth for birthdays, postpartum care, or weeknight rice.
At a glance
Time: about 25–35 min · Serves 3–4 · Difficulty: easy · ≈ 150–220 kcal per serving (estimate)
Miyeok-guk (Korean seaweed soup), also searched as Korean birthday seaweed soup, is a clear bowl of soaked wakame and beef briefly stir-fried in sesame oil. This home version builds aroma first, then simmers a clean, iron-rich broth for birthdays, postpartum care, or weeknight rice.
Ingredients
- Seaweed (wakame/miyeok) 2 cups (soaked volume)
- Ground beef 150 g
- Water 10 cups
- Minced garlic 1 Tbsp
- Soup soy sauce (guk-ganjang) 2 Tbsp
- Sesame oil 2 Tbsp
- Cooking oil a little
- Black pepper a pinch
Steps
- Soak dried seaweed in cold water until fully rehydrated, then rinse several times to remove sand and saltiness. Squeeze out excess water and cut into bite-size pieces (about 4–5 cm).
- Season the ground beef with ½ Tbsp minced garlic, 1 Tbsp soup soy sauce, and 1 Tbsp sesame oil; mix well and marinate about 10 minutes.
- Heat a little cooking oil in a pot over medium heat and stir-fry the seasoned beef until the surface is cooked. Add the seaweed, then the remaining sesame oil, and stir-fry 2–3 minutes until the seaweed turns deep green and smells nutty.
- Pour in the water and bring to a boil over high heat. Skim foam once it boils, then lower to medium and simmer 10–15 minutes more. Season with the remaining garlic and soup soy sauce, finish with black pepper.
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Notes
Sautéing the seaweed until the sesame oil aroma blooms makes a deeper broth. Do not over-fry or the seaweed turns tough—stop when the green looks vivid.
If you lack soup soy sauce, use regular soy sauce in a slightly smaller amount and finish with salt.
Swap beef for clams or mussels for a seafood miyeok-guk; for a vegetarian bowl, tofu alone stays clean and light.
This soup is a staple for birthdays and postpartum care—portion pre-soaked seaweed so busy mornings go faster.
When reheating chilled leftovers, add a splash of water and bring back to a boil so the broth tastes clear again.
Time and temperature
Soak seaweed 10–20 min · Marinate beef ~10 min · Stir-fry medium 2–3 min · Simmer medium 10–15 min after boil
Nutrition
180 kcal · Protein 14 g · Fat 10 g · Carbs 8 g
1 bowl, estimate for 3–4 servings
Substitutes
- Ground beef → clams or mussels
- Soup soy sauce → regular soy sauce (use a little less) + salt
- Sesame oil → perilla oil for a greener aroma
- Beef → firm tofu for a lighter bowl
Storage
Cool and refrigerate up to 2 days. Reheat to a gentle boil with a splash of water so the broth stays clear. Freezing softens the seaweed texture; prefer fridge leftovers.
FAQ
- Why does my miyeok-guk taste fishy?
- Rinse soaked seaweed well and stir-fry it in sesame oil until deep green before adding water; that step removes raw ocean notes.
- Can I make Korean birthday seaweed soup ahead?
- Soak and portion the seaweed and marinate the beef earlier, but simmer shortly before serving so the broth stays bright.
- What if I only have regular soy sauce?
- Use a little less than the soup soy amount and finish with salt; the color will be slightly darker but still tasty.
- How do I keep the seaweed from getting tough?
- Do not over-fry or boil hard for a long time; stop the stir-fry when the green looks vivid and simmer gently.
- Is this soup good the next day?
- Yes—add a splash of water when reheating and bring back to a boil; many people find day-two broth deeper.
Origin and history
Miyeok-guk is a foundational Korean soup of soaked seaweed and beef, briefly stir-fried in sesame oil and simmered clear. Rich in iron and fiber, it rarely misses a postpartum tray or birthday table and often appears as everyday home soup.
Enjoying seaweed as soup has deep roots, especially as food for recovery after childbirth. Eating miyeok-guk on birthday mornings is widely known. Households swap the protein—beef, clams, tuna, and more.
This home version uses ground beef for quick savoriness. Stir-frying the seaweed first, then adding water, yields a clean, deep broth without fishiness.