• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Korean Bapsang logo

  • Start Here
  • Recipes
    • Appetizer/Snack
    • Main Dish
      • Meat
      • Noodles and Rice
      • Seafood
    • Side Dish
    • Slow Cooker
    • Soup
    • Stew
    • Desserts/Sweets
    • Korean-Chinese
    • Vegetables
    • Vegetarian dish
    • Traditional holiday food
      • Chuseok (Korean thanksgiving)
    • Special Event
    • Korean BBQ
  • Pantry
  • About
    • Privacy Policy
    • Featured On
    • Contact
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Start Here
  • Recipes
  • Pantry
  • About
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×
    Home » Recipes

    Kimchi Kongnamul Guk (Soybean Sprout Soup)

    Published 10/14/2022. Updated 11/19/2019

    Jump to Recipe

    This soup is a variation of kongnamul guk (soybean sprout soup) that’s made with kimchi. It’s easy and refreshingly delicious with a nice spicy kick! 

    DSC7048 3 e1665715508485 - Kimchi Kongnamul Guk (Soybean Sprout Soup)

    Kimchi kognamul guk (김치 콩나물국) is a common every day soup in Korean homes. It’s a variation of kongnamul guk which is made with kongnamul (soybean sprouts), a staple Korean vegetable.

    The addition of kimchi takes the soup to another level with a spicy kick that’s good enough to clear your sinuses. When my kids were growing up, I made this soup for them when they had a cold, just like my mother did when I was growing up. It’s my daughter’s favorite soup when she feels under the weather. Nothing beats it on cold days! 

    Serve it separately, or over the rice to make gukbap (국밥), a soup with rice in it.

    DSC7062 e1665716106416 - Kimchi Kongnamul Guk (Soybean Sprout Soup)

    Soup base

    As with kongnamul guk, this soup is best with an anchovy broth base. You can use beef broth instead, if you want. To make beef broth, simply sauté thinly sliced, bite sized beef until all the pieces turn brown. Pour in 8 cups of water and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium high and continue to boil, covered, for 10 minutes. See my muguk recipe for reference. 

    Kimchi

    This soup will taste best with old sour kimchi. The juice from the kimchi adds so much flavor to the broth, so don’t skip it if available. 

    Kongnamul (soybean sprouts)

    Kongnamul is high in B vitamins, vitamin C and protein, which is why Kongnamul guk is a popular home remedy for common colds and hangovers in Korea.

    Depending on the condition of your kongnamul, you can snip off the roots for cleaner appearance, but it’s necessary. The roots have nutrients too. I usually trim off the bad looking/brownish ones. 

    Do not overcook soybean sprouts to retain their crunchy texture. In general, you can cook them either covered or uncovered. If cooking covered, do not open the lid while they are being cooked, or the raw bean smell will linger even after cooked.

    Seasoning

    The kimchi and its juice adds saltiness, so you just need a little bit of additional seasoning, depending on the saltiness of your kimchi. I used a little bit of soup soy sauce (guk ganjang, 국간장) to season the soup in this recipe. If you don’t have Korean soup soy sauce, you can use fish sauce or simply season with salt. I sometimes use saeujeot (새우젖, salted and fermented shrimp) to season this soup. It works really well with this type of soup.   

    We like it extra spicy with gochugaru. You can always omit it or adjust to your preference. 

    More Korean soup recipes

    15 Korean Soup Recipes

    DSC7026 - Kimchi Kongnamul Guk (Soybean Sprout Soup)

    For more Korean cooking inspirations, follow  along on YouTube, Pinterest, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

    DSC7062 e1665716106416 500x500 - Kimchi Kongnamul Guk (Soybean Sprout Soup)

    Kimchi Kongnamul Guk (Soybean Sprout Soup with Kimchi)

    5 from 14 votes
    Soup
    Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes
    Servings: 4
    Print Recipe

    Ingredients

    • 6 cups anchovy stock See the recipe (I or II).
    • 10 ounces soybean sprouts (kongnamul)
    • 8 ounces fully fermented kimchi
    • 1/4 cup juice from kimchi, if available
    • 1 teaspoon gochugaru (red chili pepper flakes) - use less or more to taste
    • 2 teaspoons soup soy sauce (guk ganjang) or 1 teaspoon saeujeot - salted shrimp
    • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
    • 1 scallion roughly chopped
    • salt and pepper to taste

    Instructions

    • Make anchovy broth with 8 cups of water. See the recipe.
      DSC7007 768x513 - Kimchi Kongnamul Guk (Soybean Sprout Soup)
    • Rinse the soybean sprouts a couple of times, discarding any skins that are floating. Slice the kimchi into about 1/2-inch thick strips.
      DSC7011 768x513 - Kimchi Kongnamul Guk (Soybean Sprout Soup)
    • Add the sliced kimchi, kimchi juice, gochugaru, and the soup soy sauce (or saeujeot, salted shrimp) to the anchovy broth. Bring it to a boil. Cook over medium high heat until the kimchi turns translucent, about 5 minutes.
      DSC7015 768x513 - Kimchi Kongnamul Guk (Soybean Sprout Soup)
    • Add the bean sprouts and garlic. Cook, covered, for 3 - 4 minutes. Do not open the lid while the bean sprouts are being cooked, or the raw bean smell will linger even after cooked. Once the bean sprouts are cooked, adjust the seasoning, if needed, by adding salt and pepper.
      DSC7020 768x513 - Kimchi Kongnamul Guk (Soybean Sprout Soup)
    • Add the scallions and boil for another minute. Serve separately with a bowl of rice, or serve it over the rice in a bowl.
      DSC7026 768x513 - Kimchi Kongnamul Guk (Soybean Sprout Soup)

    Notes

    Kimchi kongnamul guk keeps well in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. If frozen, the texture of soybean sprouts may get stringy or tough. 
    Tried this recipe?Mention @koreanbapsang or tag #koreanbapsang!

    This recipe was originally posted in January 2013. I’ve updated it here with new photos, more information and minor changes to the recipe.

    You may also like:

    • DSC4719 3 150x150 - Kimchi Kongnamul Guk (Soybean Sprout Soup)Yukgaejang (Spicy Beef Soup with Vegetables)
    • DSC7103 e1574659166387 150x150 - Kimchi Kongnamul Guk (Soybean Sprout Soup)Spicy Soup with Leftover Turkey
    • 15 Easy Kimchi Recipes e1612498561532 150x150 - Kimchi Kongnamul Guk (Soybean Sprout Soup)15 Easy Kimchi Recipes
    • DSC 0066 e1539057703301 150x150 - Kimchi Kongnamul Guk (Soybean Sprout Soup)Jjamppong (Spicy Seafood Noodle Soup)
    « 20 Back to School Korean Recipes
    Bulgogi Deopbap (Bulgogi Rice Bowl) »
    2040 shares
    • Share
    • Tweet
    • Email

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Teresa Hahm says

      April 06, 2024 at 4:58 pm

      5 stars
      Thank you so much for posting this! Such a great recipe! The anchovy broth is a must. Tastes like my mom’s! She also uses 새우젓, but honestly I can’t really tell that it’s absent.

      Reply
    2. Peter says

      May 14, 2021 at 4:15 pm

      5 stars
      Thanks Hyosun, I loved it.

      Substituted Shimaya Dashi no Moto for the anchovy stock (because I didn’t have it, but I thought it would work) and adjusted the spice to my taste and result… really tasty ! The balance was perfect. Great recipe.

      Looking forward to trying more of your recipes 🙂

      Reply
    3. Michael says

      August 03, 2020 at 2:57 pm

      5 stars
      Thank you for this recipe. I followed it faithfully, including the advanced level anchovy broth, and the result was magnificent! The flavors blended wonderfully, and while spicy, the broth was light and bright! The kimchee and bean sprouts were tender, but still had some crunch. I can see why its know for soothing colds and hangovers! After 3 bowls I had to stop myself. Thank you again and love how you relate your dishes to life.

      Reply
    4. Tammy Chriss says

      April 18, 2018 at 7:10 pm

      Can I save the leftovers?? If so, how long?? My mother used to make this all the time!!! Thank you for the recipe!!

      Reply
    5. Alejandro Avila R says

      October 24, 2016 at 9:06 am

      thank you for making a delicious food

      Reply
    6. Patrick Bureau says

      February 21, 2016 at 6:33 pm

      I wanted to let you know; I cooked did this for my wife today, she has been suffering of congested sinuses last two days and within the hour her sinuses drained… It is a delicious easy to make meal, so much so , my coughing COPD mother in law passed by as I made it, and she tried it, she loves to try new foods, and we discovered for two hours after eating Kimchi Kongnamul Guk, she stopped coughing completely. So she took the extra portions I had home with her and asked me to gather ingredients and to teach her how to make it, for at her home as well. thank you .

      Reply
      • Hyosun says

        February 22, 2016 at 1:01 am

        Oh wow that’s so great to hear! Thanks for letting me know.

        Reply
    7. MW says

      January 07, 2015 at 9:41 pm

      Just so you know, the link in “Make anchovy stock with 8 cups of water. See the recipe.” is broken.
      THANKS!

      Reply
      • Hyosun says

        January 08, 2015 at 12:51 am

        Thanks for letting me know! It’s now fixed.

        Reply
    8. soybean says

      December 30, 2014 at 4:27 pm

      HI. can ready-made soybean sprout soup be bought online?

      Reply
      • Hyosun says

        December 31, 2014 at 11:03 am

        I haven’t seen it, but it’s very easy to make if you can find soybean sprouts in your area.

        Reply
    9. Anonymous says

      February 18, 2014 at 5:15 pm

      Is it okay to use sour bean sprouts or should they only be fresh?

      Reply
      • Hyosun Ro says

        February 18, 2014 at 8:42 pm

        Use fresh soybean sprouts. Enjoy!

        Reply
    10. Anonymous says

      July 10, 2013 at 6:16 am

      Hi~
      Just wondering if there’s a possible substitute for the anchovy stock? Or will the taste be different if it is substituted?

      Reply
      • Hyosun Ro says

        July 10, 2013 at 1:37 pm

        Just use water. It’ll still be good. Enjoy!

        Reply
      • Anonymous says

        July 10, 2013 at 8:14 pm

        Would water need to be boiled as well or do you add the kimchi, kimchi juice, gochugaru, and the soup soy sauce and then boil everything together?

        Reply
      • Hyosun Ro says

        July 11, 2013 at 2:57 pm

        No, you don’t need to pre-boil water.

        Reply
      • Cassidy says

        September 15, 2020 at 2:25 pm

        5 stars
        I love this recipe! I’ve made this about five times now and I keep coming back for more. Super comforting and I always have most of the ingredients on hand already.

        Reply
    11. Sue says

      January 28, 2013 at 5:55 am

      Wow congratulations on getting published in the Korean Herald! Love your blog! Can’t wait to try this recipe.

      Reply
    12. Sandra Mihic says

      January 18, 2013 at 3:58 am

      I love this soup!!! I need to make it again while I still have some kimchi left.
      I hope your daughter is better by now, and congrats on the Big feature!

      Reply
    13. Steven says

      January 16, 2013 at 5:39 pm

      This looks great! What do you use in your multigrain rice in the photo? I know you are using some black rice, but what else / ratios do you use?

      Reply
      • Hyosun Ro says

        January 17, 2013 at 4:13 am

        I usually use 7 – 9 grain mix, presoaked. But, didn’t have any that was presoaked when I took this photo. So, just used regular short grain rice (2), brown rice (1), and black rice (1/4). Thanks for coming by!

        Reply
      • Brian says

        January 29, 2013 at 9:07 pm

        I’m interested in trying grain mixes, but the bags I see at the Korean markets don’t have any soaking/cooking instructions in English. What method do you use?

        Reply
      • Hyosun Ro says

        January 30, 2013 at 5:17 am

        I just soak for them 3 – 4 hours, until the beans are soft. I usually soak a lot at a time and freeze them, so I can use it anytime I want. Hope this helps

        Reply
    14. Anonymous says

      January 16, 2013 at 5:47 am

      I love this soup! So refreshing and one of my favorites. I was wondering if you had any ideas on what I can cook or bake for my Korean mother-in-law. I usually bake her cakes, breads, muffins, etc. as well as home made mandoo/potstickers, but I would love some new ideas. Thanks!

      Reply
      • Hyosun Ro says

        January 17, 2013 at 4:33 am

        My in-laws love my galbijjim (braised beef short ribs). Also, how about Korean sweets like sesame crunch or hotteok? Haemul Pajeon (seafood scallion pancakes)? Hobak Juk (pumpkin porridge)? See my recipe index for more options and let me know if you have any questions. Cheers!

        Reply
    15. Julie P. says

      January 15, 2013 at 7:25 am

      New follower!!! I love reading amazing recipes for Korean food. Your blog is fantastic. Congrats on your publication, that’s incredible. 🙂

      Reply
      • Hyosun Ro says

        January 17, 2013 at 4:14 am

        Thank you, Julie! And welcome to Korean Bapsang!

        Reply
    16. Sissi says

      January 11, 2013 at 5:11 pm

      The soup looks perfect for tonight’s dinner. We both eat very hot food so my husband would love it too. Why haven’t I bough soybean sprouts? (I do have kimchi though…) I think I will prepare it some time soon because it looks simple, healthy, light but warming and nourishing. Perfect after holiday’s overeating.
      Congratulations for the publication and future publications too! You will soon be a huge star in Korea.

      Reply
    17. Nami | Just One Cookbook says

      January 11, 2013 at 5:42 am

      Just vegetable but it looks like a wonderful savory soup! My kids and I cannot eat spicy but I know my husband would eat like 3 bowls! 😀

      Reply
    18. Jenn says

      January 10, 2013 at 11:36 pm

      It’s warming me up just looking at your awesome photos!
      TheNoshingBride.com

      Reply
    19. Anonymous says

      January 10, 2013 at 11:12 pm

      This looks delicious! I have a bunch of kimchi that I don’t know what to do with. This is perfect, thanks!

      Reply
    20. Frugal Flo says

      January 08, 2013 at 7:27 pm

      Awwwww I wish this was posted a few days ago when i was still sick hehe. Maybe I could’ve gotten better sooner! hehe. Thanks again for the lovely antidotes and recipe and congratulations again on being a contributer for the Korean Herald!

      Reply
    5 from 14 votes (10 ratings without comment)

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Welcome to Korean Bapsang

    Korean Bapsang Author
    Hi! I'm Hyosun, and I am a Korean-American mom of two wonderful grown-up children. Here, you will learn how to cook Korean dishes the way we Koreans traditionally eat at home. Read More...

    Never Miss a Recipe

    Popular Recipes

    • a large bowl of red spicy Korean stir-fried rice cakes with serving plates and chopsticks Tteokbokki (Spicy Stir-fried Rice Cakes)
    • 2 quarter-heads of napa cabbage kimchi in a large ceramic bowl Traditional Kimchi
    • Stir-fried glass noodles with beef and vegetables in a square bowl Japchae (Stir-Fried Starch Noodles with Beef and Vegetables)
    • Sundubu Jjigae (Soft Tofu Stew)
    • Korean noodles in a black bean sauce topped with cucumber matchsticks and served in a white bowl Jajangmyeon (Noodles in Black Bean Sauce)
    • A 6-photo collage of 15 Korean vegetable side dishes 15 Vegetable Side Dishes (Banchan)
    • Korean fried chicken nuggets in a sweet and savory sauce Dakgangjeong (Sweet Crispy Korean Fried Chicken)
    • kimchi stew with tofu in an earthen pot with the lid laid on the side of the pot Kimchi Jjigae (Kimchi Stew)

    Popular Categories

    Noodles and rice category banner

    Korean BBQ category banner

    Stews category banner

    As Featured On:

       

    Footer

    Korean Bapsang New Logo

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube

    Copyright © 2024 · All rights reserved · Korean Bapsang

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required

    Recipe Ratings without Comment

    Something went wrong. Please try again.