Name: Korean Beef and Radish Soup (Muguk)
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 lb Any Cut of Beef (Sliced to bitesize pieces); 2 lb Korean Radish (Sliced thinly and small cubes); 3 quartz Water; 1 Dashi Pack; 1 tbsp Garlic; 2 tbsp Soup Soy Sauce; 2 tbsp Fish Sauce; Salt and Pepper (To taste); Scallions (For garnish)

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Chef Chris Cho making Beef and Radish Soup — This is how you make Muguk!

Experience the comforting warmth of Korean Beef and Radish Soup. The naturally sweet Korean radish and savory beef broth create a refreshing and flavorful soup that soothes the soul.

“Mu” means radish, while “Guk” means soup, together it literally means “radish soup”. This is a Korean household staple and our go-to comfort food, especially when we’re cold or sick. It’s easy to make and has a long shelf life which makes it a convenient choice, always ready to warm the soul.

Korean Radish Soup also brings a lot of childhood memories because it’s light and healthy–perfect for kids. My mom used to prepare muguk with rice for me when I was growing up, and I sometimes prepare the same thing for my kids. Simple but timeless recipe!

Ingredients Korean Beef and Radish Soup

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Garlic, Scallions, Korean Radish, and Short Ribs

Beef – Use any cut of beef, preferably with a bit of marbling or fat. Beef trimmings, leftover pieces, and even bones are okay since the beef is only there for flavor, not necessarily for protein. You can also skip this if you’re vegetarian.
Korean Radish – This is not the usual slender radish you see. This is a round-shaped chunky radish, that’s color green and white. Korean radish is the star of the dish–it has a distinct crunch, spice, and sweetness that will add a refreshing flavor to the soup. We especially love Korean radish in late autumn to winter when its sweetness is at its peak which will make this soup or any dishes you add it to even better. Spicy Radish Salad, Radish Kimchi, and Dongchimi to name a few. I often find this at Hmart, but alternatively, you can also use daikon.

Dashi Pack – This is the secret to an umami-rich Korean soup because each pack contains dried kelp and dried anchovy, and when you boil it, you get a flavorful soup stock. Alternatively, you can also use dashi powder.
Water
Garlic and Scallion – For additional aromatics
Soy Sauce for Soup – This is a saltier soy sauce variant, where a small amount can go a long way without changing the color of the soup.
Fish Sauce – This will add umami to the soup. Many people are scared to use this, but as you add it gradually, I guarantee this will complement the flavor of the beef really well.
Sesame Oil – For nutty and earthy complement to the soy sauce
Salt and Pepper – To taste
Gochugaru – Optional, if you want to make it spicy

How to make Beef and Radish Soup?

1. Prepare the ingredients by chopping the beef into small pieces, peeling the radish and chopping it into thin quarter circles, and chopping the scallions into 2-3 inch pieces. Ensure to remove fat and silver skin from the beef as these can be tough and oily.

2. Soak the beef in water for 30 minutes or parboil for 5 minutes to reduce the impurities from it. Drain, rinse, and place the beef back into the pot. These steps will help yield a clear soup

Boil beef, radish, and dashi pack into together

3. Along with the beef, add the radish and dashi packet into the pot then let boil on high heat for 15-20 minutes. Remove dashi pack once the flavor has been infused. If any impurities come up, remove them as well.

4. Lower the heat to medium then season the soup with garlic, soy sauce for soup, fish sauce, and sesame oil. Taste and adjust with salt and pepper according to preference, then mix and let boil for another 10 minutes.

5. Garnish the soup with scallions, serve hot, and enjoy!

Serving and Storage Tips

Muguk is often also cooked in big batches and is used as a base for other soups like Tteokguk (Rice Cake Soup), Miyeokguk (Seaweed Soup), or Acorn Noodle Soup! You can literally make this ahead and store it in the fridge for four to seven days, and you’ve got soup any time you need!

When you’re having a lazy day, you can simply serve it with some multigrain rice, fresh kimchi, and nori! Reheat the soup until it’s super hot and you’ve got an easy, cheap, and complete meal!

Other soup dishes you might like:

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5 from 2 votes