Korean Seaweed Soup (Miyuk Guk)

By
Naomi Imatome-Yun
Naomi Imatome-Yun
Asian food expert Naomi Imatome-Yun is a freelance writer and the author of four Asian food cookbooks.
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Updated on 11/26/21
Korean Seaweed Soup (Miyuk Guk)

The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

Prep: 30 mins
Cook: 55 mins
Total: 85 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
104 Calories
6g Fat
8g Carbs
6g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 104
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 6g 7%
Saturated Fat 1g 5%
Cholesterol 5mg 2%
Sodium 844mg 37%
Total Carbohydrate 8g 3%
Dietary Fiber 0g 0%
Total Sugars 3g
Protein 6g
Vitamin C 4mg 18%
Calcium 16mg 1%
Iron 1mg 4%
Potassium 255mg 5%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Korean seaweed soup (miyuk guk) is known as the birthday soup. That's because it's traditionally given to new mothers as they're recovering from childbirth. Many Koreans eat the soup during pregnancy, too, since it's regarded as good for both mother and unborn baby.

In another Korean tradition, those celebrating a birthday also eat miyuk guk, in this case with rice cakes. As birthday food, Korean seaweed soup honors the birthday person's mother and the sacrifices she made.

However, Korean seaweed soup isn't just for birthdays. It's actually a common soup in Korean households, and it's not unusual to see it on the menu for breakfast, lunch, or dinner at any time of year. It's also one of the few Korean soups that isn't spicy at all, so it's perfect for someone who enjoys Korean cuisine but who doesn't react well to fiery hot dishes.

Korean seaweed soup uses a different type of seaweed than sushi rolls and kimbap, which use roasted sushi sheets. The seaweed in this soup is tangled dried brown seaweed known as miyuk or sea mustard. Once you find the right seaweed, the other ingredients are ones you probably have in your pantry.

This is a light soup that's good for any meal of the day. Serve it with steamed rice.

1:06

Click Play to See This Easy Korean Seaweed Soup Recipe Come Together

Ingredients

  • 1 ounce dried seaweed

  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil

  • 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce

  • 3 cups beef stock, or anchovy stock

  • 1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Korean Seaweed Soup (Miyuk Guk) ingredients

    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

  2. Rehydrate the seaweed by placing in a large bowl and covering with water for 30 minutes.

    Rehydrate the seaweed by placing in a large bowl with water

    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

  3. Drain the seaweed, squeeze out excess water.

    Drain the seaweed

    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

  4. Cut into 2-inch pieces.

    Cut the seaweed into 2-inch pieces

    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

  5. In a soup pot over medium heat, sauté the seaweed in sesame oil for 2 minutes.

    sauté the seaweed in sesame oil

    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

  6. Add garlic and soy sauce and sauté for another 2 minutes.

    Add garlic and soy sauce to the seaweed in the pot

    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

  7. Pour the stock into the pot and turn heat to high.

    add stock to the seaweed in the pot

    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

  8. When soup begins to boil, turn down to simmer and cook for 20 minutes or until the soup looks milky.

    Korean Seaweed Soup (Miyuk Guk) in a pot

    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

Tip

  • 1 ounce of dried seaweed looks very small, but it rehydrates to about 2 cups

Recipe Variation

  • Beef or anchovy stock works well. Vegetarians can use 1 1/2 cups vegetable stock and 1 1/2 cups of water instead.

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