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Rice Cake Soup

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tteok-guk

Sliced rice cake soup traditionally eaten for Korean New Year.

Medium35 min3 servings★ 76Contains eggContains soyContains sesame
🍲

History & culture

Rice cake soup is essential on Korean New Year (Seollal), when eating a bowl is traditionally said to add a year of age. Oval sliced garaetteok in clear beef or anchovy broth symbolize purity and renewal at the year's start. The custom likely grew from rice-cake offerings and holiday guk practices, though details vary by region and family. Tteokguk now appears year-round in restaurants while remaining the defining Seollal morning dish.

Servings
3

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Ingredients & steps

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Ingredients

  • Garlic
    2 cloves
  • Thinly sliced beef

    Substitutesirloin or ribeye or sliced thin at home

    100 g
  • Water
    6 cups
  • Anchovy-kelp broth (or dashi)

    Substituteinstant dashi + water

    1 tbsp
  • Egg
    2 each
  • Green onion

    Substitutescallion or spring onion

    3 stalks
  • Sliced rice cake (tteokguk tteok)

    Substituteoval rice cake slices from Korean market

    300 g

Seasonings

  • Soy sauce

    SubstituteTsuyu (diluted) 4 tsp (2 tsp per 1 tbsp) or Tamari 2 tbsp

    2 tbsp
  • Toasted sesame oil

    Substitutea small amount of olive oil (flavor differs)

    1 tbsp
  • Salt
    1 tsp
  • Black pepper
    0.25 tsp

Steps

  1. 1High heat1 min

    Blanch beef slices in boiling water 1 minute. Rinse to remove scum.

    • Thinly sliced beef
    • Water
  2. 2Medium heat15 min

    Bring water and anchovy base to a boil. Add beef, garlic, and soy sauce; simmer 15 minutes, skimming foam. Season the soup.

    • Water
    • Thinly sliced beef
    • Soy sauce
    • Anchovy-kelp broth (or dashi)
    • Garlic
    • Salt
  3. 3Medium heat5 min

    Add sliced rice cakes and cook until they float and soften.

    • Sliced rice cake (tteokguk tteok)
  4. 4Low heat2 min

    Drizzle beaten egg in a thin stream, then finish with green onion, sesame oil and black pepper.

    • Egg
    • Green onion
    • Toasted sesame oil
    • Black pepper

Storage & reheating

Refrigerate up to 2 days; rice cakes absorb broth so add water when reheating.

Troubleshooting

  • ⚠️ Rice cakes stick together

    → Separate slices before adding and stir gently once in the pot.

  • ⚠️ Soup becomes too thick

    → Use thinly sliced tteok and do not overcook after they float.