Galbitang
Galbitang is a rich and comforting Korean short rib soup, traditionally reserved for special occasions—and for good reason!
In Korea, beef short ribs (galbi) are considered a luxury, so my mom would only make galbitang when there was something to celebrate. I still remember how special it felt to sit down to a bowl of this warm, flavorful soup.
📺 Watch How to Make This Galbitang
❓ What’s Galbitang?
Galbitang is a Korean soup made with beef short ribs simmered until tender in a clear, savory broth. It’s known for its clean, rich flavor and melt-in-your-mouth texture.
“Galbi” means rib, and “tang” means soup—so yes, it literally translates to “rib soup”! 😄
The key to a great galbitang is a clean yet deeply flavorful broth, often served with a bowl of rice, kimchi, and a little side dish of chopped green onions, salt, and pepper so everyone can season it to their own taste.
Because galbi (beef short rib) is such a prized cut in Korea, this dish was traditionally served for celebrations or when someone needed comfort.
Traditionally, the ribs are soaked in cold water for hours to draw out the blood. But my mom? She skipped that and went straight to blanching. And as her daughter… yep, I do the same. 😉
I hope you give this comforting recipe a try before the weather gets too warm. It’s simple, hearty, and full of love.
🛒 Ingredients You’ll Need
- 2 1/2 lbs beef short ribs, preferably cut into 1 1/2-inch thick pieces
- 1 1/2 lb Korean radish, moo, or daikon
- 1 bulb garlic
- 1 medium-size yellow onion
- thumb size ginger
- 3 to 6 green onions, plus more for garnish
- 15 cups cold water
- 5 oz Dangmyeon, Korean glass noodles (optional)
- 1/2 tsp light soy sauce
- 1/2 tsp fish sauce
- 1/2 to 1 tbsp sea salt
- extra salt and pepper to serve with
📝 Tips for the Best Galbitang
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Blanch or soak the ribs: For a clean broth, soak ribs in cold water for 8–10 hours—or do it the “mom way” and blanch them quickly in boiling water!
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Skim the broth: As the soup simmers, be sure to remove impurities for a clear and beautiful broth.
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Don’t rush the simmer: Low and slow is the secret to tender ribs and full flavor.
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Use bone-in short ribs: They give the broth more depth and richness.
❓ FAQ
Q: Can I use boneless short ribs for galbitang?
A: Yes, you can! While bone-in ribs provide more flavor to the broth, boneless short ribs still work beautifully and make it easier to eat.
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
Galbitang is traditionally served with:
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Steamed white rice
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Kimchi (any variety, napa cabbage or Kkakdugi (radish) or young radish works great)
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A small side dish of chopped green onions, salt, and black pepper
→ Let each person season the broth to their liking!
You can also add a few slices of raw garlic or green chili if you like a stronger bite.
🙌🏼 There You Have It!
Galbitang may be a special-occasion dish in Korea, but with this recipe, you can enjoy it any time you want something warm, nourishing, and full of home-cooked comfort.
It’s deeply satisfying, surprisingly simple, and absolutely worth the effort. 💛
Give it a try—and let me know if you take the blanching shortcut like my mom and I do!
Galbitang (Korean Beef Short Rib Soup)
- Total Time: 2 hours 40 mins
- Yield: 4 to 6
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 lbs beef short ribs, preferably cut into 1 1/2-inch thick pieces
- 1 1/2 lb Korean radish, moo, or daikon
- 1 bulb garlic
- 1 medium-size yellow onion
- thumb size ginger
- 3 to 6 green onions, plus more for garnish
- 15 cups cold water
- 5 oz Dangmyeon, Korean glass noodles (optional)
- 1/2 tsp light soy sauce
- 1/2 tsp fish sauce
- 1/2 to 1 tbsp sea salt
- extra salt and pepper to serve with
Instructions
- Blanch the Ribs
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the beef short ribs and blanch for 10 minutes. This helps remove impurities and results in a cleaner broth.
- Prepare the Vegetables
While the ribs are blanching, thoroughly wash all your vegetables. Peel and trim the edges of the Korean radish. Cut the garlic bulb in half. Slice the ginger. Trim the ends of the onion, but leave the skin on—it helps with the color of the broth. Cut the green onions in half.
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Rinse and Set Aside the Ribs
Drain the blanched ribs and rinse them under cold water, gently wiping them clean. Set aside.
Quickly rinse your pot so you can reuse it for the broth.
- Make the Broth
In the now-clean pot, add the blanched ribs, all the prepared vegetables, and 15 cups of cold water.
Bring to a boil over high heat without a lid, skimming off any scum or fat as it rises.
(A fine skimmer works great for this step!)
- Simmer
Once it reaches a boil, reduce the heat to medium, cover, and simmer for 2 hours.
- Soak Glass Noodles
While the soup simmers, soak Korean glass noodles (dangmyeon) in warm water. They’ll soften as the soup cooks.
- Strain and Finish the Broth
After 2 hours, turn off the heat and remove all vegetables from the pot. Keep the radish, as you’ll be serving it in the soup. Discard the rest of the vegetables. Skim out any remaining small bits from the bottom of the pot to keep the broth clean.
- Season
Season the broth with soy sauce, fish sauce, and sea salt to taste.
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Prep Garnishes
Slice the cooked radish into bite-sized pieces and chop 1 to 2 green onions for garnish.
- Assemble and Serve
Bring the galbitang back to a boil. In a serving bowl, add the softened glass noodles and a few slices of radish.
Ladle the hot soup and short ribs into the bowl—the soup must be boiling hot so the noodles finish cooking properly.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 2 hours 30 mins
📌 Check Out More Authentic Korean Recipes
18 comments
What other cuts of beef do you suggest to use, not as expensive? Thank you!
Does it matter if the beef short ribs are cut thick? because the only kinds I can find in the chinese asian store are thinly sliced short ribs with the bone still attached…so pretty much the same thing but thin. Does that make a difference?
Of course you can use thiner cut beef shot ribs! In that case, you won;t need to cook as longer though! 😉
Hey Seonkyoung
Thanks for sharing this recipe. I can’t stop my mouth from salivating. It looks like a great source of protein for a soup lover like me. I’m just wondering of oxtail could be used instead of short ribs? Thanks.
Cheers
Ida
Of course!!! Oaxtail will be great, if you use oxtail, the soup name will be Ggori-gomtang!
Hi Seonkyoung – is it ok to omit the radish from the soup? I am having difficulty even getting a daikon to substitute the Korean radish or can you suggest another alternative? Thanks 🙂
You can do with potato! It will work great! 🙂
Turnip is a good alternative if you can’t find korean radish
Is it ok to use beef chuck boneless short rib? How will it affect the cooking time? Thank you!
Is it possible to make this with boneless short rib? If so, how long will I have to cook it for? Thanks!
Hi!
I plan on making this, but the short ribs I got weren’t cut into small slices. I’m a small eater so I was trying to think of a way around this. I definitely can’t cut through the bone with a regular knife and there was no butcher around to cut it for me. Will it work with bigger pieces of ribs?
Love this recipe and cook many times and it’s a family favorite! Would you mind sharing the size and dimension of your yellow cast iron dutch oven? I need to get a wide low profile just like yours to accommodate the one tray of short ribs or ox tail (approx. 10 pcs) I often found at Hmart . My current 6qt round cast iron dutch oven is just too crowded. Please help! I cook this soup every 10 days cause it’s that good!
Can’t wait to make this. Could you make recipe print without photos?
Thanks for your recipe! I’ve been using in for years not every time I make this soup! It tastes just like when I had it in Korean 🙂
Can you add the Korean radish cut up, later?
Yes you can! 🙂
Thanks for this recipe! What is the purpose of leaving the onion skin on?
Great question Connie! The onion skin actually helps keep the clarity of the soup, which is traditionally very important. I hope this helps 🙂