Tteokbokki is one of Korea’s most popular street foods, made with chewy rice cakes simmered in a sweet, spicy, and savory gochujang sauce.
This version is simple, fast, and tastes like the classic tteokbokki you would find at a Korean snack shop, or bunsik restaurant. With only rice cakes, water, green onion, gochujang, gochugaru, soy sauce, and sugar, you can make a delicious Korean spicy rice cake dish in about 15 minutes.
The sauce is thick, glossy, spicy, sweet, and perfect for coating every piece of chewy rice cake.
What is Tteokbokki?
Tteokbokki is a Korean spicy rice cake dish.
The word “tteok” means rice cake, and “bokki” comes from the Korean word for stir-fried or cooked in sauce.
Although there are many types of tteokbokki, the most famous version is the red spicy street food style made with gochujang and gochugaru.
It is commonly sold at Korean snack shops, street food stalls, school food shops, and casual restaurants. It is one of the most iconic Korean comfort foods.
Recipe Information
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 2
Difficulty: Easy
Cuisine: Korean
Main Ingredient: Rice cakes
Best Served As: Korean street food or snack
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
2 cups tteokbokki rice cakes
2 cups water
1/2 green onion
Sesame seeds, to taste
Sauce Ingredients
2 tbsp gochujang
1.5 tbsp gochugaru
2 tbsp soy sauce
3 tbsp sugar
Ingredient Notes
Tteokbokki Rice Cakes
Use cylinder-shaped Korean rice cakes made for tteokbokki.
If the rice cakes are frozen or hard, soak them briefly in water before cooking. This helps them soften faster and cook more evenly.
Gochujang
Gochujang is Korean red chili paste.
It gives tteokbokki its deep spicy, savory, and slightly sweet flavor.
Gochugaru
Gochugaru adds bright red color and a cleaner chili flavor.
Using both gochujang and gochugaru makes the sauce taste more like Korean street-style tteokbokki.
Soy Sauce
Soy sauce adds saltiness and savory depth.
It balances the sweetness and spice in the sauce.
Sugar
Sugar gives this tteokbokki its classic snack-shop flavor.
If you prefer it less sweet, reduce the sugar slightly.
Green Onion
Green onion adds freshness and aroma.
Add it near the end so the flavor stays bright.
How to Make Tteokbokki
Step 1: Prepare the Rice Cakes
If the rice cakes are fresh and soft, you can use them right away.
If they are frozen or firm, soak them briefly in water before cooking.
Drain before using.
Step 2: Add Water and Rice Cakes to a Pan
Add 2 cups of water to a wide pan or wok.
Add 2 cups of tteokbokki rice cakes.
Turn the heat to high and bring the water to a boil.
Step 3: Add the Sauce Ingredients
Once the water starts boiling, add:
- 2 tbsp gochujang
- 1.5 tbsp gochugaru
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 3 tbsp sugar
Stir well until the gochujang fully dissolves into the water.
If you want an easier cooking process, you can mix the sauce ingredients in a small bowl before adding them to the pan.
Step 4: Simmer the Rice Cakes
Continue boiling the rice cakes in the sauce.
Stir occasionally so the rice cakes do not stick to the bottom of the pan.
As the sauce reduces, it will become thicker, glossier, and more flavorful.
Step 5: Add Green Onion
When the sauce has thickened and the rice cakes are soft and chewy, add chopped green onion.
Stir briefly.
Step 6: Finish with Sesame Seeds
Sprinkle sesame seeds over the tteokbokki.
Turn off the heat.
Step 7: Serve
Transfer the tteokbokki to a serving plate or bowl.
Serve hot while the rice cakes are soft and chewy.
Pro Tips
Soak Frozen Rice Cakes First
Frozen rice cakes can be hard and may crack while cooking.
Soaking them briefly in water helps them soften and cook evenly.
Mix the Sauce Before Adding
You can add the sauce ingredients directly to the pan, but mixing them first makes the sauce smoother.
This also helps the gochujang dissolve faster.
Stir Often While Simmering
Tteokbokki sauce becomes thick as it cooks.
Stir occasionally to prevent the rice cakes from sticking to the pan.
Adjust the Sweetness
This recipe has a classic sweet snack-shop flavor.
If you do not like sweet tteokbokki, reduce the sugar slightly.
Add Fish Cake for More Flavor
Fish cake is a common addition to tteokbokki.
Add sliced Korean fish cake with the rice cakes for a richer and more satisfying dish.
Optional Add-Ins
You can make this simple tteokbokki even better by adding:
- Korean fish cake
- Boiled eggs
- Cabbage
- Carrot
- Onion
- Ramen noodles
- Glass noodles
- Cheese
- Dumplings
- Fried seaweed rolls
These additions make the dish more filling and more like Korean street food.
What to Serve with Tteokbokki
Tteokbokki pairs well with:
- Korean fish cake soup
- Fried dumplings
- Gimbap
- Korean fried seaweed rolls
- Boiled eggs
- Fried chicken
- Eomuk Bokkeum
- Pickled radish
- Kimchi
- Rice balls
It is especially delicious with crispy fried foods because the spicy sauce works well as a dipping sauce.
Storage Tips
Tteokbokki tastes best right after cooking.
Rice cakes become harder as they cool, so it is best to eat this dish fresh.
If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 day.
To reheat, add a small splash of water and warm it in a pan over low to medium heat until the rice cakes soften again.
Microwaving can work, but reheating in a pan gives a better texture.
Freezing cooked tteokbokki is not recommended because the rice cakes can become dry and hard after thawing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make tteokbokki without gochugaru?
Yes.
You can make it with only gochujang, but the color and chili flavor will be lighter.
Gochugaru gives the sauce a brighter red color and better spicy flavor.
Can I make it less spicy?
Yes.
Reduce the gochugaru or use a milder gochujang.
You can also add more water or a little extra sugar to soften the heat.
Can I add fish cake?
Yes.
Fish cake is one of the best additions to tteokbokki.
Slice it into bite-sized pieces and add it with the rice cakes.
Why is my tteokbokki sauce too watery?
The sauce may need more time to reduce.
Keep simmering and stirring until it becomes thick and glossy.
Why are my rice cakes too hard?
They may not have cooked long enough, or they may have been frozen before cooking.
Soak frozen rice cakes first and simmer until they become soft and chewy.
Can I use rice cakes from the freezer?
Yes.
Soak frozen rice cakes in water first, then cook them in the sauce.
This helps them soften more evenly.
Can I add ramen noodles?
Yes.
Add ramen noodles when there is enough sauce left in the pan.
You may need to add a little extra water so the noodles can cook properly.
Final Thoughts
Tteokbokki is one of the easiest and most satisfying Korean street foods you can make at home.
With rice cakes, water, gochujang, gochugaru, soy sauce, sugar, green onion, and sesame seeds, you can make a sweet, spicy, chewy, and flavorful Korean snack in just 15 minutes.
The key is to simmer the rice cakes until the sauce becomes thick and glossy.
If you want a simple Korean street food recipe that tastes like classic bunsik restaurant tteokbokki, this recipe is a perfect choice.
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