20 Spicy Korean Soup Recipes

Craving something warm, cozy, and full of bold Korean flavors? Korean soups (guk or jjigae) are the ultimate comfort food — rich, nourishing, and packed with umami. From fiery kimchi stews to soothing ginseng chicken soup, these recipes will warm your soul and satisfy your cravings. Slurping is encouraged!

1. Kimchi Jjigae (Kimchi Stew)

This spicy, tangy stew is a Korean staple made with fermented kimchi, pork, tofu, and gochujang. It's bold, comforting, and perfect with steamed rice.

Ingredients (Serves 4)

• 500g ripe kimchi (with juice)
• 300g pork belly or shoulder, sliced
• 200g firm tofu, cubed
• 1 onion, sliced
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 2 tbsp gochujang (Korean chili paste)
• 1 tbsp gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
• 4 cups water or anchovy stock
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. In a pot, sauté pork until browned. Add kimchi and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes.
2. Add gochujang, gochugaru, and water/stock. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 20 minutes.
3. Add tofu and simmer for another 10 minutes. Finish with sesame oil and green onions.
4. Serve hot with rice.

2. Sundubu Jjigae (Spicy Soft Tofu Stew)

Creamy soft tofu in a spicy, bubbling broth with seafood or meat. This jjigae is served sizzling hot!

Ingredients (Serves 4)

• 1 package (400g) soft silken tofu
• 200g shrimp or beef
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 2 tbsp gochujang
• 1 tbsp gochugaru
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 4 cups anchovy stock
• 1 egg (optional)
• Green onions for garnish

Instructions

1. Heat oil in a pot, sauté garlic, onion, and gochugaru.
2. Add protein and stir-fry, then add stock and gochujang. Simmer 10 minutes.
3. Gently add soft tofu and simmer 5 more minutes.
4. Crack an egg on top and serve immediately.

3. Doenjang Jjigae (Soybean Paste Stew)

A hearty, earthy stew with fermented soybean paste, vegetables, and tofu. Comforting and full of umami.

Ingredients (Serves 4)

• 3 tbsp doenjang (Korean soybean paste)
• 200g pork or beef, cubed
• 1 zucchini, sliced
• 1 potato, cubed
• 1 onion, sliced
• 100g mushrooms
• 4 cups water
• 1 tbsp sesame oil

Instructions

1. Boil water, add doenjang and stir to dissolve.
2. Add meat and vegetables, simmer for 20-25 minutes until tender.
3. Finish with sesame oil and serve.

4. Samgyetang (Ginseng Chicken Soup)

A nourishing whole chicken stuffed with sticky rice, ginseng, and jujubes. Traditionally eaten in summer for energy.

Ingredients (Serves 4)

• 1 whole young chicken
• 1/2 cup sticky rice, soaked
• 4-6 garlic cloves
• 1 ginseng root
• 4 jujubes
• 1/2 cup sweet rice wine
• 8 cups water

Instructions

1. Stuff chicken with rice, garlic, ginseng, and jujubes.
2. Boil in water with rice wine for 1-1.5 hours until tender.
3. Garnish with green onions and serve.

5. Seolleongtang (Ox Bone Soup)

Milky white broth from long-simmered ox bones. Served with rice and green onions.

Ingredients (Serves 6)

• 2kg ox bones
• 500g beef brisket
• Water to cover
• Salt to taste
• Green onions for serving

Instructions

1. Blanch bones, then simmer for 6-10 hours until milky.
2. Strain, add brisket, and cook until tender.
3. Season with salt and serve with rice.

6. Yukgaejang (Spicy Beef Soup)

Fiery red soup with beef, fernbrake, and vegetables. A classic hangover cure.

Ingredients (Serves 4)

• 300g beef brisket
• 1 cup dried fernbrake (gosari)
• 1 onion, sliced
• 2 tbsp gochugaru
• 4 cups beef stock
• Green onions

Instructions

1. Boil beef, shred, then sauté with gochugaru.
2. Add stock, fernbrake, and vegetables; simmer 30 minutes.
3. Serve hot.

7. Miyeokguk (Seaweed Soup)

Light, nourishing soup with beef and seaweed. Traditionally eaten on birthdays.

Ingredients (Serves 4)

• 50g dried wakame seaweed
• 200g beef
• 4 cups water
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 tbsp soy sauce

Instructions

1. Soak seaweed, sauté beef in sesame oil.
2. Add seaweed and water, simmer 20 minutes.
3. Season and serve.

8. Gamjatang (Pork Bone Soup)

Spicy pork bone soup with potatoes, perilla seeds, and cabbage. A hearty winter dish.

Ingredients (Serves 4)

• 1.5kg pork neck bones
• 4 potatoes, halved
• 1/2 cabbage
• 2 tbsp perilla seeds
• 3 tbsp gochujang

Instructions

1. Blanch bones, simmer 2 hours.
2. Add vegetables, spices, and simmer until tender.
3. Serve with rice.

9. Budae Jjigae (Army Stew)

Fusion stew with spam, sausages, kimchi, and noodles. A post-war Korean classic.

Ingredients (Serves 4)

• 200g spam, sliced
• 200g sausages
• 1/2 cup kimchi
• Instant ramen noodles
• 4 cups beef stock
• 1 tbsp gochujang

Instructions

1. Arrange ingredients in pot, pour stock and spices.
2. Boil until noodles are cooked.
3. Serve bubbling hot.

10. Tteokguk (Rice Cake Soup)

Clear beef broth with sliced rice cakes, egg ribbons, and nori. Eaten for New Year.

Ingredients (Serves 4)

• 300g sliced rice cakes
• 200g beef
• 1 egg, beaten
• Nori strips
• 6 cups beef stock

Instructions

1. Boil beef in stock, add rice cakes.
2. Pour beaten egg in a thin stream.
3. Garnish with nori and green onions.

11. Dakgaejang (Spicy Chicken Soup) or Dak Gomtang (Clear Chicken Soup)

A comforting clear or spicy chicken broth with tender meat, often served with noodles for a hearty meal.

Ingredients (Serves 4)

• 1 whole chicken or 1kg chicken parts
• 1 onion, halved
• 6 garlic cloves
• 2 tbsp gochugaru (for spicy version)
• Green onions, chopped
• Salt and pepper
• 8 cups water
• Noodles (optional)

Instructions

1. Boil chicken with onion and garlic for 1 hour.
2. Shred chicken, return to broth.
3. For spicy: Add gochugaru and simmer.
4. Serve with noodles and green onions.

12. Galbitang (Beef Short Rib Soup)

Clear, flavorful soup with tender beef short ribs, glass noodles, and radish.

Ingredients (Serves 4)

• 1kg beef short ribs
• 1 Korean radish, sliced
• 100g glass noodles
• 6 garlic cloves
• Green onions
• Salt and pepper
• 10 cups water

Instructions

1. Soak ribs, blanch, then simmer with garlic for 2 hours.
2. Add radish and noodles, cook until tender.
3. Season and garnish with green onions.

13. Manduguk (Dumpling Soup)

Light broth with handmade or store-bought dumplings, seaweed, and egg.

Ingredients (Serves 4)

• 20-30 mandu (Korean dumplings)
• 6 cups anchovy or beef stock
• 1 egg, beaten
• Nori strips
• Green onions
• 1 tbsp soy sauce

Instructions

1. Bring stock to boil, add dumplings.
2. Cook until dumplings float.
3. Drizzle egg, add seasonings.
4. Garnish and serve.

14. Kongnamulguk (Soybean Sprout Soup)

Simple, refreshing soup with crunchy soybean sprouts, often a hangover remedy.

Ingredients (Serves 4)

• 400g soybean sprouts
• 5 cups water or anchovy stock
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp salt
• Green onions
• 1 tbsp sesame oil

Instructions

1. Boil sprouts in water/stock for 10 minutes.
2. Add garlic, salt, and sesame oil.
3. Garnish with green onions.

15. Bugeoguk (Dried Pollock Soup)

Mild, savory soup made with dried pollock, tofu, and egg – great for recovery.

Ingredients (Serves 4)

• 100g dried pollock
• 200g tofu, cubed
• 1 egg, beaten
• Green onions
• 4 cups water
• 1 tbsp sesame oil

Instructions

1. Tear pollock, sauté in sesame oil.
2. Add water, simmer 15 minutes.
3. Add tofu and egg, cook briefly.
4. Garnish and serve.

16. Spicy Korean Noodle Soup (Jjamppong or Ramyun Style)

Bold, spicy seafood or beef noodle soup with vegetables and instant or fresh noodles.

Ingredients (Serves 4)

• 4 packs instant ramen or fresh noodles
• 200g seafood or pork
• Vegetables (onion, cabbage, carrot)
• 3 tbsp gochugaru
• 4 cups stock
• 2 tbsp soy sauce

Instructions

1. Sauté meat/seafood and vegetables with gochugaru.
2. Add stock and soy sauce, boil.
3. Add noodles, cook until done.
4. Serve hot.

17. Baechu Doenjangguk (Cabbage Soybean Paste Soup)

Earthy doenjang soup featuring napa cabbage for added sweetness and texture.

Ingredients (Serves 4)

• 1/2 napa cabbage, chopped
• 3 tbsp doenjang
• 1 potato, cubed
• 1 onion
• 4 cups water
• Green onions

Instructions

1. Dissolve doenjang in boiling water.
2. Add cabbage, potato, and onion.
3. Simmer 20 minutes until vegetables are soft.
4. Garnish and serve.

18. Tangy Kimchi Stew with Tomatoes

A twist on classic kimchi jjigae with added tomatoes for extra tanginess and freshness.

Ingredients (Serves 4)

• 400g kimchi
• 3 tomatoes, chopped
• 200g pork
• 200g tofu
• 2 tbsp gochujang
• 4 cups water

Instructions

1. Sauté pork and kimchi.
2. Add tomatoes, gochujang, and water.
3. Simmer 20 minutes, add tofu.
4. Serve hot.

19. Soegogi Muguk (Korean Beef and Radish Soup)

Clear, soothing soup with beef brisket and Korean radish for a clean flavor.

Ingredients (Serves 4)

• 400g beef brisket
• 1 large Korean radish, sliced
• 6 garlic cloves
• Green onions
• Salt and pepper
• 8 cups water

Instructions

1. Boil beef and garlic for 1 hour.
2. Add radish, simmer until tender.
3. Season and garnish.

20. Sigeumchi Guk (Classic Korean Spinach Soup)

Light, healthy soup with blanched spinach in clear broth, often with doenjang.

Ingredients (Serves 4)

• 300g fresh spinach
• 2 tbsp doenjang
• 4 cups anchovy stock
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• Green onions
• Sesame oil

Instructions

1. Blanch spinach, squeeze out water.
2. Boil stock with doenjang and garlic.
3. Add spinach, simmer briefly.
4. Drizzle sesame oil and serve.

These 20 recipes showcase the diversity of Korean soups – from spicy and bold to mild and restorative. Perfect for any occasion!

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