Mandu Guk (Korean Dumpling Soup) Recipe

Name: Mandu Guk (Korean Dumpling Soup)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 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; 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; 2 roasted nori (seaweed sheets), for serving

Mandu Guk, Korean for dumpling soup, is comfort food—a warm beef broth with dumplings and gently cooked ribbons of eggs topped with green onions and nori (roasted seaweed). It’s an easy and delicious meal for cold days, when you just don’t want to bother with anything complicated. It’s my go-to meal when I feel lazy.

Although Mandu Guk is eaten throughout the year, for Lunar New Year Koreans add rice cakes called tteokguk tteok, which translates to “rice cakes for rice cake soup.” This makes me chuckle!

The rice cakes make it a celebratory meal that symbolizes growing another year older. You can find them in the refrigerated or freezer section of most Asian markets.

Where to Buy Mandu

Make this soup with either homemade or store-bought Korean dumplings. They can be filled with kimchi, pork, chicken, or shrimp—whatever your heart and stomach desires.

Asian markets and even your local grocery store may carry many varieties of mandu. Check the frozen foods section. Any type of mandu, gyoza, or Chinese dumplings will work in this recipe.

Overhead view of a bowl of beef soup with dumplings. — Simply Recipes / Uyen Luu

So Many Delicious Variations

You can adapt this recipe to suit your tastes, like adding any kind of dumplings.

I provide a way to make a quick beef broth for this soup using brisket or chuck. You can make this even faster by using store-bought beef or chicken broth. To make a vegetarian version, use store-bought vegetable broth with vegetarian dumplings.
Although beef broth is traditional for Mandu Guk, the soup is sometimes an anchovy broth made with dried anchovies called myeolchi, and kelp (also known as dashima or kombu). Korean markets sell pre-assembled anchovy broth packets.
You can add more vegetables, like chopped baby bok choy or napa cabbage leaves, or sliced shiitake mushrooms.

Serving Suggestions

You don’t need much more than a side of kimchi to enjoy Mandu Guk. Its beauty is that it’s a meal in itself.

More Comforting Soup Recipes

Mandu Guk (Korean Dumpling Soup)

Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 45 mins

Total Time 55 mins

Servings 4 to 6 servings

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
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
2 roasted nori (seaweed sheets), for serving

Season the beef:

In a medium bowl, combine the brisket, garlic, and soy sauce. Set it aside.
Make the beef soup base:

In a large pot over high heat, bring the water to a boil and add the beef brisket and the marinade. Lower the heat. Cover and simmer for 30 to 35 minutes.

Simply Recipes / Uyen Luu
Add the mandu:

Carefully add the mandu and increase the heat to bring the soup up to a low boil again. When cooked through, the mandu wrapper will turn translucent and it will float to the top.

If using fresh mandu, cook them for 5 to 9 minutes. If using frozen ones, cook them for about 12 minutes. Check the package instructions of store-bought mandu for cooking times.

Simply Recipes / Uyen Luu

Simply Recipes / Uyen Luu
Add eggs:

In a small bowl, lightly whisk the eggs until the egg whites and yolks are fully combined.

As soon as the mandu is cooked, slowly drizzle in the eggs while stirring the soup. The eggs will turn into ribbons in the soup. If you pour the eggs without stirring, they will cook into a lump and stick to the bottom of the pot.

Simply Recipes / Uyen Luu

Simply Recipes / Uyen Luu

Simply Recipes / Uyen Luu
Add the green onions and sesame oil:

Turn off the heat, and add the green onions and sesame oil. Season with salt and black pepper, adding more to taste.
Serve the soup:

Divide the soup and mandu among 4 to 6 bowls. If using, crumble the nori with your hands or use kitchen shears to cut them into thin strips. Sprinkle a handful over each bowl.

Simply Recipes / Uyen Luu

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
717	Calories
46g	Fat
29g	Carbs
45g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 6
Amount per serving
Calories	717
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 46g	59%
Saturated Fat 14g	69%
Cholesterol 200mg	67%
Sodium 2222mg	97%
Total Carbohydrate 29g	11%
Dietary Fiber 2g	6%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein 45g
Vitamin C 5mg	25%
Calcium 156mg	12%
Iron 6mg	31%
Potassium 604mg	13%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.