Korean abalone soup, often made as an abalone version of miyeok-guk, pairs tender shellfish with soft seaweed in a light, savory broth. This home-style recipe uses garlic and sesame oil for depth without masking the abalone, and it works with fresh or fully thawed, cleaned abalone. Seaweed soups have many regional and family variations in Korea, so season the broth to suit your ingredients and taste.
Ingredients
- 1 ounce (28 g) dried miyeok, also sold as Korean dried sea mustard or wakame
- 4 medium abalone, about 12 ounces (340 g) cleaned edible meat; fresh or fully thawed
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) toasted sesame oil
- 2 garlic cloves, finely minced, about 2 teaspoons (6 g)
- 8 cups (1.9 L) water
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) Korean soup soy sauce, gukganjang
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) fish sauce, optional
- ¼ teaspoon fine salt (about 1.5 g), plus more to taste
- ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper (about 0.3 g)
- 2 tablespoons thinly sliced scallions (about 6 g), for serving
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil (5 ml), optional, for serving
Instructions
- Soak the seaweed. Put the dried miyeok in a large bowl and cover it generously with cool water. Let it soak for 20 minutes, until fully expanded and pliable. Drain it in a colander, rinse briefly to remove any grit, and gently squeeze out excess water. If the strands are very long, cut them into manageable lengths with kitchen scissors. Set aside.
- Clean and slice the abalone. If the abalone is still in its shell, scrub the shell well under cold running water. Slide a sturdy spoon between the shell and the meat to detach it, then trim away the dark viscera and the firm mouth or beak. Keep the edible foot and rinse it well. If you are unfamiliar with cleaning abalone, ask a fishmonger to clean it for you. Pat dry and slice the meat across the grain into pieces about ¼ inch (6 mm) thick. Cleaning and slicing should take about 15 minutes; refrigerated, cleaned abalone can be used instead.
- Build the base. Set a medium-large pot over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon (15 ml) sesame oil. Add the minced garlic and drained seaweed. Stir for about 4 minutes, until the seaweed is glossy and fragrant. Keep the heat moderate; garlic should smell sweet and aromatic, not turn brown or bitter.
- Simmer the seaweed. Pour in 8 cups (1.9 L) water and stir in the soup soy sauce, optional fish sauce, salt, and pepper. Bring the liquid just to a boil, then lower the heat so it simmers gently. Cover partly and cook for 20 minutes, stirring once or twice. The seaweed should be tender, and the broth should taste rounded rather than strongly salty. If foam gathers on top, skim it off.
- Cook the abalone and check it. Add the sliced abalone and bring the soup back to a gentle simmer. Cook for about 4 minutes, avoiding a hard boil. Check the thickest piece with a food thermometer; USDA FSIS safe minimum guidance for seafood is 145°F (63°C). Thin slices can become chewy if simmered much longer than needed, so check promptly and remove the pot from the heat as soon as the pieces reach the safe temperature.
- Finish and serve. Taste the broth and adjust with a little more soup soy sauce or salt if needed. Rest the soup for 2 minutes, then ladle it into bowls. Add scallions and, if you like, a few drops of toasted sesame oil. Serve while hot, with rice and simple Korean side dishes.
Tips
- Choose the seaweed by its label. Dried miyeok expands substantially, so measure it before soaking. Korean miyeok has a pleasant, softly chewy texture. Wakame is a practical substitute, though it is often more delicate and may need less simmering; start checking it after 12 to 15 minutes.
- Use the right soy sauce. Gukganjang is Korean soup soy sauce, which seasons a clear soup without adding as much dark color as regular soy sauce. If you cannot find it, use 2 teaspoons (10 ml) regular soy sauce and add salt gradually. The broth will be darker and may taste slightly sweeter or less clean.
- Keep the simmer gentle. A rolling boil can make the seaweed ragged and the abalone tough. Once the water boils, lower the heat and add the sliced shellfish only after the seaweed has softened.
- Season after the seaweed cooks. Different brands of soup soy sauce, fish sauce, and dried seaweed vary in saltiness. Start with the listed amounts, taste near the end, and add salt in small pinches rather than trying to correct an over-salted pot with extra seasoning.
Serving Suggestions
Serve the soup in individual bowls alongside a bowl of freshly cooked short-grain rice. Some diners spoon rice directly into the broth; others take bites of rice between sips so the clear soup stays distinct. A small spread of kimchi, seasoned spinach, bean sprouts, or crisp radish pickles gives the meal contrasting acidity, heat, and crunch. Keep the side dishes modestly seasoned so they do not overwhelm the delicate shellfish.
For a simple lunch, make the soup the main dish and add rice plus one or two vegetables. For a more substantial dinner, serve it with grilled fish or tofu and a few banchan. If serving a group, keep the pot covered over very low heat only briefly; extended heating can make the abalone firm. Ladle into warmed bowls just before eating, and offer extra scallions or sesame oil at the table rather than adding a heavy garnish to the whole pot.
Variations
Use a mild anchovy-kelp broth. Replace some or all of the water with unsalted Korean anchovy-kelp stock. This gives the soup a fuller, more traditionally savory base. Because prepared stock can contain salt, reduce the soup soy sauce at first and adjust only after simmering.
Add a little rice. For a heartier, porridge-like bowl, stir in ½ cup (90 g) rinsed short-grain rice when you add the water. Simmer until the rice is tender, usually 25 to 30 minutes, stirring more often and adding water if the pot thickens too much. Add the abalone at the end and still check it with a thermometer.
Make it without abalone. Omit the shellfish and cook the seaweed soup as written for a simple miyeok-guk. For a different protein, add thinly sliced beef and cook it through before adding the water, or use firm tofu near the end. These substitutions change the flavor and cooking time, so the finished soup will not taste exactly like abalone soup.
Adjust the garlic and sesame. For a gentler aroma, use one garlic clove and finish with a small drizzle of sesame oil. For a more pronounced savory profile, keep both cloves and use the optional fish sauce. Avoid adding a large amount of chili oil or strong spice if you want the abalone flavor to remain clear.
Storage and Reheating
Cool leftovers promptly and refrigerate them within 2 hours in a covered, shallow container. The soup keeps for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator. If you expect leftovers, you can also set aside some soup before adding the abalone and cook fresh abalone in that portion when serving; this helps prevent the shellfish from becoming firmer during storage and reheating.
Reheat only the amount you plan to eat in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring gently until steaming throughout. Check that leftovers reach 165°F (74°C), the USDA FSIS safe reheating temperature. Avoid repeatedly bringing the whole pot to a boil. You can freeze the soup for up to 2 months for best quality, although seaweed may soften further and abalone may become chewier; thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat safely.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use frozen abalone?
Yes. Thaw it completely in the refrigerator, then pat it dry and slice it as directed. If it was sold cleaned and frozen, you can skip shell removal and trimming, but inspect the meat for any firm mouth or remaining dark tissue. Do not add it to the pot while still frozen, since that makes the cooking time less predictable.
How do I know when abalone is cooked?
Use a food thermometer in the thickest slice and cook seafood to 145°F (63°C), following USDA FSIS safe minimum guidance. Thin slices usually reach that point quickly in simmering broth. The flesh should look opaque, but appearance alone is not as reliable as checking the temperature; avoid simmering it for a long time after it is done.
Can I prepare the soup ahead?
You can soak the seaweed and clean the abalone in advance. Keep the drained seaweed covered in the refrigerator and use it within a day; store cleaned abalone separately, cold, and cook it promptly. You can also make the broth and seaweed ahead, refrigerate them, then bring the soup to a simmer and add the abalone just before serving.
Why is my soup too salty?
Soup soy sauce and fish sauce differ by brand, and some seaweed or stock may already contribute salt. Next time, begin with less soy sauce and omit the optional fish sauce until you taste the cooked broth. If the pot is already too salty, add a little hot water or unsalted stock and adjust the balance with more seaweed or plain rice at serving.
What can I use if I cannot find miyeok?
Korean dried sea mustard is the closest choice, and dried wakame is the easiest substitute. Check the package because some wakame is finely cut and expands quickly; use a smaller amount if the pieces are tiny, and shorten the simmer so they do not disintegrate. The result will be a little more delicate and less chewy than soup made with miyeok.
Is this soup always made with abalone?
No. Miyeok-guk is made in many Korean households with different ingredients, including beef, seafood, or no added protein. Abalone is one valued variation, and the exact seasoning and broth differ between cooks. This version keeps the seasoning restrained to let the seaweed and shellfish remain the focus.
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Safety notes: safe minimum internal temperatures from USDA FSIS; raw and undercooked fish guidance from the U.S. FDA. Food safety notes
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