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    Home » Noodles and Rice

    Tteokguk (Korean Rice Cake Soup)

    Published 01/01/2020. Updated 02/01/2022

    Jump to Recipe

    Tteokguk (or dduk guk) is Korean rice cake soup! This starchy and soothing bowl of soup is not only a New Year’s tradition but is classic comfort food any time of year!

    DSC7570 3 e1577862721959 - Tteokguk (Korean Rice Cake Soup)

    Happy New Year! For Koreans, auspicious food for a prosperous New Year is definitely tteokguk (떡국) — rice cake soup! This starchy and soothing bowl of soup is not only a New Year’s tradition but is a classic comfort food any time of the year!

    What is tteokguk (or ddukguk)?

    Tteokguk is a soup made with sliced rice cakes, usually in beef broth. It’s a traditional must-eat New Year’s dish. The rice cake used for this soup is garaetteok, which is unsweetened and shaped like a long cylinder. For the soup, garaetteok is sliced into thin oval shapes. The white oval shape symbolizes a bright and prosperous new year.

    Growing up, I always loved to eat long steaming garaetteok that my mother used to bring home from a rice cake mill to prepare for the New Year’s feast. She would wait a couple of days for the garaetteok to turn hard before slicing them into thin oval slices. These days, pre-sliced gareatteok is widely available all year around, making the soup preparation much easier.

    rice cake - Tteokguk (Korean Rice Cake Soup)

    Often, I add mandu (Korean dumplings) to tteokguk, in which case the soup is called tteok-manduguk (떡만두국). You can use any kind of mandu in the soup. My favorite is kimchi mandu because of its pungent flavor and crunchy texture, which I think adds a nice contrast to the mildly flavored broth and soft rice cake slices.

    DSC 0579 e1483301660211 - Tteokguk (Korean Rice Cake Soup)

    How to make beef broth for tteokguk

    You can make tteokguk with any broth such as anchovy broth, vegan broth, and chicken broth. However, beef broth is classic. It’s also common to use milky beef bone broth.

    There are largely two ways to make beef broth for Korean soups. For the first one, you cut the meat into small pieces, season with Korean soup soy sauce and sauté with a little bit of sesame oil before boiling in water. Since the meat is thinly sliced, it cooks up quickly, more so if you use a tender cut of meat. Use a cut of meat with some marbling that’s not too tough. Beef chuck, loin or bulgogi meat is good for this.

    Beef broth for tteokguk - Tteokguk (Korean Rice Cake Soup)

    Another method is to boil a large chunk of flavorful beef with some aromatic vegetables. In Korea, beef brisket (yangjimeori, 양지머리) is a popular cut of meat for making soups. It’s a tough cut of meat cooked in large chunks, so it takes longer for the meat to turn tender, about an hour. The resulting broth has a deep flavor. The meat is then shredded, seasoned and used as a garnish.

     

    Variations and tips for making tteokguk

    1. Use soup soy sauce (guk ganjang, 국간장) to season the broth, if available. Guk ganjang is essential for authentic Korean soups such as this rice cake soup. It adds delicious savory flavor to the soup. A good substitute is a fish sauce.
    2. If you want to add some mandu (dumplings), you can drop them in along with the rice cake slices, stirring gently so they don’t stick to the bottom of the pot. Boil until all of them float, and continue to cook for another minute or two. You can also steam mandu or cook in boiling water separately, and add to the soup when the rice cake is softened. This method will keep the soup from becoming too thick from all the starch released from the rice cake and mandu.
    3. Although egg jidan (sliced egg crepe) is a classic garnish for rice cake soup, a common alternative is to drizzle a lightly beaten egg over the boiling soup (do not stir) immediately before turning the heat off. Or you can omit the egg part entirely if you like.

    More New Year recipes:

    Gul tteokguk (Oyster Rice Cake Soup)
    Tteok Mandu Guk (Rice Cake Soup with Dumplings)
    Kimchi mandu (dumplings)
    15 Korean New Year Recipes

    DSC7580 e1577859585968 - Tteokguk (Korean Rice Cake Soup)

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

    DSC 0579 150x150 1 - Tteokguk (Korean Rice Cake Soup)

    Tteokguk (Korean Rice Cake Soup)

    4.45 from 50 votes
    Main, Soup
    Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
    Servings: 4
    Print Recipe

    Ingredients

    Beef Broth (you can also use anchovy broth)

    • 1/2 pound 230 grams beef brisket (양지머리) or flank steak (or chuck or loin)
    • 1/2 medium onion
    • 5 – 6 plump garlic cloves
    • 3 scallions – white parts (or 1 Korean daepa white part)
    • 2 tablespoons soup soy sauce (guk ganjang, 국간장) see note 1
    • Salt and pepper to taste

    Garnish

    • Beef removed from the broth
    • 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
    • 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
    • salt and pepper
    • 1 egg
    • 1 scallion
    • 1/2 sheet gim (김, aka nori), roasted

    Rice cakes (garae tteok)

    • 4 cups sliced garae tteok (가래떡, rice cake)
    • Soak in cold water for about 20 minutes if hardened. see note 2

    Instructions

    • Soak the rice cake slices in cold water for about 20 minutes.
      tteokguk tteok e1483307570581 - Tteokguk (Korean Rice Cake Soup)
    • In a large pot, bring the meat, onion, scallions and garlic to a boil in 14 cups of water. Reduce the heat to medium low, and skim off the scum. Simmer, covered, until the meat is tender enough for shredding, about an hour or longer. You can add more water if reduced too much. You'll need about about 10 cups at the end. Remove the meat and cool. Discard the vegetables. Stir in soup soy sauce, salt and pepper to taste.
      DSC 0412 768x514 - Tteokguk (Korean Rice Cake Soup)
    • Cut the cooled beef into 1 to 1.5-inch wide strips against the grain, shred, and combine well with garlic, sesame oil, and salt and pepper to taste.
      DSC 0415 768x514 - Tteokguk (Korean Rice Cake Soup)
    • To make egg garnish (jidan), separate the egg white and yolk if desired. Lightly beat the white by gently cutting it with a spoon. Stir the yolk with a spoon until smooth. Heat a lightly oiled nonstick skillet over medium low heat. Pour each egg part into a thin layer, tilting the skillet and/or spreading with a spoon. Cook each side briefly. (Do not brown the egg.) See note 3 for another egg option.
      DSC 0425 768x514 - Tteokguk (Korean Rice Cake Soup)
    • Roll each egg crepe, and slice into short thin strips. Slice the scallion diagonally into thin strips. Cut gim (seaweed sheet) into thin about 1.5-inch strips with kitchen shears, or simply crush them with hands.
      DSC 0435 768x514 - Tteokguk (Korean Rice Cake Soup)
    • Return the broth to a boil. Add the rice cake slices and boil until soft, usually about 5 – 8 minutes. Ladle the steaming soup into individual bowls and garnish with the shredded beef, egg, scallion and gim strips.
      tteokguk5 e1483303065237 - Tteokguk (Korean Rice Cake Soup)

    Quicker method for making beef broth

    • Cut the beef into thin bite size pieces (1 to 1 1/2 inch). In a pot, sauté the beef with 1 tablespoon of soup soy sauce until all the pieces turn brown. Pour in 12 cups of water and bring it to a boil. Skim off the foam. Add another tablespoon of soy sauce and salt and pepper to taste. Reduce the heat to medium and continue to boil, covered, for 10 minutes, or until the meat is tender. Follow step 5 next.
      Beef broth for tteokguk - Tteokguk (Korean Rice Cake Soup)

    Notes

    1. If soup soy sauce, known as Joseon ganjang or guk ganjang, is not available,  you can use a little bit of regular soy sauce to add color (about 1/2 tablespoon) and season with salt. Regular soy sauce is not a good substitute for Korean soups. It will make the soup too dark and a bit sweet. Fish sauce is a better substitute if available.
    2. Although egg jidan is a classic garnish for tteokguk, a common alternative is to drizzle a lightly beaten egg over the boiling soup right before turning the heat off. Or you can omit the egg part entirely if you like.
    3. If you want to add some mandu (dumplings), see my tteok manduguk recipe.
    Tried this recipe?Mention @koreanbapsang or tag #koreanbapsang!

    This recipe was originally posted in January 2013. I’ve updated it here with new photos, more information and minor changes to the recipe.

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    Comments

    1. Scott Julien says

      January 01, 2022 at 12:54 pm

      5 stars
      This recipe made for some unbelievable soup. I accentuated the broth with some beef bouillon, but otherwise, it was excellent. Thank you very much.

      Reply
      • Hyosun says

        January 01, 2022 at 4:30 pm

        Great to hear that! Thank you!

        Reply
    2. Sandra says

      October 21, 2021 at 12:49 pm

      I made this last night with chuck roast, doubled the meat, and it was delicious! We also took the onion out, chopped it up and added it back in. Very tasty, and pretty easy for how good it was. Thanks so much for providing the recipe!

      Reply
      • Hyosun says

        October 22, 2021 at 7:35 pm

        Great! Glad it turned out well.

        Reply
    3. terrence says

      August 11, 2021 at 4:26 am

      5 stars
      Beef broth is classic and common to you but to me it’s anchovy broth. So I think any broth is classic. When I had my first milky beef bone broth Tteokguk made by my mother-in-law after I married, I felt really weird, thinking myself why the soup is not clear. Because for more than 30 years the only Tteokguk I know is made of anchovy broth.
      I guess the explanations below would help understand about different broth.
      “Tteokguk can be served in a clear broth or heavy broth depending on what region in Korea you are in. Towns and villages close to the ocean make it as a clear broth since they mainly use seafood when making the broth, while in inland regions the broth is heavier as cow bones are used, as seafood is not readily available.”

      Reply
    4. SM says

      October 10, 2020 at 9:02 pm

      5 stars
      Reminds me of my mom’s cooking. The flavor of the meat was so good! The only thing is that my soup was really greasy. Any suggestions on how to reduce the grease? Love your recipes!

      Reply
    5. Valerie Campbell says

      August 15, 2020 at 9:31 pm

      I love Korean rice cakes could you use it as a dumpling in a Canadian beef stew

      Reply
      • Hyosun says

        August 15, 2020 at 9:34 pm

        Sounds good to me!

        Reply
    6. Fiona Warner says

      January 24, 2020 at 7:47 pm

      As a Korean-American wife living in Taipei, I didn’t get to spend Sul with my parents this year, so I made this for my husband and myself. Thanks always for your recipes, Hyosun-shi, as expats who travel the world, your recipes have made me feel like Korea is just a few ingredients away.

      Reply
      • Hyosun says

        January 24, 2020 at 11:41 pm

        Aww so happy to hear you and your husband got to have tteokguk in Taipei! I’m glad to hear my recipes are helping you make Korean food while traveling the world. Happy New Year!

        Reply
    7. Karen says

      January 21, 2020 at 11:30 pm

      5 stars
      This is such a wonderfully warm and comforting meal. I made this using your seollangtang recipe as a base and it turned out beautifully thanks to your instructions. My husband and I absolutely loved it!!! Making it with the bone broth base is a bit of a time investment, but I can say without a doubt that it was well worth the time and effort! Thanks so much for sharing!!! 😁

      Reply
    8. Abernathy says

      October 08, 2019 at 11:46 pm

      THIS. ROCKED. MY. WORLD. I actually made it with anchovy broth instead, and didn’t have soup soy sauce so I had regular. I put in both white and black pepper as well as some MSG, and a bit of yu choi sum. Your recommendation on the kimchi mandu was great, especially since I had some languishing in the freezer! It was so delicious that I didn’t even notice the sesame oil was missing until after I ate a giant bowl.

      I rarely ever comment on recipe pages, but I have been using many of your recipes and I wanted to express how thankful I am that you have shared these with us! This really made my night.

      Reply
    9. Bangtan_Erin says

      August 16, 2019 at 3:45 pm

      Can you use a boiled pot roast or does it have to be made with brisket?

      Reply
      • Hyosun says

        August 17, 2019 at 10:30 am

        You can use any part of beef.

        Reply
    10. Jo says

      February 10, 2019 at 12:26 pm

      Hello! If I wanted to make this in my Instant Pot, how much water should I use per 1/2 lb of beef brisket? (I’m hoping to cook a whole pound of beef brisket and have leftover broth to save for future.)

      <3

      Reply
      • Hyosun says

        February 11, 2019 at 8:26 pm

        I’d say 8 cups. Really there are no rules. Try it with 8 cups and see how it comes out. You can always adjust next time.

        Reply
    11. Skim says

      February 05, 2019 at 10:06 am

      Hello,
      Can you substitute the gukganjang with something else? Regular (gluten free) soy sauce? My kids are allergic to wheat and also fish sauce.
      Thank you!

      Reply
      • Hyosun says

        February 05, 2019 at 11:01 am

        a little bit of regular soy sauce is okay but not the same amount as gukganjang. Just use a little bit and season with salt.

        Reply
    12. Jonnette says

      January 02, 2019 at 12:08 am

      5 stars
      Happy New Year! Made this soup today and my family enjoyed it!

      Reply
      • Hyosun says

        January 06, 2019 at 11:24 pm

        Happy New Year! That’s great. Thanks for letting me know and for the great review!

        Reply
    13. Jonathan says

      February 21, 2018 at 1:08 am

      The instructions for the egg are confusing me. Can you give me some more details?

      Reply
    14. edith kong says

      December 18, 2017 at 3:46 pm

      Can the broth be made day before? Is it ok to cook the brisket & season it the day before? Then add duk the next day?

      Reply
      • Hyosun says

        December 19, 2017 at 1:24 am

        Yes it can be. It’s commonly done that way, especially on holidays when preparing lots of foods. Enjoy!

        Reply
    15. Joanne Liew says

      April 19, 2017 at 4:29 am

      Thanks for the recipe! I tried it for the first time today and it turned out to be ok. Just that I forgot to add soy sauce and I substituted sesame oil with olive oil for the beef cos I dont have it at home!

      Reply
    16. Nona says

      February 12, 2016 at 11:01 am

      I have been craving my mom’s tteokguk for so long. This is the perfect recipe I can make myself until I can visit her and have some Korean mom home cooking!

      Reply
      • Hyosun says

        February 13, 2016 at 10:57 pm

        My daughter did the same thing today. She made this tteokguk herself since she couldn’t have her mom’s tteokguk living away from home. Enjoy!

        Reply
    17. Peggy says

      February 19, 2015 at 10:15 am

      Am I able to freeze this soup if I made too much? I don’t know if the rice cakes will get soggy or chewy if I do.

      Reply
      • Hyosun says

        February 19, 2015 at 9:49 pm

        Rice cakes will get soggy in the soup and will not freeze well once boiled. You can remove them from the soup and store separately in the fridge for 2 to 3 days. Just boil them together when needed.

        Reply
    18. Sarang says

      February 18, 2015 at 9:00 pm

      Hi there! I’m so glad I found you! I was wondering if you knew how to make a drink my halmony used to make. It’s a sweet rice drink, I can’t remember the name but I used to drink it all the time when I lived in Daegu.

      Reply
      • Hyosun says

        February 18, 2015 at 9:56 pm

        I’m glad you found me as well! It’s called sikhye (식혜). I will add it to my to-do list.

        Reply
    19. Esther says

      December 31, 2014 at 3:20 pm

      Thank you for all your recipes. They’re exactly how my mom makes them and it always reminds me of home!

      Reply
      • Hyosun says

        January 01, 2015 at 1:58 am

        aww that’s great to hear, Esther! I am glad to be helpful. Cheers!

        Reply
    20. Jake says

      September 12, 2014 at 11:20 am

      You are Great!!! Thank you so much!

      Reply
      • Hyosun says

        September 17, 2014 at 12:50 am

        Thank you, Jake!

        Reply
    21. Cherry Uy says

      July 09, 2014 at 11:19 pm

      Hi. this soup looks really good. i was just wondering, can we try this with rice noodles also instead of the rice cake? thanks so much 😀

      Reply
      • Hyosun says

        July 10, 2014 at 1:09 am

        Sure, but it would be a completely different soup.

        Reply
    22. Cheryl Anne says

      February 13, 2014 at 10:54 am

      I tried this and my family likes it. Thanks for sharing the recipe 🙂

      Reply
    23. Plumber Burien says

      June 09, 2013 at 6:11 pm

      Thanks! 😀 I have tons of leftover stock now too, so I’m going to be making jjigaes and tteokbokki!

      Reply
      • Hyosun Ro says

        June 12, 2013 at 1:43 am

        Thanks for coming by! Enjoy!!

        Reply
    24. Sissi says

      January 04, 2013 at 10:42 am

      Happy New Year, Hyosun! The soup looks gorgeous and I’m glad you posted it once more. I love rice cakes (I had once a Korean dish at a Korean friend’s house: rice cakes with lots of gochujang; it was extraordinary) and I should cook it more often.

      Reply
    25. Rebecca Subbiah says

      January 02, 2013 at 1:15 am

      looks tasty and happy new year

      Reply

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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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