The Ultimate Korean Food Guide: Comforting Beef Radish Soup (Sogogi Muguk) Recipe ✨

When You Crave a Warm Broth! No-Fail Beef Radish Soup Golden Ratio Recipe 🍲

Hello everyone! The weather has been getting quite chilly lately, hasn't it? When the cold wind starts to blow, the first dish that comes to mind is definitely Beef Radish Soup (Sogogi Muguk). My friends visited yesterday, and while I was wondering what to make, I pulled out some radish and beef from the fridge and whipped this up. The moment they took a sip of the broth, they were amazed, saying, "Wow, you should seriously sell this!" 😊

Actually, while Beef Radish Soup looks easy because the ingredients are simple, it’s surprisingly difficult to achieve that deep flavor. It’s no good if the meat is tough or the broth tastes fishy, right? So today, I’m going to share my no-fail golden ratio recipe that I discovered after dozens of trials and errors. Even beginners can follow this and guarantee success!

🛒 Ingredients (Serves 2)

Shall we check the ingredients carefully? This amount is perfect for a satisfying meal for a two-person household!

• Essential Ingredients: 200g Beef (brisket or shank for soup), 1/3 Radish (approx. 300g), 1/2 stalk Green Onion, 1L Water
• Seasoning: 2 tablespoons Sesame Oil, 1.5 tablespoons Soup Soy Sauce, 0.5 tablespoons Anchovy Fish Sauce (the secret ingredient!), 1 tablespoon Minced Garlic, a pinch of Fine Salt, a dash of Black Pepper
• Optional: 1 piece of Dried Kelp (adds extra umami to the broth)

💡 Cooking Tip: I recommend using beef brisket with a bit of fat! That’s how the broth becomes much more savory. Radishes are sweetest in fall and winter, but if your radish lacks sweetness, try adding just a tiny pinch of sugar. It brings the umami to life!

👩‍🍳 Cooking Process

Now, shall we start cooking? If you follow along step-by-step, you’ll have a wonderful home-cooked meal ready in 20 minutes!

Step 1. Preparing the Ingredients

First, lightly press the beef with paper towels to remove the blood. You must wipe away the blood well so the broth doesn't have any gamey or fishy smell! Slice the radish into 0.5cm thick bite-sized squares, and thinly slice the green onions.

Step 2. Sautéing Beef and Radish

Preheat a pot over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons of sesame oil. Add the prepared beef and sauté until the surface is lightly cooked, then add the radish and sauté together. The key here is to sauté until the radish becomes slightly translucent! This allows the aroma of the beef and the nuttiness of the sesame oil to soak into the radish, making it much more delicious.

Step 3. Adding Water and Boiling

Once the radish is translucent, pour in 1L of water and turn the heat to high. When the water starts boiling, add the dried kelp and boil for about 5 more minutes. Be sure to skim off the foam that rises to the top with a spoon so the broth stays clear and clean rather than cloudy.

Step 4. Seasoning (The Golden Ratio Secret)

Now, add 1.5 tablespoons of soup soy sauce and 1 tablespoon of minced garlic. Here is my secret move! Try adding just 0.5 tablespoons of anchovy fish sauce. You’ll feel the depth of the broth flavor double instantly. 😃 You can adjust the remaining saltiness with fine salt.

Step 5. Finishing Touches

Reduce the heat to medium-low and let it simmer gently for about 10 more minutes. When the radish is soft and cooked through, add plenty of green onions and a dash of black pepper to your liking, and you're done! If you boil it for too long, the broth may become too salty, so adjust the time while checking the condition of the radish.

✨ Plating & Completion

A bowl of steaming Beef Radish Soup with freshly cooked white rice is better than a table full of side dishes! I usually serve it in a neat ceramic bowl, and adding a few green onion slices on top at the end really brings the visuals to life.

Pairs well with: A bowl of rice and some well-ripened Napa cabbage kimchi or radish kimchi (Kkakdugi) is all you need. It also makes a perfect meal when paired with spicy stir-fried pork (Jeyuk Bokkeum) or grilled fish. On cold days like these, this refreshing and clean broth is truly the best!