TteokGuk 떡국 | Korean Rice Cake Soup | What Great Grandma Ate (2024)

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What Is Korean Rice Cake Soup (TeokGuk)?

TteokGuk, or Korean rice cake soup, is a comforting and mild soup made with chewy rice cakes in beef broth. It can be eaten all year round, but it’s traditionally eaten on the first day of the Lunar New Year (설날, “Seollal” in Korean).

“Tteok” means rice cake, “guk” means soup. Another common spelling is DdukGuk. The round coin-like shape of the rice cakes is thought to bring in wealth and fortune for the year, and its white color represents purity and a new beginning.

What Makes This Recipe Great

While this delicious soup is a traditional New Year’s Day food, it really can be enjoyed any time of year! It’s an easy, comforting Korean recipe that gives me all the cozy feels.

Korean soups are truly comfort food, so if you’re looking for more recipes check out my Korean radish soup (muguk), Korean Oxtail Soup (kkori gomtang), Korean Soondubu, or this Korean Rice Porridge (dak juk).

While there are many versions of TteokGuk, depending on family traditions and regions of origin, I’m excited to share my version with you. I hope you love it as much as I do! Wishing you a prosperous new year from my family to yours!

Watch a Short Video of This Recipe

• sliced rice cakes: Rice cakes are also known as “garae tteok” (가래떡) and are sliced in thin ovals. Can be found in Korean grocery stores or you can order online.
• sesame oil
• water
• beef brisket: This is the preferred cut of beef for soup as it has a lovely deep flavor and shreds easily once tender. The perfect meat for TteokGuk.
• garlic cloves: Use freshly minced garlic or a jar of minced garlic, whatever you have on hand.
• fish sauce: I use this instead of guk ganjang (soup soy sauce) or soy sauce, though you choose to use either if you prefer or have it on hand.
• chopped green onions
• salt & ground black pepper
• toasted seaweed: Toasted seaweed is also called “nori” or “gim” (김), and these come in large square sheets. They are used as a topping you add to the soup at the end.

Egg Garnish (지단, “Jidan”)

Jidan is traditionally made by separating the egg whites and the yolk and frying each in a thin layer before cutting them into thin slices. However, I don’t bother with separating them because it doesn’t change the flavor and it’s done just for appearance.

• eggs
• sea salt
• avocado oil: or whichever neutral cooking oil you prefer.

1. To prepare the rice cakes, soak them in cold water for at least 20 minutes while you make the beef broth.
2. Heat sesame oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add brisket and garlic, and cook stirring until the meat is mostly browned about 3-4 minutes.
3. Add in water and let it come to a boil. Lower the heat to simmer, cover, then cook for 25 minutes, or until the meat is tender. You can skim off the foam that rises to the top. Make the egg garnish in the next step while the meat cooks.
4. To make the egg garnish, whisk the eggs together and season with salt. Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat, then pour the eggs into a thin, single layer. Cook for 1 minute, flip, then cook for another minute. Remove from heat, slice into thin strips, and set aside.
5. Once the meat is tender in the broth, drain the rice cakes and add to the broth with ground black pepper and fish sauce. Simmer for 4-5 minutes until the rice cakes are soft. Taste to add salt if needed.
6. Remove from heat and serve your TteokGuk hot in bowls. Garnish with beef, egg strips, green onions, and nori pieces.

Serving Tips

• Serve hot in bowls. Garnish with beef, egg strips, green onions, and nori pieces.

Storage Tips

• Leftovers don’t keep well because the rice cakes get thick and mushy during storage. If you aren’t planning to finish the soup, add just enough rice cakes that you can eat in one sitting and save the rest for the next time you want to enjoy it.

Is TteokGuk the same as TteokBokki?

TteokBokki is a popular Korean food also known as spicy rice cakes. TteoKguk is a mild rice cake soup. The main similarity is that they both feature rice cakes, however, the rice cakes take different shapes in each dish. One is small ovals (TteokGuk) and one feature cylindrical rice cakes (TeokBokki).

What are Korean Rice Cakes called?

Tteok, also lso spelled dduk. Guk means soup in Korean, hence TteokGuk meaning rice cake soup. You could also call this soup Ddukguk, which would also mean rice cake soup.

Are Korean Rice Cakes healthy?

Yes! They are low in calories and high in protein. A serving of this TteokGuk recipe has 32 grams of protein and 510 calories. A filling, nourishing, protein-packed meal.

More Korean Lunar New Year Recipes…

Korean Vegetable Pancakes (Yachaejeon)

Korean Caramelized Sweet Potatoes (Goguma Mattang)

Slow Cooker Korean Short Ribs (Galbi Jjim)

Paleo Songpyeon Recipe – Traditional Korean Rice Cake Dessert