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    Home » Main Dish

    Muguk (Radish Soup)

    Published 03/06/2011. Updated 11/15/2021

    Jump to Recipe

    Muguk is an easy soup made with Korean radish (mu). It’s a staple soup in Korean homes. 
    DSC 1936 e1489466393356 - Muguk (Radish Soup)
     

    Cool weather is here to stay around here, and Korean radish, mu (무), is in season. A perfect combination for muguk (Korean radish soup)!  You don’t probably haven’t seen muguk served at restaurants, but it’s a staple soup in Korean homes. It’s an easy soup to make, but I’ll share some basics and tips which will be helpful. 

    moo 2Bguk - Muguk (Radish Soup)

    Korean radish,mu (무), tastes best during late fall and winter. They are juicy and slightly sweet. Buy one that is firm and heavy.

    I used a quick method that’s common in Korean cooking to make a beef soup base. See another method in my tteokguk (떡국) recipe. The thinly sliced beef is seasoned with Korean soup soy sauce and sautéed before being boiled in water. The result is a broth with deep flavors that deliciously complements the white radish.

    This soup base can be used for different types of soups, such as tteokguk, gamjaguk, and miyeokguk. You can use napa cabbage instead of radish in this recipe for sogogi baechu guk. 

    More Soup Recipes

    15 Korean Soup Recipes

    Watch how to make it

    For more Korean cooking inspirations, follow  along on YouTube, Pinterest, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

    DSC 1936 350x350 - Muguk (Radish Soup)

    Korean Radish Soup (Muguk)

    4.63 from 48 votes
    Soup
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 30 minutes
    Total Time: 40 minutes
    Servings: 4
    Print Recipe

    Ingredients

    • 12 ounces Korean radish, mu, 무
    • 2 scallions
    • 6 ounces beef brisket, chuck, or loin
    • 2 teaspoons minced garlic, divided
    • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
    • 2 tablespoons Korean soup soy sauce, guk ganjang, 국간장 (see note) See note
    • salt and pepper to taste

    Instructions

    • Cut the beef into thin bite size pieces. Marinate with 1 tablespoon of soup soy sauce, 1 teaspoon of garlic, a pinch of pepper, and 1 teaspoon of sesame oil. Set aside.
      moo guk2 e1505445589114 - Muguk (Radish Soup)
    • Cut the radish into bite size pieces (1 to 1.5-inch square, about 1/4-inch thick). Cut the scallions into 1 to 1.5-inch pieces.
      moo guk3 e1505445635324 - Muguk (Radish Soup)
    • In a medium pot, sauté the beef until all the pieces turn brown. Pour in 8 cups of water and bring it to a boil. Skim off the foam. Reduce the heat to medium high and continue to boil, covered, for 10 minutes.
      moo guk4 e1505445685723 - Muguk (Radish Soup)
    • Add the radish pieces and boil, covered, until the radish turns translucent and soft, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in the remaining teaspoon of the garlic, scallions, and the remaining tablespoon of the soup soy sauce. The soup should not look too dark. Taste for salt and pepper. Boil for an additional 5 minutes.
      moo guk5 e1505445768518 - Muguk (Radish Soup)

    Notes

    Do not substitute with regular soy sauce. It will be too sweet and dark. A better substitute is fish sauce, which is sometimes used in Korean soups.
    Tried this recipe?Mention @koreanbapsang or tag #koreanbapsang!

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    Hi! I'm Hyosun, and I am a Korean-American mom of two wonderful grown-up children. Here, you will learn how to cook Korean dishes the way we Koreans traditionally eat at home. Read More...

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