Pa gaejang (파계장) is loaded with green onions and tender beef, simmered together to create a comforting and flavorful soup.
What is Pa Gaejang?
Pa gaejang is a Korean soup made with lots of green onion and beef that has been simmered until tender. The green onion adds a subtle sweetness to this comforting and flavorful soup. It’s like the non-spicy “cousin” soup to Yukgaejang (Korean Spicy Beef & Vegetable Soup)!
This is a simple soup that’s great to make for a quick but comforting meal. We make this on rotation at least once a month since my toddler loves it so much!
What you’ll need:
- Beef: I used stew meat or chuck beef for this soup
- Green onion: I used a lot of green onion. It may seem like too much green onion, but it adds so much flavor to the soup and it’s the main ingredient of the soup!
- Garlic: I used minced garlic for this soup.
- Olive oil: I use a mixture of this and sesame oil when sauteing the beef
- Sesame oil: You can find sesame oil in most grocery stores, but I try to get sesame oil from a Korean or Japanese brand when I can. I find that the sesame oil is more fragrant and flavorful when you buy Korean/Japanese ones.
- Fish sauce: My favorite is this one!
- Soup soy sauce: this is different than regular soy sauce. Soup soy sauce is lighter in color and richer in flavor, perfect to use for seasoning soups.
- Glass noodles: this is optional but a nice addition to the soup!
All the details
Prepare your glass noodles according to the package directions. Some brands of glass noodles may require pre-soaking them in water whereas others may not.
Heat the sesame oil and olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pot or dutch oven, on medium-high heat. Add the green onions and beef. Saute for 2-3 minutes until the green onions are fragrant and the beef is slightly browned.
Add the garlic, water, fish sauce, and soup soy sauce to the pot and bring it to a boil. Remove any foam or impurities that float to the top of the soup.
Cover with a lid and lower the heat to medium-low. Continue to simmer for 20-25 minutes or until the beef is fork-tender.
Add your glass noodles and continue to simmer for about a minute or so. The soup is best served with a side of steamed rice!
More delicious soup recipes you may like:
- Kimchi Udon Soup
- Korean Fish Cake Soup (Eomuk Guk)
- Korean Soybean Sprout Soup (Kongnamul Guk)
- Yukgaejang (Korean Spicy Beef & Vegetable Soup)
- Korean Beef Seaweed Soup (Miyeok-Guk)
- Korean Beef and Radish Soup (Muguk)
- Kimchi Tomato Soup
Ingredients
- 10 oz. stew/chuck beef, large dice
- 10 stalks of green onion, chopped
- 2 tablespoons garlic, minced
- 6 cups of water
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 2 tablespoons soup soy sauce
- 4 oz. glass noodles, prepare according to package directions
Instructions
- Prepare your glass noodles according to the package directions. Some brands of glass noodles may require pre-soaking them in water whereas others may not.
- Heat the sesame oil and olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pot or dutch oven, on medium-high heat. Add the green onions and beef. Saute for 2-3 minutes until the green onions are fragrant and the beef is slightly browned.
- Add the garlic, water, fish sauce, and soup soy sauce to the pot and bring it to a boil. Remove any foam or impurities that float to the top of the soup.
- Cover with a lid and lower the heat to medium-low. Continue to simmer for 20-25 minutes or until the beef is fork-tender.
- Add your glass noodles and continue to simmer for about a minute or so. The soup is best served with a side of steamed rice!
