Print

Tasty Korean Winter Soup Recipe

Print Recipe

★★★★★

4.9 from 144 reviews

Tasty Korean Winter Soup is a comforting and hearty broth made by simmering beef short ribs with aromatic ingredients such as yellow onion, ginger, garlic, and Korean leeks or green onions. Enhanced with radish and seasoned simply with soy sauce and salt, this traditional soup offers a rich, clear broth perfect for cold weather meals, accompanied best by a bowl of rice.

Ingredients

Scale

Meat

  • 1.5 lbs beef short ribs

Broth Aromatics

  • 10 cups water
  • 1 whole yellow onion, with skin (if organic)
  • 2 green onions or 1 Korean leek (for broth)
  • 3–4 dried or fresh green onion roots (optional)
  • 2 thick ginger slices
  • 2 tablespoons chopped garlic or 5–6 whole cloves
  • 1/2 medium radish, quartered into thin slices

Seasoning and Toppings

  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce for soup (guk ganjang)
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
  • 2 green onions or 1 Korean leek, sliced for topping
  • Black pepper (to taste, for garnish)

Instructions

  1. Prepare and Soak the Short Ribs: Begin by soaking the beef short ribs in cold water for 1 hour to draw out any blood from the meat. Alternatively, flash boil the ribs, discard the liquid, and boil again with fresh water. Meanwhile, prepare the aromatics by washing and peeling the yellow onion, slicing the ginger, chopping the garlic, and readying the green onions or Korean leek along with any green onion roots.
  2. Start the Broth: In a large stock pot, combine the soaked ribs, ginger slices, green onions or leek, whole yellow onion with skin, green onion roots if using, and 10 cups of water. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium and carefully skim off any brownish foam that appears on the surface to keep the broth clear and reduce excess fat.
  3. Simmer the Broth: Lower the heat to medium-low and simmer the broth uncovered for 1 hour to develop a rich flavor. Continue to skim off any foam regularly throughout the simmering process for a clean broth.
  4. Add Radish and Continue Cooking: After 1 hour, add the quartered thin slices of radish to the pot. Allow the soup to continue simmering for an additional 20 minutes until the radish softens and absorbs the flavors of the broth.
  5. Finalize and Season the Soup: Remove and discard all the aromatics including the onion, ginger, green onions, and roots, leaving only the tender ribs and clear broth. Season the soup with 1 tablespoon of guk ganjang (Korean soy sauce for soup), 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt, and add some additional chopped garlic. Simmer for another 10 minutes to allow the seasoning to meld thoroughly into the broth.
  6. Serve the Soup: Ladle the hot soup and ribs into bowls. Garnish with freshly sliced green onions or Korean leek and a light sprinkle of black pepper for extra flavor. Serve alongside a bowl of steamed rice for a complete and nourishing Korean winter meal.

Notes

  • Soaking or flash boiling the ribs first helps in achieving a cleaner and clearer broth by removing blood and impurities.
  • Skimming foam throughout the simmering process is key to maintaining clarity and reducing grease in the soup.
  • Using Korean leek or green onions adds authentic flavor, but you may substitute with scallions if needed.
  • This soup is best served hot and pairs beautifully with steamed rice or kimchi on the side.
  • For a deeper flavor, you can simmer the broth longer, up to 2 hours, adjusting water as needed.
  • Make sure to discard all aromatics after cooking to keep the broth clean and clear.

Keywords: Korean soup, beef short ribs soup, winter Korean soup, clear broth soup, guk, traditional Korean broth

Find it online: https://flavorsbymaya.com/tasty-korean-winter-soup-recipe/