Seaweed Soup (Miyeokguk) Recipe - Korea's Traditional Birthday Soup

Seaweed Soup (Miyeokguk) Recipe - Korea's Traditional Birthday Soup

We've reached the final post in our "10 Easy Korean Recipes" series: Miyeokguk (미역국), a comforting soup made from dried seaweed and soy sauce. In Korea, this soup is traditionally eaten on birthdays and by new mothers after childbirth, as seaweed is believed to support recovery and health. It's also simply a delicious, nourishing soup any day of the year.

Why This Recipe Works Abroad

Dried seaweed (miyeok, sometimes labeled "wakame" in stores, though slightly different varieties) is available at nearly every Asian grocery store worldwide and is very inexpensive. The rest of the ingredients are basic pantry staples.

Ingredients (Serves 3-4)

• 20g dried miyeok (seaweed), soaked in water for 15-20 minutes until fully expanded
• 150g beef brisket or chuck, thinly sliced (optional, for a richer broth)
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce (Korean soup soy sauce, guk-ganjang, if available)
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 5 cups water or beef broth
• Salt, to taste

Ingredient Substitutions

• No guk-ganjang (soup soy sauce)? Regular soy sauce works fine; just adjust the amount and add a little extra salt to taste.
• No beef? This soup can easily be made vegetarian by using just seaweed, garlic, and sesame oil with vegetable broth or water — some variations use clams or shrimp instead of beef.
• If you can only find "wakame" seaweed at your local store, it works as a substitute, though the texture will be slightly different from Korean miyeok.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Soak the seaweed. Soak the dried seaweed in cold water for 15-20 minutes until fully softened and expanded, then drain and cut into smaller pieces.
2. Sauté the beef. In a pot, heat sesame oil over medium heat and sauté the beef until lightly browned.
3. Add the seaweed. Add the soaked seaweed and minced garlic, and sauté together with the beef for 2-3 minutes.
4. Season. Add soy sauce and stir to coat everything evenly.
5. Simmer. Pour in the water or broth, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes until the seaweed is tender and the broth has developed a rich flavor.
6. Adjust and serve. Season with salt to taste, and serve hot alongside steamed rice.

Pro Tips

• Sautéing the seaweed with sesame oil before adding water is the key step that gives this soup its signature deep flavor — don't skip it.
• This soup tastes even better the next day, as the flavors continue to deepen overnight.