Description
Mandu Guk is a comforting Korean dumpling soup featuring tender beef brisket simmered in a savory broth, paired with delicate mandu dumplings, ribbons of egg, and garnished with green onions and toasted sesame oil. Perfect for a satisfying and flavorful meal, this soup blends rich umami notes with the ease of store-bought or homemade dumplings.
Ingredients
Scale
Beef Soup Base
- 1 pound beef brisket or chuck, cut into 1- to 1 1/2-inch pieces
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 tablespoons soy sauce
- 10 cups water
Dumplings and Soup Additions
- 32 homemade or store-bought mandu (Korean dumplings), fresh or frozen
- 2 large eggs
- 4 green onions, trimmed and cut diagonally into 2-inch slices
- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
- 2 teaspoons salt, plus more to taste
- 1 teaspoon white or black pepper, plus more to taste
For Serving
- 2 roasted nori (seaweed sheets), for serving
Instructions
- Season the beef: In a medium bowl, combine the brisket, minced garlic, and soy sauce. Set it aside to marinate briefly, allowing the flavors to penetrate the meat.
- Make the beef soup base: In a large pot over high heat, bring 10 cups of water to a boil. Add the marinated beef brisket along with the marinade. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let it simmer gently for 30 to 35 minutes until the beef becomes tender and the broth develops rich flavor.
- Add the mandu: Carefully place the mandu dumplings into the simmering beef broth. Increase the heat to bring the soup back up to a low boil. Cook fresh mandu for 5 to 9 minutes or frozen mandu for about 12 minutes, until the dumpling wrappers become translucent and they float to the surface. If using store-bought dumplings, follow package instructions for cooking times.
- Add eggs: Lightly whisk the eggs in a small bowl until fully combined. As soon as the mandu are cooked, slowly drizzle the beaten eggs into the soup while gently stirring. This technique creates delicate egg ribbons throughout the broth instead of clumps.
- Add the green onions and sesame oil: Turn off the heat. Stir in the sliced green onions and toasted sesame oil. Season the soup with 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon white or black pepper, adjusting to taste as needed.
- Serve the soup: Ladle the soup and mandu evenly into 4 to 6 bowls. Crumble or thinly slice the roasted nori seaweed sheets and sprinkle over each serving to add a pleasant texture and flavor boost. Enjoy immediately as a warm, satisfying meal.
Notes
- Mandu Guk is a quick and flavorful Korean soup that can be made easily using either store-bought or homemade dumplings depending on your preference and time.
- The soup’s rich beef broth, infused with garlic, soy sauce, and sesame oil, provides a deep umami base for the dumplings and eggs.
- Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to suit your taste at the end of cooking.
- Adding the eggs slowly while stirring ensures delicate egg ribbons rather than clumps in the soup.
- Roasted nori adds a traditional Korean touch and extra texture when sprinkled on top before serving.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (approximate)
- Calories: 717 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 2222 mg
- Fat: 46 g
- Saturated Fat: 14 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 29 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 45 g
- Cholesterol: 200 mg
