Korean Clear Mushroom Tofu Soup

Quick answer

Total time: 22 min
Level: Easy
Servings: 2 servings
Ingredients: 9

About this dish

This clear Korean soup draws its umami from oyster and shiitake mushrooms simmered in plain water for four minutes, seasoned with only soup soy sauce and salt to keep the broth light and direct.

Two varieties of mushrooms working together - oyster for soft texture, shiitake for depth - produce a broth that holds its own without meat. Cubed tofu goes in near the end so the pieces stay intact, and chopped green onion finishes the bowl with a clean, mild sharpness. At 155 calories per serving, the dish is genuinely low-calorie without sacrificing the layered, savory quality that makes it worth returning to.

Ingredients

servings

IngredientAmountUnit

oyster mushrooms120 gg

shiitake mushrooms60 gg

firm tofu180 gg

onion70 gg

green onion25 gg

minced garlic1 tsptsp

soup soy sauce1 tbsptbsp

water750 mlml

salt¼ tsptsp

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Instructions

Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.

6 steps

1

Prep

Trim the base from 120g oyster mushrooms and tear them into bite-size strands.

Slice 60g shiitake mushrooms thinly, and finely chop any usable shiitake stems after removing only the tough dry ends.
2

Prep

Cut 180g firm tofu into 2cm cubes and leave it in a sieve briefly so excess water drains away.

Slice 70g onion into thin strips, then thinly slice 25g green onion and keep it separate.
3

Control

Pour 750ml water into a pot and bring it to a full boil over high heat.

Add the onion and 1 tsp minced garlic, lower to medium heat, and simmer for 2 minutes to start the broth base.
4

Control

Add the oyster and shiitake mushrooms and keep the pot at a steady medium simmer for 4 minutes.

Skim excess foam if it gathers, and look for the mushrooms to soften and the broth to turn lightly tan.
5

Control

Slide the tofu in from the side of the pot and simmer 3 more minutes without stirring hard, so the cubes stay intact.

Add 1 tbsp soup soy sauce and 0.25 tsp salt, then gently mix only the broth.
6

Control

Taste the broth and add only a tiny pinch more salt if it is too mild.

Add the green onion, simmer for 30 seconds, turn off the heat, and ladle the soup carefully so the tofu does not break.

Practical Cooking Checks

The cues that matter most while cooking.

Key technique: Beoseot dubu malgeun guk extracts clean mushroom umami into a light, clear broth with soft cubes of tofu.
Finish cue: Taste the broth and add only a tiny pinch more salt if it is too mild.
Avoid this: Slice 60g shiitake mushrooms thinly, and finely chop any usable shiitake stems after removing only the tough dry ends.