Jeonbokjuk (전복죽)

Abalone rice porridge — the get-well-soon luxury.

Korean name: 전복죽
Spice level: Not spicy
Flavor: savory · mild
Typically contains: shellfish
Vegetarian / vegan: Not vegetarian — meat or seafood is core to the dish
Typical price: ₩12,000–₩18,000 per person checked 2026-07 — varies by area
Good to know: Beginner-friendly ●●●●○ Solo dining ●●●●○ Kid-friendly ●●●●●
Also written as: jeonbok juk, abalone porridge, jeonbokjook

Spice and flavor are editorial assessments of the standard version — individual restaurants and recipes vary. Ingredient notes are typical, not guaranteed: always check with the restaurant for allergies or dietary needs. Eating and cooking notes describe common practice in Korea; our first-hand deep-dives live in the Eat Like a Local guides.

What is Jeonbokjuk?

Jeonbokjuk — abalone rice porridge — is the dish Koreans bring to hospital rooms and grandmothers' tables: rice slow-cooked in sesame oil with sliced abalone until silky, tinted faint green when the prized innards are worked in. It's Jeju's signature luxury made gentle, the universal 'get well soon' in a bowl.

How to eat it

Stir before eating — the abalone liver (the green) may be swirled in or served on top.
Season with a little soy or salt to taste; it comes mild by design.
Eat it slowly with the side kimchi cutting the richness.

Cooking it at home

Sauté soaked rice and sliced abalone in sesame oil until the rice turns translucent.
Add water gradually, simmering and stirring like risotto until thick.
Blend in the abalone innards for color and depth (optional but traditional); salt at the end.

Good to know

Shellfish allergy applies fully — including the innards that color the porridge.

Green jeonbokjuk (innards in) is the connoisseur's version; white versions skip them for milder flavor.

Nutrition

Calories	79 kcal
Carbohydrate	9.62 g
Protein	1.82 g
Fat	3.73 g
Sodium	158 mg

Per serving (~400g): ≈316 kcal · sodium ≈632 mg (32% of the WHO daily guideline, 2,000 mg)

Per 100g · total serving 400g · Official data: National Integrated Food Nutritional Information Standard Data (Korea MFDS) (DB item: 전복죽, synced 2026-07-17). Values vary by recipe and portion.