Traditional Korean Rice Cake Soup (Tteokguk)

The ultimate New Year's comfort dish in Korea — chewy oval rice cakes, plump dumplings, and tender shredded beef simmered in a savory, clear broth.

Ingredients

• 500 g sliced rice cakes
• 300 g beef flank
• 2 liters water
• 10-12 dumplings
• 2 eggs
• 2 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• to taste salt
• to taste black pepper
• 3 stalks green onions
• to taste seaweed flakes

Instructions

1. 1Separate the Eggs

   

   Carefully crack the egg and separate the egg whites from the egg yolks into two separate bowls. Keeping them separated ensures a better texture and cleaner visual presentation for the garnishes later.

   Tip: Be careful not to let any yolk bleed into the whites so they whip or fry smoothly.
2. 2Boil the Beef

   

   Place 300 grams of flank beef and two liters of water into a pot on the stove over high heat to build a rich broth. Skim off any blood foam that rises to the surface during the initial boiling process.

   Tip: Simmer on high heat for the first 10 minutes, then drop to medium-low heat for another 30 minutes.
3. 3Shred the Cooked Beef

   

   Once the beef has finished simmering in the pot, take it out, let it cool down, and shred the meat completely by hand into fine pieces inside a large metal bowl.

   Tip: Wearing clean protective gloves makes handling the warm cooked beef easier.
4. 4Season the Beef

   

   Pour fish sauce, salt, minced garlic, and black pepper over the shredded beef to infuse it with rich flavor before adding it back into the soup base.

   Tip: Toss the shredded beef well so the sauce absorbs evenly into every piece.
5. 5Cook the Rice Cakes

   

   Drop white rice cake slices from a red colander straight into the pot of boiling broth, then season with soy sauce, fish sauce, and salt.

   Tip: Make sure the broth is actively bubbling when introducing the rice cakes so they cook uniformly.
6. 6Fry the Eggs

   

   Pour the beaten eggs into a hot small frying pan and fry them into a thin sheet, which will later be sliced into thin strips for garnishing.

   Tip: Cook on low to medium heat to keep the egg layer bright yellow and prevent burning.
7. 7Add dumplings to the soup

   

   Drop the dumplings into the pot containing the boiling rice cakes and savory broth. Let them cook together until the dumplings are tender and heated through, absorbing the rich flavors of the soup base.

   Tip: Make sure the soup is at a steady simmer so the dumplings cook evenly without breaking apart.
8. 8Add shredded beef and green onions

   

   Introduce the prepared seasoned shredded beef along with chopped green onions directly into the pot of soup. Stir gently to distribute the meat and aromatics evenly throughout the broth and rice cakes.

   Tip: Reserve a small portion of the seasoned beef and green onions to use as a fresh garnish on top before serving.
9. 9Ladle soup into bowls

   

   Carefully ladle the hot rice cakes, dumplings, and flavorful broth into a clean serving bowl. Ensure a balanced portion of rice cakes, dumplings, and liquid in each bowl.

   Tip: Use a deep ladle to scoop from the bottom of the pot so you capture a good mix of solid ingredients and broth.
10. 10Garnish and serve

    

    Top the bowl of hot rice cake soup with neatly arranged thin egg strips, seasoned shredded beef, fresh green onions, and seaweed flakes. Finish with a light dusting of black pepper before serving.

    Tip: Add the garnishes right before serving so they maintain their distinct colors and textures on top of the hot soup.

Storage & Reheating

Burn It Off

Frequently Asked Questions