Spicy Potato Guk (매운 감자국) is a very simple and useful daily soup that is especially good on cold days because the spicy broth makes your body warm. Many people usually have potatoes and onions on hand. So if your groceries are running low, and you want to cook something with what you have, this is a great recipe for that. 🙂 If you love potatoes and spicy food like me, try it someday.
Yield: 3 Servings
Short Korean Lesson
- JiPye (지폐) = Bill (Money)
- DongJeon (동전) = Coin (Money)
Video Instructions
⏰ The video for this recipe will be started at 2:11.
Main Ingredients
- 1½ Cups Potato
- ½ Cup Onion
- 2 Green Onions
- 1 Red Hot Pepper
Broth Ingredients
- 4 Cups Water
- 4 Pieces Dried Kelp (1×1 inch)
- 1 Dried Anchovy Pack (or 4 Pieces Large Anchovies)
Seasoning Ingredients
- ½ Tbsp Hot Pepper Powder
- ½ Tbsp Soup Soy Sauce
- ½ Tbsp Minced Garlic
- 1 tsp Sesame Oil
- ½ tsp Salt
Directions
To make the broth, boil 4 pieces of dried kelp (1×1 inch) and one dried anchovy pack (or 4 pieces of large dried anchovies) in 4 cups of water on medium-high in a covered pan. Once it starts to boil, cook for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile chop the vegetable ingredients. Slice 1½ cups worth of potatoes into half-inch, half-moon shapes. Cut ½ cup worth of an onion into ½ inch pieces. Chop two green onions into 1-inch pieces and one red hot pepper into ½ inch pieces.
Remove the kelp after the 5 minutes are up. Boil for another for 5 minutes and then remove the anchovy pack.
Add the potatoes and onion into the broth.
Once the broth starts to boil again, add all of the ingredients for the seasoning: ½ Tbsp of hot pepper powder, ½ Tbsp of soup soy sauce, ½ Tbsp of minced garlic, 1 tsp of sesame oil, and ½ tsp of salt. Cook it for about 10 minutes on medium-high, or until the potato has completely cooked.
Add the chopped green onion and red hot pepper. Cook for one minute and turn off the heat.
We ate this soup for supper tonight. My husband gave this an “A” for his “soup rating category.” During this coming winter, I want to post more Korean soup recipes for you. 😉 Therefore, I am glad that I can share this delicious spicy soup recipe with you today. Have a great week and please keep in touch. 😉
I was looking through your recipes and saw the old post about your son, Bryson. So, I just thought I’d say happy (belated) second birthday! I hope you’re all happy and doing well. I’ve never commented before, but I’ve used your recipes many times. Thank you for sharing.
hi Rose,
Very sweet comment.. thanks 🙂
Hmm, will try this for lunch…looks delicious! And you are planning to post more Korean soups? that’s a fantastic idea!! I LOVE Korean soups and I can’t wait to try some new ones! Thank you for all your great recipes!!!
hi Caroline,
Yes, I will try to post more soup recipes.. thanks ^^
To make this less spicy, would one leave out the pepper powder and hot pepper?
hi Julia,
Yes, reduce some spicy ingredients.. but add a little bit at least for flavoring..
😆 for some reason i thought it was moo guk…lol
im craving for potato guk… im so hungry for this…or is it because its almost dinner time? keke
맛있게 만들을게요!
mmmmm…this soup looks soo yummyyyy~, and very easy to make, thank you and I look forewared for your new recipes 😛
I’m going to make this soup this week.
It looks so good.
I look forward to your other soup recipes.
Thank You, i cooked it today and it was realy easy, quick and really delicious. I love korean food 🙂
Hi Aeri, I made this yesterday and it was so simple yet so tasty! As I was making it for myself and young son I added 5 cups of water and 1tsp of red pepper flakes to make it less spicy. My son’s response: 맵다! 맛있다! ^^
hi Ajummapower,
Haha.. your son is cute.. thanks for feedback. 😉 happy to hear that you enjoyed it.
1st time on site…<3 Korean food…so will definitely try this dish..and others!
Hi…is it possible to leave out the little fishies? 😡
hi Joy,
You will lose some flavor..but you can skip it.
if i don’t have kelp, what can i use as substitute? or can i just skip it?
hi safiah,
You can just skip it. 🙂
Hi Aeri,
It’s super cold in this winter. I’m looking forward to reading more soup recipes. Thank you so much in advance!! ^^
Hi Aeri-
I have thoroughly enjoyed your cooking blog. My question for you is, where do you buy the anchovy packs? I imagine they would be with the anchovy section of the korean market? 😀
Amy
hi Amy,
I bought it at a korean grocery store. I think some store sells and some don’t.. if you can’t find them.. you can just use normal dried anchovies also.
Oh my God, I have to make this soup…today! It’s -11 right now in Jech’eon! 😮 😀 😛
hi Suzanne Sutherland,
Oh~~ it’s very cold over there. Please take care of yourself. 🙂
다시다 is that the same as dried anchovy pack? what do you call the dried anchovy pack? thanks!
hi mari,
다시다 is stock powder..and it is kind of like msg seasoning. It’s different from dried anchovy pack. you can just use normal dried anchovies for your broth. We call the pack, 멸치 팩.. thanks
Hi Aeri, Thank you for this recipe. It really hit the spot on a cold day like today. The broth is delicious!!!! 🙂
Hey Aeri, may I know if I can replace the red pepper powder w/ gochujang instead? 🙂 is there a difference?
yes.. taste can be changed a little but it will still work. you can try that.
Turned out great!
hi Janine,
Love to hear that. Thank you. 🙂
Hi Aeri
Can you use dashi stock powder instead of the kelp/anchovy?
hoping to make this tonight 😀
hi Janine,
Yes, you can use dashi stock powder. ^^
Hello! Is there no video for this recipe? D:
hi Joyce,
Yes, some of my recipes don’t have a video..this recipe is one of them. 😉 hehe.. sorry.. but I think it is very easy to make without video instruction..right ? ^^ thanks
This was a hit tonight with my husband. I actually didn’t have potato, so I used tofu instead. I love how this recipe is so simple yet hearty. We both loved it! Thank you!
hi Julie,
Great job !! Thanks for trying it and telling me how you liked it. ^^ happy happy..hehe
Love the soup, Aeri! Thank you! It’s perfect for a beginner cook like me. I hope you upload a spicy dwenjang guk recipe someday. 🙂
hi Caroline,
Oh I didn’t post spicy dwenjang guk ?? maybe I did.. Let me check it first.. lol
How about this one ?? 🙂
http://aeriskitchen.com/2008/11/korean-tofu-soybeanpate-soup-%EB%90%9C%EC%9E%A5-%EC%B0%8C%EA%B0%9C/
thanks
Hello! This soup is really great! I love your recipes! I have a question about the amount of water. In the ingredients is says 4 cups of water, but in the directions it says 3 cups water. Which is the correct amount? Thanks!
hi Janetta,
Oh thank you very much for pointing out my mistake. It’s a long time ago, since I made the recipe.. so I can not remember exactly..but usually this case.. the ingredient list is correct.. because I write down direction base on ingredient list.. so while I was writing the instruction, I must made a mistake. Thanks again .. so it will be 4 cups of water. 🙂