Sundae Sausage Near Me: Guide to Korean Blood Sausage

Anyone who spends time around Korean food content on social media has probably seen soondae — a dark sausage coil sliced into tidy rounds, served with a simple salt-and-pepper dip. This Korean blood sausage has been a staple of street food and home cooking for generations and is now gaining real traction in Western markets, showing up on delivery apps and in specialty grocery freezers.

Average price: $14 – $17 per 1.5 lb frozen ·
Delivery options: Instacart, Weee, local Korean markets ·
Common cooking method: Boiled or pan-fried ·
Typical serving suggestion: With salt, pepper, and vinegar

Four attributes that define soondae at a glance — each one rooted in the traditional Korean approach to blood sausage.

What is sundae sausage made of?

Soondae’s filling is what sets it apart from other blood sausages. The base is fresh pig blood combined with cooked glutinous rice and dangmyeon — sweet potato starch glass noodles that give the sausage its signature soft-yet-chewy bite (kfoodlab (Korean food encyclopedia)). Aromatics like garlic, ginger, scallions, sesame oil, and sometimes perilla leaves round out the flavor (EatHealthy365 (home-cooking resource)).

The mixture is stuffed into cleaned pig intestines, which are washed with sea salt and flour to remove any strong odors — a step documented by the Slow Food Foundation (international food heritage organization) as essential to the traditional craft. Recipes caution against overstuffing: the casing should be filled only about 75–80% full to allow room for the rice to expand during cooking.

Is soondae pig blood?

Yes — pig blood is the primary protein and the ingredient that gives soondae its dark color and characteristic savory, mildly metallic taste. Most recipes call for fresh or frozen pork blood, although some commercial versions may use dried or powdered blood reconstituted during preparation.

What does “soondae” mean?

The word “soondae” ( ) is commonly believed to derive from a Chinese term for sausage, though linguists debate its exact origins. The spelling “sundae” creates occasional confusion with the ice-cream dessert in English contexts, but in Korean cuisine it refers exclusively to this blood sausage (Wikipedia (reference compendium)).

Is Korean soondae healthy?

Soondae delivers a solid protein punch and is rich in iron from the pig blood, which makes it appealing for anyone looking to boost their iron intake. Some preparations also include vegetables that contribute vitamins and minerals. However, blood sausage in general is high in cholesterol and sodium, and soondae is no exception — portion size matters.

A typical serving (about 150 grams of boiled soondae) can contain roughly 250–300 calories, 12–16 grams of protein, and a significant share of the daily recommended sodium intake. Greatist (health and wellness publication) notes that soondae can fit into a balanced diet when eaten in moderation, especially when paired with vegetables and served in soup form rather than fried. The catch: nutritional data varies widely by recipe. Homemade versions allow control over salt and fat, but restaurant or pre-packaged soondae may contain higher levels of both.

What are the different types of soondae?

Soondae isn’t a single dish — it’s a family of preparations. The base sausage appears in several forms across Korean regional cooking, from simple boiled slices to hearty soups.

Five common types, one pattern: each variant adjusts the grain, the cooking liquid, or the accompaniments rather than changing the core blood-sausage concept.

What is sundaeguk?

Sundaeguk is essentially soondae soup — the sausage is simmered in a light, garlicky beef or anchovy broth and served hot. It’s a popular comfort-food dish in Korea, often eaten as a hangover remedy or a warming winter meal. According to one Seoul-based restaurant owner, sundaeguk is the most popular item on the menu, surpassing both basic soondae and soondae steak in customer orders.

What is sundae gukbap?

Gukbap literally means “soup with rice,” and sundae gukbap is exactly that: sundaeguk served with a portion of rice either on the side or mixed into the broth. It’s a heartier, more complete meal than sundaeguk alone, and it’s a staple at Korean soup restaurants.

Is soondae the same as black pudding?

Soondae and black pudding are both blood sausages, but they are not the same. Black pudding, originating in the UK and Ireland, uses oatmeal or barley as its primary filler, giving it a firmer, crumbly texture. Soondae uses glass noodles and glutinous rice, which produce a softer, more cohesive bite (The Red Cellar (food culture commentary)). Spicing also differs — black pudding leans on pepper and herbs, while soondae emphasizes garlic, sesame, and ginger.

Is black pudding illegal in the USA?

No — black pudding is legal to sell and eat in the United States. However, import regulations for blood-based products can be complex, and some UK-produced black puddings face restrictions due to USDA rules on animal products. Domestic US producers face no such barriers, and black pudding is readily available at specialty butchers and online retailers.

How to cook soondae?

Cooking soondae is straightforward, and the method you choose changes the texture significantly. Maangchi (Korean cooking authority) recommends boiling whole soondae for 10–15 minutes, then slicing it into bite-sized rounds. Steaming is another option — some recipes suggest 40–50 minutes for a fully cooked interior (Good Foods Recipes (home-cooking database)).

For crispy edges, pan-fry the slices in a lightly oiled skillet for 2–3 minutes per side. This is the method used in soondae-bokkeum, where the fried slices are then stir-fried with vegetables, gochujang, and perilla leaves (Stellan Spice (food blog)).

Soondae also works well added to soups and stews — just drop the sliced sausage into the broth during the last few minutes of cooking so it heats through without overcooking.

Step-by-step: Boiling soondae

1. Remove soondae from packaging and rinse briefly under cold water.
2. Bring a pot of water to a gentle boil — enough to fully submerge the sausage.
3. Add the whole soondae and boil for 10–15 minutes (Greatist (health and wellness publication) notes this timing as standard for fully cooked soondae).
4. Drain and let rest for 1–2 minutes before slicing into 1 cm rounds.
5. Serve with salt, pepper, and a dipping sauce of rice vinegar and a pinch of gochugaru (Korean chili flakes).

Store uncooked soondae in the refrigerator for up to a week. Cooked soondae keeps for 3–4 days in an airtight container. Both freeze well for up to three months.

Where can I buy sundae sausage near me?

Finding soondae locally depends on whether you have a Korean grocery store within reach. In cities with a Korean community — Los Angeles, New York, Atlanta, Chicago, San Francisco — fresh soondae is often available in the refrigerated section of H Mart, Zion Market, or other Korean supermarket chains. For everyone else, online delivery has become the most reliable route.

Banchan365 (Korean food retailer) sells frozen sliced soondae with nationwide shipping. Weee, the Asian-grocery delivery platform, lists several soondae products in its catalog, and Instacart can connect you to local Korean markets that carry it. Search for “soondae” or “sundae sausage” on those platforms — not just “Korean sausage” — to get accurate results.

Delivery prices typically fall between $14 and $17 for a 1.5-pound frozen package. Fresh soondae from a local Korean market is often priced slightly lower, around $10–$13 per pound.

Comparison: Soondae vs. European blood sausages

If you’ve tried black pudding or morcilla, you already have a reference point. The table below shows how soondae stacks up against the two most common European blood sausages so you know what to expect.

The implication: If you already like blood sausage, soondae is a natural next step — just expect a softer, less crumbly bite and a more aromatic flavor profile. If you’re new to blood sausage entirely, starting with soondae in soup form (sundaeguk) is the gentlest introduction because the broth mellows the metallic edge.

Clarity: What we know and what’s uncertain

Voices from the kitchen

Sundae-guk is the most popular item, more so than regular sundae or sundae steak.

— Restaurant owner at Sundae Sillot, Seoul (via Instagram)

Soondae is a dish that Westerners might be hesitant about, but once they try it, they realize it’s just another type of sausage with a different set of spices and textures.

— Tasting Table (food media authority)

The beauty of soondae-bokkeum is that it introduces the texture of blood sausage through a familiar format — a spicy, savory stir-fry that could win over anyone who loves Korean fried chicken.

— Seonkyoung Longest (Korean cooking channel)

Soondae sits at an interesting intersection: it’s a centuries-old Korean comfort food that’s now crossing into Western mainstream via delivery apps and social media. It shares DNA with European blood sausages but stands apart in its use of glass noodles and aromatic seasonings. The trade-off for anyone curious is between texture (softer, less crumbly) and flavor (more garlic-sesame forward) compared to familiar options like black pudding.

For home cooks in the US who want to explore beyond the standard grocery-store sausage, the choice is clear: order a frozen pack online from Weee or Banchan365, boil it for 15 minutes, and taste what Korean street-food culture has been enjoying for generations. Skip it, and you’ll miss one of the most approachable — and most misunderstood — blood sausages available today.

Related reading: Kisir Bulgur Salad Near Me: Health, Recipes & Bulgur Guide

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