Tteokbokki is a delicious Korean snack made up of soft and chewy rice cakes that’s coated in a spicy and sweet glaze. Just like in the streets of Korea, this dish is incredibly easy to prepare by simply throwing everything into one pot!
What is tteokbokki?
Tteokbokki is one of the more popular Korean foods, typically sold from street vendors, local markets, or simply cooked at home as a quick snack.
It’s made up of soft, slightly chewy rice cakes that’s simmered in a spicy, sweet, and savory sauce made up of gochujang, a Korean red pepper paste.
It’s then mixed with a delicious combination of add-ins including: fish cakes, green cabbage, boiled eggs, and scallions for an addictive and umami-rich meal.
In fact, the early versions of tteokbokki were actually very different compared to the modern vibrant red dish we see today. Gungjung tteokbokki was traditionally a royal rice cake dish, consumed by high-class individuals back in the Joseon Dynasty (1392 – 1910). Instead of red pepper paste as the prominent ingredient, it was more based on soy sauce, with beef, mushrooms, and other vegetables as the add-ins.
The more familiar tteokbokki was only very recently introduced in the 1950s, when gochujang was eventually added to the mix. This ultimately transformed the traditional dish into the red and spicy Korean street food that’s widely popular to this day.
Looking for more spicy recipes? Here’s a couple more from our recent chili oil series!:
- 10-Minute Chili Oil Noodles
- Mapo Tofu
- Chili Peanut Bok Choy
- Chili Garlic Sinangag (Filipino Fried Rice)
Ingredients
- 400 g Korean cylinder rice cakes (garaetteok), soaked for ~30 mins if using refrigerated or frozen cakes
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 3 cups anchovy broth (can be substituted with dashi stock, veggie stock, chicken stock, or water)
Anchovy broth (omit if using instant stocks or water)
- 3 cups water
- 15 g dried anchovies, head and intestines removed
- 1 piece dried kelp (~3×3-inch square)
- 1/4 onion, thinly sliced
Tteokbokki paste
- 2.5 tbsp Korean hot pepper paste (gochujang), according to spice tolerance
- 1-3 tbsp fine Korean hot pepper flakes (gochugaru), according to spice tolerance
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp sugar (more or less, to taste)
- 1 tbsp corn syrup (if omitting, can be substituted with an extra 1/2 tbsp sugar)
Add-ins
- 100 g Korean fish cakes (eomuk), cut into triangles
- 50 g cabbage, chopped
- 2-3 hardboiled eggs
- 1 stalk green onion, chopped
Soaking the rice cakes
Korean rice cakes can be found in most Asian groceries, either frozen, refrigerated, or even better, fresh.
Your best bet would be to check your local Korean market if you have one, since these locations tend to carry the fresh kinds. If you can’t find fresh rice cakes, the refrigerated or frozen ones work just fine.
When working with refrigerated rice cakes, I highly recommend soaking these beforehand in lukewarm water for about 30-60 minutes or so. If frozen, you could even go a little bit longer.
Although you can totally skip this step and just dump them directly into your simmering tteokbokki liquid, soaking does make a considerable difference in the texture of the rice cakes, since non-fresh rice cakes tend to be more dry and hard.
The soaking process essentially helps to rehydrate the core of the rice cakes, giving us more consistency in terms of its texture and chewiness!
*(Note that if you are using fresh rice cakes, then soaking can be skipped completely)
Anchovy stock
Anchovy stock gives our tteokbokki sauce a savory and umami-rich flavor. You’ll definitely be able to taste a difference (even very subtle) of a tteokbokki using anchovy stock and one that uses just plain water.
Anchovy stock can easily be made at home by boiling together cleaned anchovies, dried kelp, and onion, but conveniently, you can also purchase ready-made anchovy stock sachets that you just need to simmer in water for a couple minutes! You can typically find these being sold in most Korean groceries or Asian markets.
In a pinch, you can definitely use instant dashi stock as your next best substitute, or if you can’t access this, any kind of stock base (chicken, vegetable, etc.) also works.
Instructions
Prepare the anchovy stock:
In a pot, combine together the water, anchovies, dried kelp, and onion. Bring this to a boil, then let simmer on medium-low for 10 minutes, uncovered.
After 10 minutes, strain the stock to remove the anchovies, dried kelp, and onion. Set aside until use.
Prepare the tteokbokki:
Prepare the tteokbokki paste by mixing all the ingredients together until evenly combined.
Add the anchovy stock and tteokbokki paste together in a pot or a deep pan. Mix thoroughly to combine until no clumps of paste are left. Bring this mixture to a light boil.
Once the mixture is boiling, add in your rice cakes and let simmer until slightly softened.
*Depending on how fresh your rice cakes are, this might take anywhere between 5-10 minutes of simmering to soften completely.
Once the rice cakes have softened, add in the fish cakes, cabbage, green onions, sesame oil, and boiled eggs. Gently stir until evenly combined.
Continue to simmer the tteokbokki until your desired consistency of the sauce is reached.
Serve warm and enjoy!
Can I reheat tteokbokki?
Yes! Usually if I have tteokbokki leftover in the fridge, I’ll just place it directly into a sauce pan with a little bit of extra stock, stirring occasionally. You’ll want to let it simmer over medium heat for about 5 minutes, or until the rice cakes have softened up again.
Tteokbokki (Korean spicy rice cakes)
5 from 1 vote
Recipe by IanCourse: Main, Snacks, SidesCuisine: Korean
Tteokbokki is a delicious Korean snack made up of soft and chewy rice cakes that’s coated in a spicy and sweet glaze. Just like in the streets of Korea, this dish is incredibly easy to prepare by simply throwing everything into one pot!
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Ingredients
400 g Korean cylinder rice cakes (garaetteok), soaked for ~30 mins if using refrigerated or frozen rice cakes
1 tsp sesame oil
3 cups anchovy broth (can be substituted with dashi stock, veggie stock, chicken stock, or water)
- Anchovy broth (omit if using instant stocks or water):
3 cups water
15 g dried anchovies, head and intestines removed
(Video) Tteokbokki (Spicy Korean Rice Cakes) | Basics with Babish1 piece dried kelp (~3×3-inch square)
1/4 onion, thinly sliced
- Tteokbokki paste:
2.5 tbsp Korean hot pepper paste (gochujang), according to spice tolerance
1-3 tbsp fine Korean hot pepper flakes (gochugaru), according to spice tolerance
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp sugar, more or less, to taste
1 tbsp corn syrup (if omitting, can be substituted with an extra 1/2 tbsp sugar)
- Add-ins:
100 g Korean fish cakes (eomuk), cut into triangles
50 g cabbage, roughly chopped
2-3 hardboiled eggs
1 stalk green onion, chopped
Directions
- Prepare the anchovy stock:
- In a pot, combine together the water, anchovies, dried kelp, and onion. Bring this to a boil, then let simmer on medium-low for 10 minutes, uncovered.
- After 10 minutes, strain the stock to remove the anchovies, dried kelp, and onion. Set aside until use.
- Prepare the tteokbokki:
- Prepare the tteokbokki paste by mixing all the ingredients together until evenly combined.
- Add the anchovy stock and tteokbokki paste together in a pot or a deep pan. Mix thoroughly to combine until no clumps of paste are left. Bring this mixture to a light boil.
- Once the mixture is boiling, add in your rice cakes and let simmer until slightly softened (depending on how fresh your rice cakes are, this might take anywhere between 5-10 minutes of simmering to soften completely).
- Once the rice cakes have softened, add in the fish cakes, cabbage, green onions, sesame oil, and boiled eggs.
- Continue to simmer the tteokbokki until your desired consistency of the sauce is reached.
- Serve warm and enjoy!
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Tags
rice cake spicy
Ian
My name's Ian, a Filipino-Canadian homecook, content creator, and massive foodie. Here I share a collection of my favorite Filipino and Asian recipes! Connect with me on my socials or subscribe to our email list!
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(Video) How to make tteokbokki (Korean spicy rice cakes)
FAQs
What is tteokbokki in English? ›
Tteok means rice cake and bokki stir-fried food. Combining these two words forms the term tteokbokki, or “stir-fried rice cake.” Ask Koreans what food makes them most nostalgic about their childhood and tteokbokki is the first thing they'll say.
What is tteokbokki Korean words? ›Tteokbokki (Korean: 떡볶이) is a Korean traditional food which has sticks of rounded rice cake as the main ingredient. ' tteok ' is the Korean word for rice cake and 'bokki' is the Korean word for something fried.
Is Korean tteokbokki healthy? ›Rice cakes are a good source of iron and protein. While it may not be the most exciting food, rice tteokbokki is actually quite healthy. One serving of rice cake contains 5 grams of fiber, which helps to keep your digestive tract running smoothly.
Is tteokbokki considered junk food? ›Spicy tteokbokki is a popular street food and snack that is not necessarily considered “junk food.” While it can be enjoyed as an indulgent treat, it is also a common part of regular Korean cuisine and can be a nutritious dish when prepared with balanced ingredients.
Why do Koreans like tteokbokki so much? ›Koreans enthusiastically chow down on even the spiciest of foods mainly due to two reasons: 맵부심 (maebusim) and taste. Maebusim stems from the unique culture shared between South Koreans, and it means the pride of being able to stomach and handle one's spice.
Does tteokbokki taste good? ›It tastes like heaven! If you love carbs, you'll love tteokbokki. It's chewy and filling, sweet and spicy and savory. If you haven't had it before, think of it like a savory mochi or maybe like a gnocchi in a spicy sauce.
What is slang Korean cute? ›애교 (aegyo) – “Cute”
애교 (aegyo) is more a way of dressing and speaking than a slang term itself.
Tteokbokki (Toppoki) - Stir-fried rice cakes, Spicy version from Japan & Korea Recipies - NikanKitchen (日韓台所)
Why is tteokbokki famous in Korea? ›Sweet and savory, brown soy sauce-based tteok-bokki is often referred to as gungjung-tteok-bokki (궁중떡볶이; "royal court tteok-bokki"). Its history dates back to a royal court dish before the introduction of chili pepper to the Korean peninsula in the mid-Joseon era (17th & 18th centuries).
How many rice cakes can I eat a day? ›Regardless, try to stick to just one serving as a snack and add healthy protein, fat, and fiber to both reduce the blood sugar effects and make the rice cake more filling and nutritious ( 6 , 7 ).
Can you eat tteokbokki by itself? ›
Tteokbokki is usually eaten on its own, but to make it go further you could serve it with some banchan side dishes like Korean seasoned spinach, bean sprout salad, pickled onions or pickled garlic.
Is tteokbokki sweet or spicy? ›Tteokbokki is a highly popular Korean street food and a delicious comfort food. You can make it at home with this easy tteokbokki recipe. The spicy, slightly sweet, and chewy rice cakes are simply addictive!
What are unhealthy Korean food? ›Still, some aspects of Korean food may not be so healthy. First, pickled and fermented foods, Korean-style soups, and Korean condiments like BBQ sauces tend to be high in salt. Eating too much salt has been linked to high blood pressure, a risk factor for heart and kidney diseases ( 11 ).
Are rice cakes healthy for weight loss? ›Rice cakes are lower in calories and carbohydrates than bread, and they may help to reduce hunger and promote weight-loss. If you are trying to lose weight, you may want to consider replacing bread with rice cakes in your diet.
Are Korean rice cakes hard to digest? ›Rice cakes are a readily digestible food, with the main component being starch; however, the preparatory process makes rice cakes difficult to digest physically and chemically. It is observed that mochi becomes hard and sticky when cold, and is not easily dissolved in hot water.
What is tteokbokki made of? ›Tteokbokki is made with a type of rice cake called garaetteok (가래떡), a cylinder-shaped white rice cake made with short grain rice.
What are Korean tteokbokki made of? ›- 1 pound of cylinder shaped rice cake (tteok), bought or homemade. ( ...
- 4 cups of water.
- 7 large size dried anchovies, with heads and intestines removed.
- 6 x 8 inch dried kelp.
- ⅓ cup hot pepper paste (gochujang)
- 1 tablespoon Korean hot pepper flakes (gochugaru) aka “Korean chili flakes”
- 1 tablespoon sugar.
Tteok (떡), Korean rice cake, is enjoyed by many Koreans as a dessert, a seasonal delicacy, and even a meal. Different types of tteok are served for different occasions including national holidays, weddings, ancestral ceremonies, and more.
What does tteokbokki consist of? ›Korean tteokbokki recipe. Tteokbokki is one of the most popular Korean street foods in Korea. Among other things, today's recipe is made with Korean rice cakes, Korean fish cakes, Korean soup stock / dashi stock and gochujang (Korean chili paste)!