Miyeok Guk (Korean Seaweed Soup)

5 from 54 votes

Miyeok guk is an umami-rich Korean seaweed soup made with beef or seafood, traditionally enjoyed on birthdays and for postnatal recovery.

Prep Time10

Cook Time30

Total Time40

Course: Main Course, Soup

Cuisine: Korean

Servings: people

To make the anchovy stock, combine 3 anchovy tablets with 4 cups of hot water and let it sit to dissolve.
*You can also make your own anchovy stock from scratch.
Soak the miyeok (dried seaweed) in warm water for 10-15 minutes or until soft, then rinse a few times and squeeze out all the water. Cut into bite-sized pieces if your miyeok is really long.
*Careful not to soak for too long. Miyeok loses it's flavor the longer it is soaked.
Over medium-low heat, add the beef (or pork) to a non-stick pot and sprinkle salt all over. Sauté the beef until it is no longer red on the outside.
*You should not need to use any oil to sauté the beef, unless you are using very lean beef. If you're using a stainless steel pot then it might stick a little at first.
Increase the heat to medium then add the miyeok, garlic, and sesame oil.
Sauté for 2-3 minutes.
Add the anchovy stock.
Add fish sauce to taste- for me 1/2 tsp is good enough.
Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cover for 20 minutes.
After 20-30 minutes the beef should be very tender and the soup will have a slightly milky appearance. Serve with rice and kimchi :)

Anchovy broth is easy to make from scratch if you prefer not to use anchovy tablets. You will need dried anchovies with the heads and guts removed, some dried kelp (kombu), and mu (Korean radish). Bring to a boil with water, then simmer for 20 minutes.
You can also use beef broth instead of anchovy broth. It is common to use either one!
Use beef that has some fat in it. Lean beef is perfectly fine, but beef with fat will enhance the flavor.
If using seafood, add it in the last few minutes of cooking. Seafood cooks quickly, and adding it too early could result in overcooking, which would make it tough or rubbery.
To make this vegan, use soup soy sauce instead of fish sauce. I recommend using tofu and mushrooms to replace the meats!