Korean fish cake soup, or eomuk-guk (어묵국), is one of those soups that doesn't need much fuss to taste deeply comforting. The broth is clear and delicate, but dried anchovies, kelp, and Korean radish give it a surprisingly savory depth.
The little trick that makes a noticeable difference is rinsing the fish cakes with hot water before they go into the pot. It removes some of the surface oil and lets the clean broth come through. Once the eomuk starts to puff and soften, it absorbs just enough of the broth to become juicy and tender.
Serve it in bowls with the radish and green onions, or thread the fish cakes onto skewers for that Korean street-food feel. It's especially good alongside tteokbokki or a bowl of freshly steamed rice.
Korean Fish Cake Soup
A light Korean soup made with eomuk fish cakes simmered in a clean anchovy-kelp broth with sweet Korean radish, garlic, soy sauce, and green onion.
Prep 5 min
Cook 30 min
Cuisine Korean
Yield
2 servings
Ingredients
Instructions
Add the water, dried kelp, and cleaned anchovies to a medium or large pot. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat and cook uncovered for 10 minutes. Keep the simmer steady rather than aggressively boiling; a calmer broth stays cleaner.
Remove the kelp and discard it. Add the sliced Korean radish and continue simmering with the anchovies for another 10 minutes, until the radish begins to soften and turn slightly translucent.
While the broth cooks, rinse the fish cakes briefly with hot water. This removes some of the surface oil from the fried eomuk and keeps the finished soup tasting cleaner. Cut the fish cakes into bite-size pieces, or thread long pieces onto wooden skewers if you want a street-food-style presentation.
Remove the anchovies from the broth and strain the liquid if you want a particularly clear soup. Return the softened radish to the pot.
Bring the broth back to a gentle boil. Stir in the soy sauce, rice wine, and minced garlic, then reduce the heat to medium.
Add the fish cakes and simmer for 3–5 minutes. The eomuk should become soft, slightly puffed, and hot all the way through. If some pieces sit above the broth, ladle the hot soup over them so they absorb the seasoning evenly.
Taste the broth. Add a little fine sea salt only if it needs more seasoning, then finish with freshly cracked black pepper and sliced green onion.
Ladle the soup into bowls and serve immediately with the radish and fish cakes. For a more traditional street-stall feel, serve the fish cakes on skewers with the hot broth alongside.
Notes & Variations
Fish cakes: Flat Korean eomuk sheets, pre-skewered fish cakes, or mixed shapes all work. The important thing is using Korean-style fish cake rather than a Western-style breaded fish product.
For a clearer broth: Don't boil the anchovy stock violently, and strain it before adding the fish cakes. This also removes tiny anchovy particles.
No skewers? Skip them completely. Bite-size fish cake pieces are how I usually make this for an everyday bowl of soup.
Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container and reheat gently on the stovetop until steaming. The fish cakes become softer as they sit, so avoid prolonged boiling when reheating.
Nutrition (approx., per serving): Calories: 253 kcal · Protein: 15 g · Carbs: 34 g · Fat: 4 g · Saturated fat: 1 g · Cholesterol: 27 mg · Sodium: 1271 mg · Fiber: 1 g · Sugar: 5 g Estimated values based on the final ingredients used; actual nutrition may vary by fish cake brand, broth ingredients, and seasoning amounts.
FAQ
Q: Can I use any Korean fish cakes for fish cake soup?
Yes, you can use flat sheets, round fish cakes, or pre-skewered eomuk for Korean fish cake soup. Different shapes give you slightly different textures, but they all work well. If you're using flat sheets, cut them into bite-size pieces or fold and thread them onto skewers for a street-food-style presentation.
Q: Why should I rinse fish cakes before adding them to the soup?
Rinsing the fish cakes with hot water removes some of the surface oil left from frying. This keeps the anchovy-kelp broth lighter and cleaner tasting. It isn't absolutely required, but I find the difference noticeable, especially when using packaged frozen eomuk.
Q: How do I keep Korean fish cake soup broth clear?
Keep the broth at a gentle simmer rather than a hard boil and remove the kelp before it cooks too long. Straining the finished anchovy stock through a fine sieve or damp cheesecloth also removes small particles and gives you that clean, clear broth associated with eomuk-guk.
Q: How long should I cook fish cakes in soup?
Fish cakes usually need only about 3–5 minutes once they enter the seasoned broth. You'll know they're ready when they become soft and slightly puffed. Cooking them much longer isn't necessary and can make their texture overly soft.
Q: Can I make Korean fish cake soup ahead of time?
Yes, you can make the broth ahead and refrigerate it, then add the fish cakes when you're ready to serve. For leftovers, reheat gently until hot rather than boiling the soup for a long time, since eomuk continues absorbing broth as it sits.
Ratings & Reviews
No ratings yet — be the first to try it and leave one.
Jiwon Kim is a home cook from Seoul who studied Food Science and Nutrition. She shares approachable Korean recipes — rice, soup, banchan, and fermented staples — explained simply for cooks outside Korea.
A soft, moist sweet potato loaf with cinnamon, nutmeg, and pecans, made for slow mornings, afternoon tea, or whenever you have a leftover sweet potato.
Thick, chewy udon noodles tossed with crispy bacon and sizzling kimchi in a sweet-spicy sauce, ready in 20 minutes flat.
We use cookies to run this site (essential), understand how it's used (analytics), show relevant ads, and remember your preferences. See our Cookie Policy.
Cookie Preferences
Choose which categories of cookies we can use. Essential cookies are always on because the Site can't function without them.
Required for core functionality, such as remembering this preference. Cannot be disabled.
Helps us understand how visitors use the Site (e.g., Google Analytics).
Used by ad networks (e.g., Google AdSense) to show relevant ads.
Remembers choices like region or language for a more personalized experience.
Comments (0)