Finding the ingredients
You can open unfamiliar ingredients directly from the list. Many Korean pantry basics are easiest to find in Asian grocery stores or online, while fresh ingredients can often be handled more flexibly.
Yukgaejang (Korean spicy beef soup, 육개장)
Category: Stews & Soups🕒 50 mins🍽️ 3 servings
From my kitchen
How I cook this at home
I keep this recipe practical for everyday cooking: clear steps, linked ingredients, and small notes from my kitchen so you can make it realistically in Germany too.
My notes for this recipe
Slice the beef as thinly as possible so it stays tender. I usually use a meat slicer to get even, thin slices.
Since it is not always easy to find every Korean ingredient in Germany, regular salt is fine here if you do not have Korean seasoned salt or sea salt.
Sesame oil is an important ingredient in Korean cooking. If you cook Korean food often, it is worth keeping a bottle at home. You can also find more information about sesame oil in the ingredients section.
For good glass noodles: soak them in cold water for about 1 hour, then boil them for about 4 minutes and rinse them under cold water. This helps them stay pleasantly chewy without becoming too soft.
Quick tips
- Read the ingredients and steps once before you start.
- Prepare the sauce, vegetables, and toppings first so cooking feels calmer.
- Adjust the final flavor gently with soy sauce, salt, sugar, or sesame oil.
How I cook it
Slice the beef as thinly as possible. I usually use a meat slicer for this.
Cut the green onions into finger-length pieces. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and, if you have it, 1 tablespoon of sesame oil to a preheated pot. In Korean cooking, green onion oil is often used; this step is roughly called “making green onion oil.”
When the green onions turn golden brown, add the beef and sauté it briefly. Once the beef is lightly cooked, add the mung bean sprouts and mushrooms, then stir-fry everything together.
Add gochugaru and garlic, and stir-fry them briefly before adding 1.8 liters of water.
In Korea, a pouch of cooked beef bone broth called “Sagolgomtang” is often added. Since it is not always easy to find in Germany, I use a little beef stock powder instead.
- 20:00
Add soy sauce, soup soy sauce, and salt. Turn the heat to high and let the soup boil for about 20 minutes.
- 2:00
Beat the eggs well and pour them evenly into the pot. Let them sit for about 2 minutes so they set gently and do not break apart too much.
Do you like dangmyeon, Korean glass noodles? Add the cooked dangmyeon right before serving, either directly to the pot or to the serving bowl, then ladle the hot yukgaejang over them.
Season with pepper to taste.
Small notes
Slice the beef as thinly as possible. I usually use a meat slicer for this.
Cut the green onions into finger-length pieces. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and, if you have it, 1 tablespoon of sesame oil to a preheated pot. In Korean cooking, green onion oil is often used; this step is roughly called “making green onion oil.”
When the green onions turn golden brown, add the beef and sauté it briefly. Once the beef is lightly cooked, add the mung bean sprouts and mushrooms, then stir-fry everything together.
Add gochugaru and garlic, and stir-fry them briefly before adding 1.8 liters of water.
In Korea, a pouch of cooked beef bone broth called “Sagolgomtang” is often added. Since it is not always easy to find in Germany, I use a little beef stock powder instead.
Add soy sauce, soup soy sauce, and salt. Turn the heat to high and let the soup boil for about 20 minutes.
Beat the eggs well and pour them evenly into the pot. Let them sit for about 2 minutes so they set gently and do not break apart too much.
Do you like dangmyeon, Korean glass noodles? Add the cooked dangmyeon right before serving, either directly to the pot or to the serving bowl, then ladle the hot yukgaejang over them.
Season with pepper to taste.
Enjoy!
Ingredients you can open and learn about
Small questions that often come up
Can beginners make this recipe?
Yes. Read through the steps once and prepare the ingredients first. That makes the recipe much easier to follow.
Where can I find Korean ingredients?
Asian grocery stores, Korean online shops, and larger supermarkets with an Asian section are usually the easiest places to start.