Misugaru Latte (Korean Multi-Grain Drink)

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Misugaru latte is a simple and nutritious Korean multigrain drink. It has a nutty and earthy taste, and is often served icy cold on a hot summer day. Packed with protein and little calories, this creamy and filling drink can also be your quick breakfast on the go.

What is Misguaru?

Misugaru (미수가루) or Misutgaru (미숫가루) is also less commonly known as Seonsik (선식). It is a nutritious Korean multigrain powder that is made from a variety of ground, roasted or steamed grains. I would consider it a superfood powder along with the popular plant, maca, and acai powders.

While the grains make it a bit carb-heavy, it is still highly nutritious with plenty of protein, fiber, omega-3, vitamins, and minerals (calcium, phosphorus, iron). And unsurprisingly, Koreans often make a misugaru drink for a quick and filling meal replacement or a refreshing late afternoon snack.

It almost tastes like peanut butter, but with a more complex and earthy flavor.

Where can you buy misugaru?

In Korea, you can usually find freshly ground misugaru at your local rice cake store (떡집). If you don’t live in Korea, you can always find it at your local Korean grocery store (e.g. H-mart).

I get my organic misugaru online from Kim C Market.

You could store misugaru in the freezer to keep it fresh for longer. Otherwise, I would recommend storing it in a seal tight container, and keeping it in a dry and cool space.

Grains commonly used to make Misugaru

• Sweet Rice (chapssal, 찹쌀)
• Brown Rice (hyeonmi, 현미)
• Barley (bori, 보리)
• Black Rice (heukmi, 흑미)
• Black Soy Beans (seoritae, 서리태)
• Soybeans (meju kong, 메주콩)
• Oats (kwiri, 귀리)
• Millet (jobssal, 좁쌀)

These grains are roasted or steamed and then ground into a fine powder. The composition will vary depending on the brand or store. In Korea, you can sometimes customize your misugaru ingredients and get it freshly ground.

How to make Misugaru Latte

Milk or Water

To make misugaru latte, you simply mix a few tablespoons of misugaru in a cup of water or milk. I prefer making it with milk for a richer, creamier taste.

However, if you want a lower calorie drink, you should use water. You could also use whole oat milk in place of regular milk as a non-dairy option.

Honey or Sugar

Honey and sugar are popular sweeteners for this latte. I like using honey because it’s natural and for its softer sweetness. In Korea, you’ll also find misugaru latte more commonly prepared with honey.

There’s really no set recipe for misugaru latte. You simply adjust it to taste, adding more or less misugaru and sweetener to your glass of milk or water.

Mix well & Serve cold

It’s similar in consistency to that of a protein shake and needs to be mixed well with a spoon, small whisk, or frother. It does tend to form small clumps, and that’s okay! Sometimes you’ll get clumps of misugaru and honey, which I actually find delicious and texturally delightful.

Finally, the drink is finished with plenty of ice so that it is served icy cold. This makes it extra refreshing when enjoyed on a hot summer day.

Quick Meal Replacement

With its high protein and low calorie content, misugaru latte is filling and great for a quick breakfast or healthy snack. Koreans also like to drink this when they are on a diet.

A Korean Cafe Drink

You can order misugaru lattes at cafés in Korea (e.g. Caffé Bene locations in Korea and in the US). Another popular Korean café drink is strawberry milk. You can find my Vegan Korean Strawberry Milk recipe here.

Other ways to use Misugaru

Misugaru is a popular topping on Korean shaved ice dessert (bingsu, 빙수). The savory, nutty flavor balances out the sweetness from the red bean topping and rich condensed milk.

I’ve seen misugaru being added to hot or iced coffees and smoothies. You could probably even add some to your regular protein shake. More recently, people have also started using misugaru in baked goods.

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If you make this Misugaru Latte, I would love to hear your thoughts! Feel free to leave a comment and/or recipe rating at the bottom of this page. And if you have a photo of your food, be sure to tag me on Instagram!