The Easiest Broth-Based Korean Seaweed Soup (Miyeok-guk)

Korean Seaweed Soup — 미역국 — “MiYeok Guk”
using seaweed by SEA:D and mineral-rich bone broth using 100% Grass-Fed & Finished Beef Bones by Sugar Hill Farmstead.
(Broth free recipe is also available below)

I’m asked by a lot of you: “which brand of seaweed/broth do you use?” - hope this post helps!

A quick note on the broth:
This miyeok-guk is made using a second-extraction bone broth — a traditional, gentle way of pulling minerals from bones that have already been used once. It creates a lighter, clearer broth that pairs beautifully with seaweed and is especially supportive during pregnancy, postpartum, and any season where the body needs a little extra support.

I’ll explain exactly how I do this below, and I’ll also share an easy option if you don’t have bones on hand.

If you’ve ever made Korean Seaweed Soup (Miyeok-guk) from scratch, the seaweed prep struggle can be quite real (but I have a solution for you - read on!)

The dried seaweed takes forever to cut into bite-size pieces, and sometimes—IYKYK—you even find random plastic netting, tooth-breaking pebbles, and sea creatures tangled inside the seaweed. Even in the “good quality” ones.

But since seaweed soup is a postpartum/pregnancy ESSENTIAL in my book… I wanted to somehow make it extra easy… to encourage postpartum/pregnant mums to make it & enjoy it.

— Enter SEA:D Seaweed x KimC Market—

Once you try SEA:D Sea Mustard from KimC Market, there’s no going back.

The chic little pouches eliminate every pain point of making MiYeok-guk:

✨ Pre-portioned for 2–3 servings (no need for weighing/guessing how much seaweed needs to go in the pot)
✨ Clean: each piece is SO silky chef’s-kiss quality—no plastic threads, rocks that can break your teeth, and no labor-intensive cutting session
✨ Naturally dried by sun + sea breeze for max aroma & smooth texture
✨ Deep-water harvested “where the East Sea meets the South Sea” (meaning it’s harvested in a nutrient-rich marine environment, a result of natural oceanographic processes)

It’s honestly the most convenient and high-quality seaweed I’ve ever used. Even my child was able to recognize the quality difference and said,

“This is the greatest miyeok I’ve ever had.”

— my 5 year old

For today’s recipe, we’re making a 2-3 serving batch—perfect for small households, postpartum/pregnant mums, or anyone wanting a nourishing, mineral-rich meal without leftovers piling up in the fridge.

Why Koreans Eat Seaweed Soup

As a Korean American, I grew up eating MiYeok-guk every year on my birthday. The tradition comes from Korean mums drinking and eating this soup multiple times a day postpartum for deep healing, mineral replenishment, and blood loss recovery. Serving it on birthdays honors the mum who birthed you. 🥹

Culturally speaking, it’s so comforting and nutritionally incredible… seaweed is one of the most mineral-dense foods on earth:

• boosts the immune system

• aids bone health (hello, calcium!)

• supports healthy blood formation—key for pregnancy + postpartum

• improves skin, hair, nails, and digestion

• helps with weight management

• can support reduced hair loss (postpartum mums, IYKYK)

To boost a soup’s healing properties, I use a “second-extraction broth” to create the soup base.

What Is a “Second-Extraction Broth”?!

After making a rich bone broth, the bones still hold minerals deep within the bone matrix.

By simmering those already-used bones again with fresh water, you create a lighter, clearer broth — lower in gelatin, but rich in bioavailable minerals.

The resulting “second-extraction broth” is traditionally used for delicate soups like MiYeok-Guk, where you want the nourishment of bones without overpowering the seaweed.

It’s an economical, ancestral practice — and especially supportive during pregnancy and postpartum (really it’s for any season you need support), when mineral replenishment matters just as much as protein.

🍲 3 Serving Korean Seaweed Soup (Miyeok-guk)

INGREDIENTS

• 20g SEA:D Sea Mustard

• Filtered water to soak seaweed/sea mustard

• 3-4 cups broth (for extra gut-health benefits - I’ll explain how I extract this below) OR use water here if you do not have broth/bones

• 1 garlic clove, minced

• ½ tbsp coconut aminos

• 1 lb protein of choice (I prefer either: ground beef / shredded beef brisket / chuck roast. Shrimp works too!)

• 4 tsp sea salt (adjust to taste)

• Optional: 3 dried anchovies (big)

• ½ tbsp fish sauce (optional, but highly recommended)

IP METHOD

1. Soak the seaweed.
   Submerge the SEA:D Sea Mustard in a bowl of filtered water for 10–15 minutes until it softens and expands.
   Rinse & drain.

2. Start the broth (second extraction) if using
   Add the already-used marrow bones from a previous bone broth batch to your Instant Pot, along with the soaked seaweed and 4 cups filtered water.

These bones have already given up their gelatin and richness, but they still contain valuable minerals deep within the bone. Simmering them again creates a lighter, mineral-rich broth — often called a second extraction or remouillage — which is perfect for delicate soups like miyeok-guk.

1. Add aromatics.
   Dried anchovies, garlic, fish sauce, and coconut aminos. Season with sea salt to taste.

2. Add protein.
   Drop in your meat of choice (I use 100% grass fed ground beef or brisket).

3. Seal the lid and cook on Low Pressure for 30 minutes.

4. Quick release outside (taking the pot outside to release keeps your indoor air clean - this is so key for those struggling with eczema / allergies!)

5. You’ll end up with a clear, gentle broth that lets the silky seaweed shine while still delivering deep nourishment.

STORAGE

• Refrigerate: 3 days

• Freeze: up to 3 months (seaweed freezes beautifully)

• To Reheat: defrost from frozen in the fridge overnight and bring it to a boil when ready to serve.

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STOVETOP METHOD

Don’t Have Bones / Broth / an Instant Pot?
Here’s How to Make It Anyway Using the Same Ingredients

1. Add 3–4 cups filtered water to a pot.

2. Add seaweed + anchovies + garlic + sauces.

3. Bring to a boil for 10 min.

4. Add protein of choice + sea salt.

5. Gently simmer for another 15–20 min until protein is cooked through

*While the water-based version won’t offer the same mineral depth as a second-extraction broth, it’s still a beautifully, nourishing soup — and a great place to start if you’re new to broth-making.

Why SEA:D Seaweed Is Next-Level

SEA:D’s seaweed is grown in clean, deep waters where the East Sea meets the South Sea—an environment known for mineral-rich currents and low pests. The seaweed is hand-selected, naturally sun-dried + wind-dried, and packaged into perfect small-batch portions.

No need for cutting. No weighing. No plucking out pests, pebbles, etc.
You just open, soak, drain, cook n’ enjoy the silkiest MiYeok.

If you want smooth, ultra-silky, restaurant-quality Miyeok-guk at home, this is your go-to seaweed.

👉 Shop it here with my code MUMWITHABUN for $5 off.

Minimum purchase of USD49 required. Code use limited to one use per customer.

🌊 NUTRITION SPOTLIGHT
(Why Seaweed = a Mum Superfood)

Seaweed is naturally rich in:

CALCIUM – essential for heart + bone/teeth health and preventing bone loss postpartum
IODINE – critical for thyroid health & baby’s brain development (baby leans on mum’s thyroid health/function in pregnancy too. It’s no wonder I craved seaweed all throughout pregnancy!) It’s also a nutrient that has helped numerous mums on the TTC journey ♡
IRON + COPPER + FOLATE + MAGNESIUM – supports

• blood formation,

• energy,

• recovery &

• postpartum healing

(so important to restore these minerals as life stress drains us of it, but especially critical in pregnancy & postpartum)

Pregnancy basically requires a doubling of your blood volume, and postpartum recovery requires major nutrient/blood loss replenishment—seaweed delivers all of that in a gentle, soul-soothing, digestible dish.

Share this recipe with a mum friend, mums-to-be, or anyone wanting to nourish their body the Korean, ancestral way.