Kongnamul Guk (콩나물국)

Light soybean-sprout soup, a home-table regular.

Korean name: 콩나물국
Spice level: Not spicy
Flavor: light · savory
Typically contains: soybean sprouts
Vegetarian / vegan: Sometimes — vegetable-forward, but anchovy broth, fish sauce or meat garnish is common. Ask first
Typical price: ₩9,000–₩13,000 per person checked 2026-07 — varies by area
Good to know: Beginner-friendly ●●●●○ Solo dining ●●●●○ Kid-friendly ●●●●○
Also written as: kongnamul guk, bean sprout soup

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 Kongnamul Guk?

Kongnamul-guk is the lightest soup on the everyday Korean table: soybean sprouts in a clear anchovy or plain broth, sometimes with a whisper of chili. It's what Koreans make when someone's under the weather, over-hung, or the table just needs something clean next to stronger dishes.

How to eat it

Drink the broth first — clean and nutty is the whole point.
Eat the sprouts with rice; a cold version (kongnamul-naengguk) exists for summer.
Add chili flakes for the spicy 'hangover mode' variant.

Cooking it at home

Boil soybean sprouts in anchovy stock with garlic — lid ON the whole time or fully off (folk rule to avoid the beany smell).
Season with salt or soup soy; finish with scallion and optional chili.
Five minutes total — don't overcook the crunch away.

Good to know

Mild fishiness from anchovy stock is standard — vegetarians should ask for plain-water versions at home only.

Jeonju turned this humble soup into a legendary gukbap (see kongnamul-gukbap) — same idea, rice added, egg on top.

Nutrition

Calories	6 kcal
Carbohydrate	0.61 g
Protein	0.74 g
Fat	0.09 g
Sodium	219 mg

Per serving (~400g): ≈24 kcal · sodium ≈876 mg (44% 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: 콩나물국, synced 2026-07-17). Values vary by recipe and portion.