When the weather turns sticky and your appetite starts to fade, Koreans don't reach for a salad — they reach for a bowl of hot, clear beef soup. It sounds counterintuitive, but a slowly simmered bowl of galbitang is one of the most reviving things you can eat in summer.

Korean short rib soup (galbitang) belongs to a category of restorative dishes called boyangsik — foods meant to recharge the body when heat and humidity drain it. The broth is clear, almost delicate, but the beef short ribs are fall-off-the-bone tender, and a generous handful of Korean leek (daepa) gives the soup its signature clean, sweet finish.

The good news for home cooks: galbitang isn't hard. It just asks for a little patience and one or two technique steps that most recipes online quietly skip. Get those right, and your broth will rival the best Korean restaurant you've been to.

This guide will walk you through the full traditional method, plus a faster pressure-cooker version for weeknights.

What Is Galbitang?

Galbitang (갈비탕) is a traditional Korean soup made by long-simmering beef short ribs until the meat is meltingly soft and the bones release their collagen into a clear, golden broth. Galbi means rib, and tang means soup — so the name is as straightforward as the dish.

Unlike richer, milkier Korean beef soups, galbitang is prized for its clarity. A properly made bowl looks almost like consommé: pale, glossy, and clean-tasting, with the deep savor of beef but none of the heaviness. The texture is the contrast — silky broth against tender, slightly chewy rib meat, often rounded out with slippery glass noodles (dangmyeon) and a scatter of egg ribbon and sliced scallion.

It's traditionally served at celebrations and family gatherings, but it's also a comforting weeknight one-bowl meal when paired with rice and a crisp radish kimchi.

What You'll Need to Make Korean Short Rib Soup

Before you start, gather your tools and pantry basics. A well-prepared kitchen is half the work.

Equipment

• A large heavy-bottomed stockpot (at least 5–6 liters) for traditional simmering
• A pressure cooker or multicooker (optional, for the shortcut method)
• A fine-mesh skimmer or large spoon for removing impurities
• A sharp knife and cutting board
• A small nonstick pan for the egg garnish

Pantry staples

• Sea salt
• Whole black peppercorns
• Garlic
• Soy sauce (small amount, for finishing)
• Korean glass noodles (dangmyeon), optional but traditional

Fresh essentials

• Bone-in beef short ribs (English cut or Korean-style flanken)
• Korean leek (daepa) or large scallions
• Yellow onion
• Daikon radish (optional, adds sweetness to the broth)
• Eggs for the jidan garnish

Why You'll Love This Galbitang

• Clear, clean broth. No murkiness, no greasy aftertaste — just deep beef flavor.
• Fall-apart tender ribs. Long simmering breaks down collagen into silky gelatin.
• One pot, minimal active time. Most of the cooking is unattended.
• Naturally light yet filling. A complete meal in a single bowl.
• A genuine summer restorative. Hot soup is the Korean answer to humid, energy-sapping weather.
• Crowd-friendly. Scales up beautifully and reheats even better the next day.

Ingredients 

For the soup

• 1.2 kg beef short ribs (bone-in)
• 2.5 liters cold water
• 1 Korean radish (mu), cut into large chunks
• 5–6 garlic cloves

Aromatics (finish)

• 1 Korean leek (daepa) or 3–4 scallions

For serving (optional, Korean-style)

• Glass noodles (dangmyeon)
• Egg (for jidan garnish)
• Sliced scallions

Seasoning

• Salt (to taste)
• Black pepper (served at the table)

Instructions

1. Soak the ribs.
Place the ribs in cold water and soak for 1 to 2 hours, changing the water several times to remove blood and impurities.

2. Parboil and rinse.
Boil the ribs for 5 to 7 minutes, then drain and rinse thoroughly under cold water to clean them completely.

3. Build the broth.
Add the cleaned ribs to a pot with fresh water, radish, and garlic. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer.

4. Simmer slowly.
Cook for 1.5 to 2 hours, skimming impurities occasionally, until the meat is tender and the broth is clear.

5. Finish with leek.
Add the leek and simmer for another 15–20 minutes to develop the final aroma.

6. Serve.
Season lightly with salt and serve hot with rice. Add optional garnishes like egg strips or glass noodles if desired.

Tips, Variations, and Serving Suggestions

Get the cut right. English-cut short ribs (thick, single-bone pieces) give the most dramatic presentation. Korean-style flanken (thin cross-cut) cooks faster and is easier to find at most grocery stores. Either works.

Don't rush the soak. A shortcut here is the difference between restaurant-clear broth and home-cook murky broth. Plan for it.

Make it ahead. Galbitang tastes even better the next day. Refrigerate overnight, lift off the fat cap, and reheat gently. The broth will have set into a soft jelly — that's collagen, and it's a sign you did it right.

Pair it well. A bowl of galbitang is happiest beside crisp, well-fermented kkakdugi (cubed radish kimchi). If you don't have a jar going, try our easy kkakdugi recipe to round out the table. For a fuller spread, a quick banchan or two and a bowl of rice is all you need.

Explore other Korean beef soups. If you love this one, you'll want to try seolleongtang next — a milky, long-simmered ox-bone soup that's the comforting cousin of galbitang. The two soups share a soul but feel completely different in the bowl.

Get to know daepa. The Korean leek is a quiet hero in many soups and stews. Our guide to essential Korean aromatics walks through how to choose, store, and use it well.

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between galbitang and seolleongtang? Galbitang is made from beef short ribs and produces a clear, golden broth with distinct rib pieces. Seolleongtang is made from ox bones simmered for many hours until the broth turns milky white. Galbitang is cleaner and more refined; seolleongtang is heartier and more rustic.

Why does my galbitang broth turn cloudy? Almost always because of two skipped steps: not soaking the ribs in cold water long enough to draw out blood, or not parboiling and rinsing them before starting the real simmer. Boiling too aggressively during the long cook also breaks emulsified fat into the broth. Keep it at a gentle simmer.

Can I make Korean short rib soup in an Instant Pot? Yes. After the cold-water soak and parboil, pressure cook the ribs and aromatics for 40 minutes on high pressure with natural release. Strain, defat, then simmer briefly with the leek before serving. The flavor is very close to the stovetop version.

What's the best beef cut for galbitang? Bone-in beef short ribs are non-negotiable — the bones are what give the broth its body and gloss. English-cut (thick) ribs are ideal for presentation; flanken-cut (thin cross-cut) is great for faster cooking. Avoid boneless short rib for this dish.

Is galbitang really a summer dish? Traditionally, yes. In Korea, hot restorative soups are eaten in the hottest months as boyangsik — body-replenishing food. The idea is that warming the body from the inside helps it cope with external heat. It's also delicious year-round.

Bring the Restaurant Home

A pot of galbitang on the stove smells like a Korean grandmother's kitchen — quiet, patient, deeply nourishing. Once you make it from scratch, you'll understand why it's the soup Koreans turn to when they want to feel taken care of.

Make a big batch on a Sunday, eat it for two days, and you'll see what a difference real beef broth makes. When you're ready for more, try our seolleongtang for a milky-white counterpart, refresh your table with a jar of homemade kkakdugi, and brush up on Korean aromatics so every soup you cook from here on tastes a little more like home.