Soups & stews · Korean home cooking

Beef seaweed soup (miyeok-guk)

Name: Beef seaweed soup (miyeok-guk)
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 2
Cuisine: Korean
Ingredients: Dried miyeok or wakame seaweed — ½ of a 20 g pack (10 g); Thinly sliced beef for soup — ½ of a 200 g pack (100 g); Toasted sesame oil — 1 small teaspoon (5 ml); Korean soup soy sauce — 1 level eating spoon (15 ml); Minced garlic — 1 small teaspoon (3 g); Water — 5 paper cups (900 ml); Salt — ¼ small teaspoon (1.5 g)

A gentle everyday Korean soup with tender beef and soft seaweed. The recipe includes soaking time and explains exactly which dried seaweed to buy.

60 min2 servings6 stepsDifficulty: Easy

AI-generated cooking illustrations. Follow the written quantities and instructions.

01 / Before you start

Ingredients

2 servings

Everyday kitchen measurements

For 2 servings. Use a small 180 ml paper cup, a level eating spoon (about 15 ml) and a small teaspoon (about 5 ml).

How to fill the cup and spoons

Use the same cup and spoons throughout. Their sizes vary, so these amounts are approximate. Spoon flour in loosely and level the top without pressing. Measure vegetables after chopping, without packing them down. The amounts in g/ml are the original reference quantities. For part of a pack, use the specified pack weight and divide the contents evenly.

King Arthur Baking

Essential, optional and substitute ingredients

Keep essential ingredients. For a replacement, use its listed amount and cooking changes instead of that ingredient’s original amount. Skip optional ingredients and their preparation if omitted. Photos show the original recipe.

Dried miyeok or wakame seaweed½ of a 20 g packOriginal quantity: 10 g
Essential
Use edible dried miyeok or wakame, not roasted nori sheets or kelp stock sheets. Measure before soaking: it expands considerably.
Thinly sliced beef for soup½ of a 200 g packOriginal quantity: 100 g
Substitute available
If Thinly sliced beef for soup is unavailable

Use instead
Sliced fresh shiitake mushrooms

Substitute quantity
1 paper cupReference quantity: 70 g

Add with the seaweed and simmer for the same time. This makes a mushroom seaweed soup with a lighter broth.
Toasted sesame oil1 small teaspoonOriginal quantity: 5 ml
Substitute available
If Toasted sesame oil is unavailable

Use instead
Neutral cooking oil

Substitute quantity
1 small teaspoonReference quantity: 5 ml

Use the same heating method. The toasted sesame aroma will be absent.
Korean soup soy sauce1 level eating spoonOriginal quantity: 15 ml
Substitute available
If Korean soup soy sauce is unavailable

Use instead
Regular soy sauce

Substitute quantity
2 small teaspoonsReference quantity: 10 ml

Use less because regular soy sauce darkens the broth. At the final tasting, add a little of the listed salt only if needed.
Minced garlic1 small teaspoonOriginal quantity: 3 g
Optional
May be omitted. Skip its preparation and addition; keep all other amounts unchanged. The flavour will be milder.
Water5 paper cupsOriginal quantity: 900 ml
Essential
Keep the listed liquid so the broth does not become too concentrated. Extra water for washing or soaking is discarded.
Salt¼ small teaspoonOriginal quantity: 1.5 g
Optional
May be omitted. Add gradually only after tasting, since soy sauce and packaged broth can already be salty.

Tap each ingredient as you prepare it. Check product labels for egg, soy, sesame, wheat, fish or shellfish where relevant.

02 / You’re ready to cook

Step-by-step cooking

Step 1

Soak the dried seaweed in a large bowl of cold water for 10–20 minutes, following the packet. Rinse, squeeze gently and cut into pieces about 3 cm long. Discard the soaking water.
Step 1
Step 2

Cut the beef across the grain into thin bite-size strips. Peel and mince the garlic. Keep the raw-meat board separate from ready-to-eat food and wash your hands afterwards.
Step 2
Step 3

Put the sesame oil and beef into a soup pot over medium heat. Stir for 2–3 minutes until the outside of the meat changes colour. Avoid scorching the oil.
Step 3
Step 4

Add the drained seaweed, minced garlic and soup soy sauce. Stir over medium-low heat for 3 minutes so the seaweed is evenly coated.
Step 4
Step 5

Pour in 5 paper cups of fresh water. Bring to a boil, skim off foam, then partly cover and simmer gently for 25–30 minutes. The seaweed should be silky and the thin beef tender; simmer longer if the beef is still chewy.
Step 5
Step 6

Taste before adding the listed salt, a little at a time. If the soup has reduced too far, add a little hot water and bring back to a boil. Divide between two bowls and serve hot.
Step 6

03 / Enjoy your meal

Finished dish

Helpful tips

The dried seaweed amount is measured before soaking. Thin beef cooks faster than thick brisket chunks. Rice is an optional side dish and is not included in the ingredient amounts. Divide leftovers into shallow containers and refrigerate within 2 hours, or within 1 hour if the room is hotter than 32°C. Keep at 4°C or below, use within 3–4 days and reheat leftovers to 74°C.