5 from 63 votes
Honghap Miyeokguk (Seaweed Soup with Mussels)
Honghap Miyeokguk is a Korean seaweed soup featuring hydrated dried seaweed and fresh mussels, cooked in a clear broth seasoned with garlic, sesame oil, and soy sauce or fish sauce. The soup has a soothing, umami-rich character with tender seaweed and briny mussel pieces. It is traditionally simmered long enough to deepen flavor, resulting in a nourishing and lightly flavored broth.
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
35 mins
Servings:
4
Course:
Main Course, Soup
Cuisine:
Asian, Korean
Ingredients
- 1 ounce dried seaweed yields about 2 cups soaked, miyeok, 미역
- 12 to 16 mussels fresh
- 1 teaspoon garlic minced
- 8 cups water
- 2 tablespoons soup soy sauce gukganjang or fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- salt
- black pepper
Instructions
- Soak the dried miyeok in cold water per package instructions (usually 10 to 20 minutes) or just until it turns soft and plump. Rinse a couple of times to remove any hidden sand. Drain well and cut into bite sizes. See notes 2 and 3.
- Rinse the mussels in cold water. Rub a few at a time between your hands (or scrub off) to remove any debris on the shells. If you see a beard attached to the mussels, tug it out.
- In a large pot, sauté the miyeok with the sesame oil, soy sauce and garlic for 4 to 5 minutes over medium high heat. You can add a little bit of water it the seaweed gets too dry.
- Add 8 cups of water. Bring it to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat to medium, cover, and boil for about 25 minutes.
- Drop the mussels in. Add salt (about 2 teaspoons) and pepper to taste. Boil for an additional 5 minutes.
Cup of Yum
Notes
- Choose dried miyeok with a deep green color for optimal flavor.
- Soak seaweed 10–20 minutes only to avoid flavor loss; rinse well to remove sand.
- Clean mussels thoroughly, removing any beards and debris before cooking.
- The soup thickens in flavor with a full 25-minute simmer before adding mussels.
- Leftover miyeokguk freezes well for extended storage.