Bugeoguk is the clear, gentle soup Koreans make from dried pollock. It has a reputation as a morning soup — the kind of thing served after a late night out, or on a cold weekday when nobody wants anything heavy. The dried fish gives a savory, almost milky broth without any need for stock or long simmering.
This version adds two things you don’t always see: a few shrimp for extra sweetness, and slices of apple. The apple isn’t a garnish. Dried pollock can carry a faint bitter edge, and the apple’s sweetness rounds it off while adding a light fruity note to the broth.
With six ingredients and about twenty minutes of simmering, it’s one of the easiest Korean soups to keep in your rotation. No soy sauce, no chili — just fish, vegetables, and water doing the work.
Ingredients
- 25g shredded dried pollock, bugeochae (about 1 cup loosely packed, 15 pieces)
- 10g shrimp (3 shrimp)
- 30g apple (about 1/5 of an apple)
- 40g onion (about 1/4 onion)
- 20g shiitake mushrooms (2 caps)
- 300ml water (1½ cups)
Instructions
- Tear the dried pollock into small shreds with your hands and rinse in cold water to prepare, then cut the onion, shiitake mushrooms, and apple into thin matchsticks; devein the shrimp by inserting a skewer into the second or third segment of the back, pull out the vein, and rinse.
- Put the dried pollock, shrimp, shiitake mushrooms, and onion into cold water and boil for about 20 minutes, then add the apple to remove the bitter taste of the dried pollock.
- Ladle into a bowl and serve.
Tips & Variations
- Where to find bugeochae: Look for bags labeled “dried pollock” or “bugeo” in the dried goods aisle of a Korean or Asian grocery, or online. Pre-shredded bugeochae saves you the tearing.
- Don’t skip the rinse. Dried pollock is dusty and salty from drying. A quick cold-water rinse keeps the broth clean-tasting.
- Apple choice: A crisp, sweet-tart apple like Fuji or Honeycrisp works best. Add it at the end as written — long boiling turns it mushy and muddies the broth.
- Seasoning: This recipe is unsalted by design. If it tastes flat to you, add a small pinch of salt or a splash of Korean soup soy sauce (guk-ganjang) at the table.
- Substitutions: Fresh or frozen shrimp both work at this small quantity. Fresh shiitake gives a cleaner flavor; if using dried, soak them first and use the soaking liquid as part of your water.
Nutrition
- Calories: 65 kcal
- Carbohydrates: 2 g
- Protein: 12 g
- Fat: 1 g
- Sodium: 78 mg