Staying healthy is important now more than ever, and what better way to keep your body warm and nourished than with a bowl of spicy and hearty kimchi tteokguk - kimchi soup with rice cakes!
Kimchi Tteokguk
Tteokguk is a Korean soup with rice cakes, and I've added kimchi to it! It's one of my favorite soups to make this time of year. It warms you up and you get the added bonus of probiotics from the kimchi!
Is kimchi soup healthy?
Kimchi is a fermented vegetable side dish that's a staple in Korean cuisine. It's spicy and sour, and absolutely delicious! Fermented foods like kimchi are a great way to get yourself a healthy gut.
Many of us, including myself, don't eat enough fermented foods on a daily basis. Gut health is essential to your immune system, so make a pot of this kimchi tteokguk and nourish your body and soul!
How to make kimchi soup
In a large pot, add the stock, garlic, and ginger. Cover the pot with a lid and heat until it comes to a boil. Then add the ground meat and green onions and cook for about 5 minutes.
Add the tteok rice cakes and cook according to the packaging. Mine took about 5 minutes until the tteok floated to the top, but other may take a little longer.
Turn the heat off and let the soup cool slightly. Add the kimchi, soy sauce, sesame oil, salt, and pepper. Pour into bowls and garnish with nori and sesame seeds.
The tricky thing about cooking with fermented foods is that the good bacteria we want to take in can die when heated. So when you cook using fermented foods, you want to add it at the very end, preferably after your food has cooled a bit to where it's not piping hot.
This kimchi soup is so quick and easy, it makes for the best weekday dinner! The tteok rice cakes can get mushy if you leave it in the soup, so dig in right away!
If, like me, you're going to eat half for dinner and leave the other half for leftover lunch the next day, don't add all of the
Other healthy recipes!
Kimchi Tteokguk (Korean Kimchi Soup)
Ingredients
- 7 cups stock (use what you have - I used a blend of sardine, bonito, kelp, and mushroom stock)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1-inch piece ginger, minced
- ½ pound ground meat of choice
- 1 cup chopped green onions
- 1 pound tteok rice cakes
- 2 cups kimchi (start with 1 cup and add more to taste)
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce (add more to taste)
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- salt and pepper, to taste
- nori seaweed (optional)
- sesame seeds (optional)
Instructions
- In a large pot, add the stock, garlic, and ginger. Cover and heat until boiling.
- Add the ground meat and green onions and cook for 5 minutes.
- Add the tteok rice cakes and cook according to the packaging.
- Turn the heat off and let the soup cool slightly. Add the kimchi, soy sauce, sesame oil, salt, and pepper. Pour into bowls and garnish with nori and sesame seeds.
Nutrition
Of Goats and Greens says
This one needs to get into my food lineup!
Ai says
It's so great during the cold months! Hope you like it 🙂
Rita says
Cold winter solution! Thanks for posting on FF.
Ai says
Happy Fiesta Friday Rita! It's the perfect soup for this season 😉
Jhuls | The Not So Creative Cook says
I am not a huge blanket person unless I get a very bad migraine (need to feel warm). When I feel cold, I'll just wear a hoodie or a sweatshirt and socks. 😀 this soup sounds like a perfect thing to enjoy when you feel cold. Thanks for sharing, Ai & for co-hosting with me.
Ai says
Hi Jhuls! Probably smarter to wear a hoodie and socks haha. Thanks for co-hosting with me! Hope you're having a great start to the week!
Angie | Fiesta Friday says
Sounds delicious and comforting!
Ai says
Thanks Angie!