Korean Water Dropwort Tofu Soup

Quick answer

Total time: 22 min
Level: Easy
Servings: 2 servings
Ingredients: 8

About this dish

Minari-dubu-guk is a mild, clear Korean soup pairing soft tofu with water dropwort, an herb prized for its bright, celery-like fragrance.

The broth is built on a simple anchovy-kelp stock, into which the tofu goes first and simmers gently until warmed through. Water dropwort is added only in the final moments before the heat is turned off, a deliberate timing choice that preserves the herb's volatile aromatic compounds and keeps the hollow stems slightly crisp rather than wilted. Adding it too early strips away the fragrance that makes this soup worth making. Seasoning stays minimal, soup soy sauce, garlic, and perhaps a pinch of salt, because restraint is the entire point: the clean stock, the herb's green perfume, and the pillowy tofu are meant to carry the bowl quietly. Firm tofu holds its shape through simmering and absorbs the broth more evenly than silken varieties, making it the better choice here. Spring is the ideal season, when water dropwort grows most tender and aromatic. Korean cooks often place this soup alongside richer, heavier dishes because the light broth cuts through fat and resets the palate between bites. It rarely draws attention at the table yet is reliably missed when absent.

Ingredients

servings

IngredientAmountUnit

minari (water dropwort)90 gg

firm tofu200 gg

anchovy broth900 mlml

onion60 gg

minced garlic½ tbsptbsp

soup soy sauce1 tbsptbsp

salt0.2 tsptsp

black pepper⅛ tsptsp

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Instructions

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

6 steps

1

Heat

Trim any wilted leaves and tough stem ends from 90 g minari, then rinse under running water.

Shake off excess water and cut the stems into 5 cm lengths so they cook evenly at the end.
2

Prep

Cut 200 g firm tofu into bite-size cubes, and slice 60 g onion thinly so it softens quickly in the clear broth.

Keep the tofu separate and handle it gently to prevent crumbling before it enters the pot.
3

Control

Pour 900 ml anchovy broth into a pot and bring it to a boil over high heat.

When it bubbles steadily, lower to medium heat, then add the sliced onion and 0.5 tablespoon minced garlic.
4

Control

Simmer for about 4 minutes, until the onion turns translucent and the garlic smell softens.

Skim excess foam if needed, and avoid vigorous stirring so the broth stays clear rather than cloudy.
5

Control

Add the tofu cubes and 1 tablespoon soup soy sauce, then keep simmering over medium heat for about 4 minutes.

Spoon hot broth over the tofu until the cubes float slightly and warm through without breaking.
6

Finish

Add the minari and cook for only 1 minute, just until the stems turn brighter and stay crisp.

Turn off the heat, adjust with 0.2 teaspoon salt and 0.1 teaspoon black pepper, and serve immediately.

Practical Cooking Checks

The cues that matter most while cooking.

Key technique: Soft tofu gently simmers while absorbing the savory anchovy-kelp stock.
Finish cue: Simmer for about 4 minutes, until the onion turns translucent and the garlic smell softens.
Avoid this: Trim any wilted leaves and tough stem ends from 90 g minari, then rinse under running water.