Soondae (Korean blood sausage)
A traditional Korean soondae made with pig's blood, minced pork, glass noodles and short-grain rice — silky, slightly chewy and deeply savoury.
Soondae is Korea's irresistible blood sausage — chewy glass noodles, tender minced pork and pig's blood tucked into a long intestine and poached to glossy perfection. It's the sort of comfort you find at street stalls and winter markets, a little wild, very moreish.
Make this at home if you're feeling adventurous: the technique is simple but the cleaning, stuffing and gentle simmering matter. Serve sliced with a chilli dipping sauce, kimchi and perhaps a cold beer for full on-street-food vibes.
Ingredients
- 1 pig's large intestine — about 1.2–1.5 kg whole, ask the butcher to leave it in one long piece; must be thoroughly cleaned
- 400 ml pig's blood
- 300 g pork shoulder, minced — finely minced or ask butcher to mince twice
- 150 g short-grain rice — rinsed, will be cooked in step 3
- 80 g glass noodles (dangmyeon) — soak before use
- 1 brown onion — finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves — crushed
- 15 ml vegetable oil
- 15 ml light soy sauce
- 15 ml toasted sesame oil
- 10 ml coarse sea salt
- 5 ml ground black pepper
- 3 spring onions — thinly sliced, for garnish
- 15 ml sesame seeds — toasted, for garnish
- 2 l water — for boiling and soaking
Equipment
- sausage funnel or large funnel
- butcher's string
- large saucepan or casserole
- sausage funnel or piping bag
Instructions
Clean the intestine thoroughly: turn it inside out under running cold water, remove any fat or residue and rinse until water runs clear. Tie one end with butcher's string and set to one side.
Place the glass noodles in a heatproof bowl and pour over 500 ml freshly boiled water to cover; leave to soak for 30 minutes until softened, then drain and roughly chop into 2–3 cm lengths.
Rinse the short-grain rice until the water runs clear, then cook with 220 ml water in a saucepan: bring to the boil, cover and simmer gently for 15–18 minutes until tender. Remove from the heat and leave, covered, for 5 minutes; fluff and leave to cool slightly.
Heat the vegetable oil in a frying pan over a medium hob. Add the brown onion and garlic and cook for 4–5 minutes until softened and translucent. Add the minced pork and cook for a further 5–7 minutes, breaking up any lumps, until just cooked through.
Transfer the cooked pork mixture to a large bowl. Add the chopped glass noodles, cooked rice, light soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, coarse sea salt and ground black pepper. Pour in the pig's blood and mix thoroughly until evenly combined. Taste a small fried spoonful and adjust seasoning.
Transfer the filling to a sausage funnel or a large piping bag (nozzle removed). Fill the intestine gently, leaving about 5 cm at each end unfilled to allow for tying. Do not overfill — the mixture will expand slightly when cooked. Tie the open ends and make 10–12 cm twists with butcher's string to form individual links.
Bring a large saucepan of water to a gentle simmer (do not boil). Add a pinch of salt, then slowly lower the sausages in. Poach very gently for 45 minutes — maintain a barely bubbling simmer and turn occasionally so they cook evenly.
When cooked, lift the sausages out and plunge straight into a bowl of iced water to stop cooking and firm the filling. Leave to chill for 30 minutes.
Trim the tying string and slice the soondae into 1.5–2 cm rounds. Arrange on a platter, scatter with sliced spring onions and toasted sesame seeds and serve warm with a pinch more salt or a dipping sauce of your choice.
Tips
- Ask your butcher to prepare and clean the intestine — it saves time and reduces uncertainty for a first attempt.
- Always cool sausages quickly in iced water after poaching; it firms the filling and stops carryover cooking.
- If you can’t source pig's blood, use a partial substitute (see substitutions) but expect a noticeably different texture and colour.
- Do not overfill the casing — leave space for expansion and tie firmly; pricking to remove air pockets before cooking helps prevent splitting.
- Make ahead: cooked soondae keeps in the fridge for 2 days and slices reheat gently in a steamer or in a pan with a splash of water.
Substitutions
pig's blood → 200 ml pig's blood and 100 g cooked, mashed black pudding (adds body and flavour)
Stays closelight soy sauce → tamari, same quantity, for gluten-free
Stays closepork shoulder, minced → lean beef mince, same quantity (changes flavour profile)
Noticeably differentglass noodles (dangmyeon) → thin vermicelli rice noodles, 80 g, soaked and chopped (texture will be slightly different)
Noticeably different
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 420
- Calories
- 22 g
- Protein
- 32 g
- Carbs
- 22 g
- Fat
- 2 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
- Sugar
- 550 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I freeze soondae?
Yes — freeze uncooked, well-tied sausages on a tray until firm, then bag for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and poach gently before serving.
What if the casing splits while cooking?
Small splits are normal and still tasty. For large splits, remove the broken sausage and spoon the filling into a heatproof dish; bake or steam to set.
Where can I buy pig's blood?
Ask your local butcher or an Asian supermarket; it’s often sold fresh in a sealed container. Call ahead to check availability.
Can I make soondae without intestine?
You can form the filling into rolls, wrap in foil and steam, or use large natural hog casings if preferred; texture and appearance will differ from the classic look.
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