Korean Green Seaweed Tofu Soup
Quick answer
- Total time
- 22 min
- Level
- Easy
- Servings
- 2 servings
- Ingredients
- 8
About this dish
Cheonggak-dubu-guk is a light Korean seaweed soup made by soaking salted cheonggak sea staghorn in cold water to draw out excess salt, then simmering it with tofu and onion in a clean broth.
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Onion and garlic are sauteed in perilla oil first to build a nutty base, and the broth is seasoned with tuna extract and soup soy sauce, which together bring a deep oceanic savoriness to every spoonful. The cheonggak seaweed contributes a firm, satisfying crunch that contrasts directly with the soft, mild tofu cubes. At 140 calories per bowl, the soup sits at the lighter end of Korean everyday cooking while still delivering genuine depth. The combination of sea vegetable, perilla oil, and fermented soy seasoning makes a broth that tastes cleaner and more mineral than standard vegetable soups.
Ingredients
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Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Season
Soak 40g of salted cheonggak seaweed in cold water for at least 5 minutes to extract the salt.
Rinse it thoroughly under running water and cut into 3cm pieces to maintain its distinctive crunchy texture.
- 2Prep
Cut 200g of firm tofu into neat 2cm cubes and slice 60g of onion into thin 0.5cm strips so they blend well and release their sweetness into the clear broth.
- 3Control
Heat 1 tsp of perilla oil in a pot.
Add the sliced onion and 0.7 tbsp of minced garlic, then stir-fry over medium heat for 1 minute until fragrant and transparent.
- 4Control
Pour 850ml of water into the pot and bring it to a rolling boil over high heat.
Add the prepared seaweed, then reduce to medium heat and simmer for 4 minutes.
- 5Control
Add the tofu cubes, 1 tbsp of tuna extract sauce, and 1 tbsp of soup soy sauce.
Simmer for 3 more minutes until the tofu is heated through and absorbs the seasoning.
- 6Season
Taste the broth and adjust with a little more water or soup soy sauce if needed.
Once the seasoning is balanced and the soup is clear, turn off the heat.
Practical Cooking Checks
The cues that matter most while cooking.
- Key technique
- Cheonggak dubu guk features the distinct briny aroma of sea staghorn seaweed and soft tofu in a clean broth.
- Finish cue
- Taste the broth and adjust with a little more water or soup soy sauce if needed.
- Avoid this
- Cheonggak loses aroma when overcooked, so keep simmering brief.
How Substitutions Change the Result
The taste, texture, nutrition, or cooking adjustment to expect when swapping an ingredient.
- If unavailable, replace tuna extract with two-thirds amount of anchovy sauce.
Cooking decision evidence
Calculated Charim data and applicable official cooking and food safety guidance.
This recipe
22min, 8 ingredients
Category median
45min, 8 ingredients
Based on 310 recipes
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