Korean Rice Cake Dumpling Soup Recipe

Pinterent Oktober 03, 2023 Comment

Tteok mandu guk (Rice cake soup with dumplings) is a classic comforting Korean dish that can be enjoyed year round, but traditionally eaten on New Year’s Day. As a Korean American, I grew up eating it on January 1st, but in Korea it is usually eaten on the Lunar New Year.

Tteokguk is eaten all over Korea, but it is made differently depending on the region. My grandparents are originally from North Korea, so my mom grew up eating beef tteokguk with kimchi dumplings. This recipe can also be made without the dumplings by simply leaving them out. The real star of the dish is the broth and the sliced rice cakes anyway!

Good quality kimchi mandu and rice cakes are equally important as well, but I always judge a good tteoguk by the broth!

Easy Dduk Guk With Beef (korean Rice Cake Soup)

This recipe calls for a few ingredients that most non-Koreans will not have in their kitchen. All of them can be found at a Korean supermarket for sure, and maybe at any other Asian supermarket. If you’re having a hard time finding them, here are some options to either buy online (affiliate links) or substitute for something else:

You don’t have to use kimchi mandu or any mandu at all for this recipe! Sometimes I make it without, or with a different kind of mandu. I don’t have my kimchi mandu recipe posted yet, but if you want to make your own mandu for this, you can try my shrimp & pork mandu recipe.

If there is a brand that makes a mandu that you really like, go for it! When I make tteok mandu guk, I usually use frozen dumplings anyway. Sometimes store bought, and sometimes homemade. Just make sure you adjust the cooking time accordingly if you are using fresh mandu. Either way, the mandu will float once they are ready.

Korean Rice Cake Soup Recipe

The jidan (egg garnish) is a bit extra and not really necessary if you want to save some time. This is more like the traditional Seoul style, but I add it in my tteokguk because it’s pretty and blends the various styles of Korean tteokguk.

The roasted seaweed is also totally optional. Most recipe actually use the unseasoned sheets of laver, but I prefer the seasoned packets of seaweed.

I think it’s important that each component to any dish is well seasoned and makes a difference, but the seasonings for the shredded brisket are also optional. It doesn’t take much work to whip up, but you can skip it to save time and effort if you want to.

Dduk Guk (korean Rice Cake Soup

*This post contains affiliate links to products that I actually use & recommend. I am not sponsored by these brands, but I do make a small commission from qualifying purchases made through these links.

I come from a multicultural background, and cooking has been one of the best ways for me to stay connected to my heritage. My recipes are tried and tested, many of them passed down through family. I hope you enjoy these recipes as much as we do!Growing up, Korean Rice Cake Soup, or Dduk Guk (떡국) was a classic comfort dish I ate frequently so I had to take a stab at making a Vegan Dduk Guk. Traditionally, the recipe is actually quite simple. It is made with a light broth of either anchovy or beef with chewy Korean rice cake, sliced egg and seaweed to top. It’s commonly enjoyed to celebrate the Korean New Year, but it’s also one of those dishes that my halmoni (Korean grandma) would whip up for me whenever I was in need of a simple, satisfying dish.

Making it vegan is actually quite simple! The only challenge is veganizing the broth, and to nail that, it’s important to create that umami, rich flavour. I substituted using sea vegetables and staple broth veggies like onions, garlic and green onion. These are also some of the most used ingredients in Korean cooking.

Tteok Mandu Guk (korean Rice Cake Soup With Bibigo Dumplings)

Now you know what I always say, when you’re re-creating a classic dish, you want to re-create the experience as a whole. That means garnishing it as you would the original and seasoning it the same way. Presentation isn’t that important, but most of us DO eat with our eyes first and I have to tell you, I think my vegan version looks pretty authentic!

Traditional method. Feel free to tweak as you’d like, and let’s get into it! This Vegan Korean Rice Cake Soup recipe is vegan, gluten free, refined sugar free and oil free.

The most important element in this dish is the broth. Make sure you taste as you go, and adjust as you see fit. You can opt to use veggie broth to boost flavour, or stick to a pure homemade broth using the veggies listed below.

Rice Cake And Dumpling Soup

I recommend using sliced Korean rice cake, as this shape is predominantly used to make dduk guk. It will hold it’s shape even when prepared in soup, and cooks through nicely because it’s quite thin. How much you use is really up to you! Think of it like the “noodle” in your soup. You can find it online, or at your local Asian grocery store.

For best texture, it’s important to enjoy this dish right after preparing. You can store the broth if you have leftovers and add fresh rice cake when you’re ready to enjoy again.

If you try this recipe out, tag me on Instagram @veggiekins so I can see your delicious re-creations and feature them! As always, I love when you share your reviews in the comments below, and if you make any fun substitutions, let me know how it worked out below too.