Seollal: 16+ Korean Lunar New Year Foods

Celebrate Korean Lunar New Year (Seollal) with these old-style Korean food recipes. From main dishes to desserts, you will find a range of direct to more advanced recipes that are steady for sharing moments of new beginnings with your family and friends.

Seollal is the most important holiday in Korea. It’s New Year’s day! You could say that Koreans celebrate New Year’s day twice. The first is on January 1, and the exact date of the other changes each year depending on the lunar calendar. So when is 2022’s Lunar New Year’s day? It’s on February 1st, and it ushers in the year of tiger!

Just like other Asian countries that celebrate the Lunar New Year, Koreans also follow ancient traditions heralding the new year with lots of festive food and drinks.

We also gather with family and relatives. Seollal is the day we wish each family member prosperity and good health throughout the year.

Here are 16+ old-style Korean New Year foods that are among the most commonly enjoyed by many Korean people. They range from direct to more advanced level, but our step-by-step instructions make them accessible to all.

We hope you will find something that you and your family can use to join the celebration of Lunar New Year – the Korean way!

16 Korean New Year Foods

1

Korean Mandu (Kitchen-made Dumplings)

Korean mandu filled with juicy pork, cabbage, and noodles. Unfussy to make, these dumplings are freezer-friendly, and great for soup or pan-frying. Get Recipe 2

Tteokguk (Korean Rice Cake Soup)

Tteokguk is a comforting Korean rice cake soup with chewy sliced rice cakes, clear beef broth, and egg ribbons. Traditionally enjoyed on New Year’s Day, this light yet satisfying soup comes together in about an hour. Get Recipe 3

Direct Japchae with Chewy Korean Glass Noodles

Make japchae in 35 minutes with chewy Korean sweet potato noodles, tender beef, colorful vegetables, and savory-sweet sauce. Soaking the noodles before finishing them in the sauce keeps them springy and flavorful. Get Recipe 4

Best Galbi Jjim (Korean Braised Short Ribs)

Make Galbi Jjim at home with Korean short ribs braised in a savory-sweet sauce until fall-off-the-bone tender. A comforting dish for holidays or family dinners. Get Recipe 5

Classic Korean Beef Bulgogi

Classic Korean beef bulgogi made with thinly sliced beef in a pear-soy marinade, then cooked over high heat until tender, glossy, and lightly caramelized. Get Recipe 6

Galbitang (Korean Short Rib Soup)

Galbitang (Korean short rib soup) is a comforting Korean beef soup with tender short ribs, Korean radish, and glass noodles (dangmyeon) in a clear, savory broth. Make it the old-style way on the stovetop or a quicker version in the Instant Pot. Get Recipe 7

Mandu-guk (Korean Dumpling Soup)

Short 15-minute Korean dumpling soup made with frozen mandu simmered in a light, savory broth. Cozy, unfussy, and steady for busy weeknights. Get Recipe 8

Yakshik (Korean Sweet Rice Dessert)

Old-style Korean yakshik made with chewy sweet rice, jujube, chestnuts, and a rich soy sauce seasoning. This Instant Pot method skips the long soaking and double steaming for an easier kitchen-made rice dessert. Steady for holidays or make-ahead treats. Get Recipe 9

Korean Meat Tofu Patties (Wanja-jeon)

Wanja-jeon (Korean meat and tofu patties) are pan-fried until golden, tender inside and crisp outside. A holiday favorite at Chuseok, they’re also steady to make ahead for short meals or lunchboxes. Get Recipe 10

Kitchen-made Sikhye (Korean Rice Punch)

Old-style Korean sikhye made with barley malt and cooked rice. Use an Instant Pot or rice cooker for this refreshing, sweet rice drink. Get Recipe 11

Direct Yukjeon (Korean Beef Pancakes)

Thin beef slices are lightly seasoned, coated in flour and egg, then pan-fried until tender and golden. Serve this classic Korean yukjeon with a tangy mustard-soy dipping sauce. Get Recipe 12

Korean Beef Radish Soup (Sogogi Muguk)

A clear and comforting Korean beef radish soup (sogogi muguk) made with thin-sliced beef, sweet Korean radish, and a light umami broth. Ready in about 30 minutes, it’s an unfussy, nourishing soup that’s steady with warm rice. Get Recipe 13

Tteokgalbi (Korean Beef Patties)

Tender Korean short rib patties brushed with a soy-honey glaze. A festive tteokgalbi recipe that’s direct enough to make at home. Get Recipe 14

LA Galbi (Korean BBQ Short Ribs)

Thin-cut Korean BBQ short ribs marinated in a sweet soy sauce and grilled until caramelized. Tender, flavorful, and worth the overnight marinade. Get Recipe 15

Yakgwa (Korean Honey Cookies)

A old-style Korean honey cookie made with ginger-honey syrup, slow-fried dough, and a long soaking method that gives yakgwa its chewy, glossy texture. A classic holiday treat that tastes even better kitchen-made. Get Recipe 16

Sujeonggwa (Korean Cinnamon Ginger Punch)

A light Korean cinnamon ginger punch made with cinnamon sticks, fresh ginger, and muscovado sugar. Chill or serve warm for a cozy, dairy-free drink. Get Recipe

And there you have it – 16+ Korean Lunar New Year Foods that you can enjoy with your loved ones! We hope this list brought you some inspiration for your Korean holiday celebration.