Tteokguk is Korean Rice Cake Soup that is a must for Koreans on New Year’s Day. This hearty warm soup has a delicious savory broth and chewy rice cake rounds that makes it the ultimate comfort food any time of the year!
What is Tteokguk?
Tteokguk is a traditional Korean soup that is made with a savory broth (usually beef or anchovy) with round rice cake slices cooked in it. It’s eaten year-round but on New Year’s day, it’s a must for Koreans to have at least a bowl of Tteokguk/Ddukguk (떡국).
During the New Year holiday (especially during Seollal 설날 – Korean Lunar New Year), many Koreans travel back to their hometown. They visit their parents and elderly relatives to pay their respects by bowing (Saebae 세배) to them, wishing them health and good fortune. Children receive blessings and words of wisdom from the elders, as well as monetary gifts called Saebaedon (세배돈).
This was my favorite time of the year because it meant that if I did good, I would have enough money to buy myself goodies throughout the whole year! (or at least until my birthday in the summer.. )
Oh, but there was something that I did not like – we all had to wear traditional Korean clothes (Hanbok 한복) all day and they were pretty but quite uncomfortable. The traditional way to wear hanbok is to wrap the skirt around your chest and tie it very, very tight. I mean really tight.. so tight I thought I was going to die because I couldn’t breathe!
Why do Koreans eat Tteokguk (rice cake soup) for New Year’s?
No one knows for sure exactly why Korean Rice Cake Soup (Tteok Guk) became a traditional Korean food to eat at home on New Year’s day. Theory 1: Because rice was harvested in the fall and in the old days there were no means of storing it long-term, making rice cake was a way of using up old rice.
Theory 2: Based on customary beliefs, it has to do with yin and yang and that New Year’s day represents the yang (positive) energy and also so does the rice cake. Don’t ask me why exactly rice cake represents yang energy…
With the earliest records of tteokguk dating back to the Joseon dynasty, the origins of Tteokguk tteok (rice cake ovalettes) and Garaetteok 가래떡- which the round oval rice cakes are cut from- are very interesting. It is said that the ‘white’ color of the rice cakes symbolized ‘brightness’, for a bright and clean start to a New Year.
The round shape of the rice cakes also represented the sun and the long continuing baton like shape of Garaetteok represents ‘continued wealth’. As well as the round disc-like shapes being similar to old Korean coins – again symbolizing wealth and prosperity.
This type of rice cake slices are called Tteokguk Tteok 떡꾹떡 meaning “rice cake made for soup”.
Tteokguk Variations and Tips
A long time ago, the stock for the rice cake soup was made from pheasant meat. In more modern times, Tteokguk with Beef Broth using beef stock has become the standard. Our family favorite growing up was one with Mandu (dumplings) added which then you call Tteok Manduguk 떡만두국 (Beef Rice Cake Soup with Dumplings). And Northern Korean style is to add Kimchi Mandu to it.
You can also use anchovy stock (like in THIS RECIPE) or even chicken stock or vegetable stock. Anchovy stock is not as rich tasting as beef stock but it is easier, quicker and has a cleaner taste. It is also lower in calories, so I like using anchovy stock for everyday Tteokguk.
If you want to make an easy and quicker version, try my Instant Pot Tteokguk Recipe using simple beef stew meat or try my BEEF broth and dumplings rice cake soup recipe.
HOW TO STORE RICE CAKES
Rice cakes will usually start to mold after few days in the refrigerator so keep any leftover uncooked tteokguk tteok in the freezer and they will keep for months. Thawing rice cake is quick and easy (just soak it in cold water for few minutes) and freezing it also does not affect the taste- so no worries!
Garnish (Topping) for Tteokguk
The way you garnish your tteokguk is all very much a personal preference. At minimum, top it with some fresh green onions (chopped or sliced). The next level up, you can whip an egg and swirl it into the broth right before serving. What I like to do is make Gyeran jidan and sauteed ground beef (see recipe below). Some like to make yellow and white gyeran jidan separately by separating egg yolks and egg whites but I think that’s more for just looks than flavor so I usually don’t do it.
STORAGE
DON’T COOK or LET IT SIT TOO LONG – Unfortunately leftover rice cake turns into one giant glob of rice paste. The rice cake will start to get very mushy and the soup will become very thick. Some people actually enjoy this but I don’t. So it’s best not to have any leftovers and if you do, drain the soup so you can keep the rice cakes and the soup separate.
MORE ABOUT TTEOK
What is Tteok? The word “Tteok (떡) or Dduk” refers to a general class of Korean rice cakes that is made by mixing rice flour (can be either sweet or plain rice) with water and steaming them. Various ingredients such as mugwort (쑥 suk), pumpkin (호박 hobahk) and red bean (팥paht) can be added to it. They are called suk dduk (쑥떡), hobahk dduk(호박떡) and paht dduk(팥떡), respectively. You can see how the naming works.
Korean Rice Cake Soup – TteokGuk Recipe
Prep Time: 10 min. Cooking Time: 35 min. Servings: 4
Ingredients for anchovy stock
- 1 lb rice cake slices/ovalettes for soup (떡국떡 Tteokguk tteok)
- 8 cup anchovy stock (see my tips page for making anchovy stock)
- 2 green onions
- 1/2 sliced onion (optional)
- 1 julienned carrot (optional)
- 1 T chopped garlic
- 1 T guk kanjang (국간장) – Korean Soup Soy Sauce
- 1/2 tsp salt
- black pepper
For garnish
- toasted seaweed (gim 김) crumbles or strips
- 1 green onion, sliced
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp vegetable oil for frying
- 1/2 lb beef stew meat or beef brisket or ground beef (optional)
- seasoning for the beef:
- 4 tsp soy sauce (Kikkoman)
- 4 tsp sugar
- 1 T rice cooking wine
- 1 T sesame oil
- 1 T minced garlic
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
Step by Step Instructions
- Prepare the anchovy stock. Read my 4 Anchovy Broth Recipes page on how to make anchovy stock.
- Rinse and soak rice cake in cold water (especially if the rice cake is frozen) for 5 to 10 minutes.
- Make EGG JIDAN TOPPING.
- Whip 2 eggs in a bowl and season with some salt and pepper. Drizzle some vegetable oil in a non-stick frying pan and heat on medium-high heat. Pour the egg into the pan and immediately lift the pan off the heat. Swirl the egg around the pan to spread it evenly to make a thin crepe like a pancake. Put the pan back onto the heat, lower the heat to medium and when the egg is almost cooked like the picture below, turn it over.
- When the egg is all cooked, take it out of the pan and let it cool on your cutting board. When it is cool enough to handle, fold it into overlapping thirds (tri-fold). This way, you can cut the strips more uniformly.
- Whip 2 eggs in a bowl and season with some salt and pepper. Drizzle some vegetable oil in a non-stick frying pan and heat on medium-high heat. Pour the egg into the pan and immediately lift the pan off the heat. Swirl the egg around the pan to spread it evenly to make a thin crepe like a pancake. Put the pan back onto the heat, lower the heat to medium and when the egg is almost cooked like the picture below, turn it over.
- ALTERNATIVELY, you can just swirl in the egg – like making egg drop soup.
- BEEF TOPPING – If you are using brisket or stew meat, slice the meat into thin strips first. Season sliced beef or ground beef with soy sauce, sugar, mirin, garlic, pepper and sesame oil. Mix it well.
- Cook the beef in a frying pan on medium-high heat until fully cooked. No need to add any extra oil.
- Heat the anchovy stock in a pot over medium-high heat. Season the soup by adding salt, Guk Ganjang and chopped garlic. You can also add sliced onions and carrots to the soup to add some color and additional nutrients. Bring to a boil.
- Drain the rice cake slices and add to the boiling soup. Cover the pot and cook for few minutes. When the rice cakes float to the top, they are now cooked and ready to eat. Turn off the heat, sprinkle some black pepper and add sliced green onions.
- Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning if needed. Add more salt if needed. Ladle the rice cake soup into a bowl and garnish with some beef and egg prepared above. Sprinkle some sesame seeds if you’d like and there you go!
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
In the minimum, serve with some kimchi. For New Year’s, try making more from my New Year’s menu. Enjoy!
How to make Tteokguk video!
Tteok guk (떡국) – Korean rice cake soup
Ingredients
- 1 lb rice cake slices/ovalettes for soup (떡국떡 Tteok guk tteok)
- 8 cup anchovy stock (see my tips page for making anchovy stock)
- 2 green onions (sliced thin)
- 1/2 sliced onion (optional)
- 1 julienned carrot (optional)
- 1 Tbsp chopped garlic
- 1 Tbsp soup soy sauce (guk ganjang 국간장)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- black pepper
Toppings
- 1 roasted seaweed (gim 김) sheet (crumbled or cut into strips)
Ground Beef
- 1/2 lb beef stew meat/brisket or ground beef (optional)
- 4 tsp soy sauce (jin ganjang 진간장)
- 4 tsp sugar
- 1 Tbsp rice cooking wine
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
Egg Garnish
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp oil for frying
- 1 pinch salt
Instructions
- Prepare the anchovy stock – see My Tips page (under Korean Ingredients menu) on how.
- Rinse and soak rice cake in cold water (especially if the rice cake is frozen) for 5 to 10 minutes.
- Whip 2 eggs in a bowl and season with some salt and pepper.
- Drizzle oil in a non-stick frying pan and heat on medium high heat. Pour egg into the pan and immediately lift the pan off the heat. Swirl egg around the pan to spread it evenly to make a thin crepe like pancake. Put the pan back onto the heat, lower the heat to medium and when the egg is almost cooked like the picture below, turn it over.
- When the egg is all cooked, take it out of the pan and let it cool on your cutting board. When it is cool enough to handle, fold it into overlapping thirds (tri-fold). This way, you can cut the strips more uniformly.
- If you are working with a piece of brisket or stew meat, slice the meat into thin strips and season it with soy sauce, sugar, mirin, garlic, pepper and sesame oil. Mix it well.
- You can also use ground beef instead – this will save you the extra work of slicing the beef. Cook the beef in a frying pan on medium high heat until fully cooked. No need to add any extra oil.
- Heat anchovy stock in a pot over medium high heat. Season soup by adding salt, gook kanjang and chopped garlic. You can also add sliced onions and carrots to the soup to add some color and additional nutrients. Bring to a boil.
- Drain rice cake slices and add to the boiling soup. Cover pot and cook for few minutes. When rice cakes float to the top, they are now cooked and ready to eat. Turn off the heat, sprinkle some black pepper and add sliced green onions.
- Taste soup and adjust seasoning if needed. Add more salt if needed. Ladle rice cake soup into a bowl.
- Garnish with beef, egg, green onions and roasted seaweed. Sprinkle some sesame seeds and extra black pepper if you’d like and there you go!
Tips & Notes:
- The traditional and more formal way is to prepare garnishes with eggs and meat. You can skip the garnish if you want to.
- If using anchovy stock, I would recommend that you at least make the meat garnish because it adds a lot more flavor to the soup.
- For New Year’s, try making more from my New Year’s menu.
Nutrition Information:
Enjoy!
XOXO ❤️
JinJoo
My Mom passed on November 3, 2022. She made this soup for me growing up and especially for the New Year. I’m so glad I paid attention and learned how to cook and make this soup.
Your recipe is so close to how she made it. She was born and raised in the country in a tiny town in Korea. They didn’t have much so they had to make do.
I’m typing this as I’m waiting for my base to boil.
Thank you so much for making my heart flutter and warm thoughts about my Mom.
Hello Wanda, I’m so sorry to hear about your mom.. I lost my dad when I was in high school and also recently my brother and sister. And I do think about them everytime I make their favorite food. I’m so happy and thankful to hear that my recipe brought you some comfort. Thank you soo much for sharing that with me. It totally made my day!! Take care and Happy New YEAR!
Made this tonight and it was delicious. My teen daughter was delighted. The seasonings were perfect. So proud that I’m learning to cook Korean food!
I’m so proud of you too!! So glad your daughter liked it. Thank you so much for sharing it with me.
Simple, Easy & Delicious. Yummy.
So happy to hear that!! Thank you