Beef and radish soup is a very popular soup in Korea. The soup is non-spicy, so it’s a perfect choice for children, and it can be whipped up quickly if you have a lot of sudden guests. It’s hearty food best enjoyed with rice, and is a staple in the Korean diet.
This is an old recipe with a new video, part of my project to remake all of my old videos into higher quality HD and with original music so they can’t be blocked in some countries on copyright grounds.
Ingredients (serves 2-3)
- ½ pound beef brisket, cut into small pieces
- ½ pound Korean radish or daikon, washed and peeled
- 2 green onions, sliced thinly diagonally
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce (or soup soy sauce)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 7 cups water
Directions
- Slice the radish thinly into bite size pieces about 1½ x 1½ inch and ¼ to 1/8 inch thick.
- Put the radish and water into a pot. Cover and bring it to a boil over medium high heat for about 15 minutes.
- Add the beef and garlic. Turn down the heat to medium and cook for 25 minutes.
- Add fish sauce, kosher salt, and chopped green onion.
- Cook another 5 minutes and remove from the heat.
- Ladle into a bowl. Serve with rice, kimchi, and more side dishes.
Maangchi's Amazon picks for this recipe
It's always best to buy Korean items at your local Korean grocery store, but I know that's not always possible so I chose these products on Amazon that are good quality. See more about how these items were chosen.
I’ve done many recipes of yours. They are all delicious and I love your energy. You make me laugh with your good mood.
I never been to Korea, I sometimes do recipes I have never tried at a restaurant and they’re always a success.
Thank you very much. Virginie from France
The photo..
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You made a really nice radish and beef soup! The radish looks well-cooked and translucent, so all the delicious stuff came out of it into the soup. This soup is a favorite of all Koreans (including me) any time of year.
Hi Maangchi, i went to my butcher just now and he states that brisket is a stew meat so need to be cooked for at least 2 hours. How is it possible that yours can be cooked in 20 minutes? Please advice. Thank you! Btw, i love all your recipes
There are cuts of meat that are more suited as stew meat, and like the butcher said, can be slow cooked for 2 hours or more. However, depending what you make, stew meat can absolutely taste great being cooked in 20 min, such as in this soup. I even marinate stew meat a couple of hours before stir frying and it’s delicious. I’d suggest just experimenting with different cuts of meat to make the same dish; with time and experience, you’ll see the texture AND the taste are quite different with each cut, and that not all certain cuts need to be cooked a certain way. Although, certain cuts are certainly better for certain dishes.
Made this soup for the third time, thank you!
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I was so inspired by your recent zoom with Michelle Zauner! I made this with .5 lb of leftover 무 that I had in the fridge and some frozen leftover flank steak. Wasn’t expecting it to be so full of flavor without fresh ingredients but it’s fantastic! I haven’t had it since I was a child- it brings back so many memories!
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“I haven’t had it since I was a child- it brings back so many memories!” Fantastic! This soup is a kind of Korean comfort soup! Welcome to my cooking channel!
Made the soup again ❤️
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Awesome!
Made this last night. Very good — simple and easy, satisfying. We have a big Super H Mart nearby so I got some “soup soy” that I like better than just fish sauce. Served with rice and the bean-paste bok choy elsewhere on this site.
Hello Maangchi!
I made this soup and my family looooveee it
Thank you so much for sharing us your delicious recipes..❤❤❤
Wonderful!
Dear Maangchi
When I asked the butcher for beef brisket he was unable to give the same as you use. What you use looks like a normal steak but the beef brisket at the store is a large flat roast. Can you offer some advise please. Thank you
the part of the brisket your butcher is giving you is probably the “flat.” if you ask for the “point” which has much more marbling, and more expensive, it will look more like what maangchi uses. i always ask for as big of point as possible. great for other side dishes like jangjorim.
Made this today and it was a success. My husband and I loved it! The recipe and video made it so easy to complete. Thank you!
Great! Happy cooking! : )
hello,
I have been long term fan of Korean cooking. I tried first in 1996, I think, in Mongolia, I am Mongolian by birth, when there were best Korean restaurant in the capital, named Seoul. the chef was handsome and food was delicious!
In 1999 I moved to the States and stayed there for 2 years and had great opportunity to be acquinted with Korean families and they invited me for their festivities.
Finally, in spring 2000 I went to Banff, Canada and discovered real Korean restaurant and every time I visit Banff I will be there for my delicious Korean meals with real side dishes.
2007 my family went to Japan for holidays, next day we went for strolling in Tokyo and guess what we found Korean restaurant. My husband said we are in Japan we have to eat Japanese. No, the first meal had to be Korean and rest of the time we ate only Japanese meals. We live in Portugal and we had the best Japanese restaurant and of course, no Korean ones :(
Whenever I go abroad I look for Korean restaurant and London, Berlin, Madrid and Rome I am at eating at Korean restaurant.
However, I had many and still have many Korean friends who introduced me cooking Korean food and it was great opportunity to discover you too.
Yesterday for lunch I cooked the soegogi muguk and it was delicious! Keep doing what you are doing and I will learn from you lot!
Kamsamida
Thank you
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Thank you for sharing your story and the photo with me and my other readers! All the dishes look fantastic! I feel you are kind of those who give smiles to everybody with your homemade dishes!
Hello, can you substitute the gukganjang and fish sauce for something else? My kids are allergic
What beef do you recommend if I dont have brisket? Would thinly sliced sirloin do the trick? If not, which cut?
Any cut of beef would work well, but the reason I use brisket is that it has a little fat. Fattier beef is flavorful when cooked with radish.
Hi Maangchi,
The Korean store near my house already knew me lol.
Since i cook a lot of Korean food …here is my dinner tonight i skip the rice..
For my children i used potatoe since they don’t Like the raddish.Of course raddish for me here is the photos .
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It looks great! Your Korean store will be wondering why you keep buying Korean ingredients! : )
Thank for your recipe, i made it n my mom n my niece like it so much. Me? love it hihi..
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Hi Maangchi, I don’t eat beef. Can I replace it with pork and which part should I use? Can I use pork ribs?
today, i’ve cooked soegogi muguk and it was tasty
I’m so excited to try making this today!
Can this radish soup be made with pork belly slices instead of beef?
Will it still turn out good?
Apparently no one around here eats white radish since I’m unable to find it in grocery store. Can I use red radish or maybe potatoes?
Potato sounds good to me but I would use something else like turnips instead of red radishes.
Turnip gets mushy (I tried! – and loses its spiciness when cooked), so do potatoes.
Both radish and red radish stay firm when cooked – so no worries about reheating left-overs (if any, but better too much than too little! ;-)).
Red radishes tend to get pink inside-out and color the broth, too; but that’s not a bad thing.
Happy Holidays!
Bye, Sanne.
How much red radish did you put in and did you cook amount of time as directed?
Same amount, just wash them and cut them up as in the recipe.
Or – even better – leave them whole and cut them up when they’re done. They don’t take too long, and the cooking-time is not critical.
Sanne- try black radish. It’s skin is black but the flesh is very white. I believe it’s originally from Eastern Europe or Russia, so you might be able to find it in Munich. Good luck!
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Thank you, but I already knew that. :-)
I use black radish when white radish is not in season.
alexiel100 had the problem finding white radish.
Bye, Sanne.
Maangchi-ssi,
My parents absolutely adored this soup but I think something went wrong. I followed the recipe to every detail, but when the soup was done, there was only a few tablespoons of broth left! My parents didn’t mind because they like stew-like dishes, but I would prefer my soup be a soup. What should I do?
“…there was only a few tablespoons of broth left” The soup must have been cooked too long or the heat was too high. Add more water and cook or lower the heat.
thank you thank you maangchi for this recipe. It is so so delicious. I’ve had it for 4 meals in a row now and I’m still not sick of it! I think this will be my go-to meal when i don’t know what to make. I better make sure I have moo in the fridge always!
Hi Maangchi!
I’ve been reading all of your lovely recipes on your website for a while now and love all of your videos and everything! Last week my Mom went to Korea, so I’ve been making my Dad dinner every night. I’ve been making him dishes all from your blog! I just made this soegogi-muguk last night, and he loved it! Thank you so much for making the recipes so easy and the videos so much fun to watch. I just added 1/2 a tsp more of soup soy sauce to the recipe because my Dad likes his soups a little saltier. I can’t wait for your fish soup soy sauce recipe!!!
Thanks again for your wonderful website, and my dad thanks you too!
I’m glad your father loved this soup that you made! You are such a good daughter! “my Dad likes his soups a little saltier” Yes, add more salt or soy sauce depending on your taste.
I wanted to cook this.but i wonder if my chinese employer would like it.do you think they will like it?its looks delicious.thankxxxx
Hi namwoohyun,
Koreans love Chinese food.
So, it shouldn’t be a problem in the opposite direction! ;-)
Bye, Sanne.
P. S.: It’s delicious; we had it last night.
Hello;
We don’t have fish sauce where i live, can i use something else instead???
Hi naimatou,
It’s in the recipe – Soup soy sauce (or regular and additional salt) …
Tastes great.
Bye, Sanne.
How about using salt and soy sauce?
Thank you so much
I love korean food and your receips are great
Hello,
I cooked this today and i wander if my korean husband will like the taste because its my first time doing it and i also not sure what it taste like. I never tried it before. :) What a relief when he said its delicious and he ate a lot. I want to cook korean food because of my husband. And I tried some of your recipes here and my husband loved it.
Thanks much..
I’m very happy for you! Good luck with your Korean cooking!
안녕하세요 Maangchi ssi ^^ .. I have tried this soup today .. but unfortunately i didn’t find the korean radish so i used potatoes instead :D and i can tell you it was mind blowing dish .. the fish sauce also made the taste more than great .. thank you for sharing this awesome dish with us ^^
Thanks for the recipe Maangchi! This is the beef soup I’ve been waiting for that restaurant usually serves with just a little cup but very delicious.
I made it with fish sauce but the soup doesn’t taste quite like the one served in Korean restaurant…Will you share with us your homemade Korean soup soy sauce? Thanks again.
I just came down with the flu, can’t wait to try this recipe!
Hi Maagchi,
The meat is very tough when I make this. Am I doing something wrong or is the meat supposed to be tough?
Thanks!
oh, the beef must be very tough! Don’t worry. You can make it surrender. : ) Just cook longer until the beef gets tender. You may have to add more water.
Hi Maangchi,
I cooked it today and I wondered that when I covered the lift after adding beef and garlic. There has lots of foam, do I need to remove that ??? Because I know when cooking, if not remove foam, it gonna makes the soup not clear.
Yes, skim the foam with a spoon.
Maangchi do you ever use Dashida to season the broth?
I used to use dashida (soup powder) long time ago when I lived in Korea but I haven’t used it for a long time.
yay!!! I cant wait to make this recipe today when I get home. thankyou Maangchi
Maangchi, the way you explain things is so cute!! This was the first korean dish I ever cooked in my life, and it was the only non-spicy dish I knew back then to serve my kids when they were little, great seeing it done by you!
“This was the first korean dish I ever cooked in my life..” wow I’m very happy to hear that you started cooking Korean food! I think you will be busy cooking more Korean dishes from now on. : )
Is there a way to make this vegetarian?
Maangchi, I don’t eat beef, but don’t mind just using the soup bone for the flavor. Two questions: How much soup bone will I need? 2. Can I also substitute chicken for the beef?
Please teach us how you make the home cook sauce. Thank you.
sure, I will.