A collection of 20 delicious and comforting Korean soups to help you stay warm and cozy on cold days!
The weather is getting quite cold around here! We all need more delicious warming soup recipes. For you Korean food lovers, I’ve collected my 20 most popular soup recipes here.
While these soups will definitely help you stay warm during cold days, soup is an essential part of Korean meals all year round. Some of these dishes are served as a main dish, and some are accompanied other main dishes as part of a meal. This list includes many of the common soups (guk, 국) enjoyed in Korean homes. I’ll do a separate list for stews (jjigae, 찌개).
Some of you may wonder about the difference between Korean soups (guk) and stews (jjigae). In general, guk has a higher ratio of liquid to solid ingredients, resulting in a thinner consistency. Jjigae is thicker and has more concentrated flavors.
Although jjigae is commonly translated into stew in English, the consistency of Korean stews are quite different from that of Western stews. Korean stews still have relatively thin liquid (gukmul, 국물) with a consistency that’s similar to that of Western soups in some cases. I know this can be confusing. I’ve seen some people call certain Korean jjigae a soup. For example, kimchi jjigae is called kimchi soup by some people. There actually is a dish called kimchi guk (soup), which differs from kimchi jjigae (stew).
In Korean homes, guk is almost always served individually, and jjigae is usually served as a communal dish to be shared amongst the diners.
1. Dak Gomtang (Chicken Soup)
A soothing, comforting Korean chicken soup recipe you can make without a trip to a Korean market!
2. Samgyetang (Ginseng Chicken Soup)
A nourishing soup that’s made with a small, young chicken for its tender and tasty meat. The ginseng flavored meat is tasty and tender, and the broth is rich and delicious!
3. Seolleongtang (beef bone soup)
Your restaurant favorite made at home! A few dollars’ worth of beef bones make lots of rich and nourishing soup. Make it and freeze some for later.
4. Yukgaejang (spicy beef soup with vegetables)
A hearty, spicy beef soup made with shredded beef, lots of scallions and other vegetables!
5. Dakgaejang (Spicy Chicken Soup)
A hearty and spicy chicken soup with minimal ingredients! It takes less than 30 minutes from start to finish! Still flavorful and satisfying! Also see Spicy soup with leftover turkey for a variation.
6. Galbitang (Beef Short Rib Soup)
A hearty, nourishing beef short rib soup with the delicately clean taste it’s known for! Also see Instant Pot Galbitang.
7. Tteokguk (Rice Cake Soup)
A starchy and soothing bowl of soup! It’s classic comfort food any time of year! Also see tteokmanduguk if you want to add mandu (Korean dumplings).
8. Manduguk (Dumpling Soup)
Make a delicious dumpling soup at home — with any variation of dumplings, including pre-made store-bought ones and any flavorful broth including store-bought.
9. Miyeok Guk (Beef Seaweed Soup)
10. Honghap Miyeok Guk (Seaweed soup with mussels)
A seafood variation of Korean seaweed soup. It’s made with mussels, but you can substitute them with other seafood such as clams or shrimp.
11. Gamjaguk (Potato Soup)
A hearty Korean potato soup made with a few basic ingredients — beef, tofu and starch noodles! You can skip the noodles if unavailable.
13. Kongnamul Guk (Soybean Sprout Soup)
A variation of kongnamul guk (soybean sprout soup) that’s made with kimchi! It’s easy and refreshingly delicious with a nice spicy kick!
15. Sigeumchi Doenjang Guk (Spinach SoyBean Paste Soup)
16. Baechu doenjang guk (cabbage soybean paste soup)
17. Slow Cooker Chicken Soup with Napa Cabbage
An easy, delicious chicken soup with napa cabbage! Use a whole chicken cut up or any combination of chicken cut parts.
18. Bukeoguk (Dried Pollock Soup)
Made with dried pollock (also spelled pollack), a rich source of proteins and amino acids, this soup is known to have detoxifying and soothing effects and very popular as a hang-over remedy in Korea.
19. Eomuk guk (fish cake soup)
20. Mu Doenjang guk (soybean paste radish soup)
A light, refreshing and vegan soup made with Korean radish!
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Ingredients
- Visit the links provided above for the ingredients for each soup.
Instructions
- Click the links provided in the list for the full recipes.
Sanjoy Gomes says
Hi my name Sanjoy Gomes. I am Chef. I like your soup . I want more dishes salad. Main dish and side dishes. Thank you for your wishes. From chef Gomes
Hyosun says
Thank you! You can find many of those dishes on this website by simply going to the Recipes tab at the top.
Thomas says
I am gradually cooking my way through these 20 wonderful soup recipes! I have made 5 so far and am planning at least 5 more. I probably won’t get through all 20, but who knows! I really appreciate the many small details included in each recipe, and how some small thing affects the final result. For several that I have cooked before with different recipes, I notice new details with your techniques that I was unaware of previously. Thank you so much for this wonderful post. I look forward to exploring more of your recipes!
SADIA HASAN says
Each recipe is succulent and unique . I am enjoying to know new recipe from your post.
Nina says
Made the radish soup using Korean radish. I used fish sauce to season the soup. It was easy to make fast and delicious. Your recipe is a five star rating.
I also made potato soup, oh so good and comforting on a cold night.
Thomas Gao says
I love your recipes! They are easy to reproduce, and they always my go-to for winter dishes.
Sonia Gilliam says
Hello Hyson,
My name is E Hassoon, Sonia is my american name. I don’t eat a lot of Korean food these days because I can’t read korean ingredients at all so i feel, I am blindly selecting unhealthy prepared food in the store. That is why I wish, I can make one of my favorite dish (homemade broth) for buckwheat vermicelli cold noodle soup. It’s my favorite dish besides rice cake soup and some. Can You Help Me? I would love to eat more Korean food. I hope you have some suggestions for me, what type of spices to buy so I can enjoy OUR traditional food.
Thank you SO MUCH in advance.
Sonia
Stanley Philip Costa says
I love Korean food.
CRISANTO CARDANO says
I WISH I TASTE ALL OF THAT FOOD AND DO IT MY OWN STYLE WITH YOUR PERMISSION
SC says
Do you have a recipe for Beef Brisket with Dried Cabbage Soup?
Hyosun says
Sorry I don’t. Yukgaejang is the closest thing.
Koreabooo says
I am from Philippines but i would like to try to cook the Dam Goktang i think its the same dish here in the Philippines the ‘tinola’. Thank you for sharing your recipe.
Hyosun says
Yes, it’s dak gomtang (chicken soup). I already have my recipe on the blog:
https://www.koreanbapsang.com/dak-gomtang-korean-chicken-soup/
Enjoy!
Tiffany says
Thank you! Can you please share more slow cooker recipes? I love them! Thank you!
Pat Lazete says
Hi. I’m trying to get a recipe for Duk Mun Du. I’ve looked for a good easy recipe and can’t find one. Will you help me please. My email address [email protected] I hope you can help me. I buy this at a local restaurant but would like to make it at home when I want it. Thanks for your help.
Hyosun says
Do you mean rice cake soup with mandu? Can you look at this recipe and see if it helps.See the notes for adding mandu. Hope this helps. Please let me know if this is not what you’re looking for.
https://www.koreanbapsang.com/2013/01/tteokguk-korean-rice-cake-soup.html
Sherron says
Nice article.
Do you have a recipe for chompong. Probably missed spelled. Seafood Korean soup.
YOLANDA B. JOVES says
I really love korean soup. It easy to make a simple and healthy yummy soup. Thank for sharing.
Hyosun says
Yes! Thank you!
Joyce says
Some of my favorites! You know what recipe I would love to see? Kkorriguk! I think it’s oxtail broth basically? My grandmother used to make it all the time. I would eat it for breakfast before highschool everyday lol!
Hyosun says
I bet it was delicious! It’s similar to making seolleongtang, but I will add it to my list.
Ann Emmerich says
do you have this as a cookbook?
Hyosun says
oh sorry about the late response. No, I don’t have a cookbook yet. Hopefully, sometime in the near future. Thanks for stopping by!
monalisa says
Looks so yummy. Will make this soon!
Thanks!
Sonia repaso says
I love cooking korean food,
And i get your menu,
Please share to me you new menu.
Thank you…