Miyeok Guk ( 미역국) is a traditional Korean soup made with edible seaweed. This nutritious and comforting soup is often enjoyed during postpartum recovery, as it is believed to promote good health. Miyeok-Guk has also become a soup you eat, when it is your birthday, and is thus commonly referred to as Korean Birthday Soup.
However, the soup is not just for new mothers and birthday celebrations. It is a rather common dish at Korean family meals, and you would also find the soup at many Korean restaurants.
Miyeok-Guk is typically made with a special kind of seaweed called miyeok (Undaria pinnatifida, English: sea mustard, Japanese: wakame) and beef, but on islands, and in the regions near the ocean, you will also find seaweed soup made with fish and seafood.
Recipe and notes by my Korean friend Ella @cookiestorykim from Masan, South Korea:
Miyeok seaweed: Buy it online or in Asian grocery stores in bigger cities. The seaweed will expand when absorbing water, so make sure you use enough water to rehydrate the seaweed. For Korean seaweed soup, make sure you’re using miyeok, which is the Korean word for Japanese wakame. You’ll usually find it labeled as dried miyeok or sometimes dried sea mustard at Korean grocery stores or online. It looks like long, dark green strands that expand into silky leaves once soaked. Don’t confuse it with the tiny wakame flakes sold for miso soup as those won’t give the same texture or depth. Also avoid kelp (dashima/konbu), which is used for stock, not for this soup. For the best results, go for the larger, leafy dried miyeok, which has the briny flavor and tender bite that makes this dish special.
Korean sesame oil (Cham-gi-reum 참기름): Toasted sesame oil is a very important ingredient in Korea, and the good ones can be rather pricey, but this is not the place to save. Western sesame oil is often made from un-toasted sesame seeds, so go for a Korean brand to make sure you get that nutty, roasted sesame, flavor, which we are after.
Beef: You can use beef brisket or other cuts of beef that you would usually use for stews and soups.
For authentic Korean seaweed soup, you’ll want dried miyeok. This is the kind of seaweed Koreans have used for centuries in soups and everyday cooking. When soaked, the leathery dark strands bloom into silky green leaves with a clean, briny flavor. This premium miyeok seaweed has the right texture and body to make the broth rich and satisfying. It’s also versatile. Try adding it to rice dishes or simple soups for a boost of minerals and ocean-fresh taste.
Recipe: Korean Seaweed Soup (birthday soup)
4
servings (as a side/appetizer)Miyeok Guk ( 미역국) is a traditional Korean soup made with edible seaweed. This nutritious and comforting soup is often enjoyed during postpartum recovery, as it is believed to promote good health. Miyeok-Guk has also become a soup you eat, when it is your birthday, and is thus commonly referred to as Korean Birthday Soup.
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Ingredients
1/2 ounce (16g) dried miyeok seaweed
2 tbsp Korean toasted sesame oil
1/2 pound (230g) beef brisket or other cuts of beef, used for stews.
7 cups (16.5dL) water
1 teaspoon garlic (chopped finely)
Salt to taste
Directions
- Soak the dried seaweed in a bowl with plenty of water according to the instructions on the package. It would typically take 20-30 minutes to fully rehydrate the seaweed. Wash the seaweed in clean water, and if you are using large sheets of seaweed, you may have to cut it in smaller, bite-sized pieces. The seaweed is now ready to be added to the soup.
- Cut the beef into bite-sized pieces. Wash and rinse the beef under running water.
- Find a pot, which is big enough for cooking the soup (larger than 3-4 Liters). Heat the sesame oil and stir-fry the beef in the pot at medium-high heat until the surface is cooked. It does not take longer than a minute or two. You can season with a tiny pinch of salt here if you like, it makes the beef more flavorful.
- Add the rehydrated seaweed and stir-fry together with the beef for 4-5 minutes.
- Add water and bring to a boil. Skim off any residues from the meat.
- Turn down the heat, and let the soup simmer on the stove at low heat for 20-30 minutes, until the color of the soup is pale green and the seaweed is soft. Stir in the minced garlic during the last 5–10 minutes of simmering.
- Season with salt. Serve hot with a bowl of rice on the side.
If you cook Korean food at home, a good toasted sesame oil is essential and this one is the real deal. Made in Korea from carefully selected sesame seeds, it has that deep, nutty aroma that instantly makes a dish taste authentic. The oil comes in a generous 300 ml bottle, packaged in dark glass to protect the flavor, so you’ll have plenty on hand for stir-fries, marinades, and dressings. Drizzle a little over soups, toss it with noodles, or use it to finish vegetables for that unmistakable Korean touch.
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