Why Seaweed? Health Benefits of Miyeok and a Simple Korean Seaweed Soup Recipe
Korea has many kinds of edible seaweed, including gim (laver), dasima (kelp), and parae (green laver). Yet the seaweed most closely connected with childbirth, birthdays, and family meals is miyeok. Miyeok, often called sea mustard in English, contains dietary fiber, iron, calcium, magnesium, and iodine. So why did Koreans choose miyeok in particular, and why do they still eat seaweed soup on birthdays today? In this post, we’ll look at what makes miyeok special, its nutritional value, and how Koreans use it in everyday cooking.
Why Was Miyeok Chosen Among So Many Seaweeds?
• It has long been connected with postpartum recovery.
• It contains iron and various minerals.
• It becomes soft, warm, and gentle when cooked as soup.
• It later became connected with Korean birthday culture.
As we talked about in the previous post, Korea has many different kinds of seaweed. Gim, or laver, is often eaten with rice. Dasima, or kelp, is commonly used to make broth. Parae, or green laver, is often served as a seasoned side dish or soup. Yet when it comes to postpartum food or birthday food, Koreans almost always think of miyeok-guk, Korean seaweed soup.
No one knows exactly when the tradition of eating seaweed soup began. But for a long time, Koreans have valued miyeok as an important sea vegetable. As the custom of eating seaweed soup after childbirth was passed down through generations, miyeok became more than just an ingredient. It became a food with meaning.
In Korea, people have long believed that miyeok helps cleanse the blood and support the body’s recovery. This belief was passed down long before modern medicine became common. Today, we cannot say that seaweed soup creates new blood or cures illness, but the tradition does not feel completely strange when we consider that miyeok contains iron and other minerals.
Another reason may be the way miyeok changes when cooked. When simmered in soup, it becomes soft, warm, and easy to eat. After childbirth, gentle and non-spicy foods are often preferred, so it makes sense that warm seaweed soup naturally became associated with postpartum recovery.
Over time, seaweed soup did not remain only a postpartum food. It also became a birthday dish shared with family. For many Koreans, eating seaweed soup on a birthday is also a quiet way to remember the mother who gave birth to them. That is why miyeok-guk carries not only nutrition, but also memory and gratitude.
What Exactly Is Miyeok?
Miyeok is a brown seaweed often called sea mustard in English. Outside Korea, people may know it simply as a type of seaweed, but in Korea, it is one of the most familiar sea vegetables because of miyeok-guk.
It is also commonly used in baby food. My children first tasted miyeok when they started eating baby food, and many Koreans grow up eating seaweed soup from a very young age. Because of this, miyeok feels closely connected to everyday Korean home cooking.
In Korean markets and grocery stores, miyeok is most often sold dried. When you soak it in water, it expands much more than you might expect. Many people who make seaweed soup for the first time are surprised by how much dried miyeok grows after soaking.
Koreans also enjoy miyeok in different ways, such as seasoned seaweed salad, chilled seaweed soup, and fresh seaweed served with dipping sauce. Still, the dish that represents miyeok best is probably a warm bowl of miyeok-guk.
• English name: Sea mustard
• One of Korea’s most familiar sea vegetables
• Often used in baby food
• Expands greatly when soaked in water
• Used in soup, salad, chilled soup, and side dishes
Nutritional Benefits of Miyeok
In Korea, miyeok has long been thought of as a food that helps the body recover. This belief is especially connected with the custom of eating seaweed soup after childbirth.
From a nutritional point of view, miyeok contains dietary fiber, iron, calcium, magnesium, and iodine. Dietary fiber can help support a balanced diet, and iron is one of the nutrients the body needs to make blood. This is one reason people often connect the Korean postpartum tradition with the nutritional value of seaweed.
Miyeok also contains minerals such as calcium and magnesium, and like many sea vegetables, it naturally contains iodine. Of course, it would not be accurate to say that miyeok creates new blood or treats a specific illness. Still, it is clearly a nutritious ingredient that has been valued in Korean cooking for a long time.
Another reason Koreans use it often is that miyeok is relatively low in calories and can be used in many dishes. It can be made into soup, seasoned as a side dish, or served cold in summer. That is why miyeok is not only a postpartum food, but also a familiar everyday ingredient in Korean homes.
• Contains dietary fiber, iron, calcium, magnesium, and iodine
• Relatively low in calories
• Easy to use in soups, salads, and side dishes
Different Types of Miyeok Koreans Eat
In Korea, miyeok comes in more forms than many people expect. The most common type is dried miyeok, which is usually used for seaweed soup. Depending on the season, Koreans also enjoy fresh miyeok or eat seaweed stems as a side dish. Rock-grown miyeok is also known for its deeper aroma and chewy texture, so many people consider it a high-quality type of seaweed.
| Type | How Koreans Eat It |
|---|---|
| Dried miyeok | The most common type, used for seaweed soup and seasoned side dishes |
| Fresh miyeok | Lightly blanched and dipped in cho-gochujang, or made into salad |
| Seaweed stems | Often stir-fried or seasoned as a Korean side dish |
| Rock-grown miyeok | Known for its aroma and chewy texture |
| Wando miyeok | Seaweed from Wando, one of Korea’s well-known seaweed-producing regions |
Dried miyeok is the type most Korean families use at home. It is soaked in water before being added to soup or seasoned as a side dish.
Fresh miyeok is harvested and eaten while it is still fresh. Koreans often blanch it briefly in boiling water and dip it in cho-gochujang, a sweet, spicy, and tangy red chili pepper sauce. It has a clean ocean flavor and is especially popular in winter and spring. I personally love fresh miyeok, and when I see it at the market, I often find myself picking up a bag without thinking too much.
Seaweed stems are also sold separately in Korea. They are often stir-fried or seasoned as a side dish and commonly appear in Korean restaurants. I ate seaweed stems often as a child, so I do not reach for them very much now. My husband, however, likes them, so I still make them from time to time.
There is also salted miyeok, which is fresh seaweed preserved with salt, and rock-grown miyeok, which is known as a higher-quality type of seaweed. Wando, located in South Jeolla Province, is one of Korea’s famous seaweed-producing regions. My mother still tells me that if I am buying seaweed, I should choose the kind from Wando.
How to Make Delicious Korean Beef Seaweed Soup
Before sharing the recipe, I should mention one thing: there is no single correct way to make Korean seaweed soup. Every household has its own ingredients, seasonings, and small habits. The recipe below is the way I usually make it at home, and it is the version my family enjoys most.
The protein used in seaweed soup can also vary. Beef seaweed soup is one of the most common versions in Korea, but some families make it with clams, mussels, abalone, tuna, or other ingredients. In this post, I’ll share a simple beef seaweed soup recipe, which is probably the version most people think of first.
When people ask how to make delicious beef seaweed soup, I do not think the answer is a secret trick. It is mostly about following the basic steps carefully: soaking the seaweed, stir-frying it gently with beef, and simmering it long enough for the broth to deepen.
Ingredients for 2 servings
Main ingredients
- 200g beef for soup
- 15g dried miyeok
- 800ml water
In Korea, brisket or beef shank is often used for seaweed soup. If you are shopping outside Korea, brisket, beef shank, or chuck roast would work well because these cuts become flavorful when simmered.
Seasonings
- 1 tablespoon anchovy fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon Korean soup soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic (optional)
- 2–3 tablespoons sesame oil
- Salt, for adjusting the final seasoning
You can use tuna fish sauce instead of anchovy fish sauce if that is what you have. The amount of seasoning can be adjusted to your taste.
How to make it
1. Soak the miyeok
Soak 15g of dried miyeok in cold water for about 10 to 15 minutes. Once it becomes soft and smooth without any tightly wrinkled parts, rinse it well and cut it into bite-sized pieces.
2. Stir-fry the beef and miyeok
Add sesame oil to a pot and stir-fry the beef first. When the beef changes color, add the soaked miyeok, soup soy sauce, and minced garlic, then stir-fry them together. This step helps build a deeper flavor in the soup.
Some people say garlic can cover the clean flavor of miyeok, so they prefer not to add it. In my family, however, we have always stir-fried seaweed soup with garlic, and I personally prefer that flavor. That is why I include minced garlic in this recipe.
One important thing to remember is not to stir-fry sesame oil or perilla oil over very high heat for too long. Since these oils are generally not meant for long high-heat cooking, it is better to stir-fry the ingredients gently over medium-low heat.
3. Simmer the soup
When most of the moisture in the pot has cooked off, pour in 800ml of water. Once it starts boiling, lower the heat and let it simmer gently for about 20 to 30 minutes.
Season the soup with anchovy fish sauce and soup soy sauce first, then add a little salt at the end if it needs more seasoning.
1. Soak the dried miyeok.
2. Stir-fry the beef and seaweed gently.
3. Add water and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes.
4. Season with fish sauce and soup soy sauce.
5. Adjust the final taste with salt.
Tips for Making Better Seaweed Soup
One of the most common mistakes people make when cooking seaweed soup for the first time is using too much dried miyeok. It may look like a small amount when dry, but it expands much more than expected after soaking. When I accidentally soak too much, I usually keep the extra in the refrigerator and use it later for chilled seaweed soup.
I also like to add a whole peeled onion when I pour water into the pot and start simmering the soup. I take it out before it becomes too soft. The onion gives the broth a deeper, fuller flavor and a gentle natural sweetness. This is one of the tips my mother taught me.
Many Koreans also say that seaweed soup tastes better the next day. The broth becomes deeper as it sits, so I often make a generous amount from the beginning. Since my family enjoys it and the flavor gets better as it is reheated, it is one of those soups that works well for more than one meal.
Helpful tips:
• Do not soak too much dried miyeok at once.
• Stir-fry the beef and seaweed gently before adding water.
• Simmer slowly over medium-low heat.
• Add a whole onion for deeper flavor, if you like.
• Try it again the next day, when the broth tastes richer.
Can You Make Vegan Miyeok-guk?
If you follow a vegan diet, you can make seaweed soup without beef or fish sauce. Instead, use broth made with kelp and dried shiitake mushrooms. The flavor will be different from beef seaweed soup, but it can be clean, light, and full of the natural taste of miyeok.
Why Koreans Still Love Seaweed Soup
For Koreans, seaweed soup is not only about nutrition. For some people, it brings back memories of recovering after childbirth. For others, it reminds them of birthday mornings with family. And for many people, it carries the memory of a warm bowl of soup made by their mother.
Final Thoughts
Korea has many different kinds of seaweed, but miyeok may be the one most deeply connected to people’s memories. Its iron and minerals may be part of the reason it has been valued for so long, but what makes miyeok-guk truly special is the family history, gratitude, and care that come with it.
If you are making Korean food for the first time, beef seaweed soup is a good place to begin. It is not as difficult as it may seem, and after tasting it, you may understand a little better why Koreans have loved this humble bowl of soup for generations.
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