Light, refreshing, and comforting Korean dumpling soup – manduguk recipe!
Manduguk / Mandu-guk (만둣국) is a popular Korean soup particularly on Korean new year’s day.
Growing up I was taught that, north Koreans make manduguk / Korean dumpling soup while south Koreans make tteokguk / Korean rice cake soup on new year’s day morning.
Though, when I was a child our family made tteok manduguk / rice cake soup with dumplings. Maybe because we lived near the middle of the Korean peninsular, so we adapted both. 😉
Nonetheless, manduguk is so delicious, and a quite filling soup.
The taste of manduguk largely depends on the base stock and also the filling ingredients used within the mandu itself.
Among other choices, bone broth, beef stock and anchovy stock is popular. Since I used homemade beef stock in my latest tteokguk recipe, I decided to use a different stock this time. So I used dried anchovy and dried kelp stock.
This stock is much faster to make than beef stock or bone broth and also it is a lot lighter. I also made a note near the end of the post for a cheater’ stock. So don’t forget to read that!
For my mandu, I used my favorite frozen mandu. (See the image below)
This mandu has seriously the best mandu filling inside it amongst all the frozen dumplings available, and the mandu itself is really big, like the size of my fist. Also, this one doesn’t include MSG in it. (Unfortunately, many Korean frozen mandu have MSG. Why!?) So it really made my choice easier and quicker.
If you want to use homemade mandu, I have a kimchi mandu recipe for you. Hopefully I can share more mandu recipes with different fillings in the near future.
Anyway, I hope you enjoy my manduguk recipe!
P.S. If you like dumpling soup, you might want to check out my Korean dumpling hot pot recipe. (This soup is spicy.)
Ingredients for Manduguk (Serves 4)
- 8 Korean dumplings (200g – 600g / 0.4 pounds – 1.3 pounds depending on the size of dumplings, rosebud shaped dumplings are common for soup making)
- 4 1/2 cups Korean soup stock (use this recipe, also see note for the alternative)
- 1 Tbsp regular soy sauce
- 1/2 tsp minced garlic
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 to 2 stalks green onion, thinly sliced
- (optional) 2 eggs, egg white and yolk separated
- (optional) dried seaweed (gim / nori), thinly sliced
- (optional) fine sea salt, to taste
- (optional) black pepper, to taste
How to Make Manduguk
1. Boil the soup stock over medium high heat. Add the soy sauce and garlic. Once the stock is rolling boiling add the dumplings. Boil the soup until the dumplings are fully cooked. (It takes about 2 to 3 minutes for smaller gyoza sized dumplings and 6 to 8 mins for bigger dumplings when covered.)
2. (This is an optional step.) Pan fry the egg white and egg yolk separately at low temperature with a little oil. Additional egg isn’t really necessary since you will be adding the egg into the soup (step 3), but it does present well when the soup is also garnished with the egg whites and egg yolk. Thinly slice them and set them aside until right near the end.
3. Drizzle the beaten egg over the soup like making egg drop soup. Add the sesame oil and green onion.
4. Serve the soup in a bowl and garnish with dried seaweed and/or egg white and egg yolk (optional). Eat while warm with some kimchi and/or steamed rice. You may season the soup with the salt and grindings of black peppers to your taste.
Note
If you’re in a rush and don’t want to invest 20 mins in making Korean soup stock, you can use a mix of 2 cups chicken stock and 2 & 1/2 cups water instead. If so, skip the soy sauce and season with some fine sea salt to taste, if required. (But I think the stock will be just fine without additional salt.) Obviously, chicken stock gives a slightly different flavor compared to Korean soup stock, but it works well as a quick fix.
You can also make manduk using homemade beef stock (with brisket). Refer to this recipe for the idea.
Manduguk (Korean Dumpling Soup)
Ingredients
- 8 Korean dumplings (200g – 600g / 0.4 pounds – 1.3 pounds depending on the size of dumplings, rosebud shaped dumplings are common for soup making)
- 4 1/2 cups Korean soup stock (or see note above for the alternative)
- 1 Tbsp regular soy sauce
- 1/2 tsp minced garlic
- 2 eggs , beaten
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 - 2 stalks green onion , thinly sliced
- 2 eggs , egg white and yolk separated (optional)
- dried seaweed (gim / nori), thinly sliced (optional)
- fine sea salt , to taste (optional)
- black pepper , to taste (optional)
Instructions
- Boil the soup stock over medium high heat. Add the soy sauce and garlic. Once the stock is rolling boiling add the dumplings. Boil the soup until the dumplings are fully cooked. (It takes about 2 to 3 minutes for smaller gyoza sized dumplings and 6 to 8 mins for bigger dumplings when covered.)
- (This is an optional step.) Pan fry the egg white and egg yolk separately at low temperature with a little oil. Additional egg isn’t really necessary since you will be adding the egg into the soup (step 3), but it does present well when the soup is also garnished with the egg whites and egg yolk. Thinly slice them and set them aside until right near the end.
- Drizzle the beaten egg over the soup like making egg drop soup. Add the sesame oil and green onion.
- Serve the soup in a bowl and garnish with dried seaweed and/or egg white and egg yolk (optional). Eat while warm with some kimchi and/or steamed rice. You may season the soup with the salt and grindings of black peppers to your taste.
Nutrition Info (per serving)
The nutrition information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
An easy and tasty recipe. When asked if she wanted Mandoo soup, wife replied “Yes, yes, yes!”
I loved it, thanks so much for sharing
Great recipe! Perfect for New year.
새해 복 많이 받으세요!
감사합니다!
The bad rap on MSG comes from racism and jealousy. American restraunteurs didn’t like that Chinese restaurants we’re becoming so popular so they set out on a smear campaign. MSG is in almost every single vegetable and in almost all snack food. It’s better for you when compared to salt. It is a flavor enhancer.
My family and I love this soup so much. My daughter is asking to have it at least once a week. Thank you for sharing.
I’m so pleased to hear that Susan! Thanks for your feedback. 🙂
I will try this today for my korean partner. I don’t know much how to cook korean recipe so I’ll try the simplest ome first. yay goodluck to me!
Good luck, Zai! Let me know if you have any questions. 🙂
Can I also add to this recipe Rice cake?
Yes, you can. 🙂
Tried this today and it came out perfect. Im a geographically single father living in Korea with my son. I want him to learn about his Korean culture but difficult for an American man to try to teach. At least being able to cook a thing or two helps.
Thanks!
Great to hear you enjoyed my recipe! 🙂
Thanks Sue. I love Hanaro
I loved the Ingredients which you use for this recipe. Thank you for sharing
LOL! Nice try, Sue! I’m afraid I am not going to make this trek half way around the world to Australia to get dumplings. I will up you one and ask if you would you know of an on-line Aussie grocer that sells these? It’s better than the expensive alternative you gave me (smile)
If there is no Aussie grocer on-line that sells these dumplings, any other on-line grocer you suggest will also do. Keep cooking!
Hi Gloria, As dumplings have to be kept frozen, not many grocers will ship it domestically or internationally. Your best bet is visiting your local Korean grocers. Also, you don’t have to use this particular dumpling brand to make this soup. It’s just what I like the most amongst frozen dumplings. Anyway, good luck hunting! 🙂
Hello, Sue!
Where can I buy your favorite frozen mandu that you describe in the image for this recipe at your website? I want to make your recipe Manduguk (Korean Dumpling Soup). You state, “For my mandu, I used my favorite frozen mandu. (See the image below)
Frozen mandu (Frozen Korean dumplings) I used “This mandu has seriously the best mandu filling inside it amongst all the frozen dumplings available, and the mandu itself is really big, like the size of my fist. Also, this one doesn’t include MSG in it. (Unfortunately, many Korean frozen mandu have MSG. Why!?) So it really made my choice easier and quicker.
Hi Gloria, You should check it out at your local Korean grocer. Obviously, not every Korean grocer will have it. If you happen to live in Brisbane (Australia), I can tell you where I got it from. 🙂
I’m in Brisbane Sue, which Korean Grover would stock this and what is the filling? Thanks
Hi Majella, I bought it from Hanaro Mart, Sunny Bank (250 McCullough St, Sunnybank QLD 4109). It’s from the freezer section. The filling is mainly seafood – squids, tuna, mussels, prawns and some vegetables. I believe it was about AUD $20. Hope you like it too. 🙂